To Repay Debts, Become Hokage!

Uchiha Chonhua was immersed in those pair of tomoe eyes.

The Sharingan was truly handsome and cool!

[Congratulations to the host, you have obtained the Uchiha Itachi character card!]

Uchiha Chonhua snapped back to reality, but his first reaction was not excitement, but fear.

"System, you don't have different versions like Anbu Itachi, Akatsuki Itachi, or Impure World Reincarnation Itachi, do you?"

[...The system isn't that much of a scam, don't worry, host. What you have obtained is the template for Uchiha Itachi's entire life!]

The system began to explain.

[Once the system's character card template is used, it will gradually unlock as the host's age matches the character card's age. It does not have the prerequisite conditions like the role-playing template systems of your predecessors.]

[Of course, while role-playing templates require acting, the better you perform, the faster the template unlocks. But the system's character template isn't like that; it only unlocks with age.]

"Explain in more detail."

[Saying more is not as good as the host trying it out personally; it is very simple and clear.]

Since the system said so, Uchiha Chonhua naturally chose to comply.

He used the Uchiha Itachi character card.

The next moment, he understood what it meant to have a template unlock gradually with age.

He was currently four years old, so the Uchiha Itachi character card presented all the abilities of a four-year-old Uchiha Itachi.

Uchiha Itachi died at the age of 21 in his battle against Uchiha Sasuke, so that meant the complete template was Uchiha Itachi at 21.

Doesn't that mean that when he reaches 21, he will be able to become a complete Uchiha Itachi?

That sounds pretty good—a guaranteed path to Kage-level strength.

Uchiha Itachi's talent, which could be called extraordinary, the ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu he learned, his physique...

Wait!

Uchiha Chonhua opened his eyes wide; he suddenly realized a serious problem.

"I won't also inherit Uchiha Itachi's bloodline disease, will I?"

After Uchiha Itachi awakened his Mangekyo Sharingan too early, his body could not keep up with the ocular power of the Mangekyo, and frequent use led to physical complications, resulting in a severe bloodline disease.

Uchiha Chonhua did not want to contract a bloodline disease.

[Host, please rest assured. After drawing a ninja world character card, you can choose what you want to inherit.]

[If you think Uchiha Itachi's physique is problematic, you can choose not to inherit it. In any case, the character card contains characters from the entire ninja world; Uchiha Itachi's physique is not considered the strongest among them, so it doesn't matter if you give up inheriting it.]

Phew.

Uchiha Chonhua felt relieved; the system's products weren't bad at all.

Although it didn't optimize Uchiha Itachi's physique, he could choose to exclude it directly.

Since that was the case, Uchiha Chonhua excluded Uchiha Itachi's physique and inherited everything else: the talent, the abilities, and so on!

His chakra reserves surged, and the chakra control he had just learned but wasn't proficient in immediately became skillful, as did the Fire Release ninjutsu he was equally unskilled at.

At the same time, techniques he had never learned flooded his mind, as if they had been tempered a thousand times, merging with him.

Because he had excluded the physique, the integration of taijutsu had some flaws, but fortunately, the training experience was firmly etched in his mind; with more practice, he would be able to catch up to the level of a four-year-old Uchiha Itachi.

"As expected of a genius, being this terrifying at four years old."

Uchiha Chonhua sighed, then pressed his fingers together.

Shadow Clone Technique.

A puff of smoke emerged, and an identical Uchiha Chonhua appeared beside him.

Uchiha Chonhua observed the shadow clone he had summoned; it was vivid and lifelike, just like a real person.

Suddenly, Uchiha Chonhua threw a punch.

Seeing this, the shadow clone extended its palm to block and swept a whip kick toward Uchiha Chonhua.

The person and the shadow clone began to spar in the cramped bedroom using the taijutsu inherited from Uchiha Itachi.

Bang!

After sparring for a short while, the shadow clone ran out of chakra and dissipated into smoke.

Uchiha Chonhua sighed once more.

"A four-year-old Uchiha Itachi is truly terrifying!"

It was great to obtain the Uchiha Itachi character card on the very first draw.

After experiencing it firsthand, Uchiha Chonhua didn't know how many times he had sighed in his heart.

The techniques were secondary; the most important thing was Uchiha Itachi's talent.

Uchiha Itachi was extremely intelligent with outstanding comprehension; by comparison, Uchiha Chonhua was a fool.

Damn, is this the perspective of a genius? Any obscure theory can be easily understood, and based on that understanding, one can even derive their own insights.

What powerful comprehension; Uchiha Chonhua was extremely envious.

Wait, does he now possess this kind of extraordinary comprehension too?

Oh, never mind then.

Since he now has a cheat, he naturally won't be thinking about the Tempura Sage he considered before.

He has big things to do!

Besides, the feeling of carrying debt is truly annoying.

I, Uchiha Chonhua, in order to pay off my debts, will become the Hokage!

First step: enter the Ninja Academy!

Chapter 3: To Become Hokage, First Become a Disciple

To become the Hokage, one must first become a ninja.

For children of the Uchiha clan, there are generally two choices for becoming a ninja.

One is to study independently within the clan, and once one's strength is sufficient, go to the Military Police Force for an assessment. After passing, the Military Police Force will report to Konoha to register the ninja file, and then one will receive a ninja headband and an internship at the Military Police Force.

The Uchiha clan does not have its own school, but since everyone sees each other constantly and is surrounded by relatives, obtaining resources for cultivation is not difficult. Self-study within such a ninja clan is no weaker than the education at the Ninja Academy.

Therefore, becoming a ninja through the Military Police Force assessment is a smooth path and has become the choice for most Uchiha children.

However, Uchiha Chonhua chose the other path.

Enter the Ninja Academy for five years of study and become a genin after passing the graduation exam.

He is a man who is going to be the Hokage, so naturally, he needs to get familiar with the current Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Becoming a genin through the Uchiha Military Police Force is different from becoming one through the Ninja Academy graduation exam.

The former revolves within the Uchiha, having little to do with the Hokage's lineage.

The latter, however, involves the Ninja Academy, where the principal is Sarutobi Hiruzen. He often enters the academy to give speeches and teach classes, deepening his relationship with the students.

The succession between the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, and the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, was that of brothers.

But by the time of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, things were different; he was a disciple of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, and his succession to the position of Hokage was based on a master-disciple relationship.

Uchiha Chonhua, who has the plot cheat, knows even better that the future Hokages are either disciples or grand-disciples of Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Therefore, Uchiha Chonhua reached a simple conclusion: the position of Hokage is passed down within the Hokage's lineage, so if he wants to become the Hokage, he must become a member of that lineage.

"So I must also become a disciple or grand-disciple of Sarutobi Hiruzen!"

[Wow, the host is so smart!]

Uchiha Chonhua's face fell, and he replied to the system in his mind: "To be honest, I don't want to be someone else's disciple or grand-disciple. If every character card I drew was as powerful as Uchiha Itachi, would I still need to struggle and scheme?"

He would have long since walked into the palace with his sword and shoes on, and been exempted from bowing and being addressed by name!

Using force to become the Hokage is still becoming the Hokage, and the system would acknowledge it.

But unfortunately, the Uchiha Itachi character card was already a stroke of extreme luck; perhaps that was just some kind of newcomer bonus.

There are only four card-drawing opportunities in total, and he cannot guarantee that the remaining three will all be powerful characters. The ninja world is vast, but there are not many outstanding figures; most are mediocre. Obtaining their character cards would provide an improvement for Uchiha Chonhua, but the magnitude of that improvement clearly cannot compare to a figure like Uchiha Itachi.

If in the end, there is only one powerful character card like Uchiha Itachi, using force to suppress and become the Hokage... would still be a bit of a stretch.

He shouldn't be kicked to death by the Eight Inner Gates Formation, even if the Eight Gates kick of the current Might Duy isn't as terrifying as the later Might Guy's.

But even if he survived the Eight Gates kick, there are countless ninjutsu and secret techniques in this vast ninja world. Even a figure like Uchiha Madara was tricked by someone like Black Zetsu, who lived long but had mediocre strength.

Uchiha Chonhua decided to plan cautiously.

This is, after all, a real ninja world, treacherous and unpredictable.

[So, does the host intend to become a disciple of Sarutobi Hiruzen?]

Uchiha Chonhua shook his head: "I am an Uchiha; Sarutobi Hiruzen would never take me as a disciple."

Even if Sarutobi Hiruzen agreed, his advisory council would not.

The Second Hokage Senju Tobirama's vigilance and precaution against the Uchiha clan were passed down to his disciples, though everyone has different views on the Uchiha clan.

Sarutobi Hiruzen finds the Uchiha clan unpleasant, but as the Hokage, looking at the big picture, he believes that no matter how unpleasant the Uchiha clan is, they are still a part of the village he loves as Hokage; they are comrades, they are family.

Therefore, Sarutobi Hiruzen's view on the Uchiha clan is that although they are unpleasant, he will strive to make them pleasant and able to integrate into the village.

But his good partners don't think so.

Uchiha Chonhua is not sure about Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, but he knows the famous Pot Kage of this world all too well.

One cannot fully trust the plot cheat, but character personalities won't suddenly mutate.

Shimura Danzō harbors deep malice toward the Uchiha clan, and he is still Sarutobi Hiruzen's "good buddy."

Unless it involves the destruction of the village—that kind of extreme stress—Sarutobi Hiruzen always likes to hesitate and compromise.

When choosing between his buddy and an Uchiha disciple, the answer is self-evident.

"I am thinking of becoming a disciple of either Jiraiya or Tsunade."

As for Orochimaru, dealing with a snake is far too taxing; if he continues down the path of a mad scientist in the future and maintains his endless dealings with Danzo, it would be all too easy to get stabbed in the back by Danzo.

Of course, Orochimaru has plenty of his own problems as well.

In short, following Orochimaru feels like gambling with one's life, and it is easy to tarnish one's own reputation.

I am the man who is going to become Hokage, so how could I let my reputation be sullied?

Speaking of reputation.

Jiraiya, that lecher who lingers among flowers and enjoys peeping at women bathing, may possess a certain dashing, heroic spirit, but his personal conduct is truly hard to condone, and he certainly doesn't have a good reputation either.

However, in this ninja world based on the culture of the Land of Fire, people are actually quite tolerant of lecherous scoundrels.

Even the future Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, a man as perfect as he was, did not suffer much damage to his reputation for having such a lecherous master.

"Hmm, perhaps I can make something of this in the future."

Uchiha Chonhua noted this in his heart; when it comes to formidable rivals on the path to becoming Hokage, one can never be too cautious.

Namikaze Minato is simply too perfect.

What if he and Namikaze Minato become friends, or even direct fellow disciples...

Uchiha Chonhua hesitated for a moment, then shook his head to dispel these stray thoughts.

"I'm overthinking it again. Regardless, I must strive to become a disciple of Sarutobi Hiruzen's lineage!"

[Go for it! Host! Become a disciple of the lineage!]

"...Why does that sound a bit unpleasant?"

Time slowly marched forward.

Uchiha Chonhua's life was simple and monotonous.