Peace-Lover

"Naruto, your big sister will come back to see you. Be a good girl and eat well every day..."

Kushina Uzumaki reluctantly said goodbye to Naruto Uzumaki, telling Naruto that she had some things to take care of. Although Naruto was also reluctant, he just laughed and told Kushina Uzumaki to go about her business.

Looking at Naruto Uzumaki, who seemed so sensible, Kushina Uzumaki felt even more guilty...

"Naruto, we'll meet again..." Kato Osamu had already left the Nine-Tails' space. He was now basically certain that what the Sage of Six Paths said was true, and the Nine-Tails seemed to have calmed down a lot, no longer bothering Naruto from time to time.

"Goodbye, sir! Thank you for treating me to a big meal! Oh, by the way, sir! I still don't know your name."

"I can tell you my name, but you'd better not tell anyone in Konoha..." Kato Osamu's name may not be as famous as Orochimaru's in Konoha, but he was once a ninja who killed the Fourth Mizukage and held a title. The younger generation may not know him, but there are quite a few people in Konoha who know him.

"Hehe! I definitely won't tell anyone!"

"Kato Osamu, remember that... We're leaving..."

"Goodbye, Uncle Kato! Goodbye Kushina Uzumaki- neechan! Goodbye, everyone! Goodbye!" Naruto waved with a laugh, and Kato Osamu and the others walked out of the shop.

"Magic Mirror Reversal Technique, dispel!"

As Naruto Uzumaki walked further and further away until he disappeared from sight, Kato Osamu released the Mirror Transformation Technique. However, in the eyes of the Anbu, they had not changed at all; they were just a group of villagers dressed as ordinary people.

Hidden not far away, Kakashi Hatake watched Naruto Uzumaki gradually disappear, and his worries eased somewhat. The Anbu only protected Naruto Uzumaki in secret and basically did not interfere in his life, while Kato Osamu and his group seemed to be just normal villagers.

For some reason, even though the others didn't seem to notice anything unusual and didn't do anything to Naruto, he had a peculiar feeling in his heart, as if there was a vague sense of familiarity...

Kakashi Hatake waved slightly, signaling the other Anbu to continue following Naruto, while he chose to keep an eye on Kato Osamu and his group, "Let's observe them a little longer..."

"You seem to recognize him... but he doesn't seem to recognize you at all..." Mei Terumi's eyes held a hint of mockery as Hinata Hyuga. Hearing Mei Terumi's words, Hinata Hyuga slowly lowered her head, rubbing her fingers...

"Naruto-kun... maybe he's just too happy..." Hinata said softly, trying to defend Naruto. For some reason, she also felt a slight pang of disappointment.

"Want to go home?" Mei Terumi smiled, patting Hinata's head.

"Hmm?" Hinata looked at Mei Terumi hopefully. Hinata Hyuga, she understood that this group didn't seem to be bad people; at least they hadn't done anything to her. But the thought of going home still filled her with a longing...

"Wait until you can defeat me..." Mei Terumi shook her head slightly. She was just teasing Hinata Hyuga. Given the current situation in Konoha, if they let Hinata Hyuga go back like this, Mei Terumi really didn't know if it would be a good thing. A six-year-old child suddenly placed at the center of Uzumaki, not to mention that it would expose their existence...

"I... I know you... you're not bad people... but, Father, the family will be worried... I..." Cloud Shinobi still remembered being rescued by Mei Terumi Ninja, but they wouldn't let her go home. Hinata Hyuga didn't know whether she should be grateful to Mei Terumi or hate her, especially since they seemed to treat her quite well...

"Don't worry, didn't you see... everyone in Konoha is celebrating the arrival of peace... but they don't seem worried about you at all..."

"But..."

"Come with me obediently, there will be a chance to come back..." There was no way to run away. Hinata Hyuga had tried, and although she had only just opened the door, she was discovered. The timid girl seemed to have resigned herself to her fate and followed behind Mei Terumi with her head down.

"Osamu-kun, it looks like there's a familiar little mouse following us..." Kakashi Hatake's whereabouts were practically transparent to Orochimaru and Kato Osamu, so how could Kato Osamu not have noticed? However, he didn't intend to pay any attention to Kakashi Hatake.

"Just a minor character..." Kato Osamu shook his head slightly, his gaze fixed on the ever-growing celebration procession.

As if spontaneously, yet also as if planned, countless villagers followed the leading band toward Konoha's largest training ground, the venue for the final round of the Chunin Ninja Exams Konoha, though it had not been used for several years.

During times of war, the Chunin and even Jonin exams are simplified considerably, eliminating the need for multiple, tedious tests. Only during peacetime does the Chunin Ninja Exams become a regular "entertainment" activity, allowing all the villagers of Konoha to witness the prowess of the new generation of Chunin...

Just as it symbolizes peace, grand banquets are held here whenever a war is won, with a variety of programs and entertainment activities. This is also the first shot in the arm for Konoha to stimulate post-war economic recovery and appease the people.

"It's really prosperous... even after years of war..." Mei Terumi compared Konoha and Mist Shinobi, and a strange feeling of being a country bumpkin arose in her heart.

"Although the theoretical peace begins today, the internal fighting in Konoha has long since ceased, and the village has been developing peacefully for several years... so it's naturally not as desolate as it was after the war..."

The high platform of the training ground was already filled with villagers. Kato Osamu companions stood to the side, watching the various performances on the field. The physical abilities of ninjas were naturally far superior to those of ordinary people in their previous lives, and with the aid of Ninjutsu, the entertainment activities in the Shinobi World were naturally exceptionally grand.

It has lost some of its technological embellishments, but gained a touch of magical wonder...

"Lord Hokage!"

"It's the Lord Third!"

Suddenly, a fierce shout erupted from the crowd. On the opposite side of the platform, Hiruzen Sarutobi, dressed in the Hokage robe and wearing the Hokage hat, slowly appeared in the middle seat of the highest level. With a slight raise of one hand, the shouts gradually subsided.

"In the autumn of Konoha 46, the war began, perhaps the most memorable war in Konoha's history. The enemy routed the village's vanguard within days, nearly reaching the heart of the Land of Fire. But Konoha has never feared war, and thus began the greatest war in the Shinobi World..."

In Konoha 47, in the heart of the Land of Fire, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Kirigakure lost its high-end combat power and subsequently closed itself off from the world, never to recover. After the Battle of Kannabi Bridge, Iwagakure began to fall behind. In Konoha 48, Battle of Kikyo Pass, thousands of Sunagakure ninja Sand Shinobi out in one battle, and Sunagakure was defeated and fled, never again having the power to contend with the enemy.

Today, the Kumogakure has presented us with a peace treaty.

We, Konoha, have defeated all the great powers in the world! I am proud of you! This is the shared honor of everyone in Konoha...

Our decision to accept this peace treaty is not because Konoha fears any war, but because we will always cherish peace...

Today, peace has arrived throughout the entire Shinobi World...

Hiruzen Sarutobi's speech brought tears to the eyes of countless Konoha, and cheered them on. Orochimaru, watching his former Shinobi Hero teacher's impassioned speech, scoffed, a strange sense of disgust rising within him. It seemed that his once ambitious teacher was becoming increasingly unfamiliar to him...

"Teacher Sarutobi, has your heart grown so old...?"

The Third's speech might have been a great encouragement and inspiration to ordinary villagers, but to those who knew the inside story, it seemed somewhat ridiculous...

Orochimaru pursed his lips, a crazy thought suddenly flashing into his mind, "Teacher Sarutobi, you should thank me..." His sinister smile made Kabuto Yakushi move slightly away from Orochimaru...

"Kabuto, let's go. It's time to execute our plan..." Kabuto Yakushi had already scouted all the necessary 'materials' several days ago, but Orochimaru hadn't made a move for some reason. Now that the topic had been suddenly brought up, Kabuto Yakushi was slightly taken aback...

"Do you need my help?" Kato Osamu looked at Orochimaru thoughtfully, probably understanding some of his current feelings. If Orochimaru still harbored some nostalgia for Konoha before, from now on, he completely regarded it as a strange village...

"Osamu-kun, you should take care of your own affairs first..." Orochimaru glanced coldly at Kato Osamu and disappeared from the platform. Kato Osamu chuckled lightly, not caring.

Orochimaru is proud, always has been...