Konoha's Genius is a bit Ordinary?

"Did Natsuro really say that?" At the Yamanaka household, Mrs. Yamanaka, who had been teasing Ino, exclaimed in surprise.

"Mom, of course, it's true," Ino replied, pouting slightly before breaking into a dreamy smile.

As for being seen at the front door, Ino was already used to it. Her mother had a habit of spying from the upstairs window.

"He's truly a great kid," Inoichi said with a sigh from the side.

Hearing Ino's words left Inoichi feeling a twinge of bitterness. The daughter he had raised for more than a decade was about to become part of another family.

He'd always been aware of how often his daughter went to see Natsuro over the years. Though he pretended not to notice, he had already accepted it.

But now, it wasn't just about her visiting Natsuro, she'd soon be living there. Inoichi's feelings were mixed.

At the same time, he couldn't deny that Ino's chosen partner was flawless.

In terms of career, was there a position higher than Hokage? In terms of strength, Natsuro was said to be second only to the First Hokage.

Most importantly, when it came to character, there had never been any rumors of Natsuro being unfaithful. He had grown up alongside Ino and had never mistreated her.

Reflecting on all this, Inoichi sighed again. He couldn't find a single fault in him.

In fact, Inoichi looked at Ino and realized that, if anything, it was her status that might not match Natsuro's anymore. No matter how close the Ino-Shika-Chō trio was, they were still three separate clans. The Yamanaka family alone wasn't particularly prominent in Konoha.

"Well, the younger generation has their own blessings. I won't worry about it anymore," Inoichi thought to himself.

"Dad, don't sigh like that~" Ino said as she clasped Inoichi's large hand.

"He's not sighing. He's just reluctant to part with his daughter," Mrs. Yamanaka teased, rolling her eyes at her husband.

Inoichi blushed but didn't refute her.

"Don't worry, Dad," Ino said with a smile. "Natsuro is Hokage; he won't leave the village. Even after we're married, we'll still live nearby. I'll visit often."

"Alright," Inoichi replied with a smile, silently hoping that would indeed be the case.

At that moment, Ino's eyes sparkled mischievously. She grinned and said, "Besides, Dad, you and Mom aren't that old yet. You could totally give me a little brother~"

"You brat, what are you talking about?!" Mrs. Yamanaka scolded with a laugh.

"Hehe," Ino giggled and retreated to her room. Before closing the door, she popped her head out one last time to say, "I'm serious, Mom!"

Then she shut the door quickly, leaving no room for retaliation.

Mrs. Yamanaka shook her head at her daughter's antics. She knew what Ino was really worried about, the potential for conflict with Natsuro over the Yamanaka family's inheritance. But they had already given up on that concern.

Suddenly, she noticed Inoichi's expression.

"Dear, should we give it a try?" Inoichi asked. What Ino said wasn't wrong. He was still in his prime, so why couldn't they have another child?

With Tsunade around, the risks associated with older pregnancies weren't a concern. If there were no obstacles, then...

Inoichi looked at his wife, who, as the Yamanaka clan leader's wife, didn't have to busy herself with work. Despite her age, she was still well-maintained.

Of course, she couldn't compare to Tsunade, nobody could, but she looked great nonetheless.

"Huh?" Mrs. Yamanaka froze for a moment before her face turned red. Was she supposed to agree or agree?

And to be honest, the idea of having another child excited her a little.

.....

Time flew by, and the day of Natsuro's inauguration arrived.

The streets and alleys in front of Konoha's Hokage Tower were packed with people, creating a lively atmosphere.

The villagers wholeheartedly believed that Natsuro's leadership would make Konoha even better.

Almost all the clan leaders had gathered in front of the Hokage Tower, watching the scene unfold.

"Tch, I didn't expect Natsuro to choose to become Hokage at this time. Isn't it troublesome?" Shikamaru muttered to Shikaku Nara.

"It's not necessarily troublesome, more likely, he has big plans," Shikaku replied.

"Huh?" Shikamaru began to ponder.

"And Shikamaru," Shikaku suddenly called out.

"Yeah? What is it, Dad?" Shikamaru asked curiously.

"Did you know Natsuro is getting engaged to Ino?" Shikaku stared at his son.

"Huh? No, I didn't…" Shikamaru felt a sense of foreboding.

"So, Shikamaru, when are you going to find someone? I'm not asking for an engagement right now, but you should at least have a girlfriend, right?" Shikaku said with a sly smile.

Shikamaru sighed and facepalmed. He knew this was coming. "I'm not in a hurry."

"Well, it's up to you. But if you wait too long, your mom might start arranging blind dates for you," Shikaku warned with a nod.

Shikamaru had no reason to doubt this. Without Natsuro's example, it might not have been an issue, but with it, his mom was sure to get impatient.

Still, this kind of thing was such a drag! As Shikamaru pondered, an image of a certain blonde beauty floated into his mind.

"Why am I thinking of her?" Shikamaru muttered to himself, chuckling in self-deprecation. Glancing at his father, he thought about his mom's determination and realized being single might be more peaceful after all.

He turned his gaze to Chōji, who was happily munching on chips nearby, feeling a bit envious. Chōji's dad never pressured him about these things, though that was probably just a matter of time.

"Huh?" Chōji noticed Shikamaru's look and paused. Extending his chip bag, he offered, "Want some?"

"No thanks, you keep eating," Shikamaru said with a wry smile, shifting his attention to the figures atop the Hokage Tower. His expression grew thoughtful.

It wasn't surprising to see the Third and Fifth Hokage there, but the presence of the two advisors, as well as Naruto, puzzled him.

"Oh! Natsuro is becoming Hokage so soon, I'm fired up! I've got to run a few hundred laps around Konoha!" Lee said, his eyes ablaze with passion as he prepared to dash off.

"Hey! This is Natsuro's inauguration ceremony. If you want to train, at least wait until it's over!" Tenten scolded, grabbing Lee to stop him.

"You're right," Lee said, nodding as he reluctantly suppressed his burning desire.

Neji Hyūga stood with his eyes closed, his emotions complicated.

Although he had let go of his resentment toward Hiashi Hyūga after the events of the Chūnin Exams acknowledging that his father's death had been voluntary, he still couldn't accept the existence of the Caged Bird Seal.

That scroll detailing his father's decision could have been fabricated, but Neji knew, based on his childhood memories, that it was entirely something his father would do.

Throughout his youth, Neji had often felt the deep bond and love his father had for Hiashi, his elder brother.

And so, Neji chose to believe the contents of that scroll.

However, forgiving Hiashi didn't mean he could reconcile himself with the oppressive reality of the Caged Bird Seal.

These were separate matters entirely.

Even now, as a Jōnin of Konoha, he saw no hope for changing the system.

His individual strength was still insignificant compared to the vast power of the Hyūga clan.

Neji looked toward the Hokage Tower. If he could possess the same level of power as Natsuro, would he then be able to make a difference?

But how could he ever achieve such strength?

He didn't know. He had worked hard, harder than most, but Natsuro's rapid growth seemed incomprehensible to him.

In the end, Neji could only sigh inwardly and let the thought go.

As for Natsuro becoming Hokage, Neji neither opposed nor supported it.

To him, it didn't matter who became Hokage; it wouldn't change his current situation.

Naruto, meanwhile, gazed out at the sea of people below, his eyes filled with admiration.

He wanted to become Hokage for exactly this reason, to be treated with such respect and recognition. To Naruto, becoming Hokage symbolized earning everyone's acknowledgment.

And judging by the scene below, his feelings were spot on.

Listening to the cheers and genuine joy of the crowd, Naruto couldn't help but smile.

He made a decision in his heart: he would definitely become the Hokage after Natsuro!

The Seventh Hokage would be him... Naruto Uzumaki!

As for why he was on the Hokage Tower, Naruto wasn't entirely sure.

He had originally planned to stay with Hinata, but he was later escorted here by members of the ANBU, who claimed it was Natsuro's arrangement.

Anywhere else, Naruto might have hesitated, but being atop the Hokage Tower? There was no way it could be a trick.

So, trusting him completely, Naruto came without hesitation.

Now, he looked out at his friends among the crowd.

When he saw Hinata, he waved at her from the balcony. She shyly waved back, making Naruto feel something stir inside him.

It was a feeling Naruto had never experienced before. In the past, he'd received nothing but rejection. Mostly in the form of fists and kicks.

But Hinata, though still shy and blushing, always gave him a clear and genuine response. Even someone as dense as Naruto was beginning to notice something.

Naruto then turned his gaze to Sakura. She wasn't looking at the Hokage Tower but scanning the crowd as if searching for someone. It was obvious she was looking for Sasuke.

In the past, Naruto would have felt jealous, but now, he found that he didn't mind as much.

Then his eyes shifted to Karin, standing near Sakura. She too seemed to be searching for something, or someone.

Naruto froze. From his vantage point, he had a much better view. He had assumed Sasuke was already here, but judging by Karin and Sakura's actions, it seemed he wasn't.

Naruto looked around to confirm. Sure enough, Sasuke was nowhere to be seen.

But knowing Sasuke, there was no way he would miss Natsuro's inauguration.

And it wasn't just Sasuke, where was Jiraiya?

Naruto furrowed his brows in confusion. Jiraiya was also Natsuro's teacher. There was no reason for him to miss this event.

So what were Sasuke and Jiraiya up to?

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Currently on Chapter 286 - Hiruko