Transmigrating as the Third Hokage: Make Konoha Great Again!

穿越三代：让木叶再次伟大！

Author: Claypot Rice with Cured Pork and Green Beans

Summary:

In the 41st year of Konoha, not long after the Second Shinobi World War had ended.

Amidst the undercurrents and unrest within the village, the four hidden villages outside are preparing for war, awaiting their chance to devour Konoha.

Amidst internal and external troubles, a veteran of the government is transported to the body of Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Along with this came a page of documents in his mind's eye: authority, diplomacy, military, economy, education—five indicators that bound his future to the village.

Starting with the "Reunion over a Cup of Wine" and the rebuilding of his bonds with his disciples, Hiruzen Sarutobi embarked on the path to becoming the strongest Hokage!

"Do you believe in the Will of Fire? Konoha, it's time to accelerate!"

"Winning over geniuses", "Institutional reform", "The general who guards the country of fire"

"The Lighthouse of the Ninja World," "Konoha Green Card," "Uniting the Hyuga and Uchiha"

"Supporting ordinary people," "Iterating technology," and "Universal Hashirama vaccine"

"Resurrecting Tobirama in the body of an Uchiha"...

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood atop the Hokage Rock, amidst a roaring crowd below:

"In the name of the Hokage, let Konoha be great again!"

Main text

001 Danzo, your Root family name is Shimura?

Leaf.

Hokage Building.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat on a large wooden chair, smoking the pipe that had been with the original owner of the body for many years, and intently flipped through the documents.

There was a deep sense of curiosity in his eyes.

Before he could look around for long, the office door handle was roughly turned, and almost simultaneously, a perfunctory knock sounded as a man wearing a bandage on his head and leaning on a cane strode in.

Danzo Shimura was seething with anger.

Hiruzen Sarutobi recently fell seriously ill, suffering from a high fever and being bedridden for several days, which forced him to put some of his work on hold.

It had only been a few years since the Second Shinobi World War ended, and the village had not yet fully recovered from the smoke of war…

This performance is incredibly lazy!

We need to give this Hokage's assistant a good talking-to!

Just as Shimura Danzo was about to habitually shout "Hiruzen," he triggered a smooth little combo that he had used for many years.

But then he saw the other person suddenly look up, their eyes filled with amusement.

Danzo Shimura felt a chill run down his spine and instinctively stood still.

what happened?

Having just recovered from a serious illness, Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to have become younger, with a much more upright posture and figure than before.

Is it just my imagination?

"I thought it was someone else."

Hiruzen Sarutobi tapped his pipe on the edge of the table slowly, paused for a moment, and said, "So it's the Hokage..."

He deliberately emphasized the last two words: "...The assistant has arrived?"

Danzo Shimura's face was very grim.

During that brief pause, his emotions were stirred.

After all, Hiruzen Sarutobi never referred to himself as the assistant to the Hokage.

So is there a possibility, a very small possibility, but one that should exist?

—The monkey has realized today that I am the most suitable person to be Hokage, and he will pass the position to me today!

But the word "assistance" was added.

Danzo Shimura immediately realized that Hiruzen Sarutobi was expressing his dissatisfaction!

"Hiruzen..."

Danzo Shimura frowned, his fingers unconsciously tightening, causing the file folder in his hand to wrinkle slightly: "What do you mean by this?"

"It means you've been doing a good job lately." Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled, seemingly pleased. "The Root organization continues to expand, with individual funding and equipment surpassing even the Anbu..."

"They've added trench coats to their attire and adopted masks that look even more menacing than those used by the Dark Guard. As their assistant, you have absolute authority over them..."

"The Root of Konoha is named Shimura!"

Danzo Shimura's thoughts raced.

Something's not right...

Something's 90% off!

Logically speaking, he was secretly conducting a sealed Wood Release experiment, so Hiruzen Sarutobi shouldn't be causing him trouble now.

At the very least, the Hokage will only try to take away the fruit that grew in the darkness and give him a punishment, if he realizes that he has achieved something, once he has.

In this process, even if the expansion of his personal power exceeded the framework of being an assistant to the Hokage, it was still the price he paid for this darkness.

This is the result of their long-standing tacit understanding.

Is Hiruzen Sarutobi now going to break this contract?

Isn't he afraid that he won't use Wood Release anymore?

If he were to take the blame himself, as a branch under the light, would he dare to shoulder this responsibility?

"Hiruzen, I did it for Konoha!"

Danzo Shimura emphasized loudly: "The Roots lurk in the darkness, facing the most brutal environment and missions, so naturally they need a large number of personnel and resources!"

"As the Hokage, you should be thinking about the future of the village and the inevitable Shinobi World War, not fussing over trivial matters concerning Root. This is pointless infighting!"

Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly stood up, took his pipe, and strolled over to Danzo Shimura.

He gave him a disdainful smile and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke.

The pungent smoke made Danzo Shimura clench his fists immediately!

This is so humiliating!

Even if Hiruzen Sarutobi is the Hokage of Konoha, he shouldn't be treated like this by his assistant...

But what he said next stunned the darkest figure in the ninja world.

"You think I'm criticizing you?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head and patted his old friend hard on the shoulder: "I'm just reminding you, you've gone down the wrong path!"

Danzo Shimura frowned: "What wrong path did we take?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand roughly.

"Everyone knows about your ambition to become Hokage, from the Five Great Hidden Villages to the most obscure ninja clans."

"But how can you be Hokage looking like this?"

"Always walking in the shadows, as the leader of a special department, you possess privileges that ordinary ninjas fear."

"But the further we go down this path, the further we will drift from the position of Hokage."

"For example, why did the Second Hokage allow the Uchiha clan to take over the duties of the Security Department alone?"

Danzo Shimura's expression became quite interesting.

He certainly understood this principle.

Standing in the light was a privilege that was previously exclusive to Hiruzen Sarutobi, a powerful figure in Konoha.

There can't be two suns in the sky.

Therefore, Danzo Shimura could only hold tightly to the darkness in his hands…

After all, the power of darkness is still power, and he is, after all, the Hokage's assistant, who is second only to the Hokage!

"Of course I know!"

Danzo Shimura spoke hoarsely, "What do you want to say, Hiruzen! I am willing to bear the darkness for the village! A ninja must have the belief in sacrifice!"

"I'm asking you, do you want to be Hokage?" Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly laughed: "I'll only ask you this once, Danzo."

In the past, Danzo Shimura believed that no one understood Hiruzen Sarutobi better than him.

But today, he had absolutely no idea what the Hokage was up to…

"How could I not want to? I think about it day and night, I dream about it every day! I want to be that damned Hokage so badly!" Shimura Danzo roared inwardly.

but.

Faced with Hiruzen Sarutobi, whom he couldn't fathom, he found it difficult to utter the words he was about to say.

Subconsciously, the scene of Tobirama Senju asking who would cover the rear appeared in his mind.

He didn't dare raise his hand when covering the retreat...

Are you afraid to even say you want to become Hokage?

Thinking this, Shimura Danzo took a deep breath and uttered a single, stiff word: "Yes!"

"Yes, you've improved compared to before." Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded with a smile.

This tone made Danzo Shimura feel uneasy.

Do you think you know me well? Let me tell you, you don't know me at all!

What's with that tone of yours?