"The war is over..."
The smoke of battle gradually cleared. The Amegakure ninja were forced to withdraw from the battlefield entirely, their figures fading into the billowing dust. With Amegakure's full retreat, the shadow of war began to lift.
Meanwhile, on the Sunagakure battlefield in the south of the Land of Rain, the Sunagakure ninja laid down their weapons. Their opponents had sent a peace delegation, and they chose to surrender.
Cheers rang through the streets of Konoha. The villagers poured out to celebrate this hard-won victory.
Exhausted but proud, Konoha's ninja marched through the streets. Their bodies bore the marks of battle, badges of honor. The Hokage stood on a raised platform, gazing down at the cheering crowd, his heart full of emotion.
Konoha had paid a tremendous price in this war, but in the end, it had secured its position among the Five Great Nations.
Victory had raised Konoha's prestige to new heights. The other ninja villages sent envoys to express their desire for friendship and cooperation, and even signed friendly alliance agreements.
To celebrate the victory, the village merchants took it upon themselves to organize a victory festival. Children laughed and played on the reconstructed training grounds, and Konoha had regained its former vitality.
However, Sarutobi Hiruzen knew peace was hard-won. He once again convened a Jonin Meeting to discuss postwar defenses and strategies for strengthening and developing the village.
The meeting room was solemn yet lively.
Sarutobi Hiruzen sat at the head of the table, his gaze full of authority and satisfaction. He rose to his feet and began handing out rewards for merit:
"During this campaign, Jonin Hatake Sakumo served as a spearhead on the southern Sunagakure battlefield. He personally killed Reto's son and daughter-in-law, dealing a heavy blow to Sunagakure's morale. In recognition, Hatake will be permitted to select one forbidden sealing technique as a reward. He will also be transferred to Anbu and appointed its director!"
"Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru were the principal commanders on the northern Amegakure battlefield in the Land of Rain. They faced Amegakure's leader, Salamander Hanzo, head-on several times. In the end, they even joined forces to earn the title of 'Konoha Sannin' in their battle against him, laying the foundation for victory on the Amegakure front!"
"As a reward, each of the three will be permitted to freely choose one forbidden sealing technique to study!"
"Additionally, Jiraiya will be appointed Jonin Commander, Orochimaru will become head of the R&D Department, and Tsunade will serve as deputy director of the Medical Department and deputy director of Konoha Hospital!"
"..."
After the rewards had been handed out, Sarutobi Hiruzen sat back down, his expression turning serious.
He spoke again, slowly:
"Everyone, the great nations have now sent negotiating delegations to sign a peace agreement with us, pledging not to invade one another."
"This is the fruit of our long-standing efforts. At last, the dawn of peace is upon us!"
"But dawn has yet to break. No one knows whether they've come to Konoha in good faith or whether they have designs elsewhere. So, for now, none of you can let your guard down. You must stay alert to every crisis that may arise!"
Everyone listened with grave expressions, as if they could see the boundless darkness before dawn.
Then Sarutobi Hiruzen continued:
"To further strengthen communication and cooperation and promote the growth of our ninja, the great nations have decided to hold a Joint Chunin Exams, to be hosted here in Konoha!"
"These Chunin Exams will not only test the abilities of our young ninja, but also give us a chance to show Konoha's strengths. What's more, they'll be a major factor in determining whether we can secure further advantages at the negotiating table!"
"I hope you'll give this your all and recommend talented, capable Genin to compete. Let them show the spirit and strength of Konoha's ninja in these exams."
At the news, the ninja's eyes gleamed with excitement and determination.
They rubbed their hands together, eager to see their students or younger clan members shine in the grand Chunin Exams and outclass the "Genin elites" sent by the other nations!
Seeing their reactions, Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded in satisfaction. He believed Konoha's ninja would achieve excellent results in the Joint Chunin Exams and bring honor to the village.
At last, the clouds of war lifted from the skies above the Land of Fire, and the Hidden Leaf Village basked in the long-awaited light of peace.
To proclaim the new postwar order, strengthen the alliance, and deter potential ambitions, Konoha organized and hosted the first large-scale joint Chunin Exams since the war. The event opened to great fanfare at the grand Central Training Ground and the surrounding area!
Led by Konoha, the major nations' ninja villages—including Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and Sunagakure—as well as smaller villages such as Amegakure, Kusagakure, and Takigakure, sent delegations with their elite Genin. They stepped onto this land, a symbol of victory and peace.
Konoha's streets were festooned with decorations. Pride and excitement shone on the villagers' faces, and the air still held the festive spirit of the recent celebrations—a stark contrast to the murderous aura surrounding the ninja from the visiting villages.
At the center of the Konoha stands, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi wore his Hokage Haori and smiled warmly, though his gaze remained sharp as an eagle's.
Konoha's senior leadership and representatives of the great ninja clans surrounded him. Every one of them had their eyes fixed on the three Konoha teams in the staging area below.
One team was the classic Ino-Shika-Cho trio, made up of the next generation of heirs to the three clans: the lazy-looking Nara Shikaku, the sunny and gentle Yamanaka Inoichi, and the round, chubby, harmless-looking Akimichi Choza!
The second team was Team Jiraiya, led by the composed and calm Namikaze Minato, whose quiet exterior concealed a formidable edge. It included Uzumaki Kushina, whose red hair blazed like fire and whose chakra surged with power, and Akimichi Yoshimaru, another steady and dependable rising star of the Akimichi Clan!
The final team stood at the very front.
Its leader was a young man with the Uzumaki Clan's distinctive long hair, even darker in color than Kushina's, like flames frozen in place! He had a striking figure and delicate features. His blue-green eyes were calm as a still pond reflecting the sky.
He was the protagonist of this book, the team captain of Team Sakumo: Uzumaki Qi Luna!
Though only twelve, he had already awakened the Uzumaki Clan's unique healing constitution to a high degree. He had also developed several bloodline abilities, including Adamantine Sealing Chains and the Mind's Eye of the Kagura. On the Amegakure battlefield, he had displayed a composure and control far beyond his years.
Behind him stood Shirokumo Hayama, carrying a long sword slung across his back and wearing a focused expression, and Yakushi Nonō, pushing up her glasses, her gaze as sharp as a scalpel!
This team's imposing presence surpassed that of every other ninja squad present, including those from the great nations!
"Hey, Qi Luna!"
Kushina's booming voice broke the quiet of the staging area. She bounded over in a few quick strides and slapped Qi Luna on the shoulder, her red hair flying as she brimmed with energy:
"We're on our home turf this time, so don't let your big sister down!"
Qi Luna tilted his head slightly, as if a thought had crossed his mind. Then the faintest smile touched his lips. His gaze swept over the varied expressions of the representatives on the stands and the young elites from the other nations waiting in formation at the training ground entrance. His voice was as steady as ever, his words carrying a calmness born of understanding the world:
"Kushina, I'm known as 'Konoha Red Peak' now. Besides, the more home-field advantage we have, the calmer we need to be. The 'winds' here are even harder to read than they were on the battlefield!"
"Bleh~ You're still not cute at all. I'm the older sister, but you're always talking like you're the senior!"
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