and let's be clear. Kakashi is the BEST ninja in Kanoha.
If you look at strength, speed, jutsus, and experience, kakashi cannot be topped (r. I. P. J man). But as for pure, raw talent, naruto is king. The ONLY reason he can't be hokage now is his lack of leadership experience. He can still be defeated by kakashi, I'm sure, just because kakashi knows him through and through, and he compensates expertly for the unexpected in battle, which naruto is an "unexpected" expert. Oh, and pain did NOT kill kakashi, kakashi was just out of chakra.
Remember when tsunade and j man were debating the possible hokages? They said kakashi, then naruto eventually, as if naruto was a given. And he is a given, he just needs more battle/leadership experience (like gaara, the young kazekage). They didn't even seem to care that by rank, naruto is still a genin. That should show you his power level. They didn't even mention anyone else.
But as this is a prediction forum, here's my longterm in a nutshell:
Naruto gives up his dream of becoming hokage in order to travel ( like pervy sage) and find ways to keep the peace all over, not just at home.
Sasuke returns home a changed man. He becomes hokage, fufilling the uchiha name and realizing the dream that the evil madara and the cunning danzo could not.
Thoughts?
