Takahashi Yū spotted the villagers gathered near the village gates from far away.
"What's going on? Takeshi, did you tell the village we were coming back?"
"Captain, how could I notify them? We've only ever been able to contact the village through Root ninja, and I haven't seen one in ages."
Hyūga Gōshi answered Takahashi Yū's question, a smile spreading across his usually composed face.
The people's gratitude was the best comfort for soldiers on the front lines. It made them feel that their desperate fighting had meaning. Takahashi Yū nodded at Takeshi's answer.
The Undying Squad had always operated in the most dangerous places, either at the heart of the battlefield or behind enemy lines. Only Root members, covered in restrictive Cursed Seals, dared infiltrate those places without reservations.
As the fighting on the Land of Lightning front intensified, it had been a long time since they had seen any of Shimura Danzō's Root ninja.
At this point, Danzo's Root was not a tool for satisfying his personal desires, but a group of warriors who loved the village deeply and voluntarily accepted multiple Cursed Seals.
Takahashi Yū stopped dwelling on it, since they were nearly there. Seeing more and more people gathering at the entrance, he could not help feeling stirred himself.
"Heroes! Konoha's heroes!"
"Ah! Lord Takahashi Yū!"
"That's one of our Uchiha! Impressive, right?"
"That man with the Byakugan is so handsome!"
The crowd gathered on both sides of the road, their noisy cheers filling the street. Uchiha Shunji could no longer contain himself and started bouncing about, waving to both sides.
"He's an Uchiha too?"
"Uh... probably..."
Uchiha Shunji's boisterous antics made the other two aloof Uchiha cover their faces in mortification. This kid Shunji was nothing like an Uchiha. Where was the dignity of an Uchiha warrior? In unspoken agreement, they sandwiched Uchiha Shunji between them just as he leaned out to interact with the crowd, each pinning one of his arms to make him settle down.
"Lord Takahashi Yū has such a creepy presence!"
"I'm getting goosebumps."
The villager who said this had just rubbed his arms when a walking stick tapped him lightly on the forehead.
"You brat! The more Lord Takahashi Yū is like that, the more our enemies will fear Konoha!"
An old man leaning on a walking stick sprayed the young man's face with spit.
"My mistake, my mistake! Sir, let's keep watching."
The young man who had been tapped on the head hurried to support the nearly toothless old man in front of him.
"Hmph! Young people these days don't appreciate anything!"
The old man stamped his walking stick against the ground as the young man supported him.
"Yes, yes, sir. Don't get worked up."
The young man could only stand beside him with an apologetic smile as he was lectured.
"Yū, my boy! You're the pride of Hot Springs Street!"
Hearing the familiar voice, Takahashi Yū looked delightedly toward a group of familiar faces at the street corner.
Some still had flour on their hands, and others were holding ladles. Almost all of them wore aprons. Without exception, they were older people, the very neighbors from Hot Springs Street who had taken good care of Takahashi Yū after his parents died in an accident.
It was also their persistent arguments that had kept Konoha's people from taking Takahashi Yū to an orphanage. The house his parents left behind had not been placed in Konoha's "safekeeping" to be returned only when he came of age, either.
Takahashi Yū hurried over to his neighbors. Despite its name, Hot Springs Street actually had very few bathhouses, though it did have hot springs.
"Everyone, I'm back." Takahashi Yū gave them a broad smile.
"Yū, my boy, how did you get so haggard? You must have suffered out there." Some of the old women began wiping away tears.
"If you ask me, Yū, you're not even a ninja. Why go to the front? If anything happened to you, how could we face your parents?"
Feeling his neighbors' concern, Takahashi Yū was filled with emotion. He had spent less than a year on the battlefield, yet it felt as though he had lived another lifetime.
As for looking haggard, Takahashi Yū looked at his height, which had shot up again, and his build, which had grown another size broader. Perhaps his face looked a little more weathered?
"Hahaha! Everyone, thank you for thinking of me. Come over to my place tonight. We'll have hot pot! Let's share a meal."
Apart from the remaining members of the Undying Squad, Takahashi Yū's ties to this village were probably these neighbors who had raised him.
The neighbors of Hot Springs Street had been among the first small groups to seek refuge in Konoha. They were all ordinary people, scraping by amid the chaos of the Warring States period.
That was also the main reason Takahashi Yū had volunteered to fight for Konoha this time. Now all of Hot Springs Street owed Konoha nothing.
Takahashi Yū had repaid the First's kindness in full!
"Wonderful, Yū! I've been keeping your house clean for you. All of us neighbors will give you a welcome-home feast tonight."
While Takahashi Yū caught up with his neighbors from Hot Springs Street,
Hiruzen Sarutobi and Mitokado Homura approached along the village road, leading representatives of many Shinobi Clans.
"Ahem." Seeing the surrounding villagers still clustered together and chattering, Hiruzen Sarutobi could not help clearing his throat.
He even added a trace of chakra to make it sound a little louder.
"Lord Hokage!"
"Lord Hokage is here!"
The surrounding villagers cleared a path for Hiruzen Sarutobi and his party.
Hiruzen Sarutobi led the heads or second-in-command of many Shinobi Clans into the circle the villagers had packed so tightly.
His heart lurched as he swept his gaze over Takahashi Yū's group.
The Uzumaki Clan!?
Hiruzen Sarutobi found the older Uzumaki Shui Ling quite familiar. They had fought side by side during the First Shinobi World War.
He seemed to be drenched in sweat already!
An old woman, a young woman, and two little children. The Uzumaki Clan's red hair was simply too conspicuous.
Even some ninja on the rooftops began wearing strange expressions.
Uzumaki Shui Ling stood among the crowd with a complicated expression. Her vacant gaze might have meant she was remembering the Land of Whirlpools of the past.
It had been just as full of life, but now...
Konoha really was a pack of ungrateful wretches!
She looked toward Takahashi Yū, who was laughing and chatting with some middle-aged and elderly people,
I hope this old woman's decision wasn't wrong.
Mizuki Uzumaki did not harbor quite such deep bitterness, but she could not suppress the sorrow on her face. The two little redheads, however, were caught up in the joyful atmosphere, which eased much of the misery of fleeing for their lives. Their big, round eyes, so characteristic of children, watched everything curiously.
The presence of Hiruzen Sarutobi's party subdued the surrounding voices, until the villagers saw that the Hokage was about to speak and fell silent.
Only Takahashi Yū was still laughing heartily and discussing that evening's food with his neighbors.
"Ahem! Ahem!" Hiruzen Sarutobi cleared his throat twice, hoping to draw Takahashi Yū's attention.
Takahashi Yū could not stand people putting on airs in front of him!
He had wanted to keep catching up with his neighbors, but he gave in to the old woman tugging at his sleeve.
Reluctantly, he turned toward Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Ahem. Today, our heroes of Konoha have returned to the village."
"I, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage of Konoha, sincerely thank you for your sacrifices and contributions to Konoha!"
"On the battlefield, you fought with unmatched courage and admirably carried forward our predecessors' Will of Fire. Now, welcome home, heroes!"
The surrounding villagers' cheers rang through the skies.
It had to be said that Hiruzen Sarutobi did a fairly good job of keeping up appearances.
The villagers cheered with abandon, and even the members of the Undying Squad were moved.
What remained in Takahashi Yū's mind, however, were the faces of those who had wanted to take back his house when he was little.
Still, I damn well earned this!
Takahashi Yū cheered up all the same.
Before you continue