What Is Your Dream?

Kawafune's group of four and one dog waited in the trees until the Construction Team got off work, yet they did not see a single person.

"Looks like they don't plan to make a move today."

"We'll come back tomorrow."

As Kawafune spoke, he stood up on a slender branch without showing the slightest sign of falling.

"What if they never make a move?"

Tsunade voiced the question in her heart, her beautiful eyes fixed directly on Kawafune's upright figure.

Sakumo and Nayuki remained silent, quietly waiting for Kawafune's answer.

Only Ghost Mastiff looked around with complete disinterest.

Standing above them at that moment, Kawafune's eyes nearly got stuck in the ravine and could not pull themselves free.

It was only when he heard Tsunade's question that he came back to his senses and spoke.

"For now, they're only testing us."

"Three days. If there's still no movement by then..."

He habitually left them hanging.

"Enough already. If you don't say it, I'll kick you."

Sakumo had clearly had enough of his little brother's pretentious act. The irritable White Fang had come online.

"Ahem."

Tsunade gave a fake cough to hide her amusement.

"I mean it."

"On the fourth day, we'll have the Construction Team begin work on a large scale."

"But if we do that, civilian casualties will be unavoidable. I hope we can draw that old fox out within these three days."

Kawafune sighed as he spoke. In the world of shinobi, civilians were ultimately the most vulnerable.

"There's no helping it. When the time comes, we'll do our best."

Tsunade was not softhearted enough to play saint. She understood the cruelty of the Shinobi World, and all she could do was try her best and see whether she could save some civilians when the time came.

After hearing his younger brother's words, Sakumo was the first to leap away, gradually vanishing into the distance. Nayuki and Ghost Mastiff followed close behind.

"Tsunade-chan, let's go back and eat."

"Okay."

The two walked side by side toward the Hatake Clan estate.

"Tsunade-chan, what is your dream?"

Bored, Kawafune tossed out a famous line.

"Ah, me?"

Tsunade did not react at first. A dream? Did twins count?

A boy who looked like Kawafune, and a girl who looked like herself.

The more she thought about it, the redder her face became.

"Who else would I be talking to?"

Kawafune looked around and spread his hands.

"I don't really have any dreams. Things are fine as they are."

Tsunade suddenly spoke shyly, which made Kawafune a little unaccustomed to it.

"I think you should have a lofty dream."

Kawafune wondered whether Tsunade in a Hokage Robe would have a special kind of charm.

"What dream?"

Tsunade naturally followed up with the question.

"You are destined to become Hokage."

"Inherit the village of the First and Second Hokage. Only you can protect the legacy they left behind."

"I think Lady Mito would want to see that too."

Kawafune spoke with a serious expression, abruptly dropping three mountains of pressure on Tsunade and talking her into a daze.

"Is that so? I'm going to become Hokage?"

Tsunade's tone was still doubtful. Her? Hokage?

Was Konoha enough for her to lose???

"That's right. It's you."

"I think your future husband and children will be proud of you."

"What do you think, Tsunade-chan?"

Kawafune used his PUA tactics on Tsunade, nearly burning out her CPU.

"I think..."

"I can do it. I'll work hard."

Tsunade's fighting spirit was completely ignited. The twins would be proud to have a Hokage for a mother.

Her husband would be proud of her too. In the blink of an eye, she had already made becoming Hokage her lofty dream.

"Then, Kawafune-kun, what's your dream?"

"My dream is to be proud of you."

Kawafune gazed into Tsunade's eyes, his voice gentle, the love in his gaze nearly overflowing.

"We're here."

Embarrassed by his stare, Tsunade's face flushed red. She landed first, and they were already not far from the Hatake Clan residence.

Too much was as bad as too little. Kawafune did not press his verbal offensive any further.

He followed behind Tsunade at an unhurried pace, watching her curvaceous figure ahead with a bright smile.

They entered the house and went to the dining room.

Sakumo and Nayuki were already seated, while Ghost Mastiff was wolfing down beef.

The moment it saw Kawafune enter, it dragged its food bowl away and vanished from the dining room.

The dog would not share a room with Kawafune.

Kawafune arranged for Tsunade to sit beside him, and the dinner began.

After three cups of Sauce Fragrance, everyone started talking freely.

The atmosphere gradually grew lively.

"Brother Sakumo, do you think I can become Hokage?"

Tsunade was clearly fired up about becoming Hokage now. Emboldened by the alcohol, she wanted to hear what others thought.

"Cough, cough."

Sakumo had no idea how she had come up with such an absurd notion.

Was Konoha enough for her to lose?

Wasn't Orochimaru stronger than her?

"You drank too much. You drank too much."

"You're a direct descendant of the Senju Clan. There's naturally no question that you're qualified to become Hokage."

Sakumo carefully chose his words, but did not mention whether she could actually become Hokage.

"I think you can. Tsunade, you can become Konoha's first female Hokage."

"You can set a benchmark for all female ninja."

Nayuki was a heroic woman herself. As she spoke, she raised a cup and drank with Tsunade.

"Don't worry. We'll be your strongest support."

"Just charge ahead. I'll cover for you from behind."

Seeing that his PUA had worked well, Kawafune added a dose of tenderness, employing both approaches at once.

If Tsunade had been a modern person, there would only have been one thing to say: "It's all in the drink."

Sakumo's jaw nearly dropped when he heard Kawafune. Little brother, were you serious?

Were you really spending this much to chase a wife?

Compared to that, the way he had pursued Nayuki back then had been downright shabby.

At that moment, Tsunade saw no one else. She took hold of Kawafune's hand resting on his thigh.

"I'll make you proud of me."

After saying that, she filled Kawafune's cup and drained her own first.

With the atmosphere already built up like this, Kawafune had no choice but to drink.

He tipped back his head and downed it in one gulp.

Then he clasped Tsunade's hand in return, and their hearts seemed to draw closer.

"What are you planning?"

Sakumo could not bear to watch Tsunade get led around in circles by his little brother. She was clearly becoming another version of himself.

After all, as Kawafune's actual older brother, he had been the first victim of those PUA tactics.

Now, if Kawafune dared to pump him full of empty encouragement, he would dare to splash him with chicken blood.

"I..."

With her lofty dream only just decided, Tsunade was all fired up, but she had no plan.

Seeing that things were going wrong, Kawafune glanced at his big brother and signaled with his eyes: "You want to leave me without heirs?"

Only then did he speak. "I've already mapped it out for you."

The lost look in Tsunade's eyes seemed to find support again, and they lit up.

"First, many ninja have received your help. You have public support."

"Second, once the hospital is built, focus on caring for civilians and build up your reputation."

"Third, the war is about to begin. Make a name for yourself."

"Fourth, kill Sarutobi and get you installed."

Of course, Kawafune only thought of that fourth point and did not say it aloud.

Once the first three points were accomplished, the position of Fourth Hokage would basically be hers.

"Kawafune-kun, I'll listen to you."

Hearing these points, Tsunade found them clear and well-organized, and she greatly approved of Kawafune's Artificial Hokage Plan.

Sakumo had already begun to suspect that his little brother had once wanted to become Hokage himself in order to pursue a wife.

That was why he had given up his original plan.

Seeing the love-filled look in Kawafune's eyes whenever he looked at Tsunade, Sakumo became even more certain of his guess.

That had to be it. Nothing could escape the eyes of Hatake Sakumo.

Satisfied, he drank a cup by himself, unable to hide his smug expression at all.