My name is Shiro, and I am a transmigrator.
Today, I am forced to make a monumental decision, one that will irrevocably alter the trajectory of my entire existence.
Why? Because I have transmigrated into the chaotic world of Naruto.
That is correct. This is the unforgiving world where shinobi are treated as mere tools of war, and the lives of commoners are valued less than the stray dogs roaming the streets. It is the brutal world of Naruto, a place where familial bonds mean nothing; where sons slaughter their fathers, fathers sacrifice their sons, apprentices murder their mentors, and mentors ruthlessly betray their students.
More importantly, fate played a cruel joke on me—I do not live in the lush forests of Konoha!
Instead, I find myself in Sunagakure, a village buried in endless yellow sand, plagued by a perpetual lack of water and resources. It is a village destined for tragedy, the same one that, in the future, gets humiliated and bombarded by the likes of Deidara.
And that monumental decision looming over me is simply this... I am about to ascend to the position of the Third Kazekage of Sunagakure.
Yes, I am taking on the cursed mantle of the Kazekage. Anyone familiar with history knows the grim fate of this lineage. In the original timeline, the Third was assassinated by his own subordinate, Sasori. The Fourth was betrayed and stabbed to death by Orochimaru. The Fifth, Gaara, was captured by Deidara and died agonizingly having his Tailed Beast extracted. There are all sorts of unimaginable, horrific ways to die associated with this chair.
The Kage of other villages tend to die heroic deaths, perishing in mutual destruction against powerful foes or sacrificing themselves to protect the next generation. But Sunagakure? Our Kage die inexplicably, often by betrayal or humiliation.
I find it absolutely ridiculous, but there is nothing I can do to change the current circumstances.
Sunagakure has just participated in the Second Great Ninja War, and the results were devastating.
The Second Kazekage was beaten within an inch of his life. If I hadn't unleashed my hidden power to hold off the pursuing enemies, Sunagakure might have been forced to surrender outright, erasing our name from the map!
And most importantly... I am the child that the Second Kazekage, Lord Shamon, found and raised as his own.
Whether it is in terms of raw combat strength or political standing within the village, my claim to leadership is beyond doubt.
"Shiro, what are your thoughts on our proposal? Lord Second is still in a deep coma, and you are the only one capable of managing the overall situation and guiding the village forward."
Lady Chiyo, seated across from me, expressed her profound helplessness. Thanks to Lord Second's previous policies of development and his strategy to avoid the brunt of the First Great Ninja War, Sunagakure had actually accumulated a considerable number of shinobi and resources.
One could argue that the current Sunagakure was at its absolute peak in decades!
The older generation of Kage-level powerhouses included the Second Kazekage himself, Chiyo, Bunpuku, and Ebizo, making a total of three and a half elites (Ebizo, with his intellect over brawn, counted as half). The new generation boasted Shiro and Sunasuke, both of whom had reached Kage-level capabilities. It was arguably the golden age of Sunagakure. But who could have predicted that just as the war began, the Second Kazekage would be severely wounded and brought to the verge of death? If not for Shiro being right there on the front lines to save him, Lord Shamon would already be gone.
There was no alternative. In this critical moment of instability, someone needed to take supreme command. Otherwise, how could we possibly continue fighting this war?
Shiro was the most suitable candidate, possessing both the requisite strength and the status of the successor. But who knew that Shiro would actually be zoning out in such a high-stakes meeting? This caused Chiyo to momentarily doubt her decision. Perhaps they should let Sunasuke try? Even though he was a bit lacking in raw power compared to Shiro, he was still a Kage-level shinobi after all.
Shiro's wandering thoughts were snapped back to reality by Chiyo's voice. He shivered slightly, quickly sitting up straight in his chair, hoping to receive lenient treatment from the council elders.
"Elder Chiyo, I honestly believe my qualifications are still far too shallow. Moreover, isn't Lord Shamon still with us? Surely everything will stabilize once Lord Shamon wakes up."
Are you kidding me? The Kazekage? That cursed seat? If it were any other Kage position, even the Mizukage of the chaotic Kirigakure...
Shiro wouldn't hesitate for a heartbeat. But the position of Kazekage required careful, life-or-death consideration.
And look at the timing! We are in the middle of the Second Great Ninja War, an era where Konoha reigns supreme. Konoha is so terrifyingly powerful that they can hold the entire battlefield with just their younger generation. Hatake Sakumo, the White Fang, alone could dominate the entire Wind-Fire front. Wouldn't taking office at this specific time be asking for a death sentence? If I fail to turn the tides, wouldn't I be the scapegoat blamed for the village's collapse?
And, perhaps most trivial yet annoying of all, the Kazekage's hat is green! Green, of all colors! It's a terrible fashion statement against the endless yellow sands. Who in their right mind wants to wear that?
"Ah, Shiro, we all understand that it is cruel to force you to take office during such turmoil. However, I have already thoroughly diagnosed Lord Shamon. His injuries are catastrophic this time. Coupled with his advancing age, even if he miraculously recovers, he will never be able to engage in high-intensity combat again. So, Shiro, Sunagakure needs you."
Chiyo sat back in her chair, trying her absolute best to persuade him.
There really was no other way. Among the younger generation, only Shiro and Sunasuke were remotely qualified for the Kazekage position. But when comparing achievements, lineage, and contributions to the village, Shiro was the only logical choice.
Of course, a major factor was Shiro's Magnet Release bloodline. Sunasuke possessed the Iron Sand, while Shiro wielded Gold Dust. Although Sunagakure's economy was holding up for now, war is expensive. What if the funds ran dry?
Chiyo had heard rumors that Shiro had saved up quite a bit of "private money" recently using his abilities.
Therefore, they could only try their best to push Shiro into the seat.
Shiro opened his mouth to argue, but stopped. Chiyo had laid out the facts clearly; what else could he say? He knew, deep down, that he was the most suitable candidate.
He had been raised by Lord Shamon since childhood, giving him legitimate succession rights. Coupled with his heroic performance in covering the army's retreat not long ago, his reputation was solid. And most importantly—he possessed the "Angel's Interface."
That's right, it was the power of the Angel from the academy in his previous life's memories. Although he had only fused 20% of the template and was in the first stage, it had already granted him chakra reserves rivaling a Tailed Beast. The Angel System secretly compared his reserves to the One-Tails, Shukaku, and estimated Shiro had probably 1.5 times the beast's capacity. As expected, the One-Tail really had the weakest chakra reserves.
And this massive chakra was just one of his abilities. He also possessed all seven chakra nature transformations, immense physical durability, and enhanced combat awareness. These traits firmly placed Shiro's strength at the peak of the Kage level.
He had originally planned to quietly absorb more energy to reach the second stage of fusion before even considering a leadership role. In his estimation, reaching the second stage should allow him to rival the legendary Hashirama Senju or Madara Uchiha with his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. At that point, he would be nigh-invincible in this era and could do whatever he pleased. However, to increase the fusion rate, he needed to alter the world line and gather massive amounts of energy.
But accidents always arrive unexpectedly. Thinking about it carefully, he had been in this world for over a decade. Sunagakure had provided him with safety during his infancy and vulnerability, giving him the time to grow. Both emotionally and logically, he could not turn his back on the village now.
"Very well. I agree to become the Third Kazekage. However, Elder Chiyo, and everyone present, you must fully obey my commands from this moment forward. If you cannot agree to absolute unity under my rule, please find someone else for this position."
Shiro looked up, his expression turning serious as he addressed the elders across the table.
"Agreed. That is no problem; we will all follow your lead. You should go and prepare yourself. The succession ceremony will take place in two days."
Hearing his agreement, the relief in the room was palpable. Everyone present was incredibly happy. After all, securing a powerful leader in times of war gave them a much-needed sense of security.
"Elder Chiyo, Elder Ebizo, I will be relying on the wisdom and support of you both from now on."
Shiro bowed respectfully to the council and then turned to leave. He had his own preparations to attend to. Since he had agreed to be the Third Kazekage, he had to bear the heavy responsibilities that came with the title. He needed to return to his quarters and carefully strategize on how to develop Sunagakure's future.
***
"Ah, Sunasuke."
As soon as he reached his doorstep, Shiro saw a man several years his senior standing at the entrance.
The man had deep blue hair and a stoic expression. Shiro didn't even need to guess; he knew this man was the original Third Kazekage from the canon story—the unfortunate soul who was destined to die at Sasori's hands and be converted into a human puppet.
"Congratulations, Shiro. I heard you will be becoming the Kazekage soon."
Sunasuke saw Shiro arrive and stepped forward to speak. Although his tone was polite, a hint of disappointment in his eyes couldn't be entirely hidden. However, Sunasuke had no reason to voice any objections. He was a rational shinobi, and he knew that his strength was indeed somewhat inferior compared to Shiro's capabilities.
"Thank you. It is all for the sake of the village. I will still need your strength and support in the battles to come."
With that, Shiro gestured to the door, intending to invite Sunasuke inside to talk properly.