Young Master, Please Become Hokage

Every major clan had its own territory.

The Sarutobi Clan was no exception.

As he walked down the street, members of the Sarutobi Clan greeted Akira Sarutobi one after another.

Each "Young Master" made Ino Yamanaka, who was accompanying him, puff out her already ample chest even further.

Everyone in Konoha knew Akira Sarutobi.

At least, that was true for this generation.

As a Second Generation Hokage, Akira Sarutobi had always kept his words and conduct in check, never acting arrogant or overbearing. Naturally, he had become a role model in people's eyes.

Today was the day he was to report to the Hokage Building.

The Konoha High Command had summoned him, with new instructions to be assigned.

The war had only just ended, and everything was waiting to be rebuilt. Konoha Ninja hurried back and forth everywhere along the streets.

After receiving countless greetings of "Young Master," Akira Sarutobi finally arrived before the Hokage Building.

"Young Master Ryo."

A figure who had been waiting for some time approached him.

It was Hizashi Hyuga... Ruri Hyuga's Childhood Sweetheart, and the one she had been betrothed to since childhood.

Hizashi Hyuga wore the same gloomy expression. Because he had been born only moments later than his elder brother, Hyuga Hiashi, he had been assigned to the Branch Family. It could truly be called a miserable fate.

"Senior Hizashi."

Akira Sarutobi nodded in response.

"Ruri."

Ruri Hyuga: "..."

The petite girl stood beside her fiancé, her eyes utterly lifeless.

Unlike Hizashi Hyuga, who had shown such warmth, Ruri seemed to have grown even more gloomy.

"Young Master Ryo, thank you for saving Ruri's life. A few days ago, I went to the cemetery to pay my respects, so I delayed thanking you..."

Hizashi Hyuga had already heard what had happened during the battle against Sky Hidden Village.

If Akira Sarutobi had not risked his life to save her, his Childhood Sweetheart... and fiancée would likely have gone to meet the Hyuga Clan's ancestors.

"It would have been better if I'd died..."

At that moment, Ruri Hyuga suddenly spoke.

The girl's cool voice was like moonlight, stirring pity in those who heard it.

Rather than being saved, she would have preferred to die on the battlefield.

For her, that might have been the best ending.

"Ruri..."

Hizashi Hyuga was momentarily at a loss for words.

As Branch Family Members, neither he nor Ruri could even protect themselves.

So what if they had survived the Shinobi World War? With the Caged Bird curse mark engraved on their foreheads, their lives could be taken at any time.

Because in the eyes of the Hyuga Clan's Main Family, Branch Family Members were no different from slaves.

"Tch..."

Ino Yamanaka could not help clicking her tongue.

There were simply too many injustices. Every day she stepped outside, she could see this world rotting away bit by bit.

Damn it, how had the shinobi world become like this?

Let it be destroyed.

Ino Yamanaka: "Ruri, don't be afraid. It's just the Hyuga Main Family, right? We'll smash it to pieces!"

"Young Master Ryo~~~."

The moment Hizashi Hyuga heard that, he was nearly frightened to death.

Those words could not be spoken so casually...

Yet when he studied Akira Sarutobi carefully, he realized... Young Master Ryo had not refuted his attendant's words.

He merely watched Ruri in silence, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking.

At that moment, as Akira Sarutobi inwardly agreed with Ino Yamanaka's words and resolved to abolish the Hyuga Clan's old system, the system presented a corresponding notification.

[Triggered... Extra Quest!]

[System · Side Quest Function Unlocked!]

[Will of Fire Weapon: Ruri Hyuga]

[Side Quest Objective: Instill the Will of Fire into Ruri Hyuga!]

[Side Quest Reward: Hyuga Power!]

Chapter 5. Anbu... Path to Power!

Just as Hizashi Hyuga was about to say something to ease the tension, an argument erupting near the Hokage Building drew everyone's attention.

The crashing sounds and wails, accompanied by the appearance of swirling red hair, made everyone stop in their tracks.

Only when an all-too-familiar cry rang out did the atmosphere suddenly change: "Red-Hot Chili Pepper is beating people up again~~~!"

Daring to cause trouble at the entrance of the Hokage Building, ever since Princess Tsunade, Uzumaki Kushina—the one known as Red-Hot Chili Pepper—was the only one in all of Konoha who did such a thing.

"What are you making all that noise for?! Hm?! You again... Kushina! What are you all standing around for? Hurry up and drag her away!"

As a stern-faced female ninja emerged from the building entrance, the several Konoha Ninja guarding both sides finally snapped out of it.

"Let me go~! Let me go...! I still want to beat up ten more~!!"

Being carried away, Child King Kushina wore an extremely defiant expression, clearly immensely fond of fighting.

Unlike when she had first arrived in Konoha and was bullied, things had now become a situation where Kushina was the one bullying everyone else.

To a certain extent, the name Red-Hot Chili Pepper was as famous as thunder; no one in all of Konoha had not heard of it.

"Minato Namikaze, why didn't you stop her either!"

The female ninja immediately launched into a harsh reprimand of Minato Namikaze. Minato Namikaze gave an awkward laugh but did not argue back.

"Elder Koharu."

Seeing her turn to look over, Hizashi Hyuga immediately nodded and bowed.

This exceptionally stern female ninja before them was Utatane Koharu, one of Konoha High Command.

"Akira Sarutobi, come with me."

Without even glancing at Hizashi Hyuga, Utatane Koharu directly ordered Akira Sarutobi to follow her into the Hokage Building.

As one of Konoha High Command—and also the close friend of Akira Sarutobi's mother... Biwako Sarutobi—

Utatane Koharu's attitude toward Akira Sarutobi was fairly decent.

"Yes, Elder Koharu."

Akira Sarutobi nodded and followed after her.

Hizashi Hyuga quietly offered his fiancée a few words of comfort, then watched as the group entered the building.

In the hallway.

"Akira Sarutobi, I told you before. You can just call me Aunt Koharu. There's no need to be so formal."

Utatane Koharu's stern voice softened slightly.

Yet her old-fashioned tone still maintained the bearing of an elder.

"Yes, Elder Koharu," Akira Sarutobi replied flatly, making no move to follow Utatane Koharu's suggestion.

"You child, do you have some issue with me?"

"Elder Koharu, I simply feel that many of Konoha High Command's policies are inappropriate. For example... sending children onto the battlefield."

Akira Sarutobi's open declaration made Minato Namikaze, who was following beside them, widen his eyes slightly.

Looking at Akira Sarutobi, he could only feel that... raising it so directly was far too rash.

"Mm."

Utatane Koharu nodded but said nothing.

Her attitude made it clear that she regarded Akira Sarutobi as nothing more than a child.

In her view, Akira Sarutobi had not yet suffered the brutal realities of the ninja world, so saying childish things was perfectly normal.

Adults naturally would not stoop to a child's level.

You'll understand once you grow up.

Seeing that Utatane Koharu did not take it seriously, Akira Sarutobi fell silent as well.

After all, his position was too low for his words to carry weight.

In many places, especially Konoha, without political standing, no one would take your words seriously.

Akira Sarutobi: "Power..."

A desperate yearning for power rose within Akira Sarutobi's heart.

Before long, the group arrived on the second floor.

As they entered the office, Akira Sarutobi finally saw the birth parents of this life.

"Father, Mother."

Akira Sarutobi nodded to the kind-faced Hiruzen Sarutobi, then looked toward the woman seated nearby, who was even sterner than Utatane Koharu.

The woman with crow's feet at the corners of her eyes was Biwako Sarutobi, Akira Sarutobi's mother.

"Elder Homura. Lord Danzō."

Sitting on the sofa opposite them, stern and unsmiling, was Mitokado Homura.

The one with a gloomy expression and deeply calculating demeanor was Shimura Danzō.

The five members of the Konoha High Command had gathered together. Clearly, something important was about to be announced.

"Minato, Akira Sarutobi..."

Mitokado Homura adjusted his glasses and spoke directly.

"We called you here because the High Command has reviewed and assessed your past abilities... We have determined that you possess the qualifications to be promoted to 'Jonin'..."

After Chunin came Jonin.

Of course, some ninja would voluntarily—or involuntarily—become Special Jonin instead.

Generally speaking, ninja whose talents had an obvious ceiling would be directly promoted by the High Command to Special Jonin.

Those with greater potential would skip that step and strive toward becoming Jonin.

"Minato, once you become a Jonin, you will begin taking team-leading missions..."

Mitokado Homura arranged Minato Namikaze's path after becoming a Jonin.

No one present doubted that Minato Namikaze could become a Jonin.

After all, he had already mastered the S-rank Flying Thunder God Technique, which only Senju Tobirama, the Second Hokage, had known. His future prospects were limitless.