Naruto's God-level System

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Akira dusted off his clothes, mentally preparing himself for the encounter.

With the knowledge he had from his previous life, he knew he had to play it cool in front of the third Hokage. If he didn't, he'd surely be looked down upon and end up on the defensive.

"You are the Hokage of Konohagakure, correct? I'm a ninja from Otogakure," Akira began, extending his hand towards the third generation. "I accidentally bumped into your disciple while traveling here. Please don't take offense."

A handshake was the universal gesture of diplomacy—whether in this world or his own.

Hiruzaru Sarutobi hesitated for a moment but then extended his hand.

The moment their palms met, a powerful force surged from the third Hokage, and Akira could immediately sense the tension in the air. The Hokage was testing him.

"I see…" Akira thought as he steeled himself. "He's testing my strength."

Without a moment's hesitation, Akira pressed back, pushing his strength to the limit. His body had been worn out from his previous encounters, but now was the time to rely on the power the system had granted him.

Crack!

Akira's sleeve tore apart as his muscles swelled with power. The clothing he wore from his previous life couldn't contain the growth of his newfound strength.

"Impressive," Sarutobi muttered, observing him. "This kid can hold his own against Orochimaru for a while. But why haven't I heard of him before? A ninja from Otogakure...?"

Akira kept his face neutral, though inwardly he was amused. "Mr. Hokage," he said, the strain in his hand making him grimace, "Isn't this a bit much for a mere traveler like me?"

His palm was starting to throb, the force exerted by the third Hokage was immense, and it felt like his bones were close to breaking.

"This man's strength is incredible," Akira realized, knowing he was far from the Hokage's level.

His mind raced, but his resolve didn't waver. "Whoever backs down first is the loser."

Sarutobi, a man of considerable age, seemed to tire quicker than Akira had expected. The battle between them felt like two forces holding each other in place, each waiting for the other to relent. Sarutobi's physical exhaustion from the earlier battle was evident, and Akira couldn't help but note the slight edge he had.

"Old man, at your age, you still pack a punch. You must be a rhino!" Akira said under his breath, his eyes narrowing.

Both of them stood, locked in a tug of war, neither giving an inch.

"Uh, Hokage-sama… perhaps it's best to let this go for now?" a ninja from the side suggested, unable to watch any longer.

The tension was palpable, with the two men in a strained stalemate, both unable to back down.

"Who is this young man?" one of the onlookers murmured. "He's actually able to stand against the Hokage like this!"

"I've never heard of this ninja from Otogakure. It must be a hidden village… Could it be a place with powerful bloodlines or secret techniques?"

"It's so embarrassing that we don't even know about a hidden village this strong!"

The murmurs spread, and Sarutobi quickly released his grip from Akira's hand, now seeing an opening to back off.

"Boy, you've got some strength," Sarutobi said with a forced laugh. "But the matter with Orochimaru still needs to be dealt with. For now, you'll stay in Konohagakure for a few days. Consider it my way of showing appreciation for your strength."

The third Hokage quickly moved away, taking his men with him as if escaping the situation.

Akira watched him leave, his eyes filled with disdain. "You old fool," he muttered. But his thoughts quickly turned elsewhere—he now had to deal with a more pressing matter.

As a traveler with no money and no place to stay, Akira's options were limited. He glanced behind him, only to see Mitarashi Anko attempting to slip away. It seemed she had caught on to the tension in the air.

"Miss Mitarashi, I know you're living alone, correct?" Akira asked.

Anko froze, her eyes wide in realization. "What do you mean? How do you know that?"

A sudden panic took hold of her, and she thought back to all the times Akira had been too "hands-on" for comfort.

"Master Hokage, please, help me!" she called out, her voice full of desperation.

Later, as night fell, Akira found himself in a shabby house on the outskirts of Konohagakure.

This place was rundown, situated in a slum area of the village. Akira quickly deduced that this was Mitarashi Anko's residence. She had been an orphan, her parents long gone, and had grown up in the harsh streets of Konohagakure.

Akira pondered the current time period. The Third Hokage was still in charge, and Orochimaru's forbidden jutsu research had already begun. The wars were ongoing, and the Fourth Hokage had yet to make his appearance. This was a crucial moment in history, a transitional period before things escalated further.

"Looks like I'm in the early days of Shippuden," Akira thought with a grin. "This is a perfect time to build up my strength before the real battles start."

With the immortality techniques Orochimaru was studying, Akira was confident he could use them to boost his own power, giving him plenty of time to live—and to wait for the arrival of his destined goddess, Hinata.

"Perfect," he thought, rubbing his hands together. "I have all the time in the world."

Without hesitation, Akira walked into Anko's room, his intentions unclear as he smiled mischievously.