Konohagakure No Sato, Or the Village Hidden in the Leaves, was one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages that was experiencing an incredible time of peace at the moment. It had been five years since the time of the Fourth Great Shinobi war, and many people were living out there lives in peace, while as a whole, all the great villages were prospering with clients for Shinobi missions.

And it had all been because of one man, Naruto Uzumaki, Jinchuuriki of Kurama, the nine tailed demon fox, Hero of the Fourth War, Savior of the World, and soon to be Seventh Hokage. Naruto was tall for his age, being taller then everyone, besides Sasuke, from his academy years, standing at Five Feet, Nine inches. With bright, blonde hair that held a natural spikiness to it that defied gravity, and cerulean blue eyes, Naruto looked at the ANBU commander in his window with a questioning gaze.

"Lord Naruto, Lord Sixth has asked that you come to his office. He wishes to speak to you about something." Naruto frowned, wondering what his Hokage of a sensei wanted, as it was a Saturday, and Naruto had just returned from another diplomatic mission to amend ties with the smaller villages, between the larger villages. It was all apart of his training to become the next Hokage, even if Naruto did find it boring.

"Did he say why, Anbu-san?" The Anbu that was currently perched on Naruto's window seal shook his head, before holding up two fingers, his index and middle while his other's were balled, and disappeared in a flurry of leaves, leaving the 22 year old alone in his small, modest apartment.

Times had changed since he was a kid, a lot actually, but even with all the fame that came with being the worlds strongest man, Naruto hadn't changed a bit, nor did he let the fame and power go to his head. He still lived in the same apartment that the old man Hokage, Hiruzen had given him when he was five, even if it was a new one rebuilt after Pain's attack on Konoha.

Deciding to see what his sensei wanted Naruto stood up and straightened out his clothing. His clothing, while simple, was a change since he was a kid and held no orange whatsoever, a drastic change from only five years ago. With a simple Hidden Leaf Flak jacket over a navy blue shirt and pants tucked into his black combat sandals, Naruto donned a cloak very much like his fathers, expect his was red with black flames on the hem, a gift from the Toads of Mt. Myoboku. With that done, Naruto, like any reasonable shinobi, ran and jumped out the window, falling to the earthen floor below.

Deciding to just walk to the Hokage tower, instead of running or flying there, Naruto took off in a leisurely pace, wanting to get a feel for his village today. Konoha, like every other day, was bustling with business. Stores were open, with a healthy stream of people coming for products, while vendors and kiosk owners stood to the side, yelling to get people to stop by.

"Lord Naruto! Lord Naruto! Over here!" Naruto turned to the people calling him, and waved at them. It was always nice to be greeted as he walked through the village, and Naruto could, and would, spend hours at a time stopping to talk to people, ask how they were doing, and sometimes even would take people to lunch just to brighten up there day. He wasn't stupid, he knew how people viewed him, being there savior and all, so Naruto would make sure he always brightened up there day to talk to them, as he was Hokage in everything in name, and everyone loved a Kage.

"Hi guys. Nice day huh?" Naruto smiled as he walked away, waving to a few more people as he shoved his hands into his pockets. Konoha had grown rather large, and with a surge of people moving to the village just to be near the world's savior, Konoha had to expand. First, they had torn down the protective walls that overlooked the village, and instead started planting more tree's, to use as a natural protection incase something ever happened. But that wasn't all, they had started to build skyscrapers on top of the Hokage monument, and beyond as the village itself was to small to contain everyone. Some clans even helped out to, and allowed people to rent the houses on there property that were empty, until the new housing was built.

It was certainly surreal, to watch as the village he had known since birth grew larger and larger by the day, but Naruto loved it. Especially the attention he got, as he loved being in the spot light of the villagers, and being the reason they smiled.

"Huh? Naruto? What're you doing here?" Naruto turned slightly to see who had called him, as only a select few actually listened to Naruto and didn't call him 'Lord Naruto', but was surprised to see Shikamaru walking with Temari holding his hand.

"Yo, Shika, Temari-chan. What's up?" The two shinobi fell into step with Naruto as he turned the corner, just being a few blocks away from the Hokage's tower. Both Temari and Shikamaru had grown also, with Temari no longer having her hair in four separate pigtails, but were now in two pigtails. She wore a simple purple kimono with light purple chest armor over it, and her signature fan on her back. Shikamaru had grown taller also, being only a slight inch shorter then Naruto, and wore a simple black body suit, with a green Jounin vest over it. He had a little bit of hair on his chin that was growing in, but his hair was still in its pineapple shape, with a simple black rubber band holding it back.

"Troublesome… Temari wanted to go for a… walk. I suggested cloud watching, but that was turned down." Naruto snickered as Temari glared at the lazy genius, while said lazy genius released a sigh, wishing he could go and watch clouds, and not have to deal with the troublesome woman that he loved.

"Pfftt… whipped!" Now it was Shikamaru's turn to turn and glare at the snickering blonde who held his hands up in defense, even if he was still laughing and didn't look sorry for his comment. Releasing a sigh, Shikamaru looked up into the clouds.

"Anyways, you troublesome blonde, where are you going?" Naruto pointed towards the Hokage tower as they turned down the final stretch towards the red building that housed the leader of Konoha in it with a slight frown on his face.

"Kakashi-sensei needs me, so he had an Anbu come get me. I don't know why though, I just returned from another diplomatic mission last night." Shikamaru nodded as he looked at the Hokage tower, somewhere he was used to being, as he was training to become Naruto's assistant.

"How'd it go? I'm surprised I wasn't informed of this mission, usually I'm forced to come along." Naruto sighed as he ran a hand down his face, wishing Shikamaru had come. No matter how hard he tried, he just didn't have the brain of a Kage. He wouldn't lie to himself, as that just wasn't who he was, but the only reason he was becoming Hokage was because he was the strongest person alive, and it's what the people wanted. Naruto didn't mind though, as that's why he had Shikamaru, so he could help the blonde when he was Hokage. Still though, he wanted to be able to do somethings alone.

"Sucked. I had to go to the Hidden Sound. With the peace that's settled over the world, Snake-teme decided to stop his human experiments, and after agreeing to have captain Yamato over watch everything he does, Konoha agreed to build the Snake-teme a ninja village, as long as it benefitted The Hidden Leaf in the end." Shikamaru and Temari raised an eyebrow at that. Of course, they had seen the pale snake Sannin in Konoha a few times, and everyone was wary of him, but they never thought he'd have The Hidden Leaf help build him a shinobi village.

"Let me guess, Orochimaru asked for you, and mentally tortured you by playing mind games with you in the diplomatic meeting you guys had." Naruto glared slightly at the amused Suna-nin, but nodded as it was true.

"Yeah. Honestly, I think Kakashi-sensei put the bastard up to it, but even then Orochimaru was having to much fun with it, and kept tricking me into different trade deals… amongst things." Naruto shivered as he remembered the snake Sannin asking to cut him open to see how his body differed from others sense he was a Jinchuuriki and Six Path's user. Of course, Orochimaru was careful about how he worded everything, and almost got the blonde to agree.

"Well, how'd it turn out in the end, Naruto?" Naruto smiled as he was able to do something right at the end of the day, and found something that worked for both villages, to help them both prosper even more.

"It went great, -ttebayo! Konoha's agreed to start a med-nin program for aspiring Sound shinobi, we'll be opening up hospitals, libraries, and schools, while in return Orochimaru signed a treaty, will be handing over knowledge on different jutsu to be documented and stored in our archives, and I even got him to agree to a shinobi-transfer program." Naruto had a smug look on his face as he saw the dumbfounded look on his two war time buddies face's.
"A shinobi-transfer program? What do you mean?" Naruto shrugged as he tried to recall exactly what they had agreed to. "Well… for six months at a time, 10 shinobi from The Leaf will go and live in The Sound, learn from people hand picked by Orochimaru, and just live as Sound shinobi. While that happens, Sound shinobi will come here and do the same thing. I don't know, it's suppose to help with relations between villages if our shinobi integrate between each other and form bonds with one another."

Shikamaru nodded, logically, that would be good for villages. And while he didn't trust the slippery snake of a Sannin, even Shikamaru couldn't argue with how much Orochimaru had changed sense the war. Seeing that they were at the front of the Hokage tower, both Shikamaru and Temari waved the blonde a goodbye and started to walk away.

"Anyways, see ya Naruto. We should catch up sometime over lunch." Naruto waved the two lovers a goodbye, and entered the Hokage's building. It had changed a little over the years, having been rebuilt, like everything in The Hidden Leaf, after Pain's attack. It was now bigger, and held more room for people to enter, as under the reign of Hiruzen, he was more closed off, and only came down to the mission hall to hand out missions, while Tsunade had opted for her office and the mission hall to be connected, with a door in between.

Walking up a flight of stairs, reaching the third floor, Naruto walked down the hallway, his hands in his pockets as he nodded to a few people that were either leaving for missions, or that had just came back. A few waved to him, but over all, it was mostly shinobi there that just bowed there head in respect slightly for the whiskered blonde.

Knocking on the door to the Hokage's office, Naruto didn't even wait for a come in as he just barged in, a grin on his face. It was because of his unannounced presence that slightly made Kakashi jump, that Naruto was barely able to catch the orange book that Kakashi was always seen reading being quickly shoved into his robes hastily.

"Ah, Naruto-kun, you're early." Naruto deadpanned as he glared at the perverted leader he called his sensei. "No, I'm right on time, you're just always late so you think I'm early!" Kakashi chuckled slightly as he motioned for Naruto to take a seat, which the blonde quickly did.

"So what do you need Kaka-sensei? Ready to hand over the hat and make me Hokage?" Naruto wiggled his eyebrows, a grin plastered on his face as he looked at his sensei, who shook his head and shot down the blonde's dreams.

"Hmm, not yet. You've still not completed your training, and besides, I only just became Hokage a few years ago, and I would like to keep the hat for a few more." Kakashi smiled as Naruto grumbled to himself about unfair sensei's and stupid perverts who should just retire already.

"But that's all besides the point, I've called you here to talk to you about a few things." Naruto nodded as Kakashi pulled out a few pieces of paper, and handed it to the blonde. "First, The Leaf has received a grant by the Daimyo, and I wanted to get your opinion on what we should put the money towards. The Leaf's General Hospital is still recovering from the after effects of the war, and is understaffed at the moment. Sakura-chan is doing all that she can to train people, but is need of help. With Lady Tsunade in The Village Hidden in the Clouds right now, I wanted to get your view on what should be done."

Naruto read over the first two papers, one being an official document from the capital of the Land of Fire signed personally by the Daimyo granting the Leaf a 250 million Ryo grant for use, while the second one was a request from Sakura herself, who was recently made head of The Leaf General Hospital, requesting help as she was being overworked to the bone, but didn't have a good enough staff to cover in the hospital.

Of course it made sense though. It took years of training for someone to be eligible to work at the hospital, and being that it had only been five years sense the Fourth Great Shinobi war, and Medical Nin were forced to be on the frontlines to save as many people as possible, many had died which caused a very low number of eligible medical-nin.

"I think we should re-call Shizune-nee back to the village because she's the best behind Sakura-chan and Tsunade-Baa-chan. She can help train people while Sakura-chan focuses on the hospital itself." Kakashi pulled out a pen and notepad and wrote a few notes down, then looked back up to Naruto.

"Anything else?" Naruto hummed in thought, his brows furrowing as he thought of the best way to help his best female friend out. "Uhh… What about Ino-chan? She trained under Tsunade-Baa-chan right? Last I heard she took over as head of interrogation with Sai's help, but we should ask her to help out for the time being." Kakashi smiled under his mask, as that was exactly what he thought to. Plus, Ino was more needed in the hospital right now, while Sai could take over, as he was well reversed in the art of interrogation thanks to the late Danzo.

"Good, Naruto. Now, how much should we grant Sakura?" Naruto looked back at the paper. Sakura was asking for 25 million Ryo over all for training equipment, supplies, paychecks, and new equipment. With the peace that had overcome the world, actual scientist have had more time to invent incredible, but expensive equipment to save patients life's.

"I say…. Grant her 10 million at the moment, to buy what she needs, and over time we can slowly buy more and more until we've gotten her everything." With a wave of his hand, Kakashi motioned for Naruto to sign the paper granting The Leaf's hospital 10 million Ryo, while also ordering Ino to transfer for the time being.

"Good. Later today I'll send a Genin team to receive Shizune for us. Now, on to the next one." Naruto set the first two pieces of paper down, and looked at the next one, which got a raised eyebrow from the whiskered blonde.

"This if from… Kurotsuchi-chan and Kankuro? Sense when…. Ha! I knew it! That lying make-up wearing bastard tried to deny it!" Naruto grinned as he looked at the two signatures on the paper, one being Kankuro, the brother of the current Kazekage Gaara, and son of the Fourth Kazekage Rasa, and Kurotsuchi, Granddaughter of the Third Tsuchikage Oonoki, and great granddaughter of Ishikawa the First Tsuchikage. It was a double request from the Hidden Sand and the Hidden Rock for the Hidden Leaf to hold the second round of the Chunin exams while The Hidden Sand would hold the first round, and the Hidden Rock would hold the third.

"They want us to create a safe, but challenging route from the Leaf to the Rock for the second exam." Kakashi nodded as he pulled out a map, and laid it on the desk. "Yes, but to do so, there's a… side mission you'll need to do, so to say. Between the Hidden Leaf and the Hidden Rock is the Village hidden in Grass, who has yet to sign a peace treaty. Now, what would be the best course of action to take."
Naruto looked at the map that was laid across the desk, a frown on his face. They had tried twice now to get the Hidden Grass to sign an agreement, only for it to be shot down twice now. If they wanted to accept, and hold the second round, that would mean they would have to do one of two things. Either ask for either the Hidden Rain, who had been surprisingly quiet the last few years for entrance into their now opened, but still isolated nation, or try to get the Hidden Grass to sign an agreement again.

Both would be really hard to persuade, but the best option would be to ask the Hidden Rain who had signed a peace treaty. From The Land of Fire the genin would travel to the land of Rain, then to the land of Earth.

" I think we should ask the new leader of the Hidden Rain if we could use their nation as part of the exam… and even ask them to help judge and oversee the second exam to help show trust between our nations." Kakashi raised his eyebrows in surprise, not having thought of that, but nonetheless, it was a good idea, and one that would have to be followed.

"Very well, I'll write up the request and have Temari-san deliver it on behalf of our village." Naruto grinned, this was getting easier and easier by the day to make choices that benefited the village, at the rate he was going, he'd be Hokage in no time!

"Now, on to our last bit of business before you're free to go." Kakashi grinned, it was the type of grin so evil, so… so cruel, that Naruto could do nothing but shiver in wonder of what his sensei was thinking. "Naruto-kun… what am I to you?" Of all things for Kakashi to ask, Naruto was not expecting that. Scratching his head, Naruto said the only thing he could think of.

"My… Sensei?" Naruto used his bandaged hand to scratch his whiskered cheek as he tried to think of what Kakashi was getting at with that question. "Correct, Naruto-kun!" Kakashi clapped his hands together as he stood up, and looked out over the village he called home. "Now, I know you know the answer to this question, but, humor me, what's the Will of Fire to you?" Joining his sensei at the window, Naruto watched as a small kid kicked a ball, and broke a man's window, only for the man to come running outside, screaming his head off.

"The will of fire is an unspoken law that all in the Leaf follow. We're all family, you, Sakura-chan, Sasuke, even Sai. We're all brothers and sisters, and because of that we watch over each other, protect each other when needed, and do our best to help one another when someone needs it… sometimes, even if they don't want it but need it." Kakashi rested his hand on Naruto's shoulder as he gave a small smile.

"Couldn't have said it any better Naruto, you've really grown, and I know Minato-sensei would be proud of the man you've become. I'm proud." Naruto smiled sadly as he looked at his fathers official Hokage photo hanging on the wall.

" I know Kakashi-sensei. I know mom would to. When I got to talk to them, I was proud to be able to stand in front of them, and let them get to know me." Kakashi ruffled Naruto's hair which got a growl from the Jinchuuriki, which caused the Sixth Hokage to laugh.

"The reason I asked that Naruto, is because recently a meeting was held between myself and the honorable clan heads of the Leaf. We've all come to an agreement concerning you, and I think it's time I tell you. But first, as I know you might not accept it, I think some questions are in order." Both men went back to their respective seats as Kakashi looked at the pictures of the past Hokage.

"Naruto…. What's the one thing all past Hokage have in common, including myself, but not you?" Naruto hummed in thought, his brows furrowing as he tried to think. Of course, the past Hokage had a lot in common. They were all kick ass shinobi, the best of the best, and they had protected the Hidden Leaf. Trying to think of what it could be, Naruto looked towards his left, where six pictures were hanging, and tried to make any connection he could.

"I was going to say, they're all kick ass shinobi? But then you said not me, so it cant be that!" Kakashi seriously wanted to slam his head on his desk, as he had been hoping Naruto would have at least gotten that one. But, seeing the blonde needed some help, Kakashi pointed towards the picture of the second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.

"Naruto, what was Lord Second to Lord Third?" Naruto looked at the picture of Lord Second, trying to figure out the connection between the two Hokage. Obviously, Naruto had failed school twice before he passed his ninja exam, and something like history never got him excited, so it was a hard question, even now.

"His sensei Naruto, Lord Second was the sensei of Lord Third." Naruto's mouth made an 'O' shape as he listened to Kakashi, having not known that one bit of information. " Continuing on Naruto, Lord Third was the sensei of Lady Tsunade, Lord Jiraiya, and Orochimaru." Now Naruto was seeing it, what Kakashi was getting at.

"Oh! I see Kaka-sensei. Old Man Second was the sensei of Old man Third, Old man Third was the sensei of Ero-sennin, Ero-sennin was dad's sensei, and dad was your sensei, while you're my sensei. So, All Hokage were a sensei of one another, even indirectly?" Kakashi nodded, a small smile on his face as he pointed at Hashirama Senju's picture.

"Correct. The only Hokage to not be a sensei were Lord Hashirama, and Lady Tsunade. Even then, Lord Hashirama trained Lord Third alongside Lord Second, and Lady Tsunade had an apprenticeship with Sakura-chan and Shizune-san." Naruto punched his hand into his other hand, a grin on his face.

"That's so cool! But… But, what does that have to do with me?" Naruto had an inkling of a feeling on what Kakashi was going to say next, but even then, Naruto was not ready to hear it. There were a few things in life that he wanted to do, but doing what Kakashi was going to say next was not one of them.

"You, Naruto, have been chosen to take on a genin team. Myself, alongside the clan heads, have come to an agreement, if you wish to take over as Hokage in a few years, you will take this genin team." Naruto froze, with his mind going numb as he tried to envision himself being a sensei, passing on the knowledge that he had garnered over the years onto three young and fresh minds.

"No way Kaka-sensei! I can't see myself as a sensei! That was your thing, you know how I am, I'm better with my fist then my brain! How am I suppose to teach them?" Kakashi smiled as he stood up and walked around his desk, so he was standing right in front of the blonde.

"Naruto… don't you think I felt the same way? Before team seven, I had failed countless genin just because I didn't want a team. I had watched Obito and Rin die in front of me, all because I was to weak to save them, all because I didn't understand the true meaning of teamwork. For hours I would sit and ask myself, what if I cant save them either? What if they cant work as a team, what if?..." Kakashi went silent as he looked down at Naruto, a smile on his face.

"…Then, Sasuke and Sakura-chan offered you food. You guys had broken my rules when I told you not to, and I saw a simmer of hope in you guys. As time went on, and team seven did mission after mission, I started to recognize you guys as family." Naruto sat silently, listening to his sensei and leader talk on about the countless missions team seven had taken before Sasuke's defection from the village.

"As time went on, I had realized something in myself, and in you three… It was meant to be." Naruto looked up, a clueless look on his face as he tried to figure out what Kakashi meant. "Us four were meant to be on a team. We were meant to be. If I had accepted even one team beforehand, none of us would have ever been team seven. Sasuke would have probably passed, Sakura, with all her genius would have passed, and you, well, I'm sure you would still be on your way to be becoming Hokage, but us… we would have never had happened, and I would have never been pulled out of my darkness." Kakashi sighed as he scratched his face, trying to think of the best way to explain it.

"But, I was, and all four of us did, and I say it was the best thing to ever happen to all of us. Out there, right now, are three aspiring shinobi looking for a leader to lead them, and that leader is you." Naruto nodded slowly, accepting what his sensei had said. Still, it scared him to think that three shinobi would, young kids would be looking up to him for guidance and training.

"Who are they?" Kakashi pulled out a file and handed it to the whiskered blonde who took it quickly and opened it to start reading. " Midori Rayne, an aspiring Fuinjutsu artist. Lacks any sort of Taijutsu or Ninjutsu talent. Very smart mind, but is considered to be the dead last for his in ability to help in a fight." Naruto frowned as he re-read that over. He absolutely hated the title of dead last, and if he did take the team, he would make sure the world saw Midori for the smart kid he was.

"Very smart young man. I had a chance to sit down with him. He absolutely idolizes your father and the work he had done through out his life." Naruto smiled sadly, happy someone still thought of his father in todays age.

"Autumn Yashizuma, top of her class in hand-to-hand combat, even amongst her male peers. Smart, and quick witted girl that has a knack for using poison. Has above average talent in ninjutsu, but very closed off girl that has a hard time making friends." Naruto frowned in thought, deciding he would have to help the girl make some friends.

"Another very smart girl. But sadly, like Sasuke, her past is weighing her down. Her parents died in the Fourth War, and since then she has closed the world off around her, and immersed herself in training to make sure something like that never happens again. She's thinking the right way, but going about it wrong way." Naruto looked down sadly, and gave a quick prayer to the two shinobi who had sacrificed their lives for him, and the world.

"And finally the last one would be Kai Nato, the rookie of the year for the male section of the class." Kakashi grabbed the file from Naruto, and leant against the wall as he explained Kai to Naruto. "Chunin level genjutsu and Ninjutsu, academy student level taijutsu, but very dim-witted, and very… bad at social queue's." Naruto raised an eyebrow as he looked at Kakashi.

"Imagine Sai, but when you first met him… but, worst in certain area's." Naruto snickered, Sai was a funny guy… when he wasn't calling Naruto dickless. He could certainly see that this team had their ups and downs, but overall would be a well versed team if trained the right way, yet, that begged the question, why Naruto?

"Why me? They sound like a good team, but… why not Shikamaru? He's way smarter then me, and would be better with their issues." Kakashi looked Naruto in the eye, a serious look on his face which got the blonde to sit up straight.

"Nagato. Obito. Zabuza. Haku. Four great shinobi, all enemies at one point, that changed their views after talking to you. You may not see it, but no one in this world can change the view of someone better then you can." Kakashi pulled out another piece of paper from his robes, and laid it across the desk.

"I know you may not like this Naruto, but I have made up my mind. If you wish to lead this village, you will lead this team. Its not debatable, and failing them is not an option." Naruto looked up and glared at his sensei, anger written across his face.

"You know I would never do that, I'm not you Kakashi. I'd never hold someone back from their dreams just because I didn't want them under my charge." Kakashi didn't get mad as Naruto expected, instead he smiled as he handed the blonde a pen.

"I know that Naruto, and for that, I'm truly proud. That's why I want you to take them, no other Jounin-sensei wants to take them. No Lord Hokage, I don't want them, they carry to much baggage. No Lord Hokage, I'll take team 14 instead, they seem like some nice kids that will work well together. But you Naruto, I know you don't care about something like that. You can, and will, see the good in them, bring it out, and turn them into a team worthy of the title of team seven." Naruto looked at the piece of paper sprawled out in front of him, his eyes roaming it as he looked at the waver that would legally make team seven his group. He just couldn't see himself as a sensei, but if Kakashi was right, neither did Kakashi when he accepted team seven, and in Naruto's opinion, Kakashi was the best sensei to ever grace the Hidden Leaf.

'Naruto Uzumaki' Without another thought, Naruto signed his name across the dotted line, sealing his fate as the next sensei of team seven which brought a smile to Kakashi. "Good. The academy got out three hours ago, if you don't want to be late, I suggest you hurry."

Naruto groaned, as he ran and jumped out the window, cursing the Hokage out as he did so. Great, he was going to make such a good first impression. Luckily for him, the academy and the Hokage's office were connected to each other, which meant Naruto didn't have to go far.

Landing on the ground below him without making a sound, Naruto walked down the hallway to his old classroom, a small smile on his face as he did so. This was certainly going to be an interesting experience, and something he was looking forward to.

Quickly finding his old classroom, Naruto walked into the door with a smile on his face as he saw three aggravated pre-teens glaring at the door as it finally opened. "Hello Team Seven, I'm Naruto Uzumaki, your new sensei. Meet me at the roof in five minutes." With that said, Naruto disappeared in a flurry of leaves.