"It's over."
Yoru's voice drifted through the air, as if putting a cruel end to this absurd farce.
The Iwagakure team began to assemble, preparing to head home.
Naruto and Sasuke had their arms slung around each other's shoulders, still arguing red-faced over who had looked cooler just now.
Deidara, meanwhile, looked regretfully at the Explosive Tags he had forcibly "renewed," muttering that he had not gotten to see any real fireworks.
Just as this victorious team was about to turn and leave,
a golden figure slowly emerged from the shadows at the shattered contestants' entrance to the arena.
Sunlight fell across his distinctive spiky blond hair, reflecting a dazzling gleam.
Behind him followed a beautiful woman in a plain long dress, her fiery red hair cascading down her back.
She held his hand, while her other hand rested gently on her lower abdomen.
It was slightly swollen, as though nurturing a new life.
When those two familiar yet unfamiliar faces were fully revealed before the tens of thousands of spectators,
the entire arena fell silent in an instant.
A deathly silence.
Everyone froze as though someone had pressed pause.
Their mouths hung open, their eyes wide as they stared fixedly at the pair who looked like a heavenly couple.
Their minds had gone blank.
"Th-that is..."
A young genin dropped the kunai in his hand with a clang.
He rubbed his eyes furiously, his voice shaking like he had the chills.
"Am... am I hallucinating?"
"N-no... it's not an illusion..."
An elderly jonin beside him instantly had tears welling in his clouded old eyes.
His lips trembled, every word seeming to be forced through clenched teeth.
"It's... it's the Fourth Hokage... and Lady Kushina..."
Minato Namikaze.
Kushina Uzumaki.
These two heroes, who should have died more than a decade