Watching events unfold exactly as planned, Tōma finally let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
At least that problem was resolved.
Konoha's civilians were, by and large, simple and sincere. If this had been the modern world he remembered from his previous life, he wouldn't have dared to play things this way at all.
Now that the political storm had been temporarily defused, Tōma finally had breathing room. Time he could dedicate to what mattered most right now.
His body.
Absorbing natural energy and reshaping himself.
Danzō, observing from the shadows, sneered.
Did Tōma really think this was over?
Even if Tsunade didn't want the Hokage position now, once she took it, she'd never tolerate someone who could replace her at any moment. Danzō didn't believe for a second that Tsunade would leave such a threat untouched.
All he had to do was wait and reap the benefits.
If Tōma had known what Danzō was thinking, he would've only smiled.
People with dark hearts assumed everyone else was the same.
Tōma's confidence came from something else entirely. He trusted the Tsunade he knew. If not for that certainty, he never would've taken this gamble. With even a slightly more ruthless Hokage candidate, Danzō's logic would've been correct.
Nearby, Gaara and his siblings watched Tōma with complicated expressions.
They'd studied his background carefully. Every time they saw him, it felt unreal that he was only thirteen. And now, after watching him willingly refuse the Hokage seat at its peak moment, their disbelief only deepened.
Gaara, however, was thinking of something else.
Konoha didn't need a thirteen-year-old to bear everything.
But Sunagakure?
Their situation was far worse. Weakened, unstable, and vulnerable to being pushed out of the Five Great Villages entirely.
Unlike Tōma, Sunagakure needed someone to stand at the front.
As cheers filled the air, the celebration came to a smooth close. Word would spread quickly. This wasn't just the fame of "Konoha's White Fang's successor" anymore.
Tōma had officially stepped into the sights of far more dangerous eyes.
"Welcome back, our little Hokage-sama," Fujimoto Sana teased as Tōma returned home.
"I'm back," Tōma replied casually. "Future Hokage's mother."
He glanced at Yamanaka Ino. "And the future Hokage's wife."
Ino froze.
She'd never seriously imagined herself in that role. But hearing it out loud made her heart skip in a way she didn't quite dislike.
"All right, enough teasing," Sana said with a laugh. "Wash your hands. Dinner's ready."
"Yes, ma'am," Tōma replied cheerfully.
For the next few days, Tōma finally had uninterrupted time.
He dove deep into studying his body's transformation.
And quickly became frustrated.
Progress was painfully slow. Even with full concentration, this kind of change simply couldn't be rushed. He couldn't lock himself away forever just to absorb natural energy.
So he tried something only he could do.
He delegated.
One consciousness focused solely on absorbing natural energy and reshaping the body. The other handled everything else.
Before learning the truth about his dual souls, this would've been impossible. Now, it was merely difficult.
Clumsy at first, but workable.
The tradeoff was reduced sensory range. Not by much, but noticeable to him. Still, the auxiliary consciousness could always halt the process if a situation demanded full attention, such as combat.
The transformation slowed slightly, but remained steady.
Then came the pleasant surprise.
Tōma clenched his fist, feeling the subtle but undeniable increase in physical strength. Even partial transformation was reinforcing his body. If this continued to completion…
His physique would reach an entirely new level.
And because natural energy storage depended on physical strength, his long-standing chakra limitations might solve themselves.
Or rather, it wouldn't be chakra anymore.
It would be something higher.
The only disappointment was that he likely couldn't use traditional Sage Mode. His transformed chakra no longer merged cleanly with natural energy. Powerful, yes—but lacking Sage Mode's broader enhancements.
Still, this path was uncharted territory. He was the first to walk it.
All he could do was continue forward.
If things went smoothly, the transformation should finish before Akatsuki truly began moving.
That was when the messenger toad arrived.
"Jiraiya-sensei needs you immediately," it croaked. "It's urgent."
Tōma's expression sharpened.
Orochimaru had vanished. Now Jiraiya was calling for help.
Which meant—
"He went after Tsunade."
"Yes. Please hurry."
Tōma fed the toad a strip of dried worm and nodded. "Inform the Third Hokage as well. I'm heading there now."
The toad hopped off.
Moments later, Tōma vanished in a flash.
"Hey! Pervy Sage, what do we do?" Naruto shouted, staring at Tsunade's mangled body and the exhausted Shizune struggling to keep healing. "We can't help at all!"
"I've already contacted Tōma," Jiraiya replied grimly. "He'll be here soon. He knows medical ninjutsu."
Naruto's eyes lit up. "If Tōma's coming, then it'll be fine!"
Jiraiya twitched.
Somehow, that brat trusted Tōma more than him.
Before he could dwell on it, space rippled.
"Tōma!" Naruto shouted.
Tōma scanned the room, his gaze locking onto Tsunade's condition. His pupils tightened.
So it was true.
Orochimaru really had targeted her.
"Let's talk later," Tōma said calmly. "I'll stabilize Tsunade-sama first."
Jiraiya nodded. "Please."
For once, Naruto stayed quiet.
Tōma moved beside Shizune, observing Tsunade's injuries and Shizune's own wounds.
"I can take over," he said.
"I… can still—" Shizune tried to argue, swaying.
Tonta the pig squeaked anxiously.
Tōma didn't force her aside. He simply began healing alongside her, green chakra flowing steadily from his hands.
Shizune's eyes widened.
His technique was refined. Efficient.
Time blurred.
At last, Tsunade's life-threatening injuries stabilized.
The moment the danger passed, Shizune collapsed, unconscious.
"Shizune!" Naruto yelped.
"She's just exhausted," Tōma said evenly. "Naruto, take her to rest. I'll finish here."
Naruto nodded and carried Shizune away.
Left alone with Tsunade, Tōma sighed quietly.
This was going to be a long night.