"Up ahead is Konoha!"
Might Guy's voice brimmed with joy as it unconsciously rose.
The others in the team were the same, each of them raising their heads to look ahead.
If Danzo and the other leaders had not kept them in check, these people would probably have raced one another out of the formation and sprinted toward Konoha.
"What the hell are you so anxious for?"
Danzo glanced back at them and laughed as he scolded them. "You're Konoha's heroes now, its greatest contributors!"
"Hold your heads high and puff out your chests. Enter the village with the main force!"
"Yes!"
Their reply rang out in neat unison.
Yet it lacked the sternness and coldness they had shown on the battlefield. It was full of warmth, their voices carrying laughter and relief.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
Several figures flashed in front of the team, blocking their path.
Danzo frowned and asked, "What is it?"
The people before him were Anbu Ninja, not his Root Ninja. Sarutobi had likely sent them.
One of the Anbu Ninja stepped forward and quickly answered, "Lord Danzo, the Hokage requests that you enter the village first. He has matters to discuss with you."
The previously lively atmosphere quieted slightly.
The representatives of several clans changed expression, but all looked toward Danzo to see what he would decide.
As the commander-in-chief who had led the team to victory, being summoned into the village alone just before they arrived could only mean one thing: the Hokage did not want Lord Danzo showing his face.
Danzo looked at the Anbu with an amused smile. He had already seen through Sarutobi's little scheme.
When they had departed the village, most of those who saw them off had been ninja or their relatives.
But this time, the returning team would