Will of embers

Chapter 1

The Hokage office was in chaos. It only has been one hour since the attack of the Nine-Tails Demon Fox. Every clan's head and every available jonin of Konohagakure were inside the Hokage's office, making a ruckus with questions and exclamations. Uncertainty and fear pressured everyone as the Third Hokage held a baby silently before them, sitting behind his table.

The Hokage's office, once a place of solemn authority and calculated decisions, now resembled a swirling vortex of disarray. The dim light illuminated the grim faces of the village elders, clan heads, and elite shinobi, their expressions etched with worry, confusion, and grief. But the most prominent expression among them was anger and hatred.

If it wasn't directed at the baby boy in the Third Hokage's arms, it was directed at themselves for failing to protect their village. It had been a mere hour since the devastating attack by the Nine-Tails Demon Fox, a catastrophe that had shaken Konohagakure to its core. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat in his imposing Hokage seat, a furrowed brow emphasizing the gravity of the situation. And it made the rest of them uncomfortable.

In his arms, he cradled a newborn baby, the source of both hope and mystery, a living enigma wrapped in a swaddle of swirled blankets. Nobody knew the boy's true identity, but everyone knew what he was. Naruto Uzumaki, the Nine-tails jinchuriki. Only three people in the village knew his true parents: the Third Hokage, Danzo Shimura, and Kakashi Hatake.

Amid the chaos, the voices of the elite shinobi and clan heads rose and fell in a cacophony of distress and apprehension. They were worried and doubtful of many things. Yet the leaders stayed silent. They knew it was better to wait for the Third's words before they said anything, but his silence was overbearing. Danzo stared at his old friend with mixed emotions and thoughts running through his mind.

"If other villages discover this, they might try to exploit our vulnerability. Without the Fourth Hokage, the village is in disarray; we will certainly be attacked once other villages find this out." Hagane Kotetsu, his anxiety palpable, said.

"I... I don't know if we can handle this. What if the Nine-Tails gets out again?" Choza Akimichi, his ordinarily jovial demeanor overshadowed by doubt, muttered.

Danzo gritted his teeth and looked at the stone-cold Uchiha clan's head, Fugaku Uchiha. He was sure it was his and his clan's doing. At this moment, the village had no other option but to rely on his clan, the strongest clan in Konohagakure. But Danzo would rather die than let this happen. His Root was still mostly intact, with minimal casualties. They will be perfect for protecting the borders until the village stabilizes itself.

But Danzo couldn't say anything before the Third Hokage, so he stayed silent and only looked at the baby boy in Third's arms. Was he in shock? Or something worse? Dazno heard that his wife died in the attack, and after what happened to the village, it wouldn't be surprising if the Third was in shock. But Danzo knew his old friend and rival. He knew that no matter what, he would protect the village.

"Don't be a fool!" Shibi Aburame, the ever-silent head of the Aburame clan, couldn't contain his voice. "The Fourth has sacrificed his own life to seal the demon fox. We can trust his knowledge of fuinjutsu, and the Third is holding it right now. We are safe."

"It doesn't matter," Tekumo Kendan, a newly promoted Jonin, sounded defeated. "Half of the village is destroyed. As we speak, more and more people are dragged out of the rubble, dead or injured. The village is gone."

"Don't spout such nonsense," Mukai Kohinata was a distant relative of the Hyuga clan, who possessed Byugukan in his left eye and was recommended to join the ANBU. Not many knew that, but Danzo prided himself on knowing everything and everyone in his village. "Konoha is the strongest village of the five. We can't fall just like that. We just can't."

"And what you call this!"

"Shut it!"

"We must gather our forces and prepare for the war!"

"We need to rebuild the village first!"

"We need to save all those we can!"

"We will be finished if we are unprepared for a war!"

"We need to ensure that demon fox is secure in that boy!"

There was no point in even trying to tell who said what. Danzo stared at the chaos before him. Then he turned to the Hokage. He couldn't take anymore. If his old friend does nothing, he will have to do it himself. Danzo stepped forward, ready to put this farce to an end, when the baby in Hokage's arms started to squirm.

"Waah! Waah! Waah!" A shrilling sound came out of the baby as he started to cry. That cry silenced everyone in the room. The Hokage held the baby closer to him and rocked it to calm him down. Slowly, the crying stopped, and the baby fell asleep. Yet, just as the baby fell asleep and someone was about to say something, cracks started appearing on the floor, stretching along the office.

"Are you all done?" Hokage asked as pressure started to emit from him. It was pure chakra, uncontrollable, and devastating. Danzo realized, at his moment, why the Hokage stayed silent. It wasn't because he was shocked or depressed. He was furious beyond anything Danzo had seen of his old friend.

"Hokage-sama," Shikaku Nara, Jonin Commander, tried to calm Hokage down. "We are waiting for your instructions."

"My instruction?" Hokage looked up from the baby for the first time. Danzo thought that, for a moment, his old friend had lost focus. But the next moment, his eyes become as sharp as ever. "Hiashi Hyuga, you and your clan will be in charge of rescuing the people of Konoha and maintaining order in the village."

"Yes, Hokage-sama!" HIashi stood up and replied with determination.

"Fugaku Uchiha, you and your clan shall secure the northern borders. You will have the full support of the Inuzuka clan and Aburame clan."

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Fugaku's voice was calm and steady, but everyone could hear the steel in his tone.

"The rest of you will help rebuild the village and assess the damages. Shikaku Nara will divide you into positions where you will be most needed."

Danzo looked as the shinobi regained vigor, and steel returned to their eyes. They all stood attentive before the Hokage. For the first time after the attack of the demon fox, everyone regained their fighting will. That was the power of the words of Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage. Danzo had to admit that he would never be able to instill such respect from the shinobi of Konohagakure.

"What about the Nine-tails jinchuriki?" Danzo couldn't help but smile as someone mentioned the boy in Hokage's arms. It was time for him to say this piece and acquire the most powerful weapon in the village. Danzo will make the boy the most powerful tool for the village. The perfect weapon and it will be under his control.

"Fugaku," Before Danzo could say anything, the Third Hokage turned to the Uchiha clan head. "I know you have a boy a few months old. I will entrust Naruto Uzumaki to you and your wife."

"What?" It wasn't only Danzo and Fugaku who were shocked by the Hokage's words.

"Raise him as your own among your other sons," Hokage looked straight into Fugaku's eyes. "Train him as you see fit and protect him from all harm. But remember, I entrust you not the Nine-tails jinchuriki, but Naruto Uzumaki, the village's hero."

"It will be my honor, Hokage-sama," Fugaku replied, his voice trembling as he never thought he would be given such a task.

"Take him," Hokage handed over the boy to Fugaku's arms. "Everyone is dismissed. You have a family to return to, and I have to prepare for the funeral."

Danzo didn't even have a chance to speak his mind before Fugaku left with his weapon. Danzo couldn't move and couldn't say anything. He couldn't question Hokage's orders now when they needed to be united more than ever. But once everyone left the Hokage office, Danzo couldn't contain himself anymore and turned to his old friend.

"Hiruzen, you entrust the Nine-Tails jinchuriki to Fugaku?" Danzo's voice was laced with disbelief, his eyes drilling into his old friend's seeking answers. "You know just as well as I do that the Uchiha planned the attack. You must have seen the Nine-tails eyes. It was unmistakably sharingan."

"It is as we saw," The Third Hokage replied as he stood up from his chair and walked to the window overlooking the village. "But you know as much as I do, not only the Uchiha clan can possess the sharingan."

"Still, leaving a living weapon in their hands isn't something…"

"Enough!" Hokage's voice rattled Danzo to his core. "He isn't a weapon, and I won't leave him to you, Danzo."

"That wasn't what I meant."

"I said enough!" Hokage didn't turn back to face Danzo, but his voice was resolute, and Danzo knew better than to disagree now. "At times like this, we need to trust each other, and I chose to trust the Uchiha. I don't care if you don't like it. I will not let your distrust and assumptions drag innocent lives to their death."

"Very well, then I will leave it to you."

Danzo left the office, not looking back. Even though he said he agreed with Hokage, he knew his old friend was wrong. The Uchiha can't be trusted, but as long as Hiruzen Sarutobi was the Hokage, he wouldn't have his way in the village. So, he was left with no choice but to eliminate him. Danzo can't let the village fall because of Hiruzen's weakness.

…

"Ding! Quest completed. Congratulations host. You have succeeded in tricking the shinobi of Konohagakure. Your identity as Hiruzen Sarutobi, The Third Hokage, is secure. Ding!"

'Damn, that bell sound is annoying,' Hiruzen complained in his head. He couldn't speak out loud, as even though the shinobi had left the office, he knew that ANBU might be hiding and watching him. That was quite a scary thought, being watched by unseen shinobi, who could kill him at any moment.

'What the hell is going on?' That was all he could think. One moment, he was walking home after school and crossing the street. Another moment, he was sitting with a baby in his arms, and a dozen scary dudes looked at him. Then they started yelling. He thought he was going to shit himself out of fear.

"Ding! Hidden Quest completed. Congratulations host. You have succeeded in earning the trust of Fugaku Uchiha. Ding!"

And then this bell rang in his head, and words appeared before him. He had ignored it before, as he didn't want to alarm anyone. If anyone found out that he wasn't Hiruzen Sarutobi, he would be mind raped by Yamanaka. Then, they would think that he somehow possessed the mind of the Hokage and was trying to impersonate him.

Who the hell knows what would be done to him then? He would probably be locked up somewhere until they found a way to get rid of him. Or he would be tortured to discover how to get the real Hiruzen Sarutobi back. He didn't want any of that to happen to him, so he had to keep his cool. Even now, he was terrified as he tried to concentrate on the night sky.

Name: Hiruzen Sarutobi

Age: 55/75

HP:100%

Chakra: 98%

Strenght: 8

Speed: 8

Stamina: 8

Intelegence: 9

Charisma: 7

Ninjutsu: 8

Taijutsu: 8

Genjutsu: 8

Fuinjutsu: 8

He wanted to punch the window before him out of frustration. What did those numbers even mean? 8 out of what? 10? 100? 'Keep your cool. Keep your cool.' He repeated in his mind. One mistake and the ANBU in hiding will pounce on him. And then it wouldn't even matter what any of this meant. But what frustrated him the most was everything below those numbers.

Ninjutsu skills: None.

Taijutsu skills: None.

Genjutsu skills: None.

Fuinjutsu skills: None.

He had nothing. He had no memories of Hiruzen Sarutobi and no skills of Hiruzen Sarutobi. And now he had to pretend to be the Third Hokage. He was freaking out. He wanted to rip the hair out of his balding head. He didn't know how he got here. He didn't know what he was supposed to do. And he had nothing to rely on.

"Ding! For completing your first quest, please choose your reward. Ding!"

-Random memory of the body the host possesses.

-Random ninjutsu skill.

-Random taijutsu skill.

At first, he was happy after reading the words that appeared before him, but after finishing them, he wanted to scream. What does it mean, random? If he chooses the memory, what kind of memory will he get? How long that memory will last? He knew nothing about being a Hokage or a shinobi, so he needed original memories, but it was too risky.

"Ding! The host chose random Ninjutsu. You have been rewarded, Shadow clone jutsu. Congratulation. Ding!"

'Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!' He screamed in his mind at the sound of the ringing in his head. But outside, he looked calm as a cucumber as he looked out through the window. His hands grasped each other from his back. Then, suddenly, information came to his head. He instantly knew how to create a shadow clone. At last, he got something good, as he thought he would lose his mind at this rate.

"Ding! By completing a hidden quest, your vitality increases. Ding!"

Age:55/76

'So that's what the second number by my age meant.' He wasn't happy in the slightest though, as he just found out that he only has 21 years to live. So, even if he succeeded in hiding his true identity and survived everything this ridiculous world would throw at him, he would only have 21 years to live.

'Calm down. Calm down.' He never has felt so terrified, out of place, and stressed out. But he had to be calm no matter what. At least, it seems there was a way to increase his vitality and live longer. So, at least he had something going for him. Yet, he still wanted to cry. He was 55 years old. He had greying and bolding hair, and his face was already filled with wrinkles.

It seems he won't be able to escape his virgin status no matter what. He was an old man already. There was no way any woman in this world would want to date an old man like him. Why couldn't he been in Kakashi's body? Or Naruto's? Or even Guy's? Why did he have to be Hiruzen, fucking, Sarutobi? There was no answer to his anguish.

"Ding! A new quest was created. Ding!"

-Save the shinobi world.

'Give me something easier, you stupid system!'

"Ding! A new quest was created. Ding!"

-Break the cycle of hatred.

'The hell? It is an even harder quest."

"Ding! A new quest was created. Ding!

=Defeat Akatsuki.

'Well, that was something easier, I guess.'

Feeling his legs would give up on him, he decided to sit down. He wanted to give up and start crying. He was out of his league. He took the first chance to give Naruto away. But there was no way he could give up his Hokage title without Danzo suspecting something, especially not to Fugaku Uchiha. But here was one person who could take the title without anyone suspecting anything.

"Call back Jiraiya of the Sannin!" He said to the empty office. He didn't know where the hidden ANBU was or if they even were there. But at worst, he would be speaking to himself, so he took the risk.

"It shall be done, Hokage-sama," He almost jumped out of his chair as, out of nowhere, a man with a mask appeared and knelt before him.

"And get me the map of Konoha. I want all estates to be marked, even my own. Mark what parts of the village were destroyed. And give me a charter of all citizens and shinobi of the village. Write down who has died and who has sustained injuries."

"Understood, Hokage-sama."

"Dismissed," It was freaky how the man disappeared into thin air.

But it didn't matter anymore. Firstly, he needed to know where the fuck he lived. He couldn't stay in this office all this remaining life. Then, he would need to learn the names of every shinobi under his command. What kind of Hokage wouldn't know their names? He had much to do, and then there was the funeral he used as an excuse to be left alone to plan for. He could tell this would be a hell of a life.

A.N. New story: I don't know how regular updates will be. Probably something like one chapter every other week.

As always, If you want more, up to seven advanced chapters, you can support me on pa treon. com \ ironwolf852. And if you have any requests for stories, I will only take them on my pa treon.