Konoha, Uzumaki Residence.
Compared with Naruto Uzumaki, who was rushing about outside and matching wits with a thousand-year-old spirit, an entirely different atmosphere hung over Konoha.
The clouds of war seemed to be receding.
Under the Sixth Hokage's firm leadership, the prospect of a peace like that of Konoha's founding seemed to have arrived, filling the entire village with cautious joy and anticipation.
In the neat, welcoming courtyard of the Uzumaki House, however, the atmosphere was rather delicate.
Hinata Hyuga, Hanabi Hyuga, Sakura Haruno, Ino Yamanaka, Karin, and Uchiha Hikari-six girls with very different personalities, all deeply connected to a certain blond-haired boy-sat around the Stone Table in the center of the courtyard.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, scattering patches of light and shadow over them and the neatly folded garment at the center of the Stone Table.
It was a pristine white Hokage Robe.
Its design clearly drew inspiration from the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze's robe, famed throughout the shinobi world, but its details differed. The words "Sixth Hokage" were embroidered on the back, and the fabric gleamed softly in the sunlight. Faint traces of chakra threads woven into it made it clear that this was no ordinary garment.
After discussing it privately, they had each done their part, sewing this formal Hokage Robe for Naruto, stitch by stitch, with their own hands.
Naruto had yet to hold his official Hokage inauguration ceremony.
He had once told Hanabi that after the war ended, he would wear this Hokage Robe for his inauguration and announce to the entire shinobi world the end of the old era and the beginning of a new one.
This garment undoubtedly carried all their blessings for him.
Naruto was no longer alone.
Yet at that moment, the girls' minds were clearly not entirely on the