Morning.
Konoha Village gates.
Today was the day the first batch of ninja troops from the Land of Rain returned to Konoha. Since early morning, many family members and friends had already gathered at the gates to wait.
Although Konoha had announced the approximate accurate time of the ninja troops' return, those who had been eagerly waiting still wanted to see their loved ones and close friends as soon as possible.
The war between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain had lasted over a year. Very few ninjas who had been there since the beginning survived until the end.
The cruelty and danger of the battlefield made the families of the ninjas at home worry constantly. Even a short separation felt like an eternity, fearing that one day they might suddenly receive tragic news from the battlefield, fearing that their loved ones would forever remain in that unfamiliar land.
So when they heard that this war had ended, many were too excited to sleep and came to the Konoha gates early to eagerly await their return.
Among them were Uchiha Ryun's mother, Uchiha Asuka, and his little girlfriend Kushina.
As time passed, the area around the Konoha gates quickly became packed with people. Eventually, even the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, the two Konoha elders, and most of the clan leaders came!
Not only Konoha villagers, but also many influential and wealthy citizens of the Land of Fire came to Konoha today to wait for the triumphant return of the heroes.
Before long, a ninja ran up to Sarutobi Hiruzen to report.
Ten minutes later, a middle-aged man wearing a special jonin vest walked over from the distance.
The man had a resolute face and walked with steady, composed steps. Even facing the huge crowd at the Konoha gates, he remained calm and collected.
"Hero, hero, hero!!!"
Everyone cheered for the hero, everyone shouted. The Yūhi clan leader walked under the admiring gazes of the crowd, smiling as he approached the Third Hokage.
"You've worked hard!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen said solemnly. The two Hokage advisors beside him even bowed slightly to show their respect for the hero.
"I have fulfilled my mission!"
The Yūhi clan leader smiled and nodded, bowing.
Their conversation was completely drowned out by the cheers of the Konoha villagers. The words couldn't even be clearly heard by the other person, so they had to rely on lip-reading to communicate.
A minute later, Sarutobi Hiruzen patted his shoulder and pointed in a direction, indicating that his family was waiting for him. The Yūhi clan leader finally saw his wife, children, and elderly parents.
The family reunited and hugged, while others deliberately lowered their voices and made space so the reunited family could express their longing for each other.
After the Yūhi commander's arrival, it wasn't long before Konoha's ninja troops appeared in an orderly manner in everyone's sight.
At the front of the troops were three people: Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Uchiha Ryun!
These three Konoha heroes were already household names.
"The three at the front, the one on the left is Lord Orochimaru, the one on the right is Lady Tsunade, and the one in the middle must be Lord Ryun. He's so young!"
Someone exclaimed, introducing the three Konoha heroes to everyone. After all, hearing about them was not the same as seeing them in person, as some villagers didn't even know what the heroes looked like.
Especially Uchiha Ryun. Wearing a jonin vest, with a black longsword on his back, long flowing hair, and a pale, soft, handsome face, his striking, cool, and somewhat delicate appearance truly amazed the watching villagers!
Some people, upon seeing Ryun for the first time, were stunned by his beauty. This hero, with his fierce battle record, had a gentle and soft demeanor and a fair, attractive face...
(After spending most of the year in the Land of Rain, where it was often cloudy with little sun, his previously tanned skin had turned pale again.)
Heroes with such distinct personal traits were the most memorable, and the strong contrast made Ryun's popularity in Konoha multiply.
Some who were originally fans of Orochimaru or Tsunade immediately switched their allegiance upon seeing the boy. Even more bystanders fell in love with Ryun at first sight...
At this stage, Uchiha Ryun had reached the point where he was "loved by all, regardless of gender or age"...
As the ninja troops approached, the villagers' cheers reached their peak. The shouts of "hero" could be heard throughout Konoha, and the morale of this Land of Fire's strongest military force reached its highest point.
"On behalf of everyone in the Land of Fire, I welcome Konoha's heroes home. Thank you for your sacrifices and efforts. Everyone has worked hard!"
The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, amplified his voice with chakra and spoke solemnly, even bowing slightly to show his respect.
"Protecting the village and the nation, it was no trouble!"
The ninja troops shouted in unison.
Konoha's official war slogan was to crush the ambition of the Amegakure leader, the "Demigod," so the troops' response wasn't inappropriate... However, a certain master and disciple at the front clearly didn't follow orders and shout this slogan.
Ryun at least moved his lips to pretend, while Orochimaru on the left didn't even bother opening his mouth. Tsunade on the right shouted loudly, clearly excited.
After the initial meeting with the Third Hokage, the ninja troops officially moved toward the waiting families.
"Ryun! We're here!!!"
Kushina shouted loudly. Seeing that Ryun couldn't hear, she pushed through the crowd and ran up to the boy.
"Nana!!!"
Ryun was momentarily dazzled by the sudden flash of bright red hair. After realizing who it was, he shouted excitedly, his eyes filled with unconcealed joy and emotion.
Kushina threw herself into Ryun's arms, crying uncontrollably.
"Hahaha!!!"
Ryun hugged the sweet-smelling, warm, and soft girl tightly, laughing heartily.
Uchiha Asuka and Mito Uzumaki, who were waiting for Tsunade, were blocked by the surging crowd and couldn't get close to their only family for the moment.
"Nana, where's Mom? Where is she?"
Ryun patted Kushina's back and asked with a smile.
"Ah... Auntie, Auntie is over there!!!" Kushina suddenly remembered and quickly pointed in a direction. She had completely forgotten about her...
Seeing the chaotic crowd around and his mother, an ordinary woman, struggling to push through, Ryun gathered chakra in his throat and roared:
"Everyone, make way!!!"
This shout completely overpowered the surrounding noise and momentarily stunned everyone. The chaotic environment actually fell silent for a brief moment as everyone instinctively looked toward the source of the loud voice, thinking something big had happened.
Ryun looked straight at the purple-haired beautiful woman who was crying tears of joy. As he strode toward her, the chaotic crowd actually parted to make way for him!
When he reached Uchiha Asuka, Ryun suddenly knelt down with a thud, ignoring the shocked gazes of the surrounding crowd, and hugged her leg, crying loudly.
"Sorry, Mom, wuwuwu, your son missed you so much..."
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