The warm autumn sun cast its pleasant light.
At the Konoha Gate stood several figures, one adult and four children.
"See? I always keep my word. Not a single one missing-we're all back!"
Watanabe Ichiro spread his fingers, then clenched his hand again, striking a thoroughly impressive pose.
"Yay! Teacher Yilong is the best!"
Dan Katō, sweet and thoughtful as ever, obligingly clapped his hands, giving him plenty of support.
The others, however, were another story.
"Yeah, we were mostly fine, but Teacher Yilong came just this close..."
Tsunade snarked.
"Looks like the whole death flag thing is a myth. Sure enough, what's written in books isn't the same as reality..."
Orochimaru flipped through The 100,000 Black Jokes Collection in his hands, then tore out a page in disappointment.
Hey, wait! What exactly are you disappointed about?!
"Teacher Yilong, I still think you should go to the hospital and get checked again..."
Jiraiya held a horse stance, worry written all over his face. Lately, he had been squeezing every spare second into training. It seemed he would get along splendidly with Might Guy in the future.
The children undermined him without mercy.
Clutching his chest with a wounded expression, Watanabe Ichiro sighed. The children were growing up and developing minds of their own. They were no longer those adorable little kids who simply followed him around shouting how awesome he was.
He shrugged, dismissed the team, and strolled toward the Hokage Building.
When he pushed open the door to the Hokage's Office, the person in the main seat was not Tobirama Senju, but Hiruzen Sarutobi.
A towering stack of documents sat before him, and he was reviewing them with a numb expression. Shimura Danzō sat beside him, brimming with enthusiasm instead.
Was Tobirama Senju preparing to groom these two?
*Looks