Chapter 188: A Triumphant Return
From the sky, the most striking sight in Konoha was the Hokage Rock, illuminated faintly by moonlight. Four faces stood proudly carved in stone — except for one odd gap in the middle, where the statue of the Third Hokage had been removed by Fugaku's order. The empty space left behind looked awkward and incomplete, something Fugaku planned to have corrected soon by the stonemasons.
Below, the village shimmered with a thousand lights, a blanket of stars inverted upon the earth — beautiful, alive, peaceful.
Fugaku didn't wish to alarm the villagers with his return, so he had his Susanoo land quietly on the outskirts instead of flying straight into the heart of the village. As before, he had the Eight-Tails leap down first before the Susanoo itself descended. The impact sent two faint tremors rippling through the ground — subtle enough that most villagers only felt the earth quiver twice in passing.
Once he dispersed the Susanoo's form, Fugaku led the returning ninja on foot toward the village, the massive Eight-Tails lumbering obediently behind them.
After walking some distance, Fugaku motioned for everyone to climb atop the Eight-Tails' back. The beast's sheer size caused trees to sway and the ground to rumble with every step. Fugaku frowned slightly — its presence was far too conspicuous.
He had already decided that once Uchiha Yashiro brought back Karin and her mother from the Land of Grass, he would have the Eight-Tails sealed inside Karin.
Karin was a pure-blooded Uzumaki, far purer than Naruto, who only inherited half of that ancient lineage. Her abilities — Kagura's Mind Eye, Adamantine Sealing Chains, and her natural healing — all proved that her heritage came directly from the Uzumaki main line.
Just like Kushina once was, Karin was the perfect candidate for a Jinchūriki. With the Eight-Tails sealed within her, she would gain both offensive power and regenerative abilities, ensuring her a crucial place in Konoha's future.
Before long, Konoha's patrol shinobi arrived to investigate the disturbances near the forest. At first, they froze upon spotting the enormous shadow moving between the trees. But when they noticed the familiar Konoha uniforms riding on its back — and saw their Hokage himself — their shock turned to elation.
"Hokage-sama has returned!" one of them cried, bowing deeply.
They quickly raced back to deliver the news to the village.
Within minutes, a large contingent of shinobi arrived, led by Nara Shikaku, the Hokage's assistant. All wore broad smiles as they approached.
Upon seeing the massive Eight-Tails up close, Shikaku couldn't help but chuckle. "So it's true… the Fifth Hokage's Sharingan is as formidable as the rumors say. Even the Tailed Beasts can't resist it."
"Hokage-sama! Welcome back!" the returning shinobi shouted in unison, their voices ringing through the night.
Fugaku leapt down from the Eight-Tails' back and smiled faintly. "Good. I'm glad to see everyone in such high spirits."
"Fifth Hokage, you must be exhausted after such a long campaign," Shikaku said respectfully.
He meant every word. Once, he had harbored doubts about Fugaku's rule — his tendency to avoid administrative duties, leaving most political affairs in Shikaku's hands. But now, those doubts had long vanished.
After all, the man before him had crushed Hidden Cloud Village, captured Tailed Beasts, and safeguarded Konoha's future.
If the Hokage brought unmatched military might, and he himself handled the bureaucracy — wasn't that the ideal balance?
The division of labor was simple: Fugaku commanded power; Shikaku managed policy. Together, they made Konoha stronger than ever before.
And though the destruction of Hidden Cloud might spark another Great Ninja War, Shikaku found himself strangely unworried. With Fugaku's overwhelming strength, even an alliance of the other three great nations would likely crumble before him.
Perhaps… Konoha could even unify the Ninja World this time.
The First Hokage once had the same opportunity, but Hashirama Senju's heart had sought peace, not conquest. He'd believed coexistence could end the chaos. Yet Shikaku couldn't help but wonder if Madara's vision — unifying the world under one banner — had held its own kind of truth.
True peace could be forged through strength.
And now, centuries later, that vision might finally come to pass — under Fugaku Uchiha.
Shikaku let the thought simmer quietly in the back of his mind, saving it for a more private discussion with the Hokage later.
"This Eight-Tails…" he said with a faint grin, glancing at the enormous creature, "is quite the eyesore, isn't it?"
Fugaku chuckled. "A strange mix of ox and octopus, isn't it?"
He then turned serious. "By the way, has Uchiha Yashiro returned?"
Shikaku blinked. "No, Hokage-sama. I thought he was with you."
"I sent him to the Land of Grass," Fugaku explained evenly. "Word reached me that an orphan of the Uzumaki Clan was living there under harsh conditions. Since I was already leading an expedition, I instructed Yashiro to retrieve her and bring her mother along as well. Once she's here, she'll serve as the Eight-Tails' new host."
Shikaku's eyes lit up. "An Uzumaki? That means… Konoha will soon have an Eight-Tails Jinchūriki."
Before he could say more, Uchiha Sihu stepped forward. "The Two-Tails is also secured, alive. She's following behind us."
Shikaku nodded approvingly. "Excellent. But let's continue this inside the village — this isn't the best place to talk."
The group moved forward, entering through Konoha's main gate with measured pride.
As they passed, gatekeepers and onlookers bowed deeply, whispering in awe. The sight of the Eight-Tails, towering over the trees as it followed, was something no one in Konoha would soon forget.
Following Fugaku's command, the beast made its way to the nearest training ground and curled up in the center, soon falling asleep.
Among the shinobi, Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane exchanged cheerful grins with the two chunin guarding the gate — old classmates from the Academy.
Those two guards had once been Root operatives under Danzo, but since his fall, Root had come under new leadership — Aburame Ryūma — and now operated openly under the Hokage's authority.
No longer hidden in shadows, Root was becoming what it was always meant to be: a shield for Konoha, not a dagger in its back.
And so, as dawn approached, the Fifth Hokage — Fugaku Uchiha — led his forces home, victorious once more.
Konoha's future gleamed brighter than ever.
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