Konoha: Tsunade, I Am the Hokage! [1] & Synopsis

Kagenori transmigrated into Konoha.

The good news? He awakened a system.

The bad news? It was the [Hokage System]—a system that only strengthens him through governing and developing the village.

The problem?

He’s not the Hokage!

To grow stronger, Kagenori has no choice but to climb—step by step—toward the seat of Hokage.

“Kagenori, your strategy is far too aggressive. At the moment, we must keep a close eye on the Uchiha clan.”

“That’s enough, Hiruzen. I am the Hokage now!”

“...???”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Konoha Ninja Academy.

A group of students waited outside the building.

Inside, a dark-haired boy was being evaluated. The Third Hokage and several academy instructors observed from above, quietly scoring his performance.

In the exam area, the boy moved smoothly through each section of the test.

Before long—

“Taijutsu: Excellent.”

“Clone Technique: Excellent.”

“Transformation Technique...”

“Overall: Excellent.”

From above, Sarutobi Hiruzen, wearing the Hokage’s signature hat, called out the results one by one. Then he stood, picked up a forehead protector, and walked down to the student.

He handed the forehead protector to him.

“Based on the school’s assessment, you're hereby granted early graduation. Shiba Kagenori, from today onward, you are a genin.”

“Yes! Thank you, Lord Hokage!”

Kagenori accepted it respectfully, though inwardly, he couldn’t help sighing—

After more than a year in this world and relentless effort, I’ve finally met the requirements for early graduation.

Almost at the same moment, a voice rang out in his mind:

[Congratulations on successfully becoming Hokage. The Hokage System is now at your service.]

…What?

That voice?

A system?

What the hell?!

I’ve been in this world for over a year—training like crazy for an entire year—pushing myself to the brink just to graduate early… and now the system decides to show up?!

He was both shocked and thrilled.

According to the original Kagenori’s memories, his ancestors had once belonged to the Senju clan. But after the First Hokage began advocating intermarriage within the village, their branch separated out.

By now, he was the third generation.

However—

His grandmother hadn’t inherited any special bloodline or unique traits. His parents were similarly unremarkable—stronger than average, perhaps, but nothing exceptional. They’d died on the battlefield in the Land of Rain.

And Kagenori himself was even more ordinary. So far, there was no sign of any special talent.

Because of that—

From the moment he transmigrated, he understood: if he wanted to survive in the brutal shinobi world, he’d have to rely solely on hard work—just like Gai.

But then—

Today, the system suddenly awakened...

Wait—[Hokage System]? What’s that supposed to mean? I’m not Hokage!

Kagenori was dumbfounded. He looked down at the forehead protector in his hand, then glanced up at the conical hat on Sarutobi’s head.

I didn’t become Hokage, did I?!

“Kagenori, go ahead and put on your forehead protector.”

“Yes, sir!”

Kagenori snapped out of his daze.

He tied the protector onto his forehead. Immediately—

Another notification chimed in his mind:

[Winning the hearts of others is a core quality for a Hokage.]

[By personally presenting the forehead protector to a new genin, you’ve earned their complete trust.]

[Reward: Body Flicker Technique upgraded by 1 level.]

Huh?

After confirming he wasn’t hallucinating, Kagenori was deeply shaken.

Complete trust…

Of course I trust myself!

He’d essentially given the forehead protector to himself—and the system still rewarded him for it? Was it stupid or just too literal?

He stood there stunned for a moment before collecting himself.

This system…

It had clearly been designed for a “Hokage.” Whether the world got it wrong or the system latched onto the wrong guy, somehow he, a mere genin, ended up receiving it.

Still, he was in the middle of an exam—he had to keep his cool!

Kagenori composed himself and bowed respectfully.

“Thank you, Lord Hokage!”

That gratitude was sincere.

If this system had ended up with Sarutobi Hiruzen, what a waste that would’ve been. With his personality, would he even know how to use it?

He doesn’t have the capability!

Better that it came to me.

“Haha, I’ve got high hopes for you. Keep it up!” Sarutobi chuckled, giving Kagenori a pat on the shoulder.

Then he called out the next name on the list.

Kagenori stepped out of the room, passing faces both familiar and unfamiliar. As he walked by, a quiet thought stirred in his heart—

Ten years from now, only a handful of these kids will rise to prominence.

The shinobi world was cruel.

Without a kekkei genkai or secret techniques, one could hardly take a step forward.

Over the past year, Kagenori had come to understand just how hard life was for an ordinary ninja.

Hard work, grit, relentless training.

And even with that, all he had was a stronger foundation and the chance to graduate early—nothing compared to someone like Kakashi, who had already graduated long ago.

Realistically, Gai was the best role model he had.

But now, he had a “cheat” on his side. And with early graduation, he’d gained precious time—time to train, to grow stronger.

After all, the academy wouldn’t teach him anything truly advanced!

The Hokage System.

Weird and unexpected, but ultimately a good thing.

Once he left the exam site, Kagenori tried a few commands. Eventually, the word “panel” triggered a hazy, translucent display to appear before him.

The text was eerily familiar:

[Name: Shiba Kagenori]
[Age: 7]
[Kekkei Genkai]: None
[Skills]: Transformation Jutsu (Proficient), Clone Jutsu (Proficient), Substitution Jutsu (Advanced), Body Flicker Technique (Master)

Master-level Body Flicker!

Kagenori suppressed the shock and excitement rising in his chest.

According to the system’s hierarchy, jutsu proficiency was ranked as: Beginner, Proficient, Advanced, Master, and Grandmaster.

Body Flicker and Substitution were the two jutsu he’d spent the most time on—by far.

But—

For the past six months, his Body Flicker had plateaued with no progress.

Now, all of a sudden—

Insights into the Body Flicker Technique began flooding his mind.

So that’s it... At the Master level, the technique hinges on refined control of muscle tension, power output, and chakra flow.

Subtle precision.

That was the difference between “Advanced” and “Master.”

A spark of enlightenment flashed through Kagenori.

It felt surreal, as if he had practiced it thousands of times, and could now execute a Master-level Body Flicker with ease.

If I had relied solely on training, it would’ve taken me years to get here.

This is incredible.

Now then…

The real question is: how can I fully leverage this system?

Without a kekkei genkai or clan techniques, if Kagenori wanted to defy fate and avoid becoming cannon fodder in the next Great Ninja War, the system was his best hope.

And clearly, the system was a rigid program—meaning there was lots of room to work around it.

If I were Hokage, what kind of things would I do?

Kagenori’s mind raced.

So far, the system had rewarded:

Winning people’s trust.
Balancing power within the village.
Making the village stronger and more prosperous.
Contributing during wartime.
Handling daily affairs and missions.

He mentally listed these out.

As a mere genin, most of those were completely out of reach. For now, all he could do was build trust and complete missions.

Kagenori fell into thought. Then—

He stepped out of the academy and tried out the Master-level Body Flicker.

Exquisite control.

Muscle tension, chakra flow...

And then—

Whoosh!

In a blur, Kagenori’s figure disappeared, reappearing on the other end of the street in the blink of an eye.

“So fast!”

My body hasn’t gotten any stronger, but the effect of the technique is two or three times what it used to be!

A flicker of heat lit in his eyes.

If this is what ‘Master’ looks like, then what happens when I reach ‘Grandmaster’? That’d be insane!

Still—

He could sense that, while the ability now felt innate, his reflexes and perception hadn’t yet caught up to its speed. His sense of timing and spatial awareness still lagged behind, leading to some misjudgment of distances and momentum.

Gotta train!

Kagenori dashed toward his usual training spot outside the village, racing forward like a gust of wind.

But then—

As he sped past a bathhouse—

“Hm?”

A white-haired man turned his head toward the street.

Just in time to see a boy blur past like a lightning bolt.

Such speed!

That level of Body Flicker...

Who is that?

His interest was piqued.

He glanced back into the bathhouse, then hesitated—

Finally, he turned and took off in pursuit of Kagenori.

---

T/N: DATTEBAYOO

This is a fan translation of 木叶：纲手，我才是火影！by 卖身葬节操 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!