NARUTO: SECOND GOD OF SHINOBI

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In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat amidst piles of paperwork, a testament to the demands of leadership.

With a sigh, he leaned back in his chair, his fingers tracing the familiar grooves of the desk.

The flickering candlelight cast shadows across the room, reflecting the weight of his responsibilities.

He glanced at the crystal ball perched on the table, its surface swirling with images of Konoha. 

The village sprawled beneath him, alive with movement and energy. Hiruzen's sharp gaze swept across the landscape, ensuring the security of his home.

He found solace in this nightly ritual, a chance to connect with every corner of his beloved village. 

A soft rustle interrupted his thoughts, and an ANBU ninja appeared, dropping to one knee before him, the black mask obscuring their features. 

"Hokage-sama, we have taken control of the ANBU headquarters," reported ANBU codename Flame, their voice steady and authoritative. 

"Very good, Flame," Hiruzen responded, nodding slightly.

"Now, initiate the missions assigned to the ANBU. I plan to increase our numbers in the coming year, so prepare to train the new recruits. We need to ensure they are ready for the challenges ahead."

"Yes, Hokage-sama," the ANBU replied before vanishing, leaving behind a silence that felt heavier than before.

Alone again, Hiruzen's thoughts turned to the state of Konoha.

The scars of the First Shinobi World War still lingered in the hearts and minds of the villagers.

They had endured tremendous losses, and it was his duty to rebuild and strengthen their home.

"Let's start with the most urgent need: increasing the number of ninjas," he murmured to himself, the determination in his voice rising.

"The academy should be selecting 1,000 students per year, and the graduation rate must rise from 20% to at least 50%."

Hiruzen shook his head, frustration creeping into his thoughts.

"I can't fathom how the academy has been training until now. From the memories I've seen, it's been utterly inadequate for civilian ninjas.

In every batch, only 100 to 150 ninjas were produced, and the majority were clan ninjas who had been groomed for this path since birth. The civilians are falling behind."

He rose from his chair, pacing the room as displeasure colored his words.

"I will revise the curriculum for the academy. Civilian ninjas will have more time for practice on the training grounds. They need a chance to catch up, to prove they can stand alongside their clan counterparts."

A fire ignited within him as he considered his next steps.

"Chakra refining techniques will be introduced to every civilian with potential. From the age of four, they can start building a foundation before entering the academy. This way, they won't be outpaced by those from the ninja clans."

As he continued to think, a sense of resolve washed over him.

"Jutsu up to C-rank will be made available to Chunin, and Genin can earn them after completing ten D-rank missions. This will not only motivate them to take on more tasks but will also help boost the economy and the strength of graduating ninjas."

Hiruzen's smile was faint but genuine.

"The best among them will receive my personal training. With my guidance, they can become S-rank ninjas and even join the ANBU. That should incentivize them to dedicate themselves fully."

With a flick of his wrist, he created a shadow clone. "Draft the new curriculum," he instructed, his voice steady. "We need it ready as soon as possible."

As the clone got to work, Hiruzen paused, contemplating the potential backlash from the village clans.

"They won't like these relaxed conditions for civilians," he thought, concern creeping in.

"I'll need to offer the clans something to placate them, or they'll become a thorn in my side."

His eyes narrowed with determination. "Perhaps I can grant them access to powerful S-rank jutsu in exchange for their loyalty. But that will take time."

Having laid out the groundwork, he turned back to the clone, who was diligently writing down the new curriculum.

"I'll leave the rest to you. I have more important matters to attend to."

With a final nod, Hiruzen vanished from his office, reappearing at the Hokage Mountain training ground.

The air was crisp and refreshing, invigorating him as he surveyed the vast expanse before him. 

"It's time for some serious jutsu creation," he declared aloud, a spark of excitement igniting within him.

"As Hokage, I need to contribute to the village's growth. What better way than to expand Konoha's jutsu repository?"

With his skills, he knew this would be a rewarding challenge. "The first thing I'll work on is a series of Rasengan jutsu. They're straightforward because their theory is simple," he said, readying himself.

"But first, let's check my chakra control level by forming a standard Rasengan."

Hiruzen focused, drawing chakra into his palm. Slowly, he began to craft a Rasengan, its blue sphere swirling with energy.

He compressed it, holding it on his index finger, then released chakra from the tenketsu point on his middle finger, forming another. 

One by one, he balanced a compressed Rasengan on each of his fingers until all five were spinning in harmony.

"Good control," he noted, a sense of satisfaction swelling within him. "Let's take it up a notch."

Extending his other hand, Hiruzen repeated the process, forming five more Rasengan simultaneously. Sweat beaded on his forehead, but he refused to let it distract him. 

"It's a little straining, but manageable. My comprehension skills are improving my grasp of the Rasengan," he remarked, a grin tugging at his lips.

Determined to push further, he removed his upper clothing, revealing the lean muscle beneath.

He released a mass of chakra from the tenketsu points on his forearms, forming Rasengan that climbed to his shoulders, gradually increasing the complexity of his control. 

"My reserves are depleting," he acknowledged, feeling the strain of the task. With a swift motion, he summoned a clone. "Create chakra-gathering seals on me."

The clone arrived in a blur, responding with a nod. "Yeah, yeah, I'm on it." With precise hand signs, the clone activated the seals, pressing them onto Hiruzen's torso.

As the seal took effect, vast amounts of chakra surged into Hiruzen's body, replenishing his reserves.

He resumed his training, the Rasengan spinning with renewed vigor.

After an intense hour, he successfully created 61 Rasengan across his body's tenketsu points, reaching the limit of his control.

"Now, let's move on to creating elemental A-rank Rasengan jutsu, starting with fire and working through to yin and yang nature chakra," he decided, anticipation bubbling within him.

He concentrated, releasing fire chakra strings from his palm, weaving them into a spiral, layer by layer. With each layer counterbalancing the inner one, a fiery ball began to form, distorting the air around it. 

"This will be Fire Release: Spiral," he explained to himself, his voice steady. "The name fits perfectly—it uses a central column for greater damage and penetration."

With a deft movement, he created a ring around the fireball to contain its power until it hit the target, ensuring it would explode upon impact, transforming into a devastating long-range attack. 

"An A-rank jutsu," he mused, satisfied with his creation. "It's slightly more powerful than the standard Rasengan due to its fire properties." 

Quickly, he recorded the jutsu in a scroll using a clone, ensuring its permanence in the village's archives.

Next, Hiruzen crafted similar spirals using other elemental chakras.

He created a vibrant green-and-white wind elemental Rasengan, its power crackling with energy.

Then came the light blue water elemental Rasengan, shimmering like a wave poised to crash.

He followed with a yellow-and-brown earth elemental Rasengan, its solidity grounding him.

Finally, he shaped a dark blue lightning elemental Rasengan, electricity dancing around its form. Each was unique in its properties and color.

"Now for the more complex yin and yang nature Rasengan," he announced, focusing his mind. "Yin represents spiritual power, while yang represents physical power. Combined, they can heal or destroy."

With meticulous precision, he crafted a black spiral ball for the yin nature Rasengan and a pure white one for the yang nature Rasengan.

The two jutsu, when combined, reached the pinnacle of A-rank, radiating power that could rival even S-rank jutsu.

"These might be the strongest A-rank jutsu ever created," Hiruzen said, pride swelling within him as he recorded the final jutsu in a scroll.

He looked out over the village, the moonlight illuminating the rooftops below, and felt a renewed sense of purpose.

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