Chapter 3: The Legacy of Senju Ryu

Senju Ryu, a 20-year-old prodigy born into the Senju clan, served as a Jōnin under the Third Hokage Hiruzen. He had mastered the properties of the five chakra elements: water, fire, wind, lightning, and earth.

Due to his exceptional performance in the Third Ninja World War and the Third Hokage's resignation following the war's outcome, Ryu was recommended as one of the candidates to succeed Hokage and was officially promoted to the position of the Fourth Hokage during subsequent high-level debates.

In the Hokage's office, fragments of Ryu's 20 years of memories as Ryu Senju continued to flicker in his mind. After a long while, when he opened his eyes again, he saw a coldness and sharpness that had never been seen in the peaceful era.

This also meant that he had finally assimilated and mastered this body. From now on, he was the true Ryu Senju, and outsiders could no longer perceive anything unusual.

"I didn't expect there to be an unexpected person like me becoming Hokage," Ryu, or rather Ryu Senju, thought to himself.

But considering that things like transmigration can become a reality, it's not surprising that the original work would undergo changes.

Ryu shook his head and quickly focused his attention on the most crucial aspect at this moment.

As the sole remaining member of the Senju Clan, Ryu Senju, who inherited the strong physical energy and abundant chakra of the Senju Clan, was also one of the top elite Jōnin.

This was one of the reasons why he could succeed as Hokage.

After all, if you want to become the shadow of a village, you must convince others with your own strength.

Of course, the true key to surpassing Namikaze Minato, who mastered the Flying Thundergod technique, and becoming the Fourth Hokage may still lie in the "Senju" surname.

Whether it be the legacy of the First and Second Hokage or the influence of Tsunade's prestigious position as one of the current Sannin, he, the sole male member of the Senju clan today, possessed significant political assets.

As for Namikaze Minato, although his records were more outstanding, he was ultimately born as a commoner, which set him far apart from Senju Ryu.

Even though he became Jiraiya's apprentice, many high-ranking officials in Konoha were unwilling to have the Hokage position pass down perpetually within the master-student line of Hokage.

Thus, there were several competitions among high-ranking officials, and ultimately, through the compromise of all parties involved, Ryu, a member of the Senju clan, narrowly surpassed Minakaze Minato and became the Fourth Hokage.

This was also the result of Ryu merging the memories of the original body with the events from his past life.

That being said, although Senju Ryu was proficient in all five chakra nature transformations and had mastered numerous ninjutsu, coupled with the strong physical support from the Senju clan, he had few opponents even among Jōnin. His strength was not inferior to Kakashi Hatake before he mastered Sharingan more than ten years later.

But he was still far from being a match for the Nine Tails.

Even if he prepared in advance, it was difficult to guarantee that the elusive masked man, Uchiha Obito, who controlled time and space, would not succeed.

Therefore, the key to everything was strength.

He needed even greater strength.

By the way, don't all transmigration have golden finger benefits?

Ryu looked up and glanced around, seeing that no one was there, then whispered:

"Golden finger?"

"System?"

"Dark blue? Let's add a little!"

"System..."

Ryu shouted for a moment, and just when he was about to give up, suddenly!

A "beep beep beep" sound echoed in his mind.

[Due to the host calling the 'system' more than five times, in response to the first law of time travel and space, a system has been generated for the host...]

[Ding! Dear host, hello, the Naruto Enhancement System is at your service all the time...]

"That's why you have to shout 'system' five times in a row before making any noise," Ryu complained helplessly.

But fortunately, ever since he obtained the Goldfinger, he no longer worried about that and started looking with great interest.

In short, the Naruto Enhancement System offered a variety of rich ninja ninjutsu and bloodline succession limits, allowing one to master the techniques of a Hokage in a single step after spending a certain amount of money, eliminating the need for intermediate learning.

But there were two prerequisites for all of this.

One was that to exchange for a skill, one must first possess the cultivation method for it. For example, if you wanted to learn a certain type of ninjutsu directly, you needed to have the practice scroll for that ninjutsu in your hand and the blood of a person with that lineage. The second was that, in exchange for skills, one had to consume something called Naruto Fame Points.

The stronger the skill, the more Hokage Fame Points were required.

For example, D-rank ninjutsu required 50 fame points, C-rank ninjutsu like Fire Escape and Fire Ball Jutsu required 100 fame points, B-rank ninjutsu like Fire Escape and Great Fire Extinguisher required 500 fame points, A-rank ninjutsu required four digits, and S-rank ninjutsu required five digits and above.

Bloodline limits were even more expensive.

For example, the Mokuton (Wood Release) that Ryu desired had a price tag that actually required 500,000 reputation points to exchange for.

Goodness!

So, is it worthy of being called the strongest bloodline succession limit?

Fortunately, the system gave newcomers a large gift package, allowing them to enjoy a 10% discount for the first exchange.

Moreover, he himself belonged to the Senju clan. Although he didn't have Mokuton like the First Hokage, he still had the recessive gene of Mokuton in his blood.

This reduced the reputation points he spent on exchanging for Wood Escape by more than half, and in the end, he only needed 10,000 reputation points to exchange.

After reading all the aforementioned conditions, Ryu's eyes suddenly lit up.

Setting aside the reputation points, if he had to change to another identity, then the first premise undoubtedly had to be an unexpected windfall for him.

After all, how could an ordinary person have the ability to collect such ninjutsu scrolls? If there was such a person, it would be better to spend more time learning on their own, to avoid wasting reputation points.

But you know, he's now the Fourth Hokage!

He is fully qualified to unlock all of Konoha's ninjutsu, which means he can learn them all in exchange. Especially the forbidden techniques from the sealed book.

Ordinary ninjutsu he could still learn on his own, but what about these taboo secret techniques? For example, the Flying Thunder God Technique! Even the Third Hokage, known as the Ninja World's Professor, and even the extraordinary Sannin have not been able to learn it.

In the entire ninja world, except for the Second Hokage, only Namikaze Minato could learn it.

Ryu himself didn't have confidence, but at this point, wasn't it time to reflect on the value of the system?

Thinking about all the powerful secret arts in his future body, if it weren't for wanting to maintain the majesty of the Hokage, Ryu wanted to burst into laughter to celebrate.

However, he didn't need to endure it any longer because the big zero in the Hokage Reputation column was like a bucket of cold water that soaked him completely.

"Why is my reputation zero?" Ryu asked incredulously.

The system replied coldly, "The so-called Hokage Reputation Points are the points generated by the host's actions as Hokage, being known, respected, and loved. The host has just been promoted to Hokage and hasn't done anything yet, so the reputation points are zero."

Okay.

Ryu felt very helpless.

Now that he had acknowledged reality, he could only start over.

That being said, how could he earn reputation points as quickly as possible?

By doing great things?

Not causing trouble, as it was still a question of whether his governance order could make it out of the Hokage's office.

But the Hokage's reputation was related to his strength, and his strength was related to his life, so there was no room for complacency.

Ryu had to carefully consider: was there any way to earn reputation points as soon as possible?

Ryu pondered deeply, contemplating how he could swiftly earn reputation points in his new role as Hokage. He realized that it was crucial to showcase his strength and abilities to gain the respect and admiration of the village. However, he needed a well-thought-out plan.

With the Naruto Enhancement System by his side, Ryu felt a renewed sense of confidence. The system provided him with a plethora of powerful ninja techniques and bloodline limits at his disposal. It was time for him to utilize these resources to elevate his reputation as the Fourth Hokage.

First and foremost, Ryu recognized the significance of his own combat prowess. He needed to demonstrate his skills in battle, facing formidable opponents head-on. By triumphing over strong adversaries, he would establish himself as a formidable force to be reckoned with.

Additionally, Ryu understood the importance of protecting the village and its inhabitants. He resolved to enhance Konoha's security measures, ensuring the safety and well-being of its people. By preventing threats and averting disasters, he could earn the trust and admiration of the villagers, thereby boosting his reputation as a capable leader.

Additionally, Ryu made the choice to prioritize diplomacy and forming alliances to boost economic trade. By establishing strong connections with neighboring villages and influential individuals in the ninja realm, he aimed to strengthen Konoha's standing and enhance his own reputation as a skilled and influential Hokage. Furthermore, he intended to incorporate sanctions into economic treaties to ensure the safety and security of Konoha.

Ryu also recognized the value of serving the community. He planned to initiate various social welfare programs and initiatives to improve the lives of the villagers. By addressing their needs and actively working towards their betterment, he would gain their support and admiration, earning valuable reputation points along the way.

As he delved deeper into his strategizing, Ryu couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and determination. He realized that the path to increasing his reputation was intertwined with his own personal growth as a ninja and a leader. Every decision he made and every action he took would shape his legacy as the Fourth Hokage.

With the Naruto Enhancement System as his ally, Ryu knew he had a powerful tool at his disposal. The system's vast array of abilities and resources would aid him in his quest for reputation and power. However, he also acknowledged that true greatness was not solely determined by external factors but by the strength of his character and the choices he made.

Armed with determination and a clear vision, Ryu set forth on his journey, ready to face the challenges that lay ahead. He was determined to prove himself worthy of the title of Hokage and earn the respect and admiration of the entire ninja world. The path to greatness had just begun, and Ryu was prepared to walk it with unwavering resolve.