Starting as a Ninja in the Naruto World

The Hokage's office.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was the first to leave.

His face was filled with unusual excitement.

Tobirama Senju had just shared a secret with him—a secret about the mysterious medical ninja he had seen at Konoha Hospital—and assigned him an exceptionally important mission.

"I thought my own guesses were already shocking enough…"

Hiruzen clenched his fist and lightly struck his palm, unable to contain his excitement as he processed the revelation. "That man is actually the legendary medical ninja himself—Emiya Shigen!"

Over the past few weeks…

The young Hiruzen had been consumed by curiosity about the man's identity.

Even when he asked his father, Sarutobi Sasuke, at home, his father sternly refused to reveal anything. Instead, Sasuke warned his son not to pry, forbidding him from investigating the matter. All he asked was that Hiruzen show the utmost respect to the mysterious man.

For a curious young boy, the more mysterious something was, the more intriguing it became. Hiruzen had speculated that the man might be a descendant of Emiya Shigen, but to discover that he was actually Emiya Shigen himself—and that Tobirama had resurrected him with the Impure World Reincarnation—was beyond his wildest imagination!

As for the special mission…

It was, naturally, to protect Emiya Shigen.

Although Hiruzen doubted his ability to protect such a powerful figure, Tobirama was resolute in choosing them for the task.

"Lord Emiya doesn't require your protection in terms of strength," Tobirama had said with his usual calm tone. "Hiruzen, you and Danzō are Konoha's most outstanding young shinobi."

"This mission is more about the process than the outcome."

"I want you two to earn Lord Emiya's trust during this mission, so he understands that Konoha's future is in good hands. He must see that only Konoha's shinobi are willing to shoulder the responsibility of peace in the shinobi world."

"Huh?"

Hiruzen didn't fully understand, but Tobirama didn't elaborate. He simply dismissed the boy and told him to prepare for the mission. He also suggested Hiruzen consult his father, Sarutobi Sasuke, for guidance.

Meanwhile, Danzō was left behind in the Hokage's office.

Tobirama sat calmly in his chair, exuding a quiet authority.

Danzō stood nervously in front of the desk, unsure of what to expect.

"Danzō."

Tobirama's gaze was cold and imposing. His demeanor was stern as he spoke: "Don't worry. I'm not here to reprimand you for what happened during your sparring match."

"From a practical standpoint…"

"I should praise your quick thinking."

"If this were the Warring States period, you would have been an outstanding shinobi. That Wind Release technique you used was quite brilliant—it nearly killed Hiruzen. Even I can't find fault with it."

"In battle, one should use any means necessary to secure victory. Hiruzen's softness will one day become his fatal flaw."

"…"

Danzō finally breathed a sigh of relief.

To his surprise…

He had fully expected a scolding. He never thought the strict Tobirama would commend him during such a tense moment.

"But…"

"You must treat your comrades with more kindness."

Tobirama added in a deep voice, "Hiruzen is your companion, someone you can entrust your life to—not a mortal enemy."

"Yes…"

"Good."

Tobirama nodded approvingly before getting to the main topic. "You've already heard about the mission to protect Lord Emiya."

"Yes."

Danzō felt a surge of excitement.

He knew that anything involving Emiya Shigen was undoubtedly a top-secret matter for Konoha.

Being chosen at the age of fourteen or fifteen for such a classified mission gave him a sense of purpose. Tobirama's trust in him reaffirmed his importance to Konoha's future, and the weight of the responsibility stirred a growing ambition within him.

Perhaps…

One day, he could become Hokage himself.

Every child who grew up in Konoha saw the immense respect villagers had for the First Hokage. Who wouldn't dream of holding that title?

In the past…

Such a lofty goal would have seemed unattainable.

But with Tobirama himself declaring that he and Hiruzen represented Konoha's future, the idea didn't seem so far-fetched anymore.

"However…"

"You know Hiruzen's personality."

Tobirama's expression grew even more serious as he continued, "Your role in this mission is to make up for any gaps in his approach."

"Yes!"

Danzō responded loudly, his voice filled with determination.

What did that mean?

It clearly indicated that Tobirama held Danzō in higher regard.

Although Hiruzen was undeniably exceptional, Tobirama was clearly dissatisfied with his overly kind nature. This suggested that Tobirama had greater trust in Danzō!

Otherwise…

Why would he keep Danzō behind for a private discussion?

"Danzō."

"You bear a heavy burden."

Tobirama narrowed his eyes, easily seeing through the excitement bubbling in the young shinobi's heart. But he wasn't concerned about Danzō's ambition.

"You should understand that the major nations have all established their own shinobi villages. These villages are now in competition with one another."

"Lord Emiya…"

"…is a key figure we must contend for."

Tobirama's face grew even more solemn as he thought of his brother Hashirama's declining health. "For Konoha, Lord Emiya is indispensable. He also possesses knowledge of many of our secrets, including classified information at the highest level."

"Then…"

Danzō hesitated, unsure. He tentatively asked, "Shouldn't we keep Lord Emiya in Konoha?"

"For now…"

"At least for now…"

"Konoha cannot control his will."

Tobirama avoided mentioning the connection between Emiya Shigen and Hashirama's health. Instead, he explained in simpler terms, "A man of his stature, who has made immense contributions throughout the history of the shinobi world, cannot be treated disrespectfully. We cannot use coercion against him."

"However…"

"Lord Emiya's mastery of ancient secrets and great power means we cannot ignore the influence he may have on the shinobi world once he leaves Konoha."

Tobirama extended his arm, showing the seal markings on his skin. "For example, Lord Emiya's sealing techniques can greatly enhance a shinobi's combat ability. An ordinary ninja who receives such a seal could instantly gain the strength of a Jōnin…"

"!!!"

Danzō's heart skipped a beat.

In that moment…

Greed began to bloom within him.

He quickly grasped the significance of such power and responded firmly: "We absolutely cannot let this kind of power fall into the hands of other villages!"

"Exactly."

Tobirama nodded in approval.

"For Konoha's sake…"

"We must adopt other measures…"

Tobirama hoped the young Danzō understood his true intentions. "Your mission alongside Hiruzen to protect Lord Emiya is merely for appearances."

"Your real mission is simple: by any means necessary, ensure that Lord Emiya does not align himself with other villages. For this, I will assign an Anbu squad to follow you. They will assist you and eliminate any unwanted elements…"

"Yes!"

Danzō dropped to one knee, his voice resolute.

"Good."

Tobirama's expression finally softened.

Of course…

Officially, the Anbu were there to assist Danzō.

In reality, they were the ones truly responsible for carrying out the mission.

Still, Tobirama needed someone trustworthy near Emiya Shigen. Although he had considered assigning Emiya's assistant to this role, that individual had already been swayed by Emiya's noble character and was unlikely to follow such orders willingly.

However…

Tobirama had his own reasons for choosing Danzō.

Danzō was an ideal candidate to deal with any unforeseen obstacles in the shadows.

Tobirama also had long-term plans for Danzō.

He had noticed the boy's ruthless approach to achieving his goals, which mirrored some of his own tendencies. This wasn't necessarily a flaw in Tobirama's eyes—such methods were often essential when dealing with enemies.

Unfortunately…

Danzō's talent wasn't particularly remarkable.

The boy's training approach was also somewhat misguided, as he focused too much on mastering powerful jutsu and shortcuts to strength.

In this regard…

Tobirama had to admit that Danzō's shortcomings were similar to his own.

"By the way…"

"You seem to favor using sealing techniques in combat."

Tobirama glanced at the markings on his arm and offered some advice: "The sealing energy developed by Lord Emiya is the most powerful augmentation technique I've ever seen for the human body."

"If you can acquire this energy from Lord Emiya during the mission, it will benefit your future greatly and make your path much smoother…"