"Iwagakure, move out!"
At Ichihan's command, the Iwa Shinobi swiftly formed ranks.
Their broad shoulders and thick arms cast large shadows in the light, their footsteps heavy and powerful, like moving mountains.
Just like that, the last contingent from Iwagakure gradually receded into the distance and disappeared from sight.
Only their own people remained before Konoha's gates.
Jiraiya stood beside Shihōin Naraku, looking around the empty village entrance, and suddenly felt a little dazed.
Not long ago, tens of thousands of ninja from the various villages had stood here, noisy, chaotic, and crowded.
Now it had become so quiet.
"They've finally all left," Naraku said softly, his hands in his pockets.
Tsunade walked over to Naraku and stood shoulder to shoulder with him.
In the distance, the footsteps of the last contingent were no longer audible.
"Yes, they've all left."
"And the Shinobi World War really is over!"
After one last look into the distance, Naraku said, "Let's go. We should head back too. There are still some things to take care of."
"Let's go!"
Naraku raised a hand and rubbed the back of his neck, and the two turned to leave.
Following close behind, Jiraiya shook his head with a smile. "The village seems even quieter than before."
Tsunade said nothing, merely brushing her fingertips quietly along the edge of her forehead protector. The metal was slightly cool.
After a moment's hesitation, she took it off.
"It doesn't feel quite appropriate to keep wearing this forehead protector now. The Allied Shinobi Forces' work has come to a close."
To be honest, she really was a little reluctant to part with it.
Hearing this, Jiraiya sighed beside her. He was even more reluctant than Tsunade to part with this forehead protector engraved with the character for "shinobi."
But there was