The current month has passed its flowering season. There are no flowers on the branches, only fruits, hanging like cherries on the trees, but they are inedible.
This area is near the Hokage Rock. Many people like to stand on the Hokage Rock and gaze at the magnificent scenery of the entire Village, which naturally fills them with pride.
But many people don't know that at the foot of the Hokage Rock, there is a sea of cherry blossom trees. During their blooming season, they are so beautiful that they take one's breath away.
This refers to pollen allergies.
Tsunade comes here whenever she feels troubled. She doesn't want to see what the Hokage's gaze is fixed upon; she only wants to see her grandfather.
No one else could ever spoil her like her grandfather, allowing her every whim. Thus, she often missed the days when her grandfather was still alive.
If only her grandfather were still here, how wonderful it would be.
Not only would she have someone to gamble with, but she would also have someone to protect her.
Sitting under a cherry blossom tree, Tsunade weakly hugged her knees, curling up and burying her head.
She didn't want to be Hokage, not because she feared the responsibility on her shoulders, but because she was afraid of making mistakes.
And she dared not imagine the consequences if she did make a mistake.
Therefore, she was afraid.
I'm just an ordinary girl you can find anywhere, so why does everyone put all their expectations and hopes on me?
Being expected of by everyone truly makes it difficult to breathe.
And once I fail to meet those expectations, won't their disappointed gazes kill me?
"What are you hiding here for, Big Forehead?"
Hearing this, Tsunade looked up. Miki walked slowly through the dappled light filtering through the tree branches until she stopped at a certain distance.
"Insect Woman, I don't have time to play with you right now," Tsunade said, burying her head again.
She no longer cared about this person seeing her in such an undignified state.
"What's bothering you? Tell me so I can laugh," Miki said.
A vein throbbed on her forehead, and Tsunade gritted her teeth, saying, "I'm just getting some air."
"Getting air?" Miki said, "What's wrong? Aren't you hiding and secretly crying?"
"No way!" Tsunade stood up abruptly and yelled at Miki.
"Well, you're certainly energetic now," Miki said. "That gloomy look just now wasn't like you. You looked like a pretty girl, but no matter how well you disguise it, your true nature is that of a violently strong woman."
"The boys in the Village won't fall for such a simple trick."
Veins popped on her forehead one after another. Tsunade took deep breaths, clenching her fists.
"Are you here to laugh at me?!"
"You're not saying anything, so I don't know what kind of joke it is."
"So you've already decided it's a joke?! Is 'joke' carved on my forehead?!" With that, Tsunade stomped forward angrily, aggressively closing in on Miki, and roared, "Ah!!!"
"Don't get too close..." Miki reached out and pushed Tsunade's face away, saying, "Your breath stinks, it's disgusting."
Veins throbbed on her forehead. Tsunade stomped her foot, and instantly, the ground undulated like waves. A circular crater formed around the two of them, and the surrounding cherry trees toppled over.
Miki said, "So, what are you troubled about? Aren't you going to tell me, Big Forehead?"
"Why should I tell you?!" Tsunade clenched her fist.
"So, who else can you tell? Jiraiya? Orochimaru? The Sandaime? Mito? Or are you going to tell..." Miki looked up at the Hokage Rock and said, "The First Hokage and the Second Hokage?"
"The dead can't listen to troubles. Although it might be possible in the future, by then there won't be any need for it."
Her lips moved, and after a long while, Tsunade stubbornly said, "I won't tell you."
"No matter what kind of joke it is, I'll hold back my laughter. Besides, what kind of joke of yours haven't I seen..." Miki said, "Are you afraid of adding another new joke?"
"Ah ah ah ah ah..." Hearing this, Tsunade clutched her head, letting out a helpless and frustrated groan.
But after that, she no longer felt like being sad.
The mood had changed...
Miki waited quietly. Finally, Tsunade dejectedly said, "Everyone is entrusting their lives to me, it's too heavy, I'm scared."
"That's it?" Miki said, "Anything else?"
What do you mean, "That's it"?
I'm genuinely struggling with this.
Tsunade said, "Becoming the Fourth Hokage means going against the Sandaime. Won't Sarutobi-sensei be angry?"
"Nothing else?" Miki asked.
"Mhm." The young Tsunade nodded.
"Do you want to hear my opinion?" Miki said.
Tsunade looked at Miki expectantly.
"First, the second question."
Miki said.
"As a Hokage, being incompetent is being useless."
Hearing this, Tsunade paused for a moment, then immediately retorted, "Sarutobi-sensei isn't incompetent! He's already given his all! It's just that managing the Village is too difficult!"
"It's not difficult, you know. To manage the Village, everyone just needs someone to lead them forward. To move in a good direction. Staying in place won't do."
Has it been staying in place?
Tsunade was puzzled.
------------------------
I've posted 70+ chapters in advance on Patreon.
Webnovel updates will still be daily, as usual.
It might not seem tempting right now but who knows what the future holds?
[email protected]/SolyuraMT
Check it out if you're curious.