"Legally entitled to 'permanent leave from work'?"
Kakashi stopped and turned around.
He stared as though looking at an alien at the boy who had just saved an entire country from misery, only to turn around and make such an outrageous demand.
"Do you think the Hokage's office is your family's corner shop? You can't haggle there." Kakashi rolled his dead-fish eyes, utterly speechless.
"If he won't agree, fine. I'll just slack off on every mission from now on." Sen shrugged indifferently.
He hitched the enormous beach bag higher on his back and strode to the front of the group.
On the journey home, an extremely subtle change came over the group's atmosphere.
On their way there, they had been a scattered bunch, each preoccupied with their own thoughts.
Now, Team 7 had gone completely off the rails.
"Boss! Thirsty? I just went down to the river and filled a flask with the coolest spring water for you!"
Like a devoted lackey, Naruto scurried over to Sen with a flask clasped in his hands.
His smile was so obsequious that even Kakashi couldn't bear to look.
Ever since witnessing the "miracle" of Sen blowing apart a water clone with one punch and sweeping aside hundreds of thugs with a single move, things had changed.
Naruto's admiration for Sen had reached the point of blind fanaticism.
Being Hokage, being the best in Konoha-what did any of that matter?
In his eyes, none of it was as awe-inspiring as his boss casually unleashing Wood Release!
"Leave it there." Sen didn't even lift his eyelids, yawning as he pointed beside him.
"Sure thing! Boss, are you tired? Want me to carry your bag?" Naruto edged closer, pushing his luck.
"Get lost. This bag's full of my precious treasures. Could you afford to replace