Starting as a Ninja in the Naruto World

Bang!

The doors of Konoha Hospital were slammed shut.

Everyone present had witnessed the young boy storming out. They glanced at the fully recovered Sarutobi Sasuke, then back at the scolded Sarutobi Hiruzen. Instantly, they understood the situation between the two friends.

A boy, upon learning his friend's father was gravely injured, had rushed to the hospital, concerned for his friend. But when he arrived, he saw the supposedly critically injured man looking perfectly healthy, as though nothing had happened.

The boy must have thought he was the victim of an elaborate prank.

To toy with someone's feelings like that?

It sounded absolutely despicable!

"Danzō!"

"Let me explain!"

Young Hiruzen Sarutobi hurried after him, trying to clear the misunderstanding: his father really had been seriously injured but was saved by an extraordinary medical ninja.

"Are you serious?"

Young Danzō Shimura narrowed his eyes, his disbelief evident.

"Of course, it's true!"

Having witnessed the miracle firsthand, Hiruzen brimmed with excitement as he recounted what had happened, even throwing in his own speculations.

"That medical ninja's identity is very mysterious. Everyone calls him 'Lord Emiya.' He's held in the highest regard, and his medical skills are unparalleled. He might even be related to the greatest medical ninja of legend…"

Hiruzen scratched his chin, pondering aloud.

"But he is kind of strange. He saved my father but didn't look the least bit happy about it. It's like he always has this… coffin-like expression."

"What does any of that have to do with us?"

Danzō's face remained cold, his tone sharp.

In contrast to Hiruzen's open and curious nature, Danzō was much more reserved and serious. With furrowed brows, he scolded:

"If his identity is a mystery, it likely means it's a top-secret matter for the village. As genin, it's not our place to poke around!"

Even at a young age, Danzō already had a strong sense of hierarchy.

He respected the authority of Konoha's leadership and believed that lower-ranked individuals should stay out of upper-echelon matters.

"But…"

Hiruzen couldn't help but feel curious about Emiya Shigen.

If it was really such a secret, why hadn't the First Hokage or his own father stopped him from interacting with the man?

As the two boys continued their discussion, Hiruzen's attention was drawn back to the hospital. Two figures emerged from the building, making him even more curious.

Dusk fell upon Konoha.

The workday at Konoha Hospital was coming to an end.

From his vantage point, Hiruzen saw none other than the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, walking side by side with the mysterious medical ninja.

What caught Hiruzen's attention most was Hashirama's attitude.

The normally charismatic and dominant Hokage appeared almost deferential, as though he were accompanying a person of great importance.

"These are some of the new kids in our village," Hashirama said as he led Shigen on a tour of Konoha.

Casually, he gestured toward the group of young ninja, introducing them:

"Tobirama established the ninja academy in the village, and these kids are the first batch of students. The boy you saw earlier—'Monkey'—is the most promising of them all."

Hashirama wasn't exaggerating.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was indeed exceptionally gifted.

At his young age, Hiruzen had already bonded with the Sarutobi clan's unique summoning beast, the Monkey King Enma. He had even managed to refine chakra of all five elemental natures and was studying multi-element jutsu under Tobirama Senju.

What stood out even more than his talent, however, was his leadership ability.

It was an unmistakable trait.

Though Hiruzen often appeared mischievous and carefree, he could remain calm under pressure, providing stability to those around him.

For instance, when his father was injured earlier that day:

When Hiruzen had first arrived at the hospital, he was visibly anxious, consumed by worry over his father's condition.

But the moment his friends showed up, equally concerned, Hiruzen had put on a brave face, suppressing his own fears to reassure them.

"The boy beside Monkey is Shimura Danzō," Hashirama added, noticing the friendship between the two boys.

A nostalgic smile crossed his face as he continued:

"I hear Monkey and Danzō used to be rivals at the academy. Now, they've grown into comrades who respect each other…"

"They seem to get along well," Shigen observed, his expression unreadable as he nodded.

"If nothing unexpected happens," Hashirama said with a hint of hope, "the future of Konoha will rest on the shoulders of these youngsters."

"Is that so?"

Hearing this, Shigen's gaze lingered on the group of children.

With a faint sigh, he remarked:

"Humans have always sought to entrust their will to the hope of the next generation. Even the Sage of Six Paths wasn't an exception. How could we, mere mortals, be any different?"

Nearby, Shigen's assistant discreetly recorded his words and actions.

The assistant wasn't merely there to help Shigen; he had been sent by Tobirama to gather any useful information Shigen might inadvertently reveal.

Tobirama was determined not to let any potential insights slip through his fingers.

Inside the Hokage Tower

Meanwhile, Tobirama was buried in work.

With Madara Uchiha having escaped capture, Tobirama had increased surveillance on the Uchiha clan, ensuring that no internal unrest would erupt within Konoha during this turbulent time.

Additionally, Tobirama was working on a critical initiative:

With Hashirama's remaining lifespan estimated at only ten years, Tobirama aimed to use Shigen's stories about Asura and the Ninja Sect to dismantle the clan-centric mindset that still lingered within the village.

Konoha was still young, and its citizens were more loyal to their respective clans than to the village itself. Tobirama's goal was to shift that loyalty entirely to Konoha.

The first step?

Dismantling the Senju Clan.

Tobirama intended to lead by example.

The Senju clan would be disbanded, its members encouraged to move out of their clan compound and integrate into the wider village.

This would demonstrate to other clans that the Senju weren't seeking to dominate Konoha, paving the way for other clans to follow suit.

Once the clans were dissolved, Konoha's citizens would identify as Konoha ninjas rather than members of specific clans. The next generation would grow up with a unified sense of identity, ensuring the village's long-term stability.

However, there were exceptions:

"The Uchiha can't be dispersed," Tobirama mused.

"They must remain centralized to ensure effective surveillance and prevent another Madara from rising."

"The Hyūga clan is also tricky…"

Due to their internal system of using the Caged Bird Seal to control branch family members, the Hyūga couldn't easily be integrated into the village.

For now, Tobirama decided to leave the Hyūga as they were, waiting for a potential internal shift before taking action.

As for the other clans?

They posed no significant challenges.

A knock on the door interrupted Tobirama's thoughts.

One of Shigen's assistants entered, carrying the latest report.

"Tobirama-sama, here's today's update on Lord Emiya."

The assistant handed over a scroll.

Tobirama quickly skimmed through it, nodding in satisfaction.

"Shigen treated quite a few patients today, I see…"

"Yes, he did."

"Pity…"

Tobirama's expression turned slightly regretful as he noted the absence of any techniques that could enhance combat abilities.

His gaze lingered on the last line of the report:

"Only Konoha is worthy of being entrusted with the future…"

"For Konoha's sake, some methods are justifiable…"