Naruto: Reborn with the Template System

Terumi Mei becoming the Fifth Mizukage, shouldn't that be a huge deal?

Back when Guts was still completing the Garp template, even moderate achievements earned him at least 3% progress.

But this time?

For helping a whole village get its new leader and forging a major alliance, all he got was… 0.5%?

"Too stingy."

Guts sat cross-legged in a private room provided by Kirigakure, arms crossed, lips twitching in frustration.

Unfortunately, his system wasn't one of those fancy AIs with a helpful interface. It didn't respond with anything like "Host, please calm down."

It simply ignored him.

And no matter how much Guts complained, the system would never explain why he only got such a small boost.

As he let out a sigh, a knock came at the door, followed by a voice outside:

"Lord Guts, Mizukage-sama invites you to come."

"Got it."

He stood up, dusted off his clothes, and headed to the Mizukage's office.

Inside, Terumi Mei looked just as striking as ever, strapless dark blue dress, long hair cascading over one eye. Compared to her anime counterpart, she looked slightly younger, but no less elegant.

"Ao, you're dismissed."

She waved her hand casually. Ao nodded and exited without a word.

Once the room was clear, Terumi Mei rose and walked up to Guts with a smile.

"Really, I have to thank you again."

Guts smiled back.

"It's nothing. Even without me, you'd have made it happen eventually."

He didn't say the part he was really thinking:

Even if I didn't get involved, Obito would've been too busy with Project Tsukuyomi to care about Kirigakure anyway.

All he did was push her takeover forward a little bit.

But to Terumi Mei, his words just sounded like modest humility.

She chuckled softly.

"I didn't know you could play the 'humble official' card so well."

Guts grinned.

"Anyway, where's the alliance agreement? I need to bring it back."

"You're really in such a hurry to leave?"

Her tone turned slightly sour. Just a hint of teasing, just a bit of disappointment.

Back when she stayed in Konoha, she often had to lay low to avoid suspicion. Most of her time was spent acting like a personal maid.

Guts had been the one thing that made it bearable.

But now that she'd become Mizukage, everything had changed, and so had the distance between them.

"Well," Guts raised an eyebrow, smirking, "you could give up being Mizukage and come back to Konoha with me?"

He knew full well what she felt about him.

They were only one breath away from tearing down that paper-thin wall between them.

Terumi Mei snorted, folding her arms.

"I finally got this seat, and you think I'd just give it up for you? Don't flatter yourself."

Bit of a tsundere, wasn't she?

Guts chuckled.

"When the Five Great Nations are finally united and peace reigns, throw the Mizukage title to someone else and come find me."

Romance wasn't his strong suit. He preferred direct hits, just like his fists.

Terumi Mei raised an eyebrow.

"Five Nations united? Guts, don't be naïve. Do you have any idea how much bad blood exists between the villages?"

"You killed the Third Raikage and crippled the Third Tsuchikage not long ago. You think they're cool with that?"

Guts gave her a deadpan look.

"You don't trust me?"

He suddenly reached out and lightly pinched her soft cheek.

"H-Hey!"

Her face flushed.

"N-No, I do! Stop pulling my face!"

She could've broken free in ten different ways. But for some reason… she didn't.

She let herself be teased like an ordinary girl.

It felt… sweet.

Eventually, Guts returned to Konoha, carrying the alliance treaty sealed by the new Mizukage.

Nothing happened between them.

That thin sheet of paper between them...the one neither of them had the courage to tear, remained untouched.

The next few days flew by.

Terumi Mei had her hands full managing her new position. Paperwork, politics, reconstruction...everything was on her shoulders now.

Four days and three nights later, Guts returned to Konoha.

After meeting with Konoha's Guardian Duo and cracking a few jokes, he heard some big news:

Two days ago, a funeral was held.

Led by Tsunade (the current Hokage), along with Minato, Shikaku, Yuhi Shinku, and other elders—they'd held a memorial service for the Uchiha clan, and the "assassinated" elders Koharu and Homura.

The entire village was buzzing.

But Guts knew all too well, give it three months, and the rumors would fade into the wind.

As he made his way toward the Hokage building, alliance scroll in hand, a strange pair of voices caught his attention.

He turned his head, and saw something both amusing and absurd.

"Sasuke, let's fight!"

"Get lost, idiot!"

There they were...

Naruto and Sasuke.

Sasuke stormed ahead, ignoring Naruto completely...but still, he didn't tell him to go die or disappear, so Naruto saw it as a win.

"Hey! You finally said something to me!"

Naruto grinned wide, sprinting after him.

Sasuke froze for a moment, then snorted and walked faster.

"Wait up!" Naruto shouted, chasing after him again.

Guts stood there, watching them disappear.

For some reason… it really felt like he was watching the opening scene of a shōnen BL drama.

Just as they vanished around a corner, Minato walked up.

"Guts," he said, smiling, "I heard about what happened in the Mist. Everything went smoothly with the alliance, right?"

Guts gave a slow nod, then grinned.

"Hey, Minato, I think Konoha might need to consider passing a new law."

"Huh?"

Guts leaned closer and said something that made Minato's face change on the spot

"…Ah?"

Minato stared at him, completely stunned.

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