After forming an alliance with the Third Raikage Shimura Danzō, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo Shimura, and four others received news that Konoha was under attack and rushed towards the Konoha. Three days later, when they entered Konoha, the setting sun was painting the ruins a blood-red hue. The once bustling streets were now littered with rubble, and charred trees twisted their branches like countless pleading hands. A pungent stench filled the air, a mixture of blood and gore that pierced the throat. Shop doors and windows were shattered, signs hung askew, and the sign for "Medicine King Pavilion " was burned to half its original size.
The most tragic scene was in the settlements of the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans. In the Nara Clan's deer park, hundreds of reindeer lay scattered in pools of blood, bits of flesh still clinging to their antlers; the clan itself was decimated, young and old alike. The Akimichi Clan's ancestral barbecue restaurant was a ruin, a massive grill leaning to the ground, several huddled corpses buried in the charcoal, and countless bodies scattered among the ruins of their houses. The Yamanaka Clan's secret training ground was even worse, littered with broken ninja tools and talismans. Momiji Yamanaka's mother was nailed to the wall, her eyes wide open, clutching half an unfinished Summoning Contract. In short, these three clans suffered the most. Of course, other major clans in Konoha also suffered casualties, with almost every household hanging white banners. So, even after three days, most of Konoha still retained the horrific scenes of the invasion.
After receiving news of the attack on the village, the Konoha ninja army rushed back to the village. Seeing that the once prosperous Konoha was now in ruins, they all hurried home, hoping that their families were safe.
"Father!" Shikaboshi Nara stumbled into the ruins, frantically digging through the rubble. His fingernails were full of blood, but he didn't notice until he touched his over 60-year-old father's cold hand—that hand was still in a hand Hand Seals position, with Hozuki Gengetsu's mist blade stuck in his palm. Chozan Akimichi knelt before the charred corpses scattered on the ground, grabbed a handful of ashes and then let go, a suppressed sob escaping his throat. Momiji Yamanaka stood frozen beside her mother's body, tears silently streaming down her face. Suddenly, she grabbed Kunai from the ground, turned to rush out of the village, but was held tightly by the clan elder Chosei Yamanaka.
"Don't go! We will definitely avenge this, but not now. Let's deal with the funeral arrangements for our clansmen first!" Dosei Akimichi stopped Chozan Akimichi, who was about to rush out. "I heard that Hozuki Gengetsu was killed by that 11-year-old Tsubasa long ago!"
The returning ninjas gathered in twos and threes at the foot of the Hokage Rock, all covered in dust and grime. The headcount was chilling— Konoha, once boasting over 500,000 ninja soldiers, now had only 200,000 left, and more than half of the ordinary villagers had perished. Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand trembled slightly as he gripped the statistics sheet. Battles between nations caused far more damage than battles between ninja clans in the past. The numbers on the parchment were smudged with blood, like glaring flowers.
"We must stabilize the situation." Mito Uzumaki stood in the center of the ruins, her phoenix crown askew, her magnificent kimono covered in dust. She looked at Akira Senju, and the two exchanged a glance, reaching a tacit understanding. Akira Senju walked up to Tobirama Hiruzen Sarutobi and coughed twice. "I accept Uncle Tobirama's appointment, and my Senju Clan can support you, but the Fourth Hokage must be Senju Clan. You will take three Senju Clan members as your disciples and train them well."
Hiruzen looked down at the Hokage hat in his hand, recalling Tobirama's resolute gaze at their Tobirama. He nodded solemnly. "I promise. I only want to protect Konoha and make Konoha prosperous again."
Biwako said from the side: Mother, brother, we should Hiruzen Hokage to succeed as Hokage as soon as possible to stabilize the hearts of the Konoha.
Mito Uzumaki said: Tsubasa is still leading ninjas to suppress bandits in the Land of Fire. Let's wait until he returns before discussing anything else.
Biwako scoffed, "He's still a child. Does his opinion matter? Stabilizing morale is the most important thing right now. Hiruzen was Tobirama chosen by Uncle Tobirama as the Third Hokage. Is it really necessary to waste two more days?"
Akira Senju agreed with his sister. Mito Uzumaki looked at her son, daughter, and her confirmed Mirai son-in-law, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and finally nodded, saying, "Alright!"
Amidst the ruins of Konoha, the inauguration ceremony for the new Hokage was hastily held. On the high platform, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shimura Danzō, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu stood side by side.
Hiruzen Sarutobi first, his voice deep yet powerful. "Villagers of Konoha, though disaster has struck, the Will of Fire of Konoha will never be extinguished! From this day forward, I will lead you to rebuild your homes and restore Konoha to its former glory! We will provide every affected villager with shelter, food, and medical assistance, and we will never abandon anyone!" His gaze was firm as he surveyed the crowd below, his eyes filled with anticipation for the village's Mirai.
Shimura Danzō stepped forward, his expression grim. "The revival of Konoha requires the efforts of all of us! Those enemies who are lurking in the shadows and coveting our territory should not think that Konoha will fall. From now on, I will strengthen the village's security forces, and anyone or any force that threatens the safety of Konoha will be ruthlessly eliminated!" His words carried an undeniable ruthlessness that instilled fear in some people.
Mitokado Homura stroked his beard and said calmly, "Education is the Mirai of Konoha. We will restore the Ninja Academy to operation as soon as possible, cultivate more outstanding ninjas, and carry on the spirit of Konoha. At the same time, we will strengthen exchanges and cooperation with other ninja villages to jointly maintain peace in the Shinobi World." His words gave some young ninjas hope.
Utatane Koharu the final speech, her voice gentle yet firm. "Don't be afraid, everyone. We will get through this together. Women and children are the hope of Konoha. We will pay special attention to your needs and ensure your safety and well-being. Let's join hands and rebuild our beautiful home!" Her words brought tears to the eyes of some of the women and children in the audience.
The crowd cheered, as if they saw hope for Konoha's rebirth in the words of these four leaders.
Outside the crowd, Tsubasa had just returned to Konoha after annihilating the enemy forces that had invaded the Land of Fire. He stood under a charred cherry blossom tree, looking at the four spirited figures on the stage. These four had served as Hokage the longest, and he had received many positive evaluations of them in his previous life.
In the story of Naruto, Hiruzen Sarutobi is often referred to as the " Professor of Ninjutsu." He was indeed incredibly skilled, possessing an astounding number of Ninjutsu. Back when I watched the anime, Tsubasa secretly fantasized about how awesome it would be to have so many amazing moves myself. But thinking about it carefully, this old man was just too much of a "good guy." To maintain the balance of Konoha, he tried to avoid offending either side in everything he did. And what was the result? Shimura Danzō making underhanded moves behind his back, and he turned a blind eye. If he had a more decisive leader, Konoha might have avoided many detours.
Speaking of Shimura Danzō, Tsubasa curled his lip. This guy was sinister from the moment he appeared in the anime, wrapped in bandages like a mummy. Undeniably, he truly "loved" Konoha deeply; for the village's safety, he'd do anything—gather intelligence, do dirty work, anything. But his methods were utterly despicable. To become Hokage, he'd do anything, even fighting the Third Hokage to the death. Tsubasa still remembered the scene where Danzo seized " Kotoamatsukami," which made him so angry he almost crushed the potato chips in his hand—this wasn't for the village's good, it was clearly to satisfy his own ambition!
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, these two advisors, are like old relics in the anime. Every time they hold a meeting, they always slowly shake their heads, clinging to the old rules. Tsubasa remembers Fourth Shinobi World War, when the village needed reform, but these two were still holding on to the old ways, which made him very anxious. But thinking back, they had spent most of their lives working hard for Konoha. Although they couldn't keep up with the times, their affection for the village made it impossible to completely dislike them.
"What the hell is all this about!" Tsubasa scratched his head. Now that he had transmigrated to this ninja world and witnessed the Senju Clan's bloody battle firsthand, he realized that protecting the village was far more complicated than depicted in anime. The Third Hokage's indecisiveness, Danzo's ruthlessness, and the advisors' conservatism—these "flaws" magnified on screen were perhaps helpless choices forced upon them by harsh reality. He had come to the Shinobi World primarily to Immortal Cultivation, and if Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō too far against the Senju Clan, he could take their lives at any time and reclaim the Hokage Position.