Chapter 221: The Hero's Return
Time passed quickly as Kyosuke slept. When he awoke, the familiar gates of Konoha were visible in the distance.
"Hah... are we finally here?" he yawned, rubbing his eyes as he slowly sat up.
Before Saori could answer, the curtain of the carriage was pulled aside.
Kyosuke sensed the person's chakra and, after a moment of surprise, quickly said, "Lord Hokage! What are you doing here?"
A smiling Hiruzen Sarutobi was about to speak, but when he saw Kyosuke's lifeless eyes, the words caught in his throat.
Koharu, seeing Hiruzen freeze, stepped forward. "Kyosuke, you're a great hero returning to the village. Of course we had to come and..."
But as Kyosuke stepped out of the carriage, her words also trailed off.
The village elders exchanged complex looks. While Kyosuke's blindness was, in a way, a welcome development for them, seeing it in person still stirred a sense of pity. Had this rising star of Konoha, a shinobi whose name was known throughout the world, truly lost his sight?
Ignoring their crocodile tears, Danzo, who had just returned from the Cloud Village, stepped forward, his voice impatient. "What happened out there? Who were you fighting?"
Before Kyosuke could answer, Hiruzen interjected. "That's enough, Danzo. There will be time for questions later. Let's get back to the village first."
"Hmph. Right. I was being hasty," Danzo said with a nod.
The group began to walk toward the village. Konoha was much more desolate than when Kyosuke had left. The war had taken its toll, not just in lives, but in the economy as well.
But Kyosuke could sense that beneath the grief, there was also a current of joy among the villagers. The long war was finally ending, and Konoha had emerged victorious. It was only natural for them to be happy.
Along the way, villagers and shinobi alike greeted Hiruzen and the others, their eyes filled with curiosity at the young man who was being personally escorted by the village's highest leadership.
Soon, someone recognized him. Though years had passed, the image of the young boy in the Security Police uniform, patrolling the streets, was still fresh in their minds. And with that recognition came the memories of the rumors they had heard over the years.
Infiltrating an enemy camp alone, killing the Sand shinobi Bunjin, leading the army that repelled the Mist, joining forces with Minato Namikaze to defeat the Tsuchikage... the stories came flooding back.
A few scattered cheers rose from the crowd. As more people gathered, the cheers grew louder, until they echoed through the entire street.
"Way to go, Uchiha kid!"
"I knew you'd be a hero someday! I was right!"
"You saved my husband! Thank you... thank you so much!"
Hearing their cheers, a genuine smile spread across Kyosuke's face.
Hiruzen and the others were also pleased. In times of war, the village needed heroes. They were a symbol of hope, a way to bolster the people's confidence in victory. Kyosuke, with his youth, his meteoric rise through the ranks, and his string of victories against powerful foes, was the perfect hero.
Of course, with his accomplishments and his reputation among the shinobi, it would have been difficult to suppress his fame even if they had wanted to. So, they had decided to fan the flames instead. As for the potential side effects of such a high profile... at the time, they had more pressing concerns.
But now, with his blindness, the potential threat he posed was greatly diminished. Even if he were to receive a transplant, his Mangekyo Sharingan would be gone forever... or so they believed. With that threat eliminated, and given his consistently loyal behavior, their wariness of him had all but vanished. Even Danzo's.
That was why they had come to greet him personally. They had anticipated this very scene. By allowing the villagers to show their adoration for Kyosuke, they hoped to strengthen his sense of belonging to the village, to ensure that this powerful weapon would remain firmly in their grasp.
And so, they stopped, allowing Kyosuke to bask in the warm embrace of the people.
After a long while, just as his face was beginning to ache from smiling, Hiruzen finally led him away. The group continued toward the Hokage's office, the cheers of the crowd still ringing in their ears.
It's like a scene from my past life, Kyosuke thought, a strange feeling washing over him as he listened to the fervent cries of his "fans."
They arrived at the Hokage's office. "Our little hero, don't just stand there. Please, have a seat," Hiruzen said with a lighthearted chuckle.
With a perfectly timed, wry smile, Kyosuke sat down amidst the laughter of the elders.
After the laughter had subsided, Hiruzen's expression turned serious. "On behalf of the village, I want to thank you for your years of hard work and dedication," he said, his voice grave, looking at both Kyosuke and Saori, who stood behind him. "It is because of your efforts that the village can continue to prosper."
"No, no, it was our duty," Kyosuke said, quickly standing, his voice filled with a carefully crafted "fluster."
Watching this "harmonious" scene, Saori had to use all of her willpower to keep her own expression neutral.
I never realized he could be so insincere, she thought, her eyes darting back and forth between the two men, their smiles so similar they could have been carved from the same mold.
But as much as the saccharine atmosphere disgusted her, it was better than the suspicion and mistrust that had defined their relationship before. And so, she forced a smile onto her own face, trying her best not to look out of place.
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