Shin'un and his group didn't have to wait long. However, as evening approached the next day, Hatake Sakumo arrived at the outpost with a slightly weakened Anbu Ninja ninjas.
Konoha White Fang was far more renowned than Shin'un. Having witnessed White Fang's battle Jonin, Kōsuke immediately confirmed Hatake Sakumo's identity and welcomed all the Anbu Ninja into the base.
Upon receiving the message, Shin'un and the others left their room and met up with Hatake Sakumo.
Seeing that Yakushi Nonō was well protected by Shin'un and the others, Hatake Sakumo nodded in relief.
" Lord White Fang, would you like to rest here for the night before you leave?"
Kōsuke Jonin behind Hatake Sakumo and extended an invitation.
"Mmm~~"
Hatake Sakumo looked at the darkening sky and then at the group of clearly exhausted Anbu Ninja behind him, and nodded.
Please.
Kōsuke Jonin waved his hand.
The next morning, the ninjas, who had enjoyed a barbecue feast the night before, set off early to continue escorting Yakushi Nonō to Konoha. Shin'un's team was naturally among them.
As expected, after four days of high-speed movement, the towering walls of Konoha came into view.
Perhaps because the group included non- Anbu Ninja like the Shin'un squad, Hatake Sakumo did not return to Konoha through the Anbu's secret passage, but instead led everyone to the Konoha Gate.
"Wow, I'm back! I miss it!"
Before even getting close, looking at the towering Konoha Gate in the distance, Hina Kō let out a sigh that seemed out of place for her age.
Shin'un wasn't surprised; in fact, not only Hina Kō, but even he himself was somewhat amazed.
After all, he hadn't returned to Konoha even once since he stepped onto the battlefield three years ago.
There was no way around it; the front lines of the Land of Rain's battlefield were like a cannibalistic hellhole. No matter how much Konoha bled dry or how many reinforcements they sent, the front lines were always short of manpower.
Although Konoha would send out a group of ninjas every now and then to replace some of the frontline ninjas who were not in good condition, his name would obviously not be on the replacement list.
Not to mention Orochimaru, one of the battlefield commanders in the Land of Rain, who was also the teacher of Shin'un and the others. He had been immersed in the Land of Rain since the start of the war, without a single day of relaxation.
Seeing how diligent the teachers were, Shin'un and the others naturally had no choice but to work hard as well.
Even Minato Namikaze, Jiraiya Jiraiya's apprentice next door, shares this trait.
After Hatake Sakumo negotiated with the ninjas guarding the Konoha Gate, Shin'un and his group successfully crossed the Konoha Gate.
Looking at the familiar buildings in the distance, Shin'un couldn't help but relax, and a smile unconsciously appeared on his face.
Although the ongoing war in the Land of Rain has ultimately affected the normal operation of Konoha, the streets are far less bustling and lively than they used to be.
But compared to the perpetually gloomy weather of the Land of Rain, Konoha, with its calm and peaceful climate, is simply paradise.
"Alright, you can go back to the Anbu and report for duty."
"Sparrow, your squad stays behind."
Hatake Sakumo dismissed most of the Anbu Ninja, then looked at Shin'un and the others.
"Alright, we don't need this many people to report to the Hokage's office. I'll take a few with me."
"You may all go your separate ways, rest for a few days, and go home to see your parents."
"In a few days, the Lord Hokage will likely summon you and personally assign you your next tasks."
After saying that, Hatake Sakumo nodded, and together with several Anbu, he Yakushi Nonō leaped onto the roof.
Shin'un and the others stared blankly at Hatake Sakumo's rapidly disappearing figure.
The three stood in the open space at the Konoha Gate, looking at each other, unsure of what to say.
Finally, Shin'un was the first to speak.
"Then... shall we go home and take a look?"
Having not been home for three years, Shin'un still missed the family flower shop and her two adoptive parents.
Upon hearing Shin'un's words, Shiina Kō seemed somewhat slow to react, as if still caught up in the battlefield of the Land of Rain.
Only after hearing Shin'un's words did he realize what was happening, and his eyes suddenly lit up.
"Yes, we can go home!"
After saying that, she seemed a little impatient, Teuchi, and turned to leave in the direction of home.
Shin'un and Yūichi were left. They smiled at each other and then went their separate ways.
After separating from Yūichi, Shin'un onto the roof and ran straight towards the flower shop in his hometown.
Not long after, the family's flower shop came into Shin'un's view.
A smile unconsciously appeared on Shin'un's face as she jumped directly to the flower shop entrance. From the wide-open door, she immediately saw her father tending to the flowers and her mother sitting at the counter doing the accounting.
"Dad! Mom!"
Upon hearing their son's voice, Shin'un's parents immediately turned to look.
To their surprise, they found their beloved son standing at the shop entrance, smiling at them.
Seeing her parents' happy faces, Shin'un strode into the flower shop.
"Ah!"
Shin'un's mother, Toyoko Hirakawa, immediately dropped the account book she was holding and happily hugged Shin'un.
Shin'un's father also watched the mother and son hug each other with a happy expression.
Without asking how Shin'un got back, the parents, seeing that their son was safe and sound, immediately closed the flower shop.
Shin'un's mother rolled up her sleeves, smiling as she prepared a big meal to celebrate.
The next day, early morning.
Shin'un lay lazily on the bed, unusually reluctant to get up.
Nestled in the familiar comfort of his bed, Shin'un couldn't help but feel the urge to stay asleep forever.
"Crunch~"
A soft footstep suddenly came from outside Shin'un's room window.
Three years of battlefield life instilled in Shin'un a habitual sense of vigilance.
Even while still half-asleep, I noticed someone outside the window and immediately jumped up.
As soon as the blankets were thrown off, Shin'un instantly woke up and entered the Lightning Body Flicker state, with fine electric currents immediately swirling around his body.
However, Shin'un was suddenly stunned when he saw the human figure crouching outside the window.
Looking at the somewhat familiar Anbu mask, Shin'un withdrew the crackling electricity around his body and stepped forward to open the window.
"Sparrow? Is something the matter?"
Sparrow was wearing a mask, Shin'un couldn't see her expression clearly.
After a slight pause, Que Qing's cold voice came from beneath the mask of the Anbu.
"Pack your things, the Lord Hokage wants to see you."
"Oh, I understand."
Shin'un nodded. He had long guessed that the Third would come looking for him, so he wasn't too surprised.
Just as Shin'un was about to take off her pajamas, she suddenly saw that Que was still squatting outside the window, staring intently at her.
"Sparrow, I need to change my clothes..."
Upon hearing Shin'un's words, Que nodded, seemingly somewhat puzzled.
"You need to change your clothes, so what?"
Shin'un's eyes twitched upon seeing this.
"So get out of my way!"
"Don't underestimate a thirteen-year-old!"
Silently grumbling to himself, Shin'un knew that to the sparrows outside the window, he was still a thirteen-year-old child, and he didn't intend to argue.
"Whoosh~"
After closing the curtains to block out the outside view, Shin'un took off his pajamas and Jonin outfit.