"You weren't seeing things. Look at that Hyuga elder—usually he acted like he had his eyes on top of his head, but today he was sitting there obediently, drinking tea."
"How could he not behave? Look at who invited him."
"Mirai Uzumaki... He was the man who even dared to kill Danzo. Even the Hokage treated him politely. Who would dare deny him respect?"
"The Hyuga were the same. That elder originally claimed he had matters to attend to, but the clan head glared at him once, and he immediately changed his tune: 'I happen to be free.'"
"The Uchiha Clan seemed to have a pretty good relationship with Mirai. Was that Clan Head Yamamoto's son who came? Why did he look so sulky?"
"Hahahaha, that was way too real."
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat beside the seat of honor, wearing a proper smile, though his grip on his pipe was tighter than usual.
He looked over the hall full of guests and silently counted—
Uchiha Clan, Hyuga Clan, Senju Clan, Sarutobi Clan, Shimura Clan, Aburame, Inuzuka, Yamanaka, Nara, Akimichi... Every clan in Konoha had arrived.
And the reason these people were sitting together was not because of him, the Hokage, but because of Mirai Uzumaki.
He took a puff from his pipe and slowly exhaled.
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura sat in a corner, drinking tea with their heads lowered and occasionally exchanging glances.
Their expressions were complicated—neither of them wanted to come, yet neither dared stay away.
Danzo's fate remained an eternal shadow in their hearts.
Tsunade sat at another table, clinking glasses with Orochimaru.
She wore a formal kimono today, and her hair had been carefully arranged. She looked several years younger than usual.
"Why did that kid Mirai have to make such a big occasion out of this?"