Konoha: The Honored One

"Don't underestimate it—it's actually really strong," Gojo said with a lopsided grin as he picked up the Cat Boss, stroking its chin like an affectionate pet owner.

The Cat Boss purred contentedly, its eyes narrowing in smug satisfaction.

Gojo's grin widened as he added, "You know, the first time I summoned this little guy, I was this close to tossing it into a stewpot. But then—" he paused dramatically, his sunglasses glinting in the sunlight—"I realized it could level a hill with a single swipe. Turns out, this fluffball packs Rasengan-level firepower."

Naruto, sprawled on the ground and covered in scratches, glared up at the Cat Boss. His jumpsuit was torn, his pride wounded. "Who cares how strong it is? That stupid cat scratched me like crazy!"

The Cat Boss hopped from Gojo's arms and landed in front of Naruto with all the arrogance of a king descending from a throne. "Listen up, brat," it said, raising one dainty paw and flexing its pink, squishy pads. "Apologize, and for the sake of my dear Gojo-sama, I might—might—let you touch my glorious paw."

Naruto pointed an accusatory finger at the feline, his face turning red with indignation. "Who the heck wants to touch your stupid meatball, huh?!"

"Brats these days. So loud," Gojo muttered, shaking his head. He unfurled a scroll, its surface covered in intricate runes, and laid it on the ground. "Alright, listen up, kids. Summon this cat family, and you're basically signing up for greatness. Just press your bloody fingerprints here."

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura exchanged looks of skepticism.

"Summoning cats?" Sasuke muttered, his tone flat. "This isn't exactly what I had in mind."

"Oh, you'll thank me later," Gojo replied, his tone too cheerful to be comforting. "Cats are compact, powerful, and, most importantly, adorable. Way better than those oversized toads."

Everyone bit their fingers reluctantly and pressed their bloody thumbs onto the contract scroll.

Afterward, Gojo pointed to Sasuke. "You focus on honing your nature transformation." Then, he turned to Naruto. "You, concentrate on summoning. Once you can summon, we'll talk Sage Mode."

Sakura raised her hand hesitantly. "Gojo-sensei, are you in Sage Mode right now?"

Gojo raised a single finger, and a faint blue glow of chakra ignited at the tip. "Great question, kiddo. Maintaining Sage Mode requires Kage-level chakra." He turned to Naruto, clapping a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Lucky for us, our little fox friend here has chakra in spades. You're up first."

Naruto puffed out his chest proudly. "Heh! Guess I'm just built different."

"Built annoying," Sasuke muttered under his breath.

Gojo smirked and unceremoniously grabbed Naruto by the back of his jacket, hurling him into the distance.

"AAAAAAH—Gojo-sensei, you jerk!" Naruto's voice faded as he flew through the trees, landing with a thud.

"Okay, back to the task at hand." Gojo turned to the Cat Boss and patted its head. "Great work as always, but you're done for today."

"But, Gojo-sama, I—" The Cat Boss didn't get to finish before it disappeared in a puff of smoke.

With Naruto temporarily silenced and Sasuke brooding in his usual corner, Sakura hesitated, fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. "Um, Gojo-sensei… what about me? What should I focus on?"

Gojo looked her up and down, rubbing his chin in mock contemplation. "Hmm. Civilian ninjas, huh? Tough nut to crack."

Sakura's heart sank, and she bit her lip. She knew she didn't have a special bloodline, an overflowing well of chakra, or some ancient family technique. Still, she wanted to stand on equal footing with her teammates.

Gojo's grin returned, wider than ever. "But hey, you're lucky you've got me." He popped a lollipop into his mouth, crunching down on it with audible confidence. "I can turn even the most ordinary kid into something extraordinary."

Sakura's eyes lit up. "Really? Can I really become strong enough to stand beside Sasuke?"

"Maybe even strong enough to punch Sasuke," Gojo replied with a wink.

From the distance, Sasuke stumbled mid-step, glaring at them.

"So, what's my first step?" Sakura asked, eager now.

Gojo pointed his lollipop stick at her stomach. "Chakra storage. We'll start with a classic—The Strength of a Hundred Seal."

Sakura tilted her head, confused. "Uh… what's that?"

Gojo stepped closer, his grin taking on a mischievous edge. "Don't move. It'll sting at first, but you'll thank me later."

"Wait, sting?!" Sakura blurted, panicking as Gojo lifted her shirt slightly, revealing her abdomen. Her face turned beet red. "Gojo-sensei, w-what are you doing?!"

"Relax. Stop being weird," Gojo said flatly. "This is ninja training, not a soap opera."

"But… but…!" Sakura stammered, clutching at his wrist before finally letting go, her mind racing.

"Brace yourself. Bite your tongue if you have to," Gojo instructed, ignoring her protests as light blue chakra formed at his fingertips. With precise movements, he inscribed a diamond-shaped seal just above her navel.

"AAAAAH! IT BURNS!" Sakura screamed, her face contorted in pain as the seal took root.

"And done," Gojo announced casually, stepping back.

Sakura dropped to her knees, panting heavily, sweat dripping down her face. When she glanced at her stomach, a strange black diamond symbol gleamed faintly against her skin.

"What… is this?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"The Strength of a Hundred Seal," Gojo said, crossing his arms. "It stores chakra, which you can release later to boost your strength, speed, or self-healing. Developed by the legendary Tsunade herself."

Sakura's eyes widened. "Wow… Tsunade-sama created this?"

Gojo smirked. "Yep. Be sure to thank her when you meet her. Tears optional."

Sakura glared weakly at him. "Gojo-sensei, the way you explain things is way too misleading."

Gojo shrugged. "It's not my fault your brain jumps to weird conclusions."

Sakura groaned, clutching her still-burning stomach. "You could at least warn me better!"

"Where's the fun in that?" Gojo teased, already turning his attention back to Sasuke.

Sasuke, catching his sensei's eye, immediately turned and walked away. "Nope. Not happening. I'm not going near you with that."

Gojo grinned. "Suit yourself. I'll just focus on making Naruto's cat summons the new village mascots."

In the distance, Naruto's voice echoed, "WHAT?! YOU CAN'T REPLACE THE TOADS, GOJO-SENSEI!"

Gojo smiled. This was shaping up to be a fun day.