Hiruzen Sarutobi

## Introduction

Hiruzen was born the son of Sasuke Sarutobi. The Sarutobi clan was one of the first clans to settle in the newly-created Konohagakure, where Hiruzen struck up a friendship with the Shimura clan's Danzō Shimura. Hiruzen was part of the first generation of ninja produced by Konoha and he, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane were placed under the tutelage of Tobirama Senju. Hiruzen early on displayed prodigious talent in the ninja arts, earning him additional training from Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage; at the same time, Danzō became jealous of Hiruzen's skills and started a one-sided rivalry in an effort to surpass him.

During the First Shinobi World War, Tobirama, by that time the Second Hokage, led a team consisting of Hiruzen, Homura, Koharu, Danzō, Kagami Uchiha, and Torifu Akimichi. During a mission they started to be pursued by Kumogakure's Kinkaku Force, an enemy that somebody would need to distract and inevitably die at the hands of in order for the rest of the team to escape. Hiruzen volunteered to be the decoy, boasting that, as the strongest of their group, he stood the best chance of surviving the encounter; nevertheless, he asked Danzō to look after the others. Tobirama volunteered himself instead, and before going to his death he appointed Hiruzen as Third Hokage.

### Character Details

Hiruzen was a natural prodigy, hailed as a "God of Shinobi". His talents made him Hokage at a young age, directly selected by the Second Hokage, having surpassed his teacher in childhood. He was the strongest shinobi produced from his clan, as well as the most powerful of Kage during his lifetime, and once well-considered the strongest Hokage in history. While his battle prowess deteriorated greatly in old age and ultimately died, he was able to fend off Orochimaru along with the combined might of the reincarnated First and Second Hokage, ultimately sealing away the two past Hokage and Orochimaru's hands. Orochimaru openly believed that had Hiruzen been ten years younger, he would've killed his former student.

## Powers and Stats

**Tier**: **High 7-A |** likely **Far Higher** in Prime

**Name**: Hiruzen Sarutobi

**Series**: Naruto

**Age**: 69

**Classification**: Human, Shinobi, Hokage

**Powers and Abilities:**

* Alive
* Edo Tensei
 Superhuman Physical Characteristics, Genius Intelligence, Chakra Manipulation, Master Hand-to-Hand Combatant, Master Staff Wielder and Shuriken User, Acrobatics, Statistics Amplification (Shinobi are capable of enhancing their physical capabilities with the use of chakra. The Shunshin no Jutsu allows Shinobi to greatly enhance their speed by focusing chakra in their feet), Surface Scaling and Water Walking (By focusing chakra at the soles of their feet, Shinobi can scale and cling to vertical surfaces, and even walk on water), Afterimage Creation, Stealth Mastery, and Speed Enhancement (The Substitution Jutsu allows its user to instantly replace themselves with a nearby object such as a tree log, plant, person, or clone at the exact moment they are attacked. The Jutsu works even if the user is physically restrained or observed by characters as observant as Sharingan or Sage Mode users. This creates the optical illusion of the user being hit, which confuses the opponent and gives them an opening to flee or counterattack), Minor Illusion Creation and Duplication (With the Clone Technique, Shinobi can create illusionary duplicates of themselves that have no physical substance), Shapeshifting (With the Transformation Technique, Shinobi can transform themselves into other people, animals, plants, and even inanimate objects, such as weapons), Paralysis Inducement (With the Temporary Paralysis Technique, Shinobi can completely paralyze their targets from close to mid range), Fire Manipulation, Earth Manipulation, Water Manipulation, Air Manipulation, Electricity Manipulation, Elemental Manipulation, Explosive Aura (He could cause damage the surrounding environment with his aura during his face off against Orochimaru), Summoning, Soul Manipulation, **BFR**, and Sealing via Dead Demon Consuming Seal, Explosion Manipulation with explosive tags, Extrasensory Perception (Can sense the presence of other living beings through their chakra signatures), Genjutsu Nullification (Shinobi can typically break free from and nullify non-ocular genjutsu by intentionally disrupting the flow of chakra within their bodies), Forcefield Creation (can create a barrier with the other Hokage), Non-Physical Interaction (with barrier and sealing), Clairvoyance with crystal ball, Resistance to Fear Manipulation (Unfazed by Orochimaru's aura)

 All previous abilities when alive, Regeneration (Low-Godly), Immortality (Types 1, 2, 3 and 7), Inorganic Physiology (Type 1), Self-Sustenance (Types 1, 2 and 3), Resistance to Death Manipulation, Age Manipulation and Disease Manipulation

**Attack Potency**: **Large Mountain Level** (Fought on par with Orochimaru before getting sealed away.) **Far Higher** (Orochimaru himself stated that if Hiruzen was 10 years younger he would have been able to stop him.) **Higher** (In Edo Tensei was capable of matching the all nature release from the Gedo Statue containing 7 Bijuu inside it.) **Large Mountain Level** (Had the statement of being the strongest of the Gokage, although this statement is fairly ambiguous.)

**Speed**: **Massively Hypersonic+** (Comparable to Orochimaru as well as the weakened imperfect versions of Edo Hashirama, and Tobirama.)

**Durability**: **Large Mountain Level** (Fought on par with Orochimaru before getting sealed away.) **Far Higher** (Orochimaru himself stated that if Hiruzen was 10 years younger he would have been able to stop him.) **Higher** (In Edo Tensei was capable of matching the all nature release from the Gedo Statue containing 7 Bijuu inside it.) **Large Mountain Level** (Had the statement of being the strongest of the Gokage, although this statement is fairly ambiguous.)

**Stamina**: **Superhuman** in base | **Infinite** (Reanimations don't tire.)

**Intelligence**: **Genius** (Hiruzen was known by his epithet "The Professor" due to his extensive knowledge of every technique ever developed in the Leaf village and his mastery over all five elemental natures, being able to match every elemental technique utilized by a Rinnegan wielder like Obito Uchiha. Being able to use virtually any ninjutsu technique with the minimum amount of chakra necessary to generate the most significant effect, he was able to take on multiple Kage-level opponents at once despite his waning chakra reserves. Hiruzen was also extremely skilled in both Bukijutsu and Taijutsu, being ready to battle Orochimaru, the First Hokage, and the Second Hokage in hand-to-hand and armed combat at once and wielding numerous shuriken and the Adamantine Staff with great skill. His skill and power were such that he was considered unstoppable in his prime, with even other powerful shinobi like Orochimaru not daring to challenge him)

**Weakness**: *His old age played a toll on his physical capability*

**Notable Attacks/Techniques**:

**Fire Release:** The nature transformation governing the use of fire, it is most frequently performed by molding chakra in one's stomach before releasing it in its completed form as fire from the mouth and lungs, but can also be applied in other forms such as smoke, ash, gunpowder, and in the use of explosive tags.

* **Fire Release: Flame Dragon Missile:** Hiruzen kneads his chakra into flames and releases it as a dragon-shaped missile that he can manipulate at will to home in on his opponents from multiple directions. Alternatively, he can release it as a single stream of fire that can quickly spread across a particular location.

**Earth Release:** The elemental release governing the manipulation of the earth and ground, being frequently used in the creation of sturdy physical barriers due to this release's ability to affect the density and hardness of earth and rock.

* **Earth Release: Earth Style Wall:** Hiruzen creates a wall of solid stone to act as a barrier or to confine a target within, growing as high as a small building if enough chakra is put into it. Hiruzen's use of this technique was powerful enough to completely divert an oncoming Water Release technique utilized by Tobirama Senju after the latter had been revived by Orochimaru's use of the Impure World Reincarnation technique.

**Shadow Clone Technique:** Hiruzen can create physical clones of himself that can fight independently of him and even perform their own techniques. However, the clones can be dispersed instantly if struck with a sufficiently powerful blow.

* **Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique:** Hiruzen applies the Shadow Clone Technique to shuriken that he has already thrown, quickly multiplying their numbers to turn a small handful into a veritable barrage in an instant. This can be applied to both normal shurikens as well as the much larger fuma shuriken.
* **Five Release Great Combo Technique:** After creating four shadow clones of himself, Hiruzen and his clones each perform a massive display of one of the five basic elemental natures from multiple directions to either nullify an oncoming attack or overwhelm a single target from all sides. This technique was powerful enough to completely match a similar technique used by Zetsu-controlled Yamato during the Fourth Great Shinobi War.

**Summoning Technique:** The Summoning Technique is a space-time ninjutsu that can summon weapons, familiars, tools, and other targets across vast distances by using blood as a sacrifice. Like most ninja, Hiruzen can only summon creatures with whom he has a contract with. Besides, Hiruzen has demonstrated the ability to counter the use of this technique by others, halting the summoning of the Fourth Hokage through the Impure World Reincarnation Technique while battling Orochimaru.

* **Monkey King: Enma:** Hiruzen's trusted ally and long-time contract holder, Enma is a mighty familiar who is proficient in both the use of ninjutsu and taijutsu, being able to fight independently of Hiruzen if necessary.
	+ **Transformation: Adamantine Staff:** Enma transforms into a staff of unparalleled hardness to be used as a weapon in combat, proving sufficiently strong and sturdy to shatter the wood constructs created by Hashirama Senju and the branches of the Ten-Tails with ease even while acting independently of Hiruzen. Enma can extend and expand at will in this form to catch foes off guard as well as manifest his limbs to grasp and claw at enemies. However, although Enma is incredibly durable in this form, he isn't invulnerable, as the Sword of Kusanagi used by Orochimaru proved sharp enough to cut him.
	+ **Adamantine Prison Wall:** Enma multiplies his staff form to form a protective cage around Hiruzen. Supposedly being "impossible to break," it proved sufficiently durable to protect Hiruzen from the Wood Release techniques of Hashirama Senju.
	+ **Dead Demon Consuming Seal:** Hiruzen summons a god of death that removes his opponent's soul at the cost of his own life. This seal is powerful enough to restrain one of the Tailed Beasts and can be utilized with Shadow Clones to affect multiple targets at once, sealing away both the First and Second Hokage as well as Orochimaru's arms. However, this process is lengthy and takes excessive amounts of chakra. As a result, this technique can potentially be resisted if Hiruzen is especially weakened before using it, which allowed Orochimaru to escape the brunt of the technique. Upon completion, both the user's soul and that of the target are sealed away in the belly of the god of death, unable to be summoned, accessed, or otherwise escape without the use of the Uzumaki Clan's Shinigami Mask.

**Sensing Technique:** By molding his chakra into the appropriate form, Hiruzen can locate and keep track of other living beings through their chakra signatures, working through walls and visual obstructions. As a result, he was able to battle both the First and Second Hokage with Taijutsu even after being blinded by a Genjutsu technique used on him moments prior.

**Telescope Technique:** Hiruzen can watch anyone whose chakra signature he's familiar with through a crystal ball, allowing him to continually keep watch over any person of interest no matter how far away they are. However, due to the passive nature of the ability and the need for a crystal ball, it is ill-suited for combat purposes.

**Body Replacement Technique:** When he is about to be struck by an attack, Hiruzen can quickly switch places with a log or some other object the instant before the attack reaches him, creating the optical illusion that he was struck as he escapes. Hiruzen can then use this distraction to flee and regroup or make a surprise attack.