[Chapter Size: 2100 Words.]
Third Person POV
Konoha, Year 41.
...
...
The entire population was gathered in the village center, where the Hokage's building stood and the wall displaying the faces of the three kages in its history. Not only ninjas were present, but also civilians, women, and children accompanied by their parents. Everyone, from within the village and even people from the Land of Fire who had come from other places, was waiting for the official end of the war.
A little girl was clapping her hands cheerfully, looking at the crowd before her as if it were a sea of people.
"Daddy, when is it going to start? There are so many people here." The little girl murmured while sitting on her father's shoulders.
"It shouldn't take long for Hokage-sama to appear," her father replied.
"Will they also talk about the heroes, Daddy? I heard there were people who fought and did amazing things!" she exclaimed, excited.
Her father smiled. "Yes, dear. The Hokage will also talk about the heroes."
"One day, I want to be a heroine too!" she exclaimed, laughing, and her father laughed along with her.
Elsewhere in the crowd, the group from Minato's orphanage was watching from a corner with the children.
"Do you think Minato will be honored too?" asked a 13-year-old boy, curious. He had not succeeded in pursuing a military career and would have to wait until he turned 15 to try a different path, as was the case for everyone who did not pass the academy.
The woman beside him, none other than the orphanage director, Madame Gorete, looked at the boy and replied, "Of course. Everyone's been talking about Minato these past few days. He was amazing in the war."
Meanwhile, people continued chatting and commenting on the event. The buzz filled the air, and the space was already completely packed. Even so, a few latecomers were still arriving.
At that moment, Minato's group arrived at the location. The place was fully crowded, and all four of them took in the sight.
"It looks like we're the last to arrive," Tsuna murmured.
"Well, we can watch from the rooftops," Minato suggested, jumping onto the top of a nearby house. The girls followed him, and other ninjas were also spread out on higher points to watch the event.
"Hello, Commander Minato!" someone called out from afar. It was a man who had been at Camp 12 when Minato had led them.
"Hello!" Minato replied, greeting him with a wave before turning his attention back to the event.
"There's an ice cream stand over there; I'm hungry!" Kushina remarked as she leapt from the rooftop to buy a popsicle.
She returned shortly after with a two-stick popsicle, splitting it and offering it to Minato.
"You only brought one and you're offering it to Minato?" Tsuna looked at her with crossed arms, while Mikoto said nothing.
Kushina just stuck her tongue out at her, and Minato scratched his head at the situation but accepted the offered portion.
Suddenly, a thunderous sound began to echo. People started cheering as they saw a figure approach the edge of the building, stepping forward until they could be seen by all. It was the leader of the village, who appeared before everyone, receiving applause and exclamations from the crowd.
During the war, Hiruzen had played a crucial role. He had reinforced the eastern side of the Land of Fire against the Mist Village, pressuring enemy forces with brilliant strategies.
When the Mist Village, at the height of its power during this war, sent its own Mizukage leading their two jinchūriki along with the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, the Hokage of Konoha had to act. He supported the battlefield alongside Danzō, who led Konoha's ninjas and the Uzumakis.
Under his leadership, the Mist's special squad was repelled, ensuring a solid defense. Although this victory did not end the war entirely, it was crucial to guarantee Konoha's protection until the conflict's conclusion, and the Mist was unable to muster such strength again.
His popularity was at its peak at this moment, and the entire village chanted his name with enthusiasm. The voices of thousands merged into one, drowning out every other sound.
Then, the Hokage raised his hand, signaling for silence. The crowd gradually began to calm down until, finally, everything fell completely silent.
As soon as he had everyone's attention, he placed his hands behind his back and looked at each of those present—men, women, and children, as well as the ninjas perched on the rooftops around the area.
"Today, we are celebrating a ceasefire." His voice echoed throughout the place, carrying a grandfatherly tone. "A great victory has been achieved, not just through the strength of our ninjas but through the spirit that unites us. The war pitted us against all the great elemental nations, and yet, Konoha stood tall." He paused, glancing around.
"But why did we stand tall? It wasn't just because of the strength of our weapons, nor the number of ninjas, nor our strategy. It was because of the flame that burns within each of us—the flame we call the Will of Fire."
He took a few steps forward, gesturing with his hands.
"The Will of Fire is what makes us a village, a family. Passed down since the First Hokage, it drives us to fight, not out of hatred or revenge, but to protect those we love—our friends, our children, our neighbors. This flame has been passed from generation to generation, from Hashirama Senju to today, and it will continue to light our path into the future."
The crowd's expressions ranged from emotional to inspired.
"Today, we are not just celebrating the end of a war but also the sacrifices of those who made it possible for us to be here. Every ninja who fell on the battlefield, every civilian who worked tirelessly to sustain the village during difficult times, every child who endured fear—you are all heroes. Every one of you contributed to this victory."
"And now, with humility and determination, we announce a new beginning. I officially declare, at this moment, a ceasefire between the nations. This is the first step toward rebuilding bonds of peace, ensuring that future generations can grow under the sky of hope rather than the shadow of war."
The crowd began murmuring in approval, the warmth of Hiruzen's words touching every heart deeply. He raised his hand once again, his voice rising for the conclusion:
"May the flame of the Will of Fire continue to burn within each of us, guiding us to better days. Let us never forget what makes us strong—our unity, our sacrifice, and above all, our love for Konoha."
The speech immediately ignited a roar from the people, their cheers echoing throughout the village.
At that moment, an ANBU appeared before Minato. "Minato Namikaze... You are being summoned to join the Hokage. Will you accompany me?" he asked amid the noise, and Minato nodded, glancing at the girls.
"I have to go." He said, and they all nodded in agreement.
"Go on, hero." Mikoto smiled as Minato vanished, following the ANBU.
They quickly reached the top of the building, where a group of people was already waiting behind the Hokage. Minato soon found himself under the gaze of three individuals among them—the three elders. They seemed to be swallowing something bitter as they looked at Minato, especially Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado. Danzō, on the other hand, appeared calm, though Minato could sense the intense stare he directed at him.
"You're finally here, boy." Beside him, Sakumo Hatake offered a small smile to Minato.
"You're here too, which isn't a surprise, Lord Sakumo." Minato returned the smile.
Minato then noticed another figure who wasn't one of the Hokage's ANBU: Orochimaru. "Where is Tsunade?" Minato couldn't help but ask. After all, she should have been present.
"Tsunade couldn't make it... She said she wasn't in the right state of mind for this," Orochimaru said, looking at Minato as he spoke.
Minato thought that Tsuna wouldn't be happy to learn her mother hadn't come. After all, she had hoped for it, coming all this way.
There was one more person, a white-haired man whom Minato didn't recognize. However, the symbol on his chest made it clear—he was a representative, likely an elder from Uzushiogakure, which made sense given that Konoha and the Uzumakis had fought together.
The man felt Minato's gaze, opened his eyes—until then closed—and nodded at him. Minato did the same. Kushina hadn't mentioned Uzumakis being in the village, which left him somewhat surprised.
With no other choice, they remained in place as the Hokage waited for the crowd to calm down. He then raised his hand again.
"Today, in addition to celebrating the end of the war and the ceasefire, it is our duty as a village to recognize those who, through their exceptional efforts, made a difference for Konoha."
He paused, turning to the ninjas behind him and signaling for them to step forward. All four, including Danzō, joined him, while the other two elders also accompanied them. They advanced as the Hokage instructed everyone to face the crowd. Minato had never before experienced so many people looking at him at once.
"Allow me to present Sakumo Hatake, known as the White Fang of Konoha. He held the northern border throughout most of the war against the Cloud Village, reclaiming all our lost territories and holding off the most powerful enemy forces on the battlefield."
The crowd erupted into applause as Sakumo offered a slight bow to the crowd, a faint smile gracing his lips.
"My three students stood out during this war—Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya, now known to you as the Legendary Sannin, a title they earned through their extraordinary deeds. Unfortunately, the latter two are not present, but let us begin with Orochimaru's accomplishments. He withstood Suna's attacks in the region against the Sand Village's ninjas, leading significant offensives and protecting many ninjas in the Land of Rain."
The crowd applauded Orochimaru as he nodded respectfully to them.
"Jiraiya achieved similar feats, gathering critical intelligence on Iwagakure and their plans. He protected the northern border in the west and even fought against the Tsuchikage himself."
"However, Tsunade stood out the most among them. She designed a new squad model that changed the course of the war by introducing medical ninjas to teams, drastically reducing the mortality rate. Additionally, she was the most active mind in developing antidotes against the poisons produced by the Sand Village."
More applause filled the air as the Hokage continued.
"We also have our elder and my trusted friend, Danzō, who led the eastern forces and held firm against the Mist Village!" He elaborated on several events in which Danzō had excelled.
Danzō remained stoic, his eyes closed, as the crowd applauded him.
"Here we also have the representative of Uzushiogakure, Mu Uzumaki! They helped us achieve victory in this war, maintaining an alliance that has existed since the time of the First Hokage. We hope this friendship will endure as long as we can!"
The crowd clapped for the man with a stern expression. Minato, however, felt a wave of nausea at this part, thinking of how Konoha had allowed the Uzumaki clan to be destroyed in the end. To him, the Hokage's words reeked of hypocrisy.
"Now, let us move to the last of our heroes in this war—Minato Namikaze. With courage, he infiltrated the Leaf Village to rescue someone important, retrieved the antidote, and escaped enemy lines alive. By doing so, he saved not only his companion but also thousands of ninjas, turning the tide of the war and giving Konoha the upper hand for the first time. He also fought bravely on the northern lines, managing to battle the Raikage himself and render him out of action. Furthermore, despite his young age, he assumed command of a camp and achieved the best success rate and lowest mortality rate in missions during the last year of the war."
The crowd roared with applause for Minato, their eyes fixed on him. He couldn't help but smile, overwhelmed not just by the cheers of those who knew him—like Kushina, who was shouting alongside Mikoto and Tsuna, both equally boisterous—but also by the sight of Hanabi clapping at a distance, isolated for some reason. He saw the people from the orphanage and other familiar faces among the crowd, but most of all, he was struck by the countless strangers who had never spoken to him yet were cheering and thanking him for his deeds in the war.
He couldn't deny it—it was an incredible feeling.
-------------Nexts Chapters ----------------
Chapter 210 - The Strength of the Eternal Genin.
Chapter 215 - Nawaki's Condition.
Chapter 225 - Kage Meeting 03.
Chapter 234 - Minato and Tsunade's Plans.
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