As the official team leader for this Chūnin Exam, Akihiko took the whole event seriously, after all, they were there to support Konoha.
So, after gathering the team back in the village, they set off promptly in a private transport vehicle heading straight for Konoha.
Of course, considering there were quite a few kids, nine in total, and their driver was none other than Uchiha Obito (who, knowing him, would probably want to hang out with some old friends once they arrived), Akihiko decided it would be wise to appoint a vice-leader just in case things went sideways… And that vice-leader? None other than Hanzo of the Salamander.
Admittedly, Akihiko had been initially against the idea. His concerns were legitimate: he was genuinely worried that Hanzo might just decide to lay on Konoha's floor at the most inconvenient moment. And that… would be incredibly embarrassing, not just for him, but for three villages all at once.
However, Hanzo insisted on coming. He claimed he wanted to visit an old friend in Konoha. After all these years, nostalgia had apparently caught up with him, he wondered aloud whether his buddy was eating well, sleeping enough, and whether his wallet had finally gotten any thicker over the past three years.
Hanzo even gave a heavy sigh, hand dramatically placed over his chest, and said that he was getting old… and if he didn't take this chance to visit, he might never get another.
Honestly, Akihiko thought the old man looked perfectly fine, especially considering how energetically he'd been arguing with Elder Chiyo just the day before. If anything, Hanzo had the spirit of a man with at least another ten or twenty years of bickering left in him. But faced with those misty, guilt-tripping eyes (and the unmistakably pungent breath that accompanied them), Akihiko could only sigh and give in.
And since Hanzo was already tagging along, Akihiko figured, might as well bring Chiyo too. Keep the elders in pairs; maybe they'd keep each other in check.
Naturally, the moment Ebizō heard his sister was going, he perked right up. Said he hadn't seen Konoha in years, and while his legs still worked, he might as well take a trip down memory lane.
Then Obito saw how large the group was getting and thought, Eh, might as well bring Rin too, assigning her as the team's medical-nin.
"It'd be good for her to see Konoha again," he said with a shrug. "No matter what happened, no matter how they turned their backs on us… Konoha's still where we grew up. Coming back for a visit? That's only fair."
So, with Rin added into the mix, the team grew a bit bigger than originally planned. But despite the expanding numbers, the entire journey was filled with laughter and chatter. It hardly felt like a mission anymore, it was more like a holiday trip.
Seriously, the way this team was rolling into Konoha, Akihiko couldn't help but wonder, was this even a real mission? Was there anything to worry about? If anything, it seemed like Konoha should be the ones nervous, not them.
Hanzo, for his part, was daydreaming along the way, thinking about how, when he met his old friend again, he might just invite him to the Land of Rain for a nice, peaceful vacation.
In fact, Hanzo was so excited about the reunion, he had a little surprise planned for his friend. That's why he wasn't planning to step out of the transport vehicle right away. He figured, the moment his friend laid eyes on him, he'd be so taken aback by Hanzo's "unexpected" presence that he'd have the perfect opportunity to say, "Surprise! I'm here, and I've brought the whole gang!"
Everyone was lounging comfortably inside the 'transport vehicle', enjoying a peaceful wait, everyone except Obito, that is. He was up front, driving diligently with no one to switch off with. Thanks to their 'special express route', it wasn't long before they arrived just outside the gates of Konoha.
They were just getting ready to step out, leaving Hanzo behind to spring a surprise on his dear old friend, Danzō, when suddenly, Obito reappeared inside the vehicle.
With an odd expression on his face, he just said: "Konoha closed the gate."
Then, just silence. A heavy, stunned silence fell over the group. Moments later, Hanzo, Chiyo, and Ebizō all wore matching scowls of disbelief. Without hesitation, they declared that Konoha was being downright rude. They were standing right at the front gate, plain as day. How could Konoha just shut the door on them?
What an insult. What a disgrace to the dignity of the Great Ninja Villages. Just as the three were about to storm out and confront the gatekeepers in person, Akihiko quickly stepped in to stop them.
"We came here to support them, not to start a fight," he reminded calmly. "We're a recognized power now. We have standing. What would it look like if our respected elders started arguing at someone else's gate like street peddlers?"
Reluctantly, the trio settled back into their seats, though the air still buzzed with frustration.
"I'll go myself," Akihiko said, straightening his robes. "Once they see the leader of the Grass Village standing before them, they'll open the gates. No question."
As for Obito's claim that the gate slammed shut the moment he mentioned Akihiko's name, Akihiko didn't buy it for a second.
After all, he was a village leader, a well-known and respected figure in the shinobi world. There was no way Konoha, the so-called "great village," would act so disgracefully as to lock the door in the face of a visiting dignitary.
Clearly, they were just nervous about Obito, the infamous rogue ninja from Konoha. They had probably assumed he was back for revenge and panicked. That had to be it.
But as Akihiko stepped out of Obito's vehicle, wearing a warm smile, and calmly walked toward Konoha's gatehouse, he was caught completely off guard when the guards slammed the inner doors shut as well. Not only that, but both gatekeepers quickly retreated several meters back and, from a safe distance, one of them called out, "My apologies, Leader Akihiko. Hokage-sama has been informed. Please wait here for further instructions."
Akihiko stood there in stunned silence. This was how Konoha, the village he'd come to support, chose to welcome the leader of the Grass Village? It was absolutely outrageous and utterly insulting.
At that moment, Uchiha Obito strolled over, a mischievous grin on his face. "Heh, why don't we just go in? This little barrier won't stop us."
Before Akihiko could even reply, a familiar voice interrupted.
"What's going on here?" The air around them twisted, and Hanzō appeared, his tone clearly annoyed as he glanced around. "Why are we still stuck at the gate? Don't tell me Konoha's still refusing to open up?"
Akihiko raised an eyebrow. "You're already out? Weren't you supposed to surprise Danzō?"
"We'll talk about that later," Hanzō waved it off dismissively. "I was worried you two wouldn't handle this right, so I figured I'd step in."
After hearing the full story from Akihiko and Obito, Hanzō frowned, his expression hardening slightly. "Good thing I came out. You were really thinking of forcing your way in? That'd be a slap in the face to Konoha. Don't forget, we're allies now. You two are still too green… No sense of diplomacy at all!"
He patted his chest with pride, and even with his mask on, the confidence in his voice was unmistakable. "Leave this to me. I'll show you how a true veteran handles these situations."
With that, he turned and started walking toward the gates, Akihiko and Obito following behind, watching with interest.
By now, the area around the gate was crowded with ninjas from various villages who had arrived one after another. They all noticed the Grass delegation still stuck outside. Their expressions were a mix of confusion and quiet understanding.
Soon, their attention turned to the former legend of the shinobi world. Everyone was eager to see how the legendary Salamander Hanzō would handle this diplomatic mess.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Hanzō stood before the gates of Konoha, took a deep breath, and narrowed his sharp eyes. They all braced themselves. The old war veteran was about to unleash his legendary presence, to force Konoha's hand and demand the gates open.
"Stop hiding in there!" Instead, Hanzō suddenly shouted, banging loudly on the door. "You've got the guts to lock us out, but not the guts to open up?!"
"Open the damn door!" he bellowed, pounding the gates again. "I know you're in there! Quit pretending! Open up already!"
The crowd froze in disbelief. The so-called legendary shinobi of the world was now yelling at the gates like some angry neighbor, banging on them with the intensity of a man possessed.
This… was his solution? The legendary elder's way of handling things? This was the 'diplomacy' he had promised? It was utterly absurd.
Even Akihiko and Obito couldn't bear to watch anymore, and they both covered their faces in silent shame. This was beyond humiliating. If they'd known Hanzō would end up like this, they would've tied him down back at the village. Honestly, at this point, they might've been better off letting Obito just phase everyone through the gate with Kamui from the beginning.
Then, from somewhere nearby, a dramatic voice suddenly rang out: "Konoha shuts its gates. The legendary shinobi of the world stands outside, shouting, 'If you've got guts, open the door!' What lies behind this closed gate? What secrets is the Leaf trying to hide?!"
Akihiko froze. That voice… it was unmistakable. He slowly turned his head, and there, standing confidently beside him, was none other than a reporter from Shinobi Times, already scribbling furiously into his notepad.
"...When did you even get here?" Akihiko asked flatly.
Without missing a beat, the reporter looked up with serious eyes and replied, "Leader Akihiko, when news fills the air… Just look around, we're already there."
Akihiko stared at him in disbelief. How the hell had they infiltrated this far out? Was Mubuki truly destined to become the King of Shinobi Journalism?
Just then, as Akihiko stood frozen in stunned silence, Creeaak~, the gates of Konoha slowly began to open. Even Hanzō paused mid-rant, clearly not expecting his shouting to actually accomplish anything.
Before anyone could react further, a loud voice rang out from inside: "Cue the music!"
Cheerful music suddenly started playing, echoing through the entrance.
At the same time, a large red banner unfurled above the gate:
[WELCOME, FRIENDS FROM THE GRASS VILLAGE]
Everyone in the area just stood there, dumbfounded. For a moment, the entire crowd was silent, as if processing what they were seeing. Somehow… this felt eerily familiar.