Naruto: Uchiha's Resolve

Konoha Year 20.

In a dense forest, a small group of weary ninja rested, panting heavily as if they had just endured a fierce battle. Senju Tobirama looked at his disciples, each in disarray, with torn clothing and injuries.

"I was wise my whole life but made a critical mistake at the negotiation table at the end of the Ninja World War!" Tobirama thought bitterly. "And the Raikage—did he have no control over his own men? How could he let a coup unfold without knowing?"

Despite his efforts, some ninja under Tobirama's command, particularly the Uchiha, were notoriously difficult to handle. Still, even the Uchiha remained disciplined under his guidance. "They may be wild, but they're not unintelligent," he muttered.

Scolding the Raikage was pointless now, especially as he had already fallen to the traitorous Kinkaku and Ginkaku.

Senju Tobirama assessed his chakra levels, noting he had more than half left. He could use the Flying Thunder God Technique to return to the village alone. But his disciples, weakened as they were, were a burden. In this situation, he needed to make a decision. Closing his eyes, he contemplated whether he should save himself or his apprentices.

"In order to escape, someone must draw away the elite Kinkaku and Ginkaku squad, but the price will be… death."

His words hung in the air, casting a somber silence over the group. No one volunteered, each understanding the grim fate of the one who would serve as bait. After a few moments, Sarutobi Hiruzen broke the silence.

"I'll go," he said resolutely.

Tobirama looked at Hiruzen, a hint of pride in his eyes, mixed with sadness. Danzo, however, hesitated before speaking, a brief moment that underscored the gulf between him and Hiruzen.

Tobirama shook his head. "I am the Hokage. It's my duty to take on this role. You are the future of Konoha, the next generation who must carry on the Will of Fire."

His words stirred emotions in his disciples, each pleading for Tobirama to reconsider. Especially Danzo, who now shook with determination, offering to go in his place.

But Tobirama remained firm. "Hiruzen, protect those who trust you and train them to become the future pillars of this village."

His final words to Hiruzen were powerful. "From tomorrow on, you will be the Hokage. Konoha is in your hands."

Meanwhile, in Konoha, within the Uchiha compound…

A young man, hands clasped in prayer, whispered, "God… let this be my lucky day." Uchiha Hirito glanced at the large wheel in front of him, preparing to draw in his monthly lottery.

As a time traveler in this dangerous Naruto world, the roulette was Uchiha Hirito's ace for survival. Aside from the initial gift pack containing three one-day Mangekyō Sharingan trial coupons, he relied on this monthly lottery to get by. With each draw, he hoped for something that would give him an edge.

The roulette prizes were divided into five categories: white, green, red, orange, and gold. White corresponded to basic daily items like clothing or food. Green included ninja tools such as kunai, shuriken, and explosive tags. Red represented ninjutsu, ranging from simple clones to forbidden techniques. Orange held bloodline abilities like Byakugan, Wood Release, and Lava Release. And gold—the rarest—contained legendary items like the Mangekyō Sharingan, Eternal Mangekyō, Perfect Sage Mode, and Chakra Fruit.

Despite his years in this world, Uchiha Hirito's luck hadn't favored him much. Mostly, he landed on white and green. Occasionally, he would get a red, but an orange was a rare treat. Gold remained a distant dream.

A cheerful voice broke his thoughts. "Welcome, host, to the lucky draw!"

He clicked the button, watching as the wheel spun. Thousands of tiny sections blurred together, mostly white, with some green, the rare red, even rarer orange, and a minuscule gold. His eyes locked on the needle, Sharingan spinning in anticipation.

"Come on, give me something good!" he muttered, knuckles white from clenching his fists.

Finally, the needle settled—green. "Three detonating tags," he muttered with a sigh. It was far from what he wanted, but he decided to make the best of it. Detonating tags were valuable, after all.

He clicked into the task interface on the roulette, looking at his long-standing mission: Become Hokage of Konoha. The reward was a golden prize draw. Uchiha Hirito had known from the start this would be challenging, particularly under the rule of Senju Tobirama, who was wary of the Uchiha clan.

Born in Tobirama's era, becoming Hokage through conventional means was nearly impossible. "No matter what I achieve, he'll always see me as Madara's shadow," he thought. Tobirama's prejudice was unyielding; any sign of the Sharingan reminded him of Uchiha Madara's madness.

Every Uchiha who awakened the Sharingan carried that psychological burden. Hirito understood this personally, having been raised to master lethal jutsu from a young age. He graduated as a ninja at six, missions forcing him to kill time and time again, shaping him into what some would call… unbalanced.

For Tobirama, the Uchiha were a ticking time bomb. In his mind, giving an Uchiha the Hokage title could lead to ruin. Tobirama's suspicion ran so deep that he'd likely investigate any Uchiha who even entertained ideals of "world peace" through unconventional jutsu. If he believed that the Uchiha planned to put everyone under genjutsu for a "perfect world," he'd be relentless.

But Uchiha Hirito was determined. He wouldn't let Tobirama's mistrust define him.

(End of Chapter).