Naruto: I, who didn't want to be hacked to pieces, saved the ninja world.

As the Hokage's secretary, he naturally knew the specific situation between Konoha and Sunagakure.

Although Sunagakure still retains a certain degree of independence, important decisions must be approved by Konoha.

She and Mabui had handled many such matters.

"Hmm... But I feel it's a good thing that Lord Aoba became Hokage sooner, so that we... we can have an easier time in the future."

Hempen Cloth Clothes continued to answer absentmindedly.

"That's true. Shirokumo Aoba probably doesn't like to slack off like Tsunade does."

After all, whenever Tsunade slacks off, all the work falls on their shoulders.

And Baiyun Qingye has been making a lot of promises to them.

Samyi glanced at the man in linen clothes whose face looked somewhat unnatural, his expression a mixture of confusion and suspicion.

"Mabuyi, why do you look so strange?"

"Huh? Is there...is there?"

Mabu-i snapped out of her absent-minded state, and the forced smile on her face looked somewhat strained.

Do you think I wouldn't be able to tell?

Samui couldn't help but roll her eyes when she saw her like this. "Did Baiyun Qingye say something else to you?"

"Well... I didn't say anything."

Mabu's face immediately became even rosier. Her skin tone was rather dark, so it would be hard to tell if it was a normal blush.

"Speak quickly!"

Samui glared at him.

Mabu-i's expression froze, and after hesitating for a moment, she finally spoke: "Lord Aoba said... after he becomes Hokage, we will be his personal secretaries..."

"...Are you done talking?"

Samui paused for a moment after hearing this before asking a question.

"Huh? You've already finished talking?"

He was slightly taken aback, then nodded blankly.

"That's it?"

Samui had expected something even more outrageous to happen when he saw Mabui's attitude, but it turned out to be just like this.

At most, a personal secretary just changes offices.

"Ok?"

Mabu-i frowned, his expression immediately turning serious. "What do you mean, 'that's all'? This is a very serious matter, you know?"

Samui looked confused. "But aren't we secretaries now?"

"But a regular secretary and a personal secretary are definitely different, otherwise Lord Aoba wouldn't have emphasized that."

Mabuya's face flushed again. "At that time, maybe... maybe I'll have to be like Shizune, not only meeting the requirements of the job... but also meeting my living needs..."

"Ah, this..."

Upon hearing this, Samui looked at Mabuya and didn't know what to say. He said speechlessly, "Then why don't you go and ask Shizune for some advice?"

"Shall I go ask now?"

The man in linen clothes asked a question instinctively.

"..."

Samui was even more at a loss for words.

She had no idea what Mabuya was thinking about all the time.

She used to be a high-class beauty when she was Raikage's secretary, so why does she suddenly seem like she's about to fall in love with Shirokumo Aoba?

Could this be the CPU or something that Shirokumo Aoba mentioned?

Mabu-i felt a little embarrassed by the other person's gaze and lowered her head.

A silence fell over the office.

After a long while, the two looked at each other and then went back to their own work.

Since things have come to this, let's finish the tasks at hand as soon as possible.

I can go out for a drink in the evening.

-

Shirokumo Aoba had no idea that her seemingly joking words would make Mabui think so much.

As soon as he stepped out of the Hokage Building, he saw Karin and Tenten playing in the snow at the entrance.

"Brother Qingye!"

Upon noticing his arrival, Karin immediately waved happily at him.

Baiyun Qingye quickly walked up to the two of them, patted the snowflakes off their shoulders and heads, and asked curiously, "Were you waiting for me?"

"hey-hey!"

Karin smiled and nodded, as if she was rubbing her head against his palm.

Do you have anything else planned for this afternoon?

Every day, she put her icy little hands into Baiyun Qingye's pocket, wanting to use the warmth of the other's body to make her move.

"No, I was just about to go home."

As Shirokumo Aoba spoke, she also reached into her pocket and grasped the other person's small hand, which was icy cold from playing in the snow, and at the same time grasped Karin's hand.

It was also very cold.

"Then Brother Qingye, come with us. We need to talk to you!"

Before Shirokumo Aoba could respond, Karin grabbed him and started running.

When the other party stopped, what appeared in front of Baiyun Qingye was a huge sign that read "Q Barbecue".

After more than a year of development, the largest barbecue restaurant in Konoha has undergone a complete renovation.

Are you guys treating me to barbecue?

Bai Yun Qingye asked the two of them with a smile.

Karin and Tenten didn't answer, but they both smiled and pulled him forward.

"You'll see once you come in!"

After entering, Baiyun Qingye realized that it seemed that the barbecue restaurant Q had been booked out for the day.

It was full of people he knew.

Not only Ino, Sakura, Hinata, and Yakumo, but also Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba Inuzuka, and others.

Most of my classmates from when I graduated from the Ninja Academy are still here.

Since it's almost the end of the year and there are no tasks, everyone can get together.

As for what they're doing here, that's self-evident.

Because right in the center of the group was a huge cake, so big that it took two tables to fit it.

The sign above read, "Congratulations to Shirokumo Aoba on becoming a Jonin."

"Aoba, we made this big cake ourselves."

Ino and the others all wore expressions of pride.

They've put a lot of effort into making this cake these past few days.

"If you had told me in advance, I could have helped you."

Bai Yunqingye said with a smile.

"That won't do, because this is a special celebratory gift we prepared for you, Aoba."

Ino directly refuted his statement.

Shirokumo Aoba smiled knowingly, raised her hand and touched Ino's hair, "Thank you so much, Ino."

"Seriously, can you guys be a little more careful? There are people here."

Kiba Inuzuka interrupted them with displeasure, then winked and said, "Besides, we also prepared gifts for today's gathering."

Bai Yun Qingye blinked and raised her hand towards him, "Oh? Do you want me to pat your head too?"

"Ha ha!"

Everyone couldn't help but laugh upon hearing this.

"Then forget it."

Kiba Inuzuka immediately stepped back. For some reason, he felt a strange sensation from the other's head-patting gesture.

With a deadpan expression, he lifted up Akamaru, who had grown considerably, and said, "Just pat Akamaru's head."

"Wang Wang Wang!"

Akamaru cooperated by speaking up.

The air was immediately filled with an even more cheerful atmosphere.

-

Meanwhile, inside the Hokage Building's conference room.

The heads of all the major and minor ninja clans in Konoha are currently gathered for an important meeting.

Tsunade coughed lightly and said, "Everyone, the main reason I've gathered you all here today is that I have an important matter to discuss and would like to ask for your opinions."

"Lord Hokage, please speak."

Nara Shikaku spoke up, saying that he, like Samui and the others, had already noticed something.

"With the end of the year fast approaching, I've been in this Hokage position for several years now."