"Minister, should we be heading back to the village now?"
Kakashi asked.
Logically, they should. Crushing Kirigakure's forces and slaying Mizukage Yagura in battle was an unprecedented victory for Konoha in the Third Shinobi World War.
"We're going back, but we're also not."
Uchiha Mai smiled.
"What does that mean?"
Kakashi and the others were confused.
Either they went back or they did not. How could they do both?
"Kakashi, Brother Kagetora, the two of you can lead the regular troops back to the village.
Take Mizukage Yagura's body with you. Let the Hokage have a look, then have the medical ninjas restore the body and bury him in the rear mountain of the Uchiha Clan estate.
Give him a proper burial. Yagura was, after all, the leader of a village."
Uchiha Mai picked out several people and calmly gave his orders.
Kakashi considered it briefly.
The force of more than a hundred included four Anbu squads, led by Kakashi, Hyuuga Kagetora, Uchiha Tekka, and Shangfeng. Most of their members were from the Uchiha Clan.
Apart from those four squads, there were over thirty Uchiha clansmen and even more civilian ninjas.
Once Kakashi and Hyuuga Kagetora took the civilian ninjas back, everyone left behind would bear the Uchiha name.
"What about you, Minister?"
Kakashi continued asking.
"Kirigakure's affairs haven't been fully settled yet. I'll need to remain here for quite a while. The regular ninjas won't be able to help me with what comes next."
Kakashi nodded slightly. That reason was perfectly reasonable.
After receiving their orders, Kakashi and Hyuuga Kagetora took Yagura's body and led the force of several dozen men onto the road back to Konoha.
"Ah... I'm exhausted.
I heard sea fish tastes better than river fish. Brother Tekka, go get us some fish from the shore.