Konoha: The Honored One

Hokage Building

The office was quiet, save for the soft rustle of paper as Tsunade frowned at the letter in her hands. Her golden eyes scanned the words with a mixture of curiosity and annoyance.

"The Five Kage Summit?" she muttered, tapping her fingernail on the desk.

The letter bore the insignia of the Rock Shinobi Village, penned by none other than the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki—a crotchety old man with a penchant for causing trouble. "What's he playing at, calling a summit now?" Tsunade mused.

Shizune, ever the dutiful assistant, entered the room with Tonton in tow. "A Five Kage Summit? That's unusual," she said, tilting her head. "But, um, does The Sand Village even have a Kage right now?"

Tsunade sighed. "They must. Otherwise, they wouldn't bother showing up." She leaned back in her chair, fingers drumming against the wood. "Although, considering their current state, I'd be surprised if their new Kage isn't just some random genin wearing a fancy hat."

Before Shizune could reply, a loud whoosh echoed through the office as a portal of blue energy opened midair. Gojo stepped out casually, his sunglasses hiding his perpetually amused expression.

"Yo, Tsunade. You've got a real 'resting disaster' face going on today," he quipped, holding up an unconscious Jinchūriki as if it were a sack of potatoes.

"Gojo?" Tsunade blinked in surprise. "What are you doing back so soon? I thought you were out handling Akatsuki members."

Shizune added, "It's only been an hour… Did you even leave the village?"

Gojo plopped onto the sofa, tossing the Jinchūriki onto the floor unceremoniously. "Oh, I left. And I handled it," he said, flashing a grin. "Took about ten minutes. The rest of the time was spent… creatively."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "And what about the Akatsuki members?"

Gojo waved a hand dismissively. "Gone. Probably having tea with the Reaper by now. Anyway, they're not important."

"Not important?!" Tsunade shot up from her chair, slamming her hands on the desk. "Gojo, you—"

"Relax, Tsunade," Gojo interrupted smoothly. "You're going to get wrinkles if you keep stressing out. And no amount of sake can fix those."

Shizune stifled a laugh, but Tonton let out a terrified squeal as Gojo reached over and poked the pig. "By the way," he said, inspecting Tonton, "if this little guy doesn't start pulling its weight, I might just… stew it."

The pig panicked, hiding behind Shizune, who gave Gojo a horrified look. "You wouldn't dare!"

"Try me," Gojo replied, popping a lollipop into his mouth. "Anyway, let's focus on what's really important: my incredible efficiency. Oh, and the fact that I brought you a gift."

"Gift?" Tsunade asked warily.

Gojo gestured lazily at the unconscious Jinchūriki on the floor. "Ta-da! Six Tails' Jinchūriki. Thought you'd appreciate the gesture. You know, spice up your day."

Tsunade's eyes widened. "You… kidnapped a Jinchūriki from Mist?"

"'Kidnapped' is such a harsh word," Gojo replied, feigning hurt. "I prefer 'relocated with style.' Besides, the Mist should thank me for lightening their workload. Who needs a giant slug anyway?"

"Gojo…" Tsunade began, her voice low and dangerous.

"Yes, my dear Tsuna-chan?" he said, leaning in with an exaggerated grin.

She grabbed his collar and yanked him close. "What I want is Akatsuki intel, not your ridiculous antics!"

Gojo's grin didn't falter. "Oh, I have that too. But let's save it for later. After all, you look adorable when you're mad."

Shizune's face turned beet red. "M-Master Tsunade, maybe… maybe we should hear him out?"

"Fine," Tsunade said, releasing Gojo with a huff. "What do you know about Akatsuki?"

Gojo leaned back, smirking. "Everything. Their members, their goals, even their laundry schedules. But, uh, sharing's not free. What's it worth to you?"

"Gojo," Tsunade growled, her hands twitching as if she were seconds away from strangling him.

"Okay, okay!" he relented, raising his hands. "Let's just say they're after all the Tailed Beasts to make a giant Ten Tails monstrosity. Big scary tree, world domination, yadda yadda."

Tsunade stared at him. "You're serious?"

"Dead serious," Gojo said, his tone briefly turning uncharacteristically somber. "And if you need me to explain Infinite Tsukuyomi, I can dumb it down for you later."

"Infinite what now?" Shizune asked, blinking.

"Don't worry about it," Gojo said, ruffling her hair like she was a clueless genin.

Tsunade sighed, rubbing her temples. "Fine. But what do we do with this Six Tails Jinchūriki?"

"Simple," Gojo said, standing up and stretching. "Find someone in the village who wants to be a Jinchūriki. Problem solved."

"No one's going to volunteer for that," Tsunade said flatly. "Do you know how Jinchūriki are treated?"

"By cowards and weaklings, sure," Gojo replied, his voice suddenly sharp. "But anyone with guts would see the power for what it is: an opportunity."

Tsunade and Shizune exchanged glances.

"If you're so confident," Tsunade said, crossing her arms, "who do you suggest?"

Gojo's grin returned. "Kakashi. Guy's already a powerhouse. Imagine him with a boost. Sharingan Kamui spam, anyone?"

Shizune looked skeptical. "But… doesn't the Tailed Beast extraction kill the Jinchūriki?"

Gojo shrugged. "Details. Kakashi's resourceful. He'll figure it out."

Tsunade sighed again, sitting back down. "I'll think about it. For now, just… don't steal anything else from Mist."

Gojo gave a mock salute. "No promises, Chief."

The office door creaked open, breaking the tense silence.

Leaning heavily on his cane, Danzo entered, his single visible eye scanning the unconscious Jinchūriki sprawled on the floor. His expression remained as stoic as ever, but greed flickered just beneath the surface.