Love Letters at Seven—What Happens When He Grows Up?

"Three teams to start with, twelve people total including medical ninja." Seeing there was room to negotiate, Tsunade's tone relaxed somewhat. "I'll reallocate the funding from Konoha Hospital's existing budget without using any additional appropriations.

"I'll train the people myself. The village won't need to assign any extra teachers."

Ninja were generally organized into teams of three, paired with an instructor or captain.

Tsunade's plan was to personally select and train people, with one medical ninja added to each four-person team.

Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered for a moment.

This proposal was indeed far more realistic than the previous one of "assigning medical ninja to every team."

Three teams as a pilot program, self-funded, with Tsunade training the personnel herself—if it worked well, it could naturally be expanded.

If it didn't, the losses would remain manageable.

"Fine!" He nodded, then added, "But the pilot results must be reported openly and transparently. If the results fail to meet expectations after a year, you must accept its termination."

"Deal." Tsunade stood up, a smile finally appearing at the corner of her lips.

She turned and headed out. When she reached the door, she paused and looked back at the Konoha F4.

"Old man, the decision you made today will save many lives in the future."

With that, she pulled open the door and left, leaving Hiruzen Sarutobi alone in the office with his pipe between his teeth, the expression on his old face impossible to read. After a long while, he muttered softly, "This girl... since when did she become so good at negotiating...?"

"Hiruzen! How could you agree to such an unreasonable demand?!" The moment Tsunade left, Sakura Utatane immediately sprang up.

"Do you know that if you give in this time, Tsunade will definitely push her luck next time and propose establishing the Medical Division again!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned. "If the results are good, what's wrong with establishing a Medical Division?"

Sakura Utatane was left speechless.

She wanted to continue arguing stubbornly, but then Hiruzen Sarutobi said, "Sakura! I'm the Hokage."

"Hiruzen, you'll regret this!" Sakura Utatane instantly shot back, then froze.

Danzo Shimura and Homura Mitokado both gave her strange looks.

Danzo Shimura: Those are all my lines!

Hiruzen Sarutobi's face darkened. Damn it, one after another, all of them were telling him he'd regret it?

Who did they think they were, Danzo?

"Hmph!" Feeling embarrassed, Sakura Utatane snorted and forcibly salvaged her dignity before leaving with Homura Mitokado.

Glancing at Danzo Shimura, who was still standing off to the side, Hiruzen Sarutobi said irritably, "Danzo, why are you still here?"

"I'm here to ask for someone! Mirai Uzumaki must join Root."

Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed in anger. "Get the hell out too!"

Of course, as the Hokage, he couldn't actually curse, but that was what he meant.

"Hiruzen, you'll regret this!"

"Danzo, I'm the Hokage!"

Bang!

Now that was more like it. Hiruzen Sarutobi took a satisfying puff from his pipe, sat down, and continued handling official business.

When Tsunade walked out of the Hokage Building, she was in an excellent mood. She looked up at the sky, unable to suppress the smile on her lips.

That brat Mirai really had some skills.

Tonight, she'd give him a massage as a reward.

"Lady Tsunade!"

Around the corner appeared a refined-looking man with long blue hair and an easygoing smile.

Tsunade's eyes lit up. "Dan! What are you doing here?"

The elegant man was Kato Dan. He had originally planned to go to the hospital and use the chance to get closer to Tsunade, only to be told that she had gone to the Hokage Building.

While envying her ability to meet the Hokage whenever she wished, he hurried over to wait for her.

He scratched his head, his smile growing warmer. "It's nothing much. I just wanted to continue discussing with you, Lady Tsunade, how we could get the Medical Division proposal passed."

Whether the Medical Division was established or not didn't really matter to Kato Dan, but an opportunity to get closer to Tsunade was not one he could afford to miss!

Konoha's number one rich beauty—who wouldn't want her?

When Tsunade was at her most isolated and helpless, if he stepped up to support her, wouldn't this wave of goodwill be maxed out?

Unfortunately, Kato Dan's hopes were dashed.

Tsunade gave a rare smile to a man. "Thank you, Dan, but there's no need. I've already gotten the old man to approve the proposal."

Though he had only agreed to a pilot program, Tsunade had absolute confidence that once the results came in, she would definitely get the proposal passed!

Kato Dan felt as if he had been struck by lightning!

What? How had the proposal passed just like that? He hadn't even begun his offensive yet!

That was it?

"I-is that so?" Kato Dan felt like he could barely keep the smile on his face. "Then, then congratulations, Tsunade!"

"Thank you, Dan." Tsunade thanked him politely. "Thank you for speaking up so righteously at the last meeting."

"If Konoha had more Jonin like you, that would be even better."

"Haha, is that so..."

In the end, Kato Dan was so distracted that he didn't even remember when Tsunade had left.

He only felt utterly alone. Though it was September, it felt as if heavy snow were falling on him.

"No—"

The next day, at the Konoha Ninja Academy.

Mirai Uzumaki entered the classroom as usual. The moment he sat down, he noticed several letters stuffed inside his desk.

He casually pulled one out to look—pink envelopes decorated with hearts, some even sprayed with a faint floral fragrance.

Could these be the legendary love letters?

Mirai Uzumaki immediately became interested. He had to take a look!

He opened one. Inside were crooked pencil-written words: "Mirai-kun, you're really amazing. Can I be friends with you?"

It was signed with the name of a girl he had never heard of.

The second was even more direct: "Mirai-kun, I watch you train by the playground every day. You look so handsome! You even appear in my dreams at night, and dream-you is so naughty!"

Mirai's mouth twitched. Come on, I'm only seven!

How naughty could I possibly be?

This was pure slander.

The third letter, the fourth letter...

Mirai raised an eyebrow, inwardly sighing. Girls in the Shinobi World really matured early. This was only the second grade of elementary school, and love letters were already everywhere.

Before he could examine them closely, a hand reached over from beside him and snatched away all the letters in the blink of an eye.

"Confiscated!"

Kushina Uzumaki puffed out her cheeks and stuffed the envelopes into her schoolbag in one go. Her red hair swayed slightly behind her, and her eyes resembled those of a kitten guarding its food.

"Huh?" Mirai turned to look at her. "Kushina, those are my letters, right?"

"I'm supervising you for Grandma Mito!" Kushina declared righteously. "You're only seven. You're not allowed to date early!"

"...I wasn't planning to date early."

"Still not allowed!" Kushina huffed twice. "What if there's some... some improper content in them? I'll filter them first and return the ones that are fine."

Mirai looked at her expression, which clearly said, "I'm only doing this for your own good," and couldn't help but laugh.

He didn't expose her. He merely shrugged. "Fine, fine. You decide."

Only then did Kushina sit back down in satisfaction, though her hand still pressed against her schoolbag as if those letters were some dangerous forbidden item.