Read the warnings first.
---
The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, the highest leader of Konoha, woke from a nightmare, drenched in sweat, gasping for air as if entangled by a giant python.
It took him dozens of seconds to barely calm his heart.
What a terrifying and strange dream.
In the dream, he was surfing freely in a space devoid of time, and ended up in a heated argument across dozens of forum pages on some Naruto forum, eventually achieving a narrow "win" in a state of extreme emotional intensity.
That was how he left that bizarre place, through sheer emotional turbulence.
Maybe it wasn't a dream.
After calming down a little, he thought this to himself, carefully recalling the bizarre experience. In that strange and surreal space, he had turned into some kind of consciousness being, bombarded by torrents of information.
Every moment, vast streams of data, voices, images, videos, texts, even games, poured into him, interacting with him and reshaping him.
Not just his worldview was remolded, it felt as if the energy of that space fed back into physical reality, modifying his aging body.
It feels like being reborn.
Hiruzen sighed once more.
White hair, age spots, wrinkled skin, a back he couldn't fully straighten, still a stereotypical old man. Dressed in home clothes and carrying his pipe, he stepped out of the bedroom into the courtyard, casually sitting down on the wooden floor.
Looking up at the starry sky, he slowly savored the fragrance of his tobacco.
In this moment, the once-rigid thoughts of an elderly man began to thaw and stir, impossible not to, considering the sheer volume of information, as if the entire Mississippi River had surged through a rural creek.
Land of Waves, Akatsuki, the Otsutsuki clan, Boruto plot fuel... And the phrase: "The Third Hokage, either dumb, evil, or both."
Unbelievable.
I didn't even get a power-up in my final appearance? The First, Second, and Fourth all got buffs when reanimated, but me? I had to be summoned back as an old man?
Unbelievable.
Kishimoto doesn't understand a thing about the strongest Hokage!
Just thinking about it is infuriating. Kishimoto should spend twenty years in Konoha Prison studying the Will of Fire! And I'll teach him myself!
Hiruzen's mind became even more active than a few minutes ago. He was thinking rapidly, his thoughts spreading wildly. One youthful and whimsical idea after another began to take shape in his mind.
Traditional ninjas are boring, victory doesn't mean anything here; this place is hell.
I swear, if Edo Tensei Nagato loses to Edo Tensei Itachi, I'll eat my own pipe.
The First Hokage is the most practical ninja.
The One Piece game sucks.
The Burning Legion is invading.
That cannon from Kumo is decent too.
A Certain Scientific Railgun is already getting a fourth season.
Turns out Jiraiya's writing isn't even that great.
Asuma's grades weren't all that; maybe school should be extended until high school.
The Will of Fire needs better PR.
Anyway, the protagonist group is basically living in my house, but they're really not that impressive… Maybe I can do something about it.
None of these thoughts had any logical connection. His mind was running wild. In the end, he became certain: he truly could change history. Nothing was more beautiful than a crimson sunset, and now was the time to shine.
"If reality has become a story, then I guess I'm the one chosen by fate now. No, make that the Professor chosen by fate." He chuckled at his own joke.
Then he suddenly realized, he could now fully straighten the back that had long since stooped with age. What a strange feeling. It was as if time was reversing inside this aged body.
He closed his eyes, carefully sensing the condition of his now unbelievably healthy body.
So powerful!
The last time he felt his chakra this full must have been over a decade ago.
In this state, while still holding the title of Hokage, he could truly turn the tide. Hiruzen was utterly certain of it.
Ding!
A flash of insight struck his mind.
Eh? I've got a brilliant idea!
To change Konoha, to change the entire shinobi world, it should start with Konoha's education system.
With my level of teaching skill, why not create a "Konoha Academy City"?
But before that, there was something else that needed doing first.
Danzō.
He must take responsibility for the fact that the once-kind and benevolent Third Hokage had been ruthlessly flamed across dozens of forum pages.
"Ahem."
Swish—
Two ANBU guards appeared instantly, kneeling on one knee.
One was had a fox-mask, the other a monkey-mask. They were elite ANBU directly under him, tasked with leading security operations to protect him.
Hiruzen gave his orders, his voice now rich and commanding. "Saru, issue an official notice: tomorrow at 10 AM, convene a full jonin meeting. Instruct the secretarial office to draft a contingency plan in case the Chunin Exams are attacked. I want it on my desk by 5 PM tomorrow."
"Kitsu, summon two standard ANBU combat squads here, on standby. Then inform Danzō to meet me here in one hour."
"Yes."
Something big was about to happen. The two ANBU exchanged a glance before departing, an uneasy feeling gripping their hearts.
After the ANBU left, he turned back inside. He changed into his combat armor, donned his Hokage robe, and placed the Hokage hat on his head. He carefully reviewed the intelligence, analyzed strategies, and summoned his true comrade, Enma the Monkey King, to welcome his long-time false friend, Danzō.
A friendship that had spanned decades was about to come to an end.
At this moment, it was Year 63.
The story of the shinobi world was just beginning. Team 7 was currently on a mission in the Land of Waves.
---
Naruto and Sasuke were bickering again. Sakura scolded Naruto, while casting adoring glances at Sasuke.
Kakashi glanced at a strange puddle on the ground.
Just then, Naruto suddenly sneezed.
The wind was rising.
---
"Phew."
White smoke curled upward as the pipe flickered faintly in the dark.
At this moment, both his physical strength and chakra had returned to their peak. He was waiting for his old friend, and tonight, he would put an end to their friendship.
"Sigh, Danzō…"
Hiruzen let out a complicated sigh.
Danzō was a man of misfortune.
From the perspective of the village's history, he was a fallen ninja, one whose heart had been corrupted by time and ambition.
From the perspective of the meta-narrative, it was even more tragic: a character seemingly born just to shoulder blame on behalf of the Hokage. Before Naruto: Shippuden, he didn't even exist. He wasn't even in the group photo with the other students.
Foolish Danzō, he always believed that he failed to become Hokage because he had hesitated a moment too long when Tobirama died. That thought plagued him his whole life.
But from the beginning, he never had a chance. In that fateful test back then, Hiruzen was the only candidate. From the start, the Second Hokage had already chosen him, to be the Third Hokage.
Hiruzen had always felt a bit guilty toward Danzō for that, which was one reason he allowed him to do as he pleased all these years.
He never thought it through, if Koharu, Homura, or Kagami had stepped forward back then, would any of them have become Hokage?
No chance.
They either lacked the strength or failed the political vetting.
Click.
The sound of the door opening. Moments later, Danzō appeared at the courtyard entrance. As always, he looked gloomy, leaning on a cane.
Hiruzen turned to look at the scowling Danzō, probably annoyed at being summoned by ANBU in the middle of the night.
"What's so urgent that, wait a second, what the hell?" Danzō stared at Hiruzen in shock and suspicion.
Hiruzen chuckled, clearly enjoying his moment: "No, this is real. I've actually grown stronger, physically and chakra-wise. That means I can finally deal with all the problems I'd previously hesitated to tackle. I brought you here to talk about that."
"Damn it, did you use Orochimaru's First Hokage cells??? That's forbidden! You're the Hokage, how could you do something so unethical! You should resign in shame!"
God, the man talks like he's reading from an ancient manual of some kind of wuxia world.
Hiruzen sighed. "I can still serve Konoha for another 30 years. And no, it's not the First Hokage's cells. What I want to talk about is reforming the ninja system. First up: turning the Ninja Academy into a nine-year institution."
"What? 30 more years? Clinging to power will only bring ridicule. You shame our teacher's legacy!"
So that's all you heard?
"Listen. The world is facing a crisis. Aliens have taken notice of our planet."
"Aliens? What nonsense are you talking about?" Danzō sneered, convinced Hiruzen had gone senile. His chance to rise to power was coming.
"In order to face this crisis, I have a solid plan, tentatively called the 'Konoha Academy City' initiative. It will strengthen the village through education and reform. This upcoming Chunin Exam will be the last traditional test. Those who fail will return to school to relearn the Will of Fire. And then… There will be no more need for Root. Konoha needs unity, not division. Root has acted beyond the village's control and has become a threat to its stability."
"I disagree. Are you questioning my loyalty? Everything Root has done was for Konoha's future!"
Danzō... Half the major villains were your doing.
Hiruzen was speechless inside. Years of friendship now felt like nothing. He was thoroughly disappointed in Danzō. "I've already made my decision. So—"
Before Hiruzen could finish, Danzō interrupted, "You're insane. This is madness, and you're taking—"
You are beyond saving. There was no point in talking anymore. Hiruzen made his decision, and shattered the cup as a signal.
"Bringer-of-Darkness Technique!"
"HIRUZEN—!"
Danzō lost his vision, his world plunged into darkness. He couldn't even finish his sentence before he was struck.
Shisui's eye and the Izanagi technique were indeed troublesome, but fortunately, Hiruzen had studied under Tobirama and mastered all of Konoha's jutsu.
In Part 1, he was known as the "God of Shinobi" and later titled the "Professor." For someone like him, ability-based techniques like Izanagi were actually the easiest to deal with. As long as he had enough chakra, there was always a counter in his vast arsenal.
To him, the most annoying opponents were the brute-force types who charged in with raw power.
And as Hokage, he had the right to strike first.
"Sealing!"
Danzō frantically tried to activate Izanagi, but Hiruzen's sealing was faster and more precise, giving him no time to breathe. Hiruzen and his shadow clone simultaneously formed a green pyramid-shaped sealing barrier.
"Now, Enma, strike!"
"I've been waiting for this." Enma, already lying in wait in the shadows, instantly transformed into the Adamantine Staff and expanded with a sudden burst, forming an inescapable cage that completely trapped Danzō.
By the time Danzō's vision returned, he had already lost all ability to resist. He was the fish on the chopping block, Hiruzen the butcher. There was no clearer image of defeat.
He had essentially been one-shotted, didn't even get the chance to use a single move.
"What have you done!" Danzō roared, face twisted with rage, trapped in the cage formed by the Adamantine Staff. He tried to mobilize chakra, but it was useless, the sealing was completely unbreakable.
This had been a trap from the start.
If Hiruzen hadn't ambushed him, he would never have lost so quickly.
"Konoha's reform begins tonight." Hiruzen puffed calmly on his pipe again, one hand behind his back as he stared down at Danzō. "You are not the Hokage."
That sentence was what had blocked Danzō's path his entire life. His mental state shattered. He opened his mouth to curse.
But Hiruzen saw the question forming in Danzō's eyes and cut him off with a sigh and a cloud of smoke.
"Think about your current condition. What you should be asking is why I waited until today to act. Your sentence will likely be for life. Maybe the next Hokage will issue a general pardon, but that'll be thirty years from now," Hiruzen said, as if delivering a final judgment.
"You are the leaf bathed in sunlight, while I am the root buried in darkness. Whatever your reforms may be, without me, you won't be able to handle the dirty, shadowy tasks. Without darkness, your light can't protect Konoha." Danzō glared at him, still struggling.
"That world no longer exists. This is a shonen manga, we don't do grimdark anymore. The old ninja system was a mistake, and as Hokage, it's my duty to change it," Hiruzen declared with bold resolve.
After a moment of silence, the utterly defeated Danzō finally accepted that his old friend was dead serious this time. He asked, "What do you plan to do with Root?"
Hiruzen gave his answer. "Most will return to the regular ninja ranks. The ones guilty of serious crimes will go to prison with you. I possess intelligence you could never have accessed. The upcoming crisis Konoha faces is something a fallen ninja like you can't help me with."
"So now I'm officially labeled a 'fallen ninja'?!" Danzō clenched his teeth in fury. "You'll regret this."
That was what Hiruzen had been waiting for.
"You are not the Hokage, I am." With those final words, he no longer paid attention to the ranting, thoroughly ungracious Danzō. He turned to the ANBU in the shadows and gave his orders. "You and your team handle this, Kuma. Secure all forbidden items on Danzō, his eyes, his arm. Taka, you and your squad, come with me."
Only when several ANBU squads appeared did Danzō finally realize this had been a trap from the beginning. The longtime friend he had always thought too soft and indecisive had undergone a sudden and terrifying transformation.
With swift, decisive action, Hiruzen led an ANBU team straight toward the Root base.
It wasn't that he didn't trust ANBU, but Root genuinely had some strong operatives. Even if ANBU could win, the cost would be high. But if the Hokage himself led the charge, it was different. One declaration of the Will of Fire, and except for the most diehard loyalists, the rest of Root would surrender without resistance.
Tonight, Danzō, along with his complicit Root operatives, finally faced justice.