It seemed my death had not been publicized with great fanfare.
As Chiba made his way toward the Sarutobi Clan compound, passing through the bustling commercial district, that thought crossed his mind.
Though he had been called a hero after his "death," his return from the dead did not seem to have drawn much attention. Whenever people recognized him, there would always be shock, disbelief, excitement, and the like. Yet he had passed through this busy district several times, and had even drawn a crowd because of those two boys from the Hyuga Clan, but the villagers had not shown much emotion.
Nothing like Sato Hide or Yuriko's reactions when they saw him.
Something about this was rather strange.
The only explanation was that the villagers either did not know—or did not believe—that he had died in battle.
In that case, the village must not have made much of his death. Though he had been listed as a hero, he had been treated like any ordinary ninja who had died, without much ceremony or publicity.
That was why the villagers were so calm. After all, if his death had been excessively publicized, his return would probably have caused quite a stir.
The villagers now acted as though he had never died at all. Kushina had even mentioned that some of his former patients had specifically asked for him to prescribe their medicine, saying they would not feel at ease otherwise.
Clearly, the villagers did not know of his death.
His death probably had only circulated among the ninja community.
Still, Chiba did not feel dissatisfied that the village had not emphasized his achievements. Obito, for example, had died during the Kannabi Bridge mission. He had made great contributions and saved the village, yet he too had remained unknown, remembered only