At Konoha's gates.
One after another, Konoha shinobi returned.
They leapt swiftly across the rooftops.
"The enemy has been wiped out."
"Some of the Sand shinobi escaped—we couldn't catch them."
"Yeah." Nara Shikaku nodded, then turned to another messenger.
The ninja immediately reported, "The pursuit squad has also sent word—they caught up with most of the Sand shinobi unit and successfully rescued the abducted members of the major clans."
"Only… a small group remains unaccounted for. We're still tracking them."
"Send word to the border outposts—lock down the Fire Country borders. We must capture every last one of them."
The two messengers disappeared at once to deliver his orders.
After handling the reports, Shikaku turned toward the street ahead. He sighed, shaking his head with a bitter smile.
Suddenly, Kakashi appeared behind him.
"What's wrong? Not used to seeing this kind of scene anymore?"
Without turning around, Shikaku stood in silence for a moment before finally nodding. "Yeah. The last time I saw something like this… was during the Great Ninja War."
"In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed. And now, we're the Elite Jōnin we once dreamed of becoming."
"You're not the one who should be saying that." Shikaku chuckled. "Genius—didn't you become a jōnin at twelve?"
Kakashi gave a wry smile. "Genius? Not anymore. That word doesn't belong to me."
His single eye narrowed. "The real genius… is about to arrive."
Both men looked toward Konoha's gate.
The shinobi who had returned gathered there, waiting. Even the Ino–Shika–Chō trio stood at the doors, their rescued clansmen safely brought back by other pursuit teams.
But the gates remained closed.
The three young ninja exchanged confused glances. Why weren't they being allowed inside?
More and more shinobi assembled at the entrance, all equally puzzled—but none dared to voice their questions.
Because standing atop the gates, arms crossed, was the Elite Jōnin Might Guy. His sharp gaze remained fixed on the horizon.
The setting sun cast its glow across the long road leading to Konoha.
And then—
A dark figure appeared at the end of the avenue, racing swiftly toward the village.
"He's back!"
"And Lady Hinata is safe!"
Before Guy could see clearly, the Hyūga scout beside him had already activated his Byakugan. With his confirming shout, silence fell across the crowd behind them.
Everyone waited.
Yuichi, carrying Hinata, rushed toward Konoha.
She stirred faintly in his arms, like a sleeping kitten adjusting its position. Yuichi held her carefully, supporting her legs so she wouldn't slip.
Feeling his steady grip, Hinata slowly opened her drowsy eyes.
Her starry gaze fell on Yuichi's face, illuminated by the golden light of sunset.
She stared for several seconds, stunned.
It's him! That night… the boy who saved me…
Pressed against his broad chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, she felt utterly safe.
Leaves swirled in the evening wind as Yuichi leapt from tree to tree, carrying her effortlessly.
The moment etched itself deeply into Hinata's heart.
Yuichi, unaware of her gaze, frowned instead at the closed gates. Why were they shut? His pace quickened instinctively.
Bounding forward, he showed no sign of exhaustion despite the long run.
With a final leap, Yuichi landed before the massive gates of Konoha. He glanced at the shinobi lining either side, preparing to ask why the doors were sealed.
But then—
Creaaak…
The huge wooden gates groaned as they slowly opened. A beam of golden sunlight spilled through the widening crack.
And then—
Boom!
The gates swung fully open.
Yuichi stood in the doorway, Hinata cradled in his arms.
And before him—
A sea of people.
The streets of Konoha were packed with villagers, all eyes locked on Yuichi.
On the surrounding rooftops, shinobi smiled knowingly.
Time seemed to freeze.
Then—
Waaahhh!
The silence shattered into deafening cheers. The sound itself seemed to surge toward him.
Yuichi's black coat fluttered in the rising roar.
Civilians lifted their hands high into the air.
"Yuichi… is back!"
"That kid with the Wood Style bloodline! What's his name again?"
"Idiot, they've said it a hundred times—Nagano Yuichi!"
"He has the same power as the First Hokage. This boy is Konoha's future!"
"Can you believe it? This kid actually defeated Orochimaru—one of the Sannin! Incredible!"
"Not just that—he even gained the recognition of the First and Second Hokage after their resurrection!"
The cheers grew louder, rising like a tidal wave over the village.
Yuichi stood stunned.
None of this… none of this was what he had imagined.
Why were they celebrating?
Because Wood Style had returned to Konoha?
Because the murderer of the Third Hokage—Orochimaru—had been defeated by its new successor?
Both, perhaps. But Yuichi realized he had underestimated how deeply the people revered Wood Style.
The cheers echoed endlessly. Leaves drifted down, carried on the evening breeze.
Shikaku watched Yuichi standing there, a girl in his arms, basking in the cries of the crowd. Earlier, he had worried about Konoha's future after the Third's death.
The candidates for Hokage were few—Jiraiya, Tsunade, Kakashi.
Jiraiya was missing, Tsunade had been gone for years, and Kakashi, though strong, seemed too tied to the Third's era to lead.
Yuichi had the ability, yes—but Shikaku feared he lacked both age and prestige.
But now…
Now, as thousands of voices shouted Yuichi's name, as the entire village embraced him as their symbol…
All doubt vanished.
Konoha had already accepted him.
Beside him, Kakashi spoke softly.
"After today… the name of the Senju of the Forest will once again resound throughout the ninja world."
Shikaku's eyes narrowed.
Not just the Senju's name…
But Yuichi's.