Naruto: Hidden Hokage

"Hiruzen, hand Yorin over to me!"

Shimura Danzo's face was stern as he cut straight to the chase.

"He's too dangerous! He might be a spy from the Hidden Cloud Village!"

"He's not," replied Sarutobi Hiruzen calmly, tapping his pipe.

"Don't forget how Kushina was kidnapped by the Hidden Cloud Village before!" Danzo retorted with a cold snort.

"Yorin is an orphan adopted by Nonō Yakushi. He should've joined Root by now."

"Are you trying to tell me how to do my job?" Hiruzen's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Let me remind you—the orphanage belongs to Konoha, not to Root."

Danzo's expression soured, his tone sharp. "Hiruzen, you—"

"You're about to tell me I'll regret it?" Hiruzen interrupted, his voice steady.

"Well, I won't."

Danzo faltered, his words momentarily stuck. Damn you, Hiruzen. Was this part of your plan?

He clenched his fists, holding back the urge to declare, "I am the Hokage!" But he couldn't.

Bang! Danzo stormed out, slamming the door.

After a few steps, he turned back.

"Hiruzen, you'll regret this!" he shouted, feeling slightly better after delivering his parting shot.

"..."

Hiruzen shook his head as he stared at the empty doorway.

Being a Hokage's advisor only required argument. Being Hokage required much more.

"Koharu, have someone replace the door. Bill it to Danzo's account," he ordered, turning his gaze to Yorin's file.

Yorin, male, six years old, a war orphan adopted by Nonō Yakushi.

During a routine inspection by the Yamanaka clan, Yorin had unleashed a terrifying mental force.

Investigations showed it wasn't due to planted espionage techniques but rather his innate mental power.

Despite no training, his mental strength was several times greater than children his age.

"Nonō is Danzo's subordinate. He can't stay at the orphanage," Hiruzen murmured thoughtfully.

Yin Release techniques represented mental energy, like the Yamanaka and Nara clans' secret arts—or the Sharingan.

But such techniques were rarely shared outside clans, except with civilian shinobi.

"Yūhi Mahiru," Hiruzen thought.

Mahiru, a civilian Jōnin skilled in genjutsu and an instructor for Chūnin and Genin, seemed like the perfect fit.

Yorin opened his eyes abruptly. His whole body ached, as though he had won the lottery—or been trampled by dozens of housewives.

He looked at the unfamiliar ceiling, scanning his surroundings, and couldn't help but appear confused.

Where the hell am I? Is this still my room?

What about my Rin Tohsaka, Celestine, Tsunade, and Tifa figurines?!

As his thoughts wandered, something suddenly intruded into his mind—a flood of memories flashing by.

He had transmigrated—or rather, awakened memories from a previous life.

Good news: he was in Konoha Village.

Yorin had watched Naruto. In the chaotic shinobi world, Konoha was relatively safe.

If he played it smart, he might survive long enough for Naruto and Sasuke to save the world.

Bad news: he was a Hidden Cloud Village spy.

Yorin had been born in the Hidden Cloud and chosen as a spy due to his intelligence, sent to Konoha to gather information.

But now, he faced his first major challenge: the inspection.

In Konoha, the Yamanaka clan's techniques could make corpses speak—let alone living people.

During the inspection, Yorin had blacked out.

Cold sweat dripped down his back as he thought about it. Did I blow my cover?

He remembered the grim fates of spies depicted in Infernal Affairs.

Just then, text appeared before his eyes:

[System Loading...]

[You have activated the Ninja Perk System.]

[Complete specific conditions to unlock perks; certain special perks can be combined into higher-level ones.]

[Perks are ranked E, D, C, B, A, and S, divided into three categories: Jutsu, Tools, and Talent.]

"Huh?" Yorin's eyes widened.

My cheat system has arrived?!

As someone without a bloodline limit, secret technique, or clan, life in the ninja world was a grind.

Now, there was hope. He couldn't help but hum a little tune.

Yorin examined the system, finding it refreshingly simple: a perk panel displaying his current abilities.

[A-Rank Talent Perk: Lurker]

Trigger Condition: Beginner's Gift Pack.

Effect: Unless you voluntarily expose yourself, your memories cannot be probed.

Note: Non-upgradable.

Classic beginner's gift! Yorin let out a sigh of relief. No need to worry about the Yamanaka clan anymore.

[C-Rank Talent Perk: Innate Full Soul]

Trigger Condition: Fusion of two souls.

Effect: Doubles Yin Release aptitude.

Note: Non-upgradable.

Yorin frowned. Why didn't I awaken Wood Release instead of a Yin-based talent?

Without the Sharingan or a clan's secret arts, was he supposed to learn genjutsu?

He sighed. Even Yūhi Kurenai, a genjutsu expert, can't compare to an Uchiha activating their Sharingan.

Resigned, Yorin decided to eat first. Hunger clawed at him.

Suddenly, regret flashed across his face.

"Damn it, my holy sword!"

He remembered staying up all night gaming before waking up in this new life.

The door creaked open.

Yorin instinctively looked up to see a young girl enter.

She was petite and doll-like, with striking ruby-red eyes.

"Who is this?" he wondered, confused. This definitely isn't the orphanage.

But that was a relief—Nonō Yakushi, who ran the orphanage, was Danzo's subordinate.

Getting caught by Danzo would mean indoctrination into Root, with no escape from his grim fate.

"You're awake?" the girl said, smiling.

"I'm Yūhi Kurenai."

"Yorin," he replied, her smile easing his nerves.

So it's Yūhi Kurenai?

In the original story, she married Sarutobi Asuma and ultimately became a widow.

"Can you walk?" Kurenai asked.

"My dad wants to meet you and explain everything."

"I can walk," Yorin said, getting out of bed.

He mused silently: Her father must be Yūhi Mahiru.

As a genjutsu Jōnin, Mahiru was likely working under Hiruzen Sarutobi rather than Minato Namikaze.

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A lighthearted, overpowered protagonist with multiple love interests.