September had quietly arrived. It was the golden season of autumn, when grain should have been stored away and farmers should have set down their hoes. Yet in the autumn of Konoha's forty-seventh year, the flames of war still raged across the Shinobi World. Still, the wildfire that had burned from the end of last year through midsummer had finally begun to weaken.
Not only had Konoha, Kirigakure, and Sunagakure settled into a mutually understood stalemate, even Iwagakure and Kumogakure, those old northern enemies, had clearly reduced the intensity of their war. Both sides seemed to have felt a trace of exhaustion after more than half a year of fierce attrition.
Amid this rare and brief respite, only one week remained until the official founding of the Ninja Way Origins Research Society, also known as the Shinichi Gathering.
As for the exact date of its founding, several people had proposed different suggestions during the previous meeting. Some said they should wait until Tsunade returned to the village. After all, she was Shinichi's mentor and one of the Legendary Sannin. It would be regrettable for her to miss such an important occasion.
Others suggested finding a monk or Shrine Priest to pick an auspicious date, hoping for a good omen.
Some proposed waiting until winter, when the war had completely stabilized, before making preparations at leisure.
Others even said that since the society was also called the "Shinichi Gathering," they might as well wait until next February and establish it on President Shinichi's birthday. Wouldn't that be more commemorative?
Shinichi naturally gave that last bit of shameless flattery a harsh "criticism" and sternly warned them not to do it again.
Then, as an aside, he proposed a date.
"September 10th."
And just like that, the date was decided.
No one asked