Konoha.
After hurrying back to the village, Shinji replaced the Shadow Clone that had been covering for him these past few days, then collapsed heavily onto his bed.
Only now did he finally feel at ease.
By the time he opened his eyes again, it was already night.
He stretched, then slowly walked to the window. Looking out at the brightly lit streets, he grinned, a cheerful smile spreading across his face.
The streets were filled with laughter and chatter.
Shopkeepers called out to passersby, couples strolled together, children played, diners savored delicious food, and neighbors chatted.
The bustling streets were full of peace and quiet.
Nobody here knew that, just these past few days, the Shinobi World had faced a crisis that could have meant its destruction. Likewise, nobody knew that Shinji had raced back and forth to resolve that crisis and save the Shinobi World!
Even so, Shinji was still smiling happily.
He had saved the world not for praise from others. Whether they knew about it or appreciated it, he didn't care!
Suddenly, his stomach growled.
"Heh."
Shinji chuckled, threw on a coat, and headed downstairs.
After treating himself to a meal at a barbecue restaurant, he wandered the streets, enjoying a rare moment of leisure as he checked the Lantern Bearer's prompts.
[Reward settlement in progress] [Rating: SS] [Received the Shinobi World's blessings: Chakra (immense), Natural Energy Affinity (abundant), S-rank ninjutsu (random), Yin Release Chakra quality improvement (significant).] [Please select one.] [Achieved an SS rating. You may select one blessing from the Shinobi World and will also receive one random bonus reward.]
Shinji found a place to sit, propped his chin on his hand, and fell into thought.
Though he hadn't obtained any spoils this time, he had successfully severed five "anchors" and averted