On the street corner roof, Tsunade with her blonde ponytail waved hard, shouting, "Uncle Kumoi!"
Jiraiya jumped on one foot beside her trying to get a better look, while Orochimaru stood quietly on the eaves.
Further away on a tree trunk, Uchiha Gen braced himself with one hand, his Sharingan watching this side quietly; when his gaze met Kumoi's, the young man bowed respectfully.
Kumoi smiled slightly in that direction, then turned around.
"Back to the Hokage Building."
He said to the Anbu beside him, then glanced at Nara Shikato: "Shikato, notify all department elders, meeting room in one hour."
"Yes."
Escorted by the Anbu, Kumoi walked through the automatically parting crowd and headed toward the village.
Behind him, the cheers gradually turned into more specific clamors—people were talking about the battle, consoling the wounded, helping settle the Uzumaki clan members, and sharing the joy of surviving a catastrophe.
On both sides of the street, Ninja Academy students crowded against the windows, their eyes sparkling as they gazed at the departing back of the Hokage.
Shop owners patted each other on the shoulder; even the most serious ninjas of ordinary days wore relaxed expressions at this moment.
Kagami Uchiha stood in place, watching the direction of Kumoi's departure, and a moment later spoke softly to Uchiha Zhi beside him:
"Take everyone back to rest, the wounded go to the Medical Corps.
Gather within the clan later."
"Yes, Clan Head."
Kagami turned and glanced again at Uchiha Yusuke, who was still standing in place.
That Hawk Faction elder locked gazes with him for a moment, and finally nodded slightly, turning away with his own people.
A grand triumphal return, in concise and efficient arrangements, quickly shifted onto the proper track of post-war reconstruction.
The machine of Konoha began to operate once