"They're here, they're here!"
At the Konoha Gate, several villagers with sharp eyes, seeing the distant troops slowly approaching, shouted loudly.
Today was the day the Konoha troops stationed at the front lines were returning.
Early on, Hiruzen had only released a message, and many villagers had spontaneously come here to wait.
Immediately, the saluting cannons placed on the high walls began to fire.
Among the team arriving from afar, Kakashi yawned. "See? I told you that you'd be present at every scene like this."
Shinji, hearing this, rolled his eyes. He was too lazy to even speak to Kakashi.
If it weren't for the old man telling him to stay and return with the team, he wouldn't be in the team.
Wouldn't it be better to spend this time teaching his students?
"Hahaha, Kakashi is right, Shinji." Jiraiya, beside him, clapped Shinji's shoulder.
The old man, at such an old age, had taken Shinji as a disciple. This had changed Konoha a lot.
Although its effect was only on a few people, these people were crucial to Konoha's direction.
"Enough already, you two are the main commanders this time. I'm not taking credit for your achievements."
Shinji only felt a headache at this moment, just like when he was at the front-line camp before. It had been the same on the journey back these past few days. There were always some Konoha ninjas coming over to greet him.
As the troops reached the gate, the saluting cannons fired even more frequently, and countless confetti scattered in the air and on the ground.
This time was different from before. No villagers came forward, only watching the army slowly stepping through the gate with expressions of reverence.
"Tsk, it's been a long time since I've seen such a sight." Jiraiya couldn't help but show a nostalgic expression.
Shinji nodded.
The crowd this time was even more exaggerated than the previous few times. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say the entire village had squeezed in.
Kakashi was a little dazed. If Obito were still alive, this scene would have made him boast for a long time, wouldn't it?
"Let's go, the old man is still waiting for us!" Jiraiya urged Shinji and Kakashi beside him to quicken their pace.
The heavy responsibility of being a front-line commander would only be lifted after meeting Hiruzen.
At the end, Hiruzen was standing with high-ranking officials from the Land of Fire.
This time, Konoha had defeated Sunagakure and Iwagakure. Even the Daimyo of the Land of Fire had to send trusted aides to show he was paying attention.
"Hokage-sama, we won this battle." Jiraiya walked at the very front, with a solemn expression.
On such an occasion, no matter how little he cared for etiquette, he had to put on this appearance.
"Good!"
Hiruzen, dressed in a Hokage robe, looked at Jiraiya with a beaming smile, reaching out to pat Jiraiya's shoulder.
Even though Jiraiya was rarely in the village, his obedience to orders this time, holding back Iwagakure on the front lines for so long, was a good thing.
Hiruzen began introducing him to the high-ranking official from the Land of Fire beside him.
When it came to Shinji, he wondered if it was just his imagination. Shinji felt that the official's gaze was more focused on observing him.
However, not long after, the official, having met the front-line commanders one by one, took his leave.
What followed was Konoha's own business. It was not appropriate for him, an official of the Land of Fire, to stay here too long.
Hiruzen, with a jovial expression, led Jiraiya and the others back to the Hokage Building.
Inside the huge Jonin Meeting Hall, Hiruzen sat at the head of the table.
Jiraiya and Shinji took their seats beside him.
At this moment, Shinji looked bewildered. He glanced at the person next to him, and with a glint in his eyes, whispered, "Senpai, what's going on?"
Tsunade, who had been called to the meeting, was now casually sitting with her arms crossed, and upon hearing Shinji's question, she pouted. "Don't worry, it's good news."
???
Shinji, receiving such a reply, blinked. Why was everyone being so secretive?
"Everyone—"
In the Meeting Hall, Hiruzen looked at all the seated Jonin and began.
"In this battle, Konoha has shown its might!"
"Sunagakure and Iwagakure have both signed surrender documents with us, and before that, they had already publicly apologized."
"In this battle, Konoha ninjas all demonstrated their caliber!"
"And for the comrades who sacrificed their lives in this battle, we will hold a memorial service at the Memorial Stone tomorrow."
At this, the atmosphere became somewhat heavy.
Although they had won, the number of sacrifices Konoha had made this time was not small, even though they had tried their best to eliminate some high-level combatants in this battle.
This was also why Hiruzen insisted that Sunagakure and Iwagakure publicly apologize.
Konoha needed to give its villagers an explanation.
Victory alone was not enough. Making the enemy villages lose face, and in return, gaining the unity of their own village. This trade was very profitable.
Hiruzen waited until everyone's mood had calmed down before speaking again, "In this battle, a dazzling genius emerged among us."
"He brought back the Four-Tails Jinchuriki in this battle, allowing the Land of Rivers's defense line to be free from the threat of the Tailed Beast."
"And then, at the border of the Land of Grass, he defeated the Third Tsuchikage, allowing Konoha to achieve a complete victory in this battle."
Shinji, hearing this, felt a jolt. What was the old man trying to do?
Jiraiya, on the other hand, looked at Shinji with a smile. "Kid, isn't this a big surprise?"
As Hiruzen's words fell, the Jonin in the conference room applauded one after another.
No, Shinji seemed to also hear cheers loud enough to shake the Hokage Building.
Turning his head, he saw a video camera hanging at the back of the conference room.
He couldn't help but twitch the corner of his lips. No way?
As the atmosphere grew warmer, Hiruzen stood up and pressed his hands down.
"Therefore, I, Hiruzen, hereby announce the following appointments in the name of the Hokage."
"Kakashi is appointed as the Vice Representative of the Jonin Class!"
Kakashi, sitting in his seat, was clearly stunned upon hearing this.
What was going on?
Weren't they just talking about Shinji? How did it suddenly become him?
Immediately, applause broke out in the meeting. The Jonin Class itself needed one representative and two vice representatives.
Previously, there had been none, mainly because it was manageable. However, with the gradual reform of the Academy and the increasing number of new ninjas, it was normal to have an additional vice representative at this point.
This wasn't all.
Hiruzen took out another scroll and began to read from it, "Jiraiya is appointed as a Council Elder!"
"Tsunade is appointed as a Council Elder!"
Saying this, Hiruzen turned to Shinji, with a beaming smile.
No way?!
"Shinji is appointed as a Council Elder!"
Jiraiya, beside him, now had dot eyes.
What was going on?
He hadn't received any information at all!
As if sensing the thoughts of Shinji and Jiraiya, Hiruzen reached out and placed his hands on the shoulders of his two seated disciples.
"I am getting old. In a few years, I might have to step down. So, the matter of the Council Elders is also to share some of my responsibilities. When the next Hokage takes office, whether the council stays or leaves, it will be up to them."
"It is all up to them to decide."