Huh? As his pace quickened, the shadows of the trees around him swept backward faster and faster. Soon, he rounded the bend and looked up. His gaze traveled upward before settling on the fairly tall wall a hundred meters away, the tightly shut gate set where the walls met, and the enormous emblem of Konoha above it.
After nearly three days of travel, the village was right before his eyes. Yet the homesickness and warm feelings he had felt for those who cared about him vanished in an instant.
In their place, an ominous feeling that made his heart pound suddenly filled his chest.
Why was the gate shut?
Had they come under attack? Could Iwa really force its way here under the current circumstances, putting Konoha on alert? At that moment, his steps gradually slowed, and his brows slowly drew together.
Under normal circumstances, unless it was nighttime, Konoha's gates remained wide open. Dedicated ninja stood guard at the entrance to register those entering and leaving, while hidden Anbu sentries watched the passing crowds to prevent spies from slipping in. Konoha lay deep within the Land of Fire, with fertile land, prosperity, and the ability to provide for itself in most respects. Aside from merchants coming and going, few people entered or left, so it was actually quite easy to keep watch over.
Keeping the gates open was also a display of Konoha's composure as the strongest of the Five Great Ninja Villages, and it served to intimidate enemies. If enemy spies saw Konoha's gates wide open, utterly unafraid of anyone, along with the strength of the strongest of the five villages plainly on display, they would inevitably develop unusual feelings before even entering the village. Whether they thought Konoha arrogant, believed it had nothing to fear, or simply