Inside the Ninja Academy.
On the training ground, Naruto had just finished practicing the Rasengan.
"Did you hear?"
Kiba Inuzuka ran over excitedly with Akamaru.
"Lady Tsunade and the main force are returning to the village today!"
"Really?!"
Naruto leaped into the air, and all the exhaustion vanished from his face.
Kiba's eyes lit up.
"I heard we wiped out Sunagakure! We captured several thousand prisoners!"
"Wow!"
Naruto exclaimed, then grabbed Hinata beside him.
"Senior sister! Let's go take a look!"
Hinata's fair cheeks flushed slightly as she gently nodded.
"Mm."
Sasuke, standing nearby with his hands in his pockets, gave a cold snort.
"They're just a bunch of defeated losers. What's there to see?"
Despite his words, his body honestly followed Naruto's footsteps.
Shikamaru yawned and muttered, "What a pain," but Choji still dragged him toward the village gate.
Konoha's new generation had nearly all turned out.
By the time they reached the village gate, the area was already packed with people.
Cheers surged like waves, drowning out the entire street.
Countless villagers flooded into the streets, standing on tiptoe and straining to look ahead.
"They're back! They're back!"
"Konoha will win!"
The long procession finally appeared at the edge of the horizon.
Tsunade walked at the very front.
Behind her were thousands of Konoha ninja.
Naruto's gaze rapidly swept through the procession.
"Who's that blond guy...?"
He pointed at a blond young man behind Tsunade, riding a large white bird with a smug look on his face.
"I don't know." Sasuke frowned. "Judging by his forehead protector, he doesn't seem to be from our village."
"What a strange guy."
Naruto scratched his head.
The procession continued onward.
When the latter half of the procession entered the village, the cheers in the streets gradually subsided.
Those were the