The major nations were establishing their ninja villages one after another. Though the Land of Waterfalls was merely a small, modest country, it refused to be outdone. Three years after the foundation of Konoha, the Land of Waterfalls officially formed the Hidden Waterfall Village (Takigakure).
Today was a momentous occasion—the day Amamiya Ruri, known as the strongest ninja in the Land of Waterfalls, assumed his position as the First Takikage.
Five years ago, Ruri had crossed paths with the current daimyo of the Land of Waterfalls and aided him in overthrowing a tyrannical regime, securing his seat of power. However, Ruri's reputation within the village was nothing extraordinary—his influence was on par with the other village elders.
Thus, the daimyo's decision to appoint him as the Takikage stirred controversy. Many questioned whether Ruri had what it took to lead.
Ruri scanned the room filled with elders and officials, feeling a mix of frustration and unease. While he initially helped the daimyo rise to power with the intent of forming an alliance, becoming the Takikage hadn't been part of his plan. It was a significant position, even if Takigakure was only a minor village.
The daimyo's motivations were evident—entrusting leadership to Ruri ensured that the village's interests aligned with his own. The daimyo funded Takigakure's establishment to strengthen the nation, not to empower a faction of disloyal ninjas with personal ambitions.
As Ruri grappled with the sudden pressure of leadership, a distinct ding echoed in his mind.
[System Activated: Village Leader System Initialized.]
"What?! My cheat code just arrived?" Ruri blinked in disbelief. He had lived in this world for nearly ten years, with no sign of any special powers or abilities. All his achievements were hard-won through perseverance. But now, out of nowhere, a system appeared?
[User Status]Name: Amamiya RuriOverall Strength: Elite JoninTalent Level: JoninAttributes: Wind, LightningSpecial Abilities: NoneEvaluation: Your talent is at the Jonin level, yet you've managed to reach the strength of an Elite Jonin. You've done well, young man!
Ruri smirked bitterly at the system's assessment. If not for copying techniques like Rasengan and Chidori, along with sneaking access to secret ninjutsu, he'd never have reached his current power level. But even so, his progress had stagnated over the past two years—his limited talent had become a clear bottleneck.
"Hey, system, I've waited ten years for you. Do I get a beginner's gift at least?" he asked expectantly. If the system could help him increase his strength, he'd be able to subdue the elders with raw power alone—because, in the ninja world, strength reigned supreme.
[Congratulations! As the newly appointed Takikage, you have earned your first reward. Please check your inventory.]
His reward arrived faster than expected. With the daimyo's backing, Ruri's appointment was guaranteed. Regardless of opposition within the room, he was now the Takikage. Without the nation's support, the elders couldn't sustain a ninja village on their own. Even the Uchiha and Senju clans needed the Fire Country's support to establish Konoha.
Following the system's prompt, Ruri willed the inventory open, revealing a black sphere floating mid-air within the interface.
"Is that... a Truth-Seeking Ball?!" His heart raced as he recognized the object. It might not be a full set like the ones wielded by Six Paths-level ninjas, but even a single one was an immensely powerful weapon.
[Truth-Seeking Ball]: A black orb containing all elemental natures, including Yin and Yang. It transcends Kekkei Genkai and Kekkei Tota. It nullifies any ninjutsu and can disintegrate anything it touches. You may shape it freely for offense or defense. However, since you only possess Wind and Lightning attributes, your control over the Truth-Seeking Ball is limited.]
The system's description confirmed Ruri's suspicions. While owning the orb granted him overwhelming power, his limited mastery over elemental natures meant his control would be unstable. It was like a child wielding a massive hammer—just swinging it was a miracle, let alone mastering it.
"Takikage-dono, what do you think of our proposal? We recommend forming a Council of Elders to handle the village's daily affairs. This would ease your burden and provide accountability to the daimyo," one of the elders suggested, interrupting Ruri's thoughts.
While a council of elders was standard practice in many villages, this particular proposal sought to shift all executive power away from the Takikage. It was an attempt to render him a mere figurehead, with real authority resting in the hands of the council.
Ruri's eyes narrowed. So they wanted to control him? If not for the system's timely activation, dealing with this power play would have been difficult.
[Profile: Shusaki Ichiro]
Overall Strength: Elite JoninTalent Level: JoninAttributes: Water, WindSpecial Ability: Summoning Beast – Lizard
Ruri read through Ichiro's profile with interest. This man was known for summoning a powerful lizard, similar to the one featured in the original series. With a summons of that caliber, Ichiro could pose a serious threat in battle, even to high-level ninjas.
Before Ichiro could continue speaking, the black orb shot forward, slicing through his left leg without warning.
There was no blood, no pain—just a smooth cut where his leg used to be. Silence fell over the room as everyone stared at the severed limb in shock.
"You…!" Ichiro was too stunned to speak.
The room was filled with tension as the elders finally realized they had underestimated Ruri. They had thought him to be no more than an elite Jonin, but the reality was far more dangerous.
[Profile: Kanemae Mamoru]
Overall Strength: Elite JoninTalent Level: JoninAttributes: Earth, LightningSpecial Ability: Steel Release (Kekkei Genkai)
Ruri turned his attention to another elder, Mamoru, the head of the Kanemae clan, known for their Steel Release—a rare and valuable Kekkei Genkai. Yet, even Mamoru's defense couldn't stop the Truth-Seeking Ball. The orb phased through his steel-hardened hand, severing it as easily as air.
"Any more proposals?" Ruri asked coldly, pulling the orb back to his side.
The room was paralyzed with fear. None dared challenge him now. With the village's two strongest warriors incapacitated, the elders realized their plot had failed.
Ruri donned the Takikage's purple hat, the symbol of his authority, concealing the exhaustion from using the orb. His chakra reserves had been almost entirely drained.
"Well then, let's move on to the real issues. Do you think the Five Great Nations will tolerate another village using the title of 'Kage'?"
A heavy silence followed. Everyone knew the answer—Takigakure had only just begun, and they had many challenges ahead.