Konoha didn't sleep the night the war ended.
The fireworks stopped just before dawn, leaving the village smelling faintly of smoke and spilled alcohol. By morning, people were already sweeping their doorsteps, as if cleaning fast enough would erase the memory of three years of blood.
But the air felt heavier, not lighter. Victory came with a strange aftertaste.
And in the Academy?
Of course the teachers insisted nothing had changed.
"Settle down, settle down," our instructor droned, waving his hands dramatically. "The war ending is no excuse to skip today's lesson on chakra rotation."
I slumped into my seat, forehead resting on my palm.
Yes, sensei, please. Give us more theory. Truly thrilling.
The war ending had turned even the quiet ones into whispering experts.
"My Father said Orochimaru ended the fighting with some insane strategy—"
"Mine says Minato-sensei practically carried half the front line. He's a genius!"
"I heard the Uchiha saved a whole unit—"
"—I heard they messed up orders and slowed the final push—"
The teacher slapped his chalk against the board hard enough that the front row jumped.
"As I said—settle down. We have chakra rotation to cover."
I reached home so fast I nearly tripped over my own feet—and froze at the doorstep.
There was someone inside. Someone familiar. I shoved the door open.
Mother turned, halfway through untying her flak jacket. She looked exhausted—hair messy, uniform dusty, posture swaying with the kind of fatigue only war could give—but her eyes lit up the second she saw me.
"Kuroha."
I ran at her full speed. She caught me, barely, stumbling back with a tired laugh.
"You've grown," she murmured, pressing a hand to my head. "You were supposed to stay small until I got home." – "Well maybe you just took too long."
Father appeared from the kitchen doorway, smiling in that quiet, relieved way he always did when mother came back alive. "She arrived just a moment ago,".
Mother sighed, rubbing her forehead.
"For three years they don't let me breathe, and the moment the war ends they tell me to go home and 'rest.' Ridiculous."
I stepped back enough to look at her. "What happened? How bad was it near the end?"
They exchanged a look. Father answered carefully.
"Konoha is… officially victorious. But the final operations were messy. Many fronts collapsed at once. Minato stabilized most of it, and Orochimaru managed the southern line. But people still died. Anyway, let's eat."
Family Dinner for the first time in months: warm rice, soup, vegetables—ordinary, but perfect. The air felt lighter, but only barely.
Father stirred his bowl slowly.
"The Hokage's advisors are pushing narratives. People are… looking for explanations. For heroes, for villains." Praising Minato, praising Orochimaru… and asking questions about clan loyalty."
Mother's expression darkened.
"They want someone to blame for the casualties."
My chopsticks hovered.
"You mean the Uchiha."
Neither of them answered.
They didn't have to.
Mother began "Let's talk about something less depressing. "Shin said you're training chakra control seriously. And Fuinjutsu. And… shadow clones?"
Father cleared his throat. "That part was not my idea."
Mother raised an eyebrow at me.
"Kuroha, you're six."
"I'm bored," I deadpanned.
She snorted, "Oh, how I missed you,"