All Hokage in The Chat Group

Chapter 249: Chapter 249 Never Give Up



As the chatter in the group continued to buzz with speculation, the familiar chime of the chat group announcement silenced everyone.

[Selection Complete!]

[Third Place Achieved: Seventh Hokage Uzumaki Naruto's World!]

Naruto let out a relieved sigh as his name appeared once more. A bright, almost goofy smile spread across his face.

"Phew! That was close!" he exclaimed, scratching his head. "Everyone's been improving so fast, I thought I'd drop out of the top three this time!" He laughed, his tone filled with both relief and determination. "Well, I'm still hanging in there—barely."

Even so, the flicker of satisfaction in his eyes didn't fully mask the disappointment in his heart. Naruto knew the truth.

His score had started strong—1,500 points in his first ranking. Back then, it felt like an untouchable milestone. Even now, many Hokage worlds couldn't dream of such a score. Yet, despite his strong foundation, his ranking had dropped to third place during the last meeting. The Second Hokage had overtaken him, and that stung.

It was clear evidence that the governance of his world still had room for improvement.

This time, Naruto refused to let complacency get the better of him. He'd spent months tirelessly working to strengthen and stabilize his world, pushing himself to do better. Yet, despite his best efforts, the second-place spot remained out of reach.

Tobirama's score had surged to an impressive 2,000 points, leaving Naruto trailing behind.

Naruto clenched his fists but managed to steady his emotions. He'd done his best for now.

Kakashi, Tsunade, and Minato added their voices to the discussion, encouraging Naruto with warm words.

Kakashi adjusted his forehead protector and spoke with his usual calm demeanor, "Naruto, your world's stability is nothing short of impressive. Staying in the top three consistently shows just how much effort you've put in."

Tsunade crossed her arms, her tone both proud and slightly teasing, "You've done well brat. Not many can claim to have their world running this smoothly."

Minato gave Naruto a gentle smile, his voice filled with fatherly pride, "Naruto reaching and maintaining such a high level is something to be proud of. Keep aiming higher, son."

Though some comments were meant to console him, their words held truth.

Naruto's world had only been surpassed by Tobirama and Ryan, who had consistently held first place. Among the remaining Hokage, Naruto's ranking stood as a testament to his strength and dedication.

And despite the struggles, Naruto had something no one else could deny—among all the Hokage, his qualifications and achievements remained among the most complete.

It was a fact worth celebrating. Even Naruto had to admit that much.

"Guess I've still got room to grow," he murmured to himself, the spark of determination flickering back into his eyes.

At that moment, a calm voice echoed through the conference room, catching Naruto's attention.

[Do you want to showcase your world's progress?]

Without hesitation, Naruto selected "Yes."

There was no reason to hide anything, after all. As his confirmation echoed in the room, a new display appeared in the chat group:

Initiating World Progress Display: Naruto's World...]

The system's voice resonated with clarity, capturing the attention of everyone in the chat group.

[Following the successful completion of world missions across other realms, you returned to your world and initiated significant advancements.]

[Your efforts were primarily directed towards scientific research and technological development, ensuring stability and sustained growth.]

[Through research, your world integrated technological breakthroughs from the One Punch Man world.]

The presentation elicited a wave of murmurs among the Hokages.

"Borrowing tech from the One Punch Man world? Smart move," Obito commented with a raised brow.

Naruto's strategy became apparent: a calculated investment in technological progress. While not the most glamorous approach, it was undeniably effective. Coupled with the strong foundation of his original world, it was no surprise that Naruto's world continued to perform admirably, securing a solid third place.

The display continued with additional updates:

[Over the past six months, your world has avoided major crises or significant threats.]

[During this time, you devoted yourself to personal growth while overseeing the integration of advanced technologies into your world's infrastructure.]

[The adoption of portable and efficient technology from the One Punch Man world has streamlined multiple industries and significantly improved quality of life.]

[These efforts have propelled your world to new heights of prosperity and stability.]

"It's a stable and sensible approach," Minato said with pride.

"Efficiency and prosperity through tech—it's a pragmatic and sustainable approach," Tsunade added with a nod.

Naruto leaned back in his chair, his expression a mix of pride and determination. While he acknowledged there was room for improvement, he couldn't deny the results spoke for themselves.

His world was steadily climbing, and he wasn't done yet. There wasn't much to elaborate on about Naruto's world this time. After some initial discussion among the group, silence settled over the room.

Everyone's curiosity was palpable as they waited to see Naruto's world score. What level would it reach this time?

The room was quiet, save for the occasional rustle as people shifted in their seats. The air buzzed with unspoken thoughts and speculation. Given Naruto's consistent performance, many believed his score wouldn't be low.

After all, his last rating had been remarkably high, and maintaining third place again this time proved that his world's progress had been substantial. There was no doubt his score wouldn't drop, let alone regress.

As if on cue, the voice of the chat group broke the silence.

[The score for the Seventh Hokage, Naruto's world, is now displayed!]

The central screen lit up, revealing the results:

[Final World Strength Score: 1850 points!]

The score rippled through the room. This score was undoubtedly impressive. Everyone remembered that Naruto's previous score had been 1650 points. An increase of 200 points this time was a clear indication of significant progress in his world.

However, when compared to the second place, the world governed by Tobirama, the gap was only 150 points. A relatively narrow margin. With just a bit more effort, Naruto's world could have overtaken it.

Naruto stared at the screen, his expression a mix of pride and disappointment. While it was true his score was leagues ahead of the other Hokages after third place, it still didn't meet his expectations.

The group whispered among themselves, some congratulating Naruto and others analyzing the numbers.

But Naruto couldn't help but compare his performance to the last inventory. Back then, his world had also secured third place, but the gap to the second place was only 50 points. Now, it had widened to 150.

Naruto crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing in determination.

"This isn't enough," he muttered to himself. "Next time, I'll close that gap—and surpass it."

Naruto had initially thought that with enough effort, he could close the 50-point gap between himself and the Second Hokage. Yet, to his disappointment, not only had he failed to bridge the gap, but it had grown even wider.

What was once a manageable difference of 50 points had now expanded to over 100.

"Man, the Second Hokage is just too good," Naruto muttered, scratching the back of his head. "Looks like my strength just isn't enough to catch up."

Hearing this, the other Hokages offered words of encouragement.

Minato stepped forward, his tone warm and reassuring. "It's okay, Naruto. A score like this is still incredible. If you keep working hard, there's no doubt you'll have another chance to surpass him next time."

A small smile crossed Minato's face as he added, "After all, you're my son. I believe in you."

Naruto's face lit up with a bright smile. "Thanks, Dad!" he replied, his spirits lifted by the words of his father.

Naruto's heart steadied as he considered the situation. Sure, this was a setback, but it wasn't the end of the road. If there was one thing he prided himself on, it was his ability to bounce back from difficulties.

Throughout his life, Naruto has faced countless obstacles. Time and again, he'd proven that no matter how many times he stumbled, he would never give up. It was this resilience that had carried him from being an outcast, the "dead-last" of his class, to becoming the Hokage. His success wasn't just a matter of bloodline—it was his unyielding determination that made him who he was.

Turning his attention back to the screen, Naruto took a moment to assess his progress. Despite the growing gap, his world had improved by 200 points since the last ranking. That was no small feat, and it was something to be proud of.

Still, Naruto clenched his fists, determination glinting in his eyes. Deep down, he had already made up his mind.

"I'll work even harder," he thought. "I'll learn from the other Hokage, figure out how to strengthen my world, and make sure we keep growing."

He was resolved—when he returned, he would dedicate himself to developing his world even further. This was only the beginning.

As Naruto's score was finalized, it marked the completion of the top three rankings. The results were in, and the path forward was clear.

---

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