Minato's Triumphant Return
Konoha
Night
In Uchiha Nara's residence, lights were on in the courtyard Naraku watered the potted plants. The courtyard was filled with greenery and herbs, and the sound of flowing water created a natural and tranquil atmosphere in the small space.
The herbs were all cultivated by Tsunade. As a medical master, her hobbies, besides gambling and drinking, included observing herbs and researching Medical Ninjutsu and knowledge.
After Naraku finished watering, he placed the watering can on the shelf in the courtyard.
"Sarutobi Hiruzen..."
Naraku muttered the names of the Third Hokage, somewhat helplessly.
The Konoha-Kumogakure Treaty was signed, with Kumogakure donating 10 billion ryo to Konoha, to be paid in three installments over three years. The first installment of 1 billion ryo has already been transferred to the Finance Department.
The remaining amount was to be paid on New Year's Day each year. Sarutobi Hiruzen secretly persuaded the envoy from Kumogakure to stay and negotiate peace. After agreeing on 10 billion ryo, he took the Kumogakure back to his office in Konoha.
After much pleading, Naraku couldn't refuse him. So he went along with it and signed a peace treaty with Kumogakure, thus securing peace.
With the end of the state of war in Konoha Kumogakure, Konoha has not been at war with any major power since then, and the external environment has been barely peaceful.
Naraku knew that this was merely a matter of the major powers licking their wounds and recuperating.
Spring is a time of renewal, and by late spring the weather is quite comfortable; usually, wearing just one layer of clothing is sufficient.
Naraku gazed at the green plants, clasped his hands together, and formed the Snake Seal.
With Naraku his Chakra, the green plants quickly grew and sprouted, becoming tall and large. Naraku stopped when he saw this.
"Wood Release ninjutsu, Deep Forest Emergence, absorbs Chakra and nourishes itself; Deep Forest Bloom, after absorbing Chakra, grows into flowers and releases poisonous gas, Chakra does not return to itself."
No wonder that Red Moon that day used so much of the Deep Forest Emergence technique.
Naraku manipulated the Wood Release ninjutsu for a while. He had just casually injected a Chakra to control some green plants for fun. If he were to unleash it at full power, the area within a few hundred meters would become a forest.
"Naraku, aren't you coming up here?"
Tsunade called out from the second floor, finding it quite strange that Naraku was watering flowers so late at night out of boredom.
"Here they come! These are the herbs you planted. Chusheng and Xia Chang, so I'm observing their medicinal properties."
At Tsunade's call, Naraku scurried upstairs.
Tsunade is three months pregnant, with her due date in September of Konoha Year 51, which is the time for her to become Empress. She is quite dependent on her lover Naraku.
Konoha
At the Daimon
Naraku wore a red Hokage robe with a Hokage Haori embroidered with two Uchiha Gunbai on the chest. Behind him stood Uchiha Fugaku, Hatake Sakumo, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu.
The status of the Uchiha and the Security Department rose dramatically, and the Hokage would bring the Security Department Chief Uchiha Fugaku, with him to various occasions.
Along the houses in the village, many Konoha stood anxiously, holding flowers in their hands. In front of the village gate, members of the Military Police Force maintained order and kept the streets clear.
On the outer wall of Konoha, two long banners hung on the left and right, which read "Welcome back the heroes in triumph."
Naraku tall and proud, his hands clasped behind his back, waiting quietly.
Time passed second by second, and on the road outside Konoha, an endless line of Konoha Ninja ran forward, rushing towards Konoha.
The leader was none other than the Yellow Flash Namikaze Minato Namikaze Minato, who was wearing a Konoha- style Jonin vest with a Hokage Haori over it.
Welcome back, heroes!
Upon Naraku smiled, gathered Chakra in his throat, and shouted a welcome.
"Fourth generation."
"The Fourth Generation."
"Chieftain."
As the group drew closer to the entrance of Konoha, their pace slowed, and they began walking.
Welcome home!
After receiving the orders from Namikaze Minato and several commanders, Naraku shouted again, then laughed and walked into Konoha, waving his arms to greet the triumphant Konoha Ninja and the welcoming villagers.
Flowers were scattered along both sides of the road, and villagers tossed confetti at the triumphant ninjas.
The victorious Konoha Ninja were all beaming with joy. After fighting for so long, they felt it was all worthwhile.
Villagers on both sides of the houses scattered flowers and called out the names of their relatives and friends.
In war, there are always sacrifices. Naraku, along with several high-ranking officials, quickly returned to the Hokage Building.
"Minato, it's all thanks to you that you subdued Kumogakure, causing Kumogakure."
In the stairwell of the Hokage Building, Naraku, Namikaze Minato Third Hokage, and Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly made their way back to the Hokage Office.
As for the other senior executives, they all returned to their respective office buildings to handle their affairs after the welcoming ceremony.
"Originally, I was evenly matched with the Raikage, but after successfully developing the Rasengan, my Rasengan Ninjutsu could break through the Raikage's Lightning Release Armor, which is why I was able to defeat Raikage."
The successful development of the Rasengan is inseparable from your ideas, Fourth Generation."
Namikaze Minato wore a warm smile, no matter what merit he had made or what the occasion was.
"Haha, I was just offering a few suggestions, but ultimately you were the one who successfully developed this Ninjutsu. Don't be so modest, Minato."
Naraku did not take credit for it. He only offered some suggestions regarding the development of Namikaze Minato 'Naraku Rasengan, and most of them were about increasing the types of nature transformations.
I don't think I made any significant contribution to the development of the Rasengan.
"No, my Wind Style: Rasengan: Chakra. Wind counters lightning, which is why I managed to outmaneuver the Raikage by a few moves."
Namikaze Minato highly valued Naraku's contributions.
"Wind Style: Rasengan, that Ninjutsu that imitates the Tailed Beast Bomb? I didn't expect it to actually be successfully developed, and even have wind-style nature transformation added? Truly, the younger generation is formidable. The future belongs to you."
Dr. Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Professor of Ninjutsu, was somewhat surprised upon hearing these words.
"Third Hokage, I also owe my success to your and Jiraiya's guidance; otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to master these Ninjutsu so smoothly."
Namikaze Minato was positioned perfectly.
The three of them slowly walked back to the office and sat down.
"Minato, Kakashi is adapting very well to the Anbu and has completed many missions exceptionally well. Don't worry about Kakashi."
When Minato went to war, he was somewhat worried about his two disciples, Kakashi and Nohara Rin, and specifically instructed Naraku to look after them.
Kakashi joined the Anbu and adapted very well to Anbu missions, achieving a high completion rate and becoming the strongest rookie.
Nohara Rin works at the Konoha Hospital in the Medical Department, and her Medical Ninjutsu is also highly praised. It can be said that both of Namikaze Minato's disciples are outstanding.
"That puts my mind at ease!"
Upon hearing Naraku's words, Namikaze Minato felt relieved, as he had been worried about returning to Konoha to care for his wife and disciples.
"I assigned Kakashi the task of protecting Kushina. Kushina is pregnant, and I wanted Kakashi to witness the birth of life, hoping it would change Kakashi dark side."
Sarutobi Hiruzen, with his pipe dangling from his lips, spoke softly. He also knew something about Kakashi's situation; against the backdrop of the Shinobi World War, countless tragedies occurred every day.
It was unavoidable, and something he wanted to avoid at all costs.