Will of Embers is one of those fanfics that perfectly embraces the “failing upward” trope, and I absolutely love it for that.
The story begins immediately after the Nine-Tails attack, when the protagonist suddenly finds himself inhabiting the body of Hiruzen Sarutobi.
There is just one problem.
He has no memories.
No legendary shinobi skills.
No secret techniques.
Not even a complete recollection of the Naruto series.
While everyone around him believes that the “Professor” and the “God of Shinobi” are carefully playing four-dimensional chess, he is simply trying to survive by relying on common sense and making the least disastrous decision available.
Much of the comedy comes from watching him desperately maintain the illusion that he knows exactly what he is doing while secretly asking himself questions like:
“Where does Hiruzen even live?”
The political side of the story is equally entertaining. The protagonist constantly stumbles into situations far beyond his control while everyone else interprets his lucky accidents as brilliant strategic planning.
To make matters even worse, he also has a Gamer System… except it often feels like the system exists specifically to make his life harder rather than helping him.
At its heart, Will of Embers is simply about an ordinary guy doing the best he can with impossible circumstances.
If you enjoy self-insert stories, political misunderstandings, and protagonists who accidentally become legends through common sense and sheer luck, this fanfic is an easy recommendation.
FanFiction.net Link
Original Summary
What would you do if you got transported into the body of someone in your favorite anime? Well, it doesn’t matter because without skills, knowledge, or even memories, you can only hope that nobody discovers your secret, especially when you are the most important person in the village. Hiruzen SI after the Nine-Tails attack. Nerfed Gamer System included.