Konoha: The Honored One

Hiruzen Sarutobi understood the gravity of Gojo's words. The meaning was clear: only Gojo had the power to stop Naruto's rampage if it came to that. At this moment, Gojo was the strongest person in the village.

"Danzo sent the Anbu today to spy on you and Naruto," Sarutobi said, his voice firm with authority. "That is a direct violation of the village's rules. The Nine-Tails is a gift left by the Fourth Hokage, a force meant to protect us through Naruto. Both you and Naruto are vital to this village—the future of the Will of Fire."

Sarutobi tightened his grip on his Adamantine Staff, the old weapon grounding him as he spoke with resolve. "As long as I am here, no one will harm you."

Danzo, standing nearby, barely concealed his displeasure. He had ordered the surveillance on Naruto, an action Sarutobi had always quietly allowed. But now, with Sarutobi's open support of Gojo, Danzo felt his position slipping. Still, he remained silent. After all, the Anbu were his force to command.

"Enough talking," Gojo waved off the exchange, clearly uninterested. "I can't stand pointless arguments."

Danzo, frustration rising, responded curtly, "I'll stay away from the Nine-Tails."

Gojo nodded approvingly, his demeanor almost mocking. "Good decision. But remember, Naruto is my student. If you want to act, you'll have to go through me first." He grinned, his carefree attitude ever-present. "And don't forget to say it: 'Tsunade's the cutest woman, and I'm the most handsome man.'"

Danzo's face twisted in disgust. "What nonsense is this?"

Sarutobi, hoping to get things back on track, spoke gently but firmly. "Danzo, do it for the village."

Danzo clenched his jaw, then spat the words out begrudgingly. "Tsunade is the cutest woman, and Gojo Satoru is the most handsome man."

Gojo's grin widened, clearly pleased with himself. "Now that's more like it."

But in an instant, his playful demeanor shifted. His eyes narrowed as he turned to the distant sight of Naruto, now partially transformed into the monstrous Seven-Tails. Without hesitation, Gojo disappeared, reappearing above the beast in a blur of movement.

He raised his hand like a gun, his fingers precise and deliberate. A dark, swirling substance gathered at his fingertips, faster than any could follow, and shot out with terrifying speed toward Naruto. The air itself seemed to warp as the force rushed forward.

Naruto, in his beastly form, let out a roar and released a massive Tailed Beast Bomb, the air crackling with chakra as it shot toward Gojo. The destructive force was undeniable, an overwhelming surge of raw power.

Danzo stared, wide-eyed. "Such chakra... If only I could control it."

Gojo, however, did not flinch. He raised a single finger, and the Tailed Beast Bomb froze mid-air, as if time itself had stopped it in its tracks.

"Impressive chakra." Gojo said casually, as though admiring a particularly fine work of art. He flicked his wrist, sending the bomb careening away, where it detonated in the distance, obliterating a mountain in a blaze of destruction and sending a mushroom cloud billowing into the sky.

"Alright, enough fun for today." Gojo muttered, his tone almost bored. He appeared next to Naruto in an instant, placing a hand against the boy's abdomen. A soft, light-blue glow emanated from his palm.

"Seal" he murmured.

The wild chakra surrounding Naruto began to recede, the red energy slowly retracting back into the sealing barrier. One by one, Naruto's tails vanished until the transformation was undone, and Naruto lay unconscious on the ground.

Sarutobi watched in awe. It was a display of power and control unlike anything he had seen. Gojo had handled Naruto's overwhelming chakra with ease, effortlessly taming the beast.

"This child…" Sarutobi thought, a glimmer of hope stirring within him. "Perhaps he truly is the village's future protector."

Danzo, however, wasn't so easily impressed. He looked from Naruto's now calm form to Gojo, his chest tightening with envy. He knew, deep down, that he could never have done what Gojo had just done. If he had attempted to stop Naruto in his rampaging state, it might have cost him dearly—perhaps even the use of his precious Sharingan.

But Gojo… Gojo was untouched. He had done effortlessly what Danzo could only dream of.

Gojo chuckled to himself as he looked down at the still form of Naruto. "Not as strong as I thought," he mused. "But if he can learn to control that chakra, he'll be unstoppable."

He placed a hand on Naruto's stomach, his chakra healing the boy's burned skin, mending the damage done during the transformation.

Sarutobi, after a moment of silent contemplation, spoke again. "You were reckless. You put the entire village at risk just for a test of strength."

Gojo raised an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth twitching upward. "You think I did it for fun?" His voice was calm, but his eyes were playful. "Nah, I just wanted to see how far he could go. I've seen enough."

With a sigh, Sarutobi shook his head. "I hope you know what you're doing."

Gojo gave a half-smile, his usual cocky grin returning. "I always do."

The sound of Naruto stirring reached them. Slowly, the boy blinked awake, rubbing his eyes with a confused expression. "What… happened? I was dreaming…" He seemed to be searching his mind, unsure of what had just transpired.

Gojo, as nonchalant as ever, smiled down at him. "Let's go get some barbecue."

Naruto groaned, his stomach growling. "I'm starving. Wait, Teacher Gojo, I'm gonna eat you out of house and home."

Gojo rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. "You sure you can eat that much, kid?"

Naruto looked up, his energy fading. "Well, maybe just a little help…" he said sheepishly. "Can you carry me? I'm too tired after… whatever just happened."

Gojo sighed dramatically, but there was an undeniable fondness in his voice. "Alright, alright. Just this once. Don't get used to it."

With that, Gojo lifted Naruto onto his back and, in a flash, they were gone—vanishing into the night.

As they disappeared, Naruto leaned against Gojo's back, a small, content smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "It's nice," he whispered. "It's warm."

Gojo didn't respond, but if he had, it might have been something like, "Yeah, kid. I know."

And in that moment, the world seemed a little brighter.