Will of embers

Chapter 2

After he had memorized the layout of Konoha, it was already dawn. As the sun's first light started to get through the window, Hiruzen knew there was no point in getting into his house. Even if he found where he lived, he didn't think he could fool Asuma or other family members. He didn't even know the layout of his house. What if he couldn't find his room? It would be disastrous for him.

He was out of his league, playing a game he didn't know the rules of. But even so, he refused to roll over and give up. This was now his life; no matter how short it might be, he would fight for it. But it was still fucking scary. He was walking on thin ice, and one mistake could make him fall into a deep, cold death. At least he had a direction and wasn't completely lost.

"Ding! New quest: Attend the funeral and give an inspirational speech to the people of Konohagakure. Ding!"

That direction so happens to be an unreliable and unpredictable system. Hiruzen didn't know if he should even trust this system. He didn't know anything about it. Was it the reason he got reincarnated as Hiruzen Sarutobi? If so, why? From what he knew, the world was saved in the end, and everyone lived long and happily, so what was the reason for him to be here?

The system indicated the involvement of the higher being. But what were the goals of this higher being? Did it want the best for this world? If so, would that be to throw Hiruzen under the bus to achieve it? Or did it want the best for him? If so, would the being be willing to destroy the world for him? Hiruzen didn't know; part of him knew he would never know it.

There was barely any information about the stats he was presented with, so he could only hope to get more information in the future. But even though he couldn't trust the system, he had no choice but to rely on it for now. He needed to strengthen and regain the original host's memories to survive.

"Hokage-sama," It took it all from Hiruzen not to flinch every time an ANBU appeared out of nowhere. "Jiraiya of the Sannin have returned."

"Good, I want to see him immediately," Hiruzen replied. His voice was in monotone, hiding every bit of an emotion.

Hiruzen knew that he would have to learn how to read the room and people fast to know what kind of emotion to show in different situations, but for now, he found it best to hide it all. He could attribute it to the tragic events that happened yesterday. But he didn't think that the original Hiruzen was an emotionless being, so he would need to learn quickly before others started to suspect him.

"You called me sensei," Hiruzen almost fell off his chair when a giant, white-haired man barged into the office. "I rushed home as soon as I heard about it."

"I presume you have heard of Minato's death?" Hiruzen asked, trying not to think how small he was compared to Jiraiya.

"I don't know the details, but yes, I know what happened," Jiraiya looked like has was hit by a train. It wasn't surprising, since his most priced student just died and the village was almost destroyed.

"What of Orochimaru?" Hiruzen took a risk to ask.

"What about him? He probably is holding himself in some research if he hasn't come to you yet."

'Shit, so he was still in the village.' Hiruzen almost had a panic attack at Jiraiya's words. It would have been a hundred times simpler if Hiruzen had discovered Orochimaru's unethical research and pushed him into hiding. Now, he would have to deal with Orochimaru, and he somehow doubted if he showed weakness, Orochimaru would not try to kill him.

"The funeral starts at noon," Hiruzen said, remembering the set time. "I want you by my side, and then we will have some things to discuss."

Hiruzen still had a few hours to prepare a speech. He knew it would have to be short, but he had to come up with strong words to encourage the people. Only by thinking of the monsters he would have to face later on was Hiruzen able to stay calm in this situation. He would need to speak in front of thousands of people, and every word he would say would be analyzed for who knows how long.

…

As the village gathered under the somber sky, the remnants of destruction still visible in the background, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi stood before them, his weathered face etched with sorrow and determination. He didn't need to pretend to feel that way because he felt grief for these people and was determined to speak to lift their spirits.

"Dear citizens of Konoha, esteemed shinobi, and honored guests, we gather here today not just to mourn our losses but to commemorate the resilience that defines us as a village. The attack by the Nine-Tails was a tragedy that has left deep scars on our home, and today, we stand united in grief and in the unwavering resolve to rebuild what has been shattered."

Hiruzen's eyes scanned the crowd, taking in the faces of those who had endured the terror of the Nine-Tails' assault. The pain was palpable, but so was the determination to rise from the ashes. The people wore their emotions on their sleeves, so even for Hiruzen, it was easy to see how they felt. And he hoped his following words would help them, even if it were a bit.

"We mourn the lives lost in this horrific event, and we honor the sacrifices made by our brave shinobi, by ordinary villagers who stood as shields, and by the Fourth Hokage, who gave his life to protect us all. Let us remember their bravery and selflessness as we move forward."

Hiruzen didn't raise his voice but ensured everyone would hear him. He needed to sound clear and couldn't afford to waver now. People needed a rock to lean on, and a Hokage should provide it. Hiruzen was required to look at their eyes and make them see an unbreakable resolve in his eyes. It was easier said than done, but he hoped it worked.

"As we mourn, remember the bonds that tie us together. In times of hardship, we must lean on each other for support. Let the memory of this tragedy remind us that our strength lies not only in our abilities but also in our unity as a village, community, and family. The Will of the Fire that burns within us will guide us through the darkest times. The Will of the Fire will not be extinguished so easily."

With those words, the Third Hokage stepped away from the podium, leaving a village united in mourning. There was no applause or cheers, but Hiruzen noticed quite a few nod his way in thanks. And now he felt bad because from the moment he got in this body, he had only thought of himself, and now he was reminded that countless lives depended on him and his ability to lead the village.

"Ding! Quest completed: Your speech has inspired the people of Konohagakure. Ding!"

"Ding! Please choose your reward. Ding!"

- Random taijutsu skill.

- Random memory of the body the host possesses.

- A random chance to see your death.

If the sound of a bell ringing didn't give him a headache, the reward choice did. He almost chose a random memory, but the last choice made him pause. What did it mean by a random chance to see his death? Were there numerous ways he died, and he would only see one at random? Or it was more straightforward, and he only had a random chance to see or not see it.

If his luck sucked, would that mean that if he chose that, he wouldn't get anything at all? But it would help him greatly if he could see his death. He might be able to prevent it. But what if he couldn't stop it? He only had one ninjutsu, so even a random genin could kill him. No, he needed to regain as much memory as he could. Everything else had to take a back seat.

"Ding! You have chosen a random memory. Congratulations, the memory of your family has been unlocked. Ding!"

At first, Hiruzen felt no different as he returned to his office. But as he concentrated on the word family, he somehow could remember everything here was to his family. It was like he had always had those memories but had never thought of them. It wasn't just the names of his sons but also every memory he shared with them.

He played with them as children, celebrated birthdays, and teased them about their first crush. Everything was in his head like it always has been. It wasn't just memories. He knew how he felt about those moments and how he felt about them now. But most importantly, this reward might help him get stronger faster. If he could remember his training as shinobi, wouldn't he gain the skills of the original Hiruzen Sarutobi?

"It was a great speech, sensei," It shocked Hiruzen how silent Jiraiya was when he was a literal giant among the men. "I could feel that the village was strengthened because of your words."

"I could only hope so," Hiruzen took off his Hokage hat and looked at it momentarily before giving it to Jiraiya. "Because you will take over the duties of the Hokage from his moment on."

"Nice try, sensei," Jiraiya smiled and gently pushed the hat back to Hiruzen. "But you know as much as I do that, I can't take that responsibility. I never can replace you."

"I think given the opportunity, you could surpass everyone's expectations, even yours own," Hiruzen said but didn't force Jiraiya to take the hat. "But it seems I can't force you to accept this responsibility today."

"Or ever," Jiraiya laughed, but he mostly did so to hide his discomfort. "What about Orochimaru? Maybe new responsibilities will make him get out of his research occasionally."

"If he couldn't give any of this time after what happened, it only proves how much he truly cares about Konoha," Hiruzen said bitterly, as he knew well that Orochimaru would never be a Hokage. "Unlike you and Tsunade, I couldn't teach Orochimaru the Will of Fire. In that aspect, he is my worst student."

"Don't say it like that," Jiraiya tried to defend Orochimaru, but even he knew that Hiruzen was right. "And you can handle the duties just fine on your own. You did a great job giving that speech, and I heard you took control of the shinobi forces after everyone panicked. You haven't lost your touch yet, old man."

"If that's how you see it, then you are right," Hiruzen said, settling the hat back on his head as he turned away from Jiraiya and looked out the window into the village. "You are not ready to take the position of the Hokage."

"Hey, what is that supposed to mean?"

"I am getting old, Jiraiya-boy," Hiruzen said as he sighed tiredly. "The age is catching up to me. I am slower than I used to be. I am weaker than I used to be. When I put down the hat for the Fourth, I was ready never to pick it up again. And even having picked up again, I don't think I have the will to fight anymore."

"Hey, don't get so sentimental with me."

"Biwako is dead," Even though it wasn't his wife, Hiruzen remembered her. He remembered how happy he was having her by his side. And as suddenly as he got those feelings, they were ripped apart from him by the realization that she was gone. "And now I have to return home to look at my two sons who have lost their mother. And what am I supposed to tell them?"

"I am sorry," Jiraiya bowed his head as he didn't know what else to say.

"Go see Naruto. He is with the Uchiha clan," Hiruzen said as he walked past Jiraiya and patted his shoulder. "I hope you don't mind him staying with the Uchiha. Tell me if you are willing to care for him yourself, and I will arrange it."

Even though his plan to make Jiraiya the next Hokage failed, Hiruzen wasn't too concerned about it. If Jiraiya said he wasn't ready for it, he wasn't prepared, and it didn't feel right to force him to do it. He still had another student he could try his luck with. But for now, he needed to meet his sons. And just thinking about them, he felt sad.

It felt weird suddenly having children to take care of. He had no idea what he was supposed to do. But their mother died yesterday, and they needed him more than ever. He didn't ask to be in this position or want to be in it. Yet here he is, even though he couldn't be the father his children needed and the Hokage the village deserved. He will have to fake it until he makes it.

A.N. Sorry I missed out on a few uploads in my previous stories, but I got food poisoning and couldn't really do anything. And since so many of you like this story, I kind of feel pressured to update it and start the new year with it. Thanks for your support.

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.