After an unknown amount of time, Hikaru slowly opened his eyes.
The world before him gradually shifted from blurry to clear.
The light here was dim. The air was cool and damp. The stone walls around him were uneven and curved, forming a roughly oval space.
It was probably a cave.
Hikaru moved slightly. His body only felt a little sore. Aside from some lingering mental fatigue, there seemed to be no major issue.
He let out a breath of relief and sat up, stretching his joints.
"This time’s consumption was really bigger than expected."
Hikaru gave a bitter smile.
Soon, the memories he needed surfaced in his mind.
He could no longer clearly remember how many days had passed.
He only remembered dragging his exhausted body toward Konoha’s main force.
His chakra had been consumed too severely. Even though the chakra inside him was constantly recovering, it had still been far from enough.
Fortunately, Konoha had sent troops to receive him. Otherwise, Hikaru might have collapsed on the road and fallen asleep from exhaustion.
Of course, considering the battle record he had just created, even if he had collapsed and slept by the roadside, no one would have considered it shameful.
After all, he had single-handedly ended what was likely the largest war since the Third Shinobi World War, and had almost unscathedly annihilated Kumo’s main army.
But Hikaru did not want to finish showing off, only to immediately reveal such an embarrassing side afterward.
Konoha’s previous stronghold had also been affected by the battle between Hikaru and Kumo. Clearly, it could no longer be used.
As a result, Konoha’s main force had gathered in a forested area within the Land of Fire.
They had not set off back to Konoha yet.
Obviously, they were waiting for Hikaru to wake up, while also taking the final rest before returning home.
"Minister Hikaru, you’re awake?"
At that moment, Nara Shikaku rushed in after receiving the news.
His face was filled with concern, but when he saw that Hikaru was truly awake, he could not help letting out a sigh of relief.
After all, Hikaru had been asleep for a very long time.
"Thank you for your concern. I think I’m fine now, Minister Shikaku."
Hikaru smiled and nodded lightly before asking,
"How are the troops right now? After I returned, aside from knowing where the army was stationed, I don’t know much else.
"If you’re not in a hurry, tell me everything that happened while I was recovering."
"Of course. I naturally need to report these matters to you, Minister Hikaru."
Shikaku nodded, and his expression slowly grew more serious.
He stared at Hikaru’s young face, unable to suppress the emotion in his heart.
It was truly difficult to connect the person before him with the terrifying figure from a few days ago, the one who had rampaged through Kumo’s army and destroyed an eight-thousand-strong force by himself.
But the truth was right in front of him.
Hikaru had truly accomplished all of that alone.
What he had done might not be unprecedented, but it was very likely something no one would ever repeat again.
With such power, along with all the preparations he had made beforehand, Shikaku felt that Hikaru’s ambition of becoming Hokage was no longer difficult at all.
In fact, the current Shikaku had already begun to see Hikaru as Hokage.
As Konoha’s Fifth Hokage.
With that thought, Shikaku smiled.
Aside from the title, he now treated Hikaru with the attitude one would use toward a Hokage.
"Minister Hikaru, the troops are in good condition. Although some unavoidable factors caused us to suffer certain losses..."
At this point, Shikaku paused slightly.
He glanced at Hikaru, and a helpless expression appeared on his face.
Hikaru also looked a little awkward.
He naturally understood what Shikaku meant.
Clearly, when he had used True Several Thousand Hands, the destruction caused had been too great.
And that destructive force had inevitably affected Konoha’s side as well.
Still, Hikaru did not have too many thoughts about it.
Perhaps it was because the number of people he had killed in this one battle exceeded the total number he had killed in the ten-plus years since coming to the Naruto world.
Or perhaps it was because his strength had truly reached a level where, at this point in time, he could stand above the clouds and slick back his own hair with complete confidence.
Because of that, whether it was Konoha’s shinobi losses or the damage caused by his own aftershocks, he remained relatively calm.
"Please don’t worry, Minister Hikaru. Everyone understands."
Shikaku adjusted himself slightly before continuing.
"Everyone knows that if we had fought Kumo head-on, far more people would have died.
"You faced everything alone and reduced our losses to the absolute minimum.
"Besides, after releasing such overwhelming power, it was impossible to completely control every shockwave and every spread of force.
"Everyone’s mindset is very stable. I’ve also explained why you waited until that moment to act.
"My explanation was that you needed time to accumulate your power, and only that terrain could best wipe out Kumo’s forces without letting them escape.
"War means death. As shinobi, everyone understands that clearly. Since our losses were already so low, everyone is grateful. They also hope you won’t take it to heart."
Shikaku’s explanation was not long, but it clearly summarized the situation over the past few days.
Hikaru’s lips twitched slightly.
So in the end, the number of Konoha casualties caused by his aftershocks was higher than the number killed directly by Kumo?
In truth, Hikaru had long carried the glorious reputation of being a "teammate killer."
From the time he had first entered ANBU and helplessly abandoned a teammate, to later killing Kusunoki, who leaned toward Danzō, for the sake of his own interests, and then Owl, who had once delivered messages with him.
The number of teammates Hikaru had killed was honestly not small.
This time, the range had simply been broader and larger.
Thinking of this, Hikaru no longer bothered dwelling on it.
After a moment, he asked,
"Then, have the casualties been counted? Also... what is the situation in Konoha?"
This time, Hikaru lowered his voice.
Likewise, Shikaku’s eyes gleamed slightly.
He knew what Hikaru truly cared about in Konoha.
And Shikaku had his own plans.
Just like the attitude he was showing now, he intended to match that attitude with action.
Because Hikaru was worthy of it.
Shikaku’s inner change had gone through several stages.
At first, when he helped Yamanaka Inoichi approach Hikaru, his original intention had simply been to move closer to the Fourth Hokage’s faction.
No matter what, the Fourth Hokage was closer to them.
But very soon, Shikaku discovered that Hikaru was far from ordinary.
His depth, methods, and patience were enough to make even Shikaku feel alarmed.
Later, when Shikaku realized that Hikaru had created the newspaper, and that many of Konoha’s public opinions were also shaped by Hikaru’s hand, he could basically confirm Hikaru’s desire for the Hokage seat.
The problem was that Hikaru was too young.
That was both an advantage and a disadvantage.
For example, the fact that Hikaru did not have enough achievements was like a deep chasm blocking him from moving forward.
It was only when Kumogakure pressured Konoha and war was about to break out that Shikaku decided to truly stand on Hikaru’s side.
Partly because of pressure.
Partly because he genuinely wanted to see how far Hikaru could go.
And Hikaru’s performance had repeatedly refreshed Shikaku’s understanding of him.
Whether in strength or thought, Hikaru had forced Shikaku to admire him.
Although Hikaru had given him certain promises, promises were ultimately empty checks.
Before being fulfilled, they were always only "promises."
But now, Hikaru had used his own power to prove that he could fulfill everything he promised.
Through this war, he had also accumulated enough military merit.
To put it bluntly, Hikaru now absolutely possessed the qualifications to become Hokage.
Even after leaving Konoha, Hikaru had not relaxed his control over Konoha or his propaganda.
The fact that the Third Hokage’s reputation in Konoha had become extremely poor already proved that.
It could be said that Shikaku was now completely convinced.
Hikaru was no longer merely a question of potential.
He was undoubtedly Konoha’s greatest pillar.
"As for casualties, Konoha suffered six hundred dead and more than fifteen hundred wounded."
With that thought in mind, Shikaku directly reported what he knew.
However, regarding the death list, he only gave a number.
He did not classify who had died at which stage, and he would likely only briefly mention that in the final report.
"As for Konoha, Minister Hikaru, your battle record has already been sent back.
"It is not extremely detailed yet, but I think when we return to Konoha, that will be the true peak."
At this point, Shikaku stopped.
Hikaru nodded silently.
But soon, he suddenly asked,
"Minister Shikaku, you controlled the speed and amount of information being sent back, didn’t you?"
"I wouldn’t call it control. I only had people send it back in batches."
Shikaku smiled.
His words were basically an admission.
Hikaru could also guess his purpose. After all, Shikaku had already made it clear.
He wanted Hikaru to enjoy the aura of a victorious hero to the fullest when he returned to Konoha.
Shikaku was indeed capable.
His approach would absolutely maximize Hikaru’s benefits.
"I see. Then I’ve troubled you, Minister Shikaku."
Hikaru smiled and nodded.
"Perhaps after we return, we can start making some preparations. For example, letting the Third Hokage recognize his own shortcomings, and then..."
"This matter cannot be rushed, but it is indeed worth preparing for."
Shikaku calmly replied,
"I believe Minister Hikaru has already made his decision. In that case, we will cooperate with you."
Since the conversation had reached this point, Hikaru could confirm that he had truly gained Shikaku’s support.
Before this, Hikaru knew Shikaku supported him.
But at that time, Hikaru had not fully displayed his strength yet, so their relationship had not deepened too much.
He had only tested him lightly and given some promises.
Still, even back then, Shikaku had shown excellent cooperation.
Now, he was even more cooperative.
Although the degree of cooperation seemed similar, it satisfied Hikaru much more.
"Then I will have to trouble Minister Shikaku with this matter."
Hikaru smiled.
"I will do what I should. Please rest assured, Minister Hikaru."
Shikaku did not say much, but his promise was reassuring.
Hikaru nodded lightly.
This conversation was far more effective than their previous discussion about distributing benefits.
Back then, Hikaru had not fully revealed his power.
He had only shown extraordinary potential.
But now, although Hikaru still had extraordinary potential, it would not be an exaggeration to say that with his current force alone, he could seize anything he wanted.
Yet Hikaru still maintained restraint.
Or rather, from beginning to end, Hikaru, who had always possessed formidable power, had maintained restraint.
A reckless person was terrifying.
But reckless people easily provoked disgust and resistance from everyone.
Restrained people were different.
Such people were far more terrifying than those who acted without restraint.
"Minister Hikaru!"
"Minister Hikaru!"
At that moment, the other clan heads seemed to have received the news as well, and they quickly rushed over.
They all looked extremely excited.
Hikaru even noticed that a few unlucky ones were still injured.
This made Hikaru once again sigh inwardly at the excessive power of True Several Thousand Hands.
At the same time, Konoha’s main force had truly retreated too slowly.
"Minister Hikaru, you’re finally awake."
Hyūga Hiashi was the most excited of all. If he had not been worried about looking too excessive, he might have rushed forward.
Although this war had been started by Kumo, one of its key triggers had been the Hyūga Clan.
Now Hikaru had ended the war with his own strength.
He had not only saved Konoha, but also saved the Hyūga Clan.
"I’m fine now. Don’t worry. Thank you all for your concern."
Hikaru smiled and nodded at everyone.
He was honestly not used to this kind of enthusiasm.
But he also knew that this kind of enthusiasm would likely become normal in the future.
After briefly speaking with each clan head, Hikaru turned his gaze back to Shikaku.
"Minister Shikaku, since I’m awake, we should prepare to set out. We’ve been away for so long. Everyone must want to go home."
"I understand, Minister Hikaru. We’ll set out tomorrow."
Konoha was currently filled with peace and celebration.
Reports from the front line were continuously sent back, and the newspaper was constantly covering everything about the war.
At first, Konoha’s residents learned that Hikaru had killed over a hundred attacking Kumo shinobi by himself.
Then they learned that Hikaru had single-handedly defeated the thousand-man unit led by the Raikage.
Every piece of news felt unbelievable.
They had never imagined that Konoha’s ANBU minister possessed such immense power.
But no matter what, they trusted that neither the battle reports nor the newspaper would joke about something like this.
After all, this concerned Konoha’s war.
For a long time afterward, the war between Konoha and Kumo entered a stalemate.
According to the reports, Konoha was suppressing Kumo.
That was because Hikaru had injured the seemingly invincible Fourth Raikage, forcing him to recuperate, allowing Konoha to launch attacks without restraint.
To all of Konoha, this was a good thing.
After all, Kumo’s lineup had been far too powerful.
Even though Konoha had deployed many clan heads, facing a jinchūriki and a Kage still gave people the instinctive feeling that they were not enough.
Yet from the moment Konoha’s army reached the front line, almost all the news had been good.
That feeling, both unreal and undeniably real, left Konoha’s residents surprised and delighted.
At the same time, these battle reports made Sarutobi Hiruzen’s original decision seem increasingly unreliable.
They truly could not understand why, as Hokage, Hiruzen had lacked so much confidence in Konoha.
This confusion had already existed before.
The newspaper’s influence was no joke.
And with Konoha’s battlefield results as comparison, that confusion and distrust reached a peak.
But that peak existed only in the minds of the residents and Hiruzen himself.
When the final battle report arrived, no one would ever forget the silence that fell over Konoha that day.
No one could believe what they were reading.
Because the report seemed far too fantastical.
The report was extremely simple, and the space it occupied was not large.
Its core message was only one thing:
Konoha’s supreme commander, Senju Hikaru, had single-handedly eliminated every enemy.
This report left everyone stunned.
Some even wondered whether this was some sort of April Fools’ joke.
But very soon, new information continued to arrive from the front line.
There were interviews with front-line shinobi, and even photographs from the battlefield.
All of it proved one thing.
Hikaru had truly done it alone.
Especially when the photographs from the front line arrived, many Konoha residents recognized the location.
They knew it had once been a plain.
But in the photographs, that place had been turned into ruins.
Calling it hell would not have been an exaggeration.
According to the accounts of front-line shinobi, Hikaru had used a Wood Release technique that blotted out the sky and covered the earth, wiping out every enemy.
This naturally made all of Konoha think of the First Hokage.
They thought of the man who had ended the chaos of the shinobi world with his own power.
At this moment, Hikaru’s prestige in Konoha reached its peak.
And once all the information had spread, Konoha’s residents received another exhilarating piece of news.
Konoha’s main force was about to return.
This made them even more excited.
Almost everyone spontaneously decided that they must go welcome their heroes home.
Some rejoiced, while others worried.
That was an eternal truth.
After all, joy was not always shared between people.
Even in Konoha, this was the case.
Inside the Hokage’s Office, Sarutobi Hiruzen stood quietly by the window, silently looking at the celebrating people outside.
He looked calm.
But the complexity in his heart had reached its peak.
To be honest, he had effectively been stripped of power this time.
He had not participated in the front-line deployment at all.
Perhaps the only thing he had done was ensure the safety of logistics.
And that was all.
Konoha’s great victory this time had almost nothing to do with him.
Moreover, the strength Hikaru had continuously revealed had made Hiruzen feel increasingly gratified, but also increasingly pressured.
As Hokage, he naturally knew that if the newspaper had not exaggerated things, then the power Hikaru had used absolutely belonged to the First Hokage’s most secret and powerful technique.
That technique was True Several Thousand Hands.
A super technique capable of destroying an entire shinobi village.
The fact that Hikaru could use that technique meant his strength had probably truly reached Senju Hashirama’s level.
What it meant for Konoha to once again produce a Senju Hashirama was self-evident.
With Hikaru, Konoha could absolutely return to the peak of the shinobi world.
Even though Konoha was still weak right now, no one would dare harbor improper thoughts toward it anymore.
Was Kumo not the best example?
And Hikaru was not merely another "Senju Hashirama."
He was also a "Senju Tobirama" who had mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique.
But with Hikaru displaying such power, along with his current towering prestige in Konoha, Hiruzen felt an indescribable threat.
That threat had always existed.
But never had it been as intense as it was now.
He knew Hikaru’s ambition.
He knew Hikaru’s goal.
But he had not expected this moment to arrive so soon.
Yet in truth, everything had already arrived quietly.
It had come so swiftly that no one had been prepared.
"Hiruzen, what should we do now?"
Standing behind Hiruzen, Koharu Utatane finally could no longer bear the silence and asked.
"Yes, Hiruzen. Our current situation is extremely unfavorable."
Homura Mitokado could not hold back either.
He was truly irritated by the current situation.
And what he said was still putting it lightly.
His old friend, the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, was not merely in an unfavorable situation now.
It could be said that Hiruzen’s prestige in Konoha had already fallen into an abyss.
That brat Senju Hikaru’s performance was no longer simply strong.
He was now standing above the clouds, looking down on all living beings.
Facing such a person, their hearts were filled with despair.
But they still had to find a way to counterattack.
If they did nothing, then in the future, they truly would no longer need to do anything.
What they did not expect was that Hiruzen only sighed deeply before slowly speaking.
"What can we do now?"
Hiruzen asked.
"We can do nothing now."
"Are we just going to wait for death?"
Homura asked anxiously.
"Are we going to watch that brat ride over our heads?"
"Do you have any solution?"
Hiruzen shook his head.
"Right now, we can only take things one step at a time."
After saying this, Hiruzen once again turned his attention to the cheering crowd outside.
But in his heart, he silently repeated one sentence.
I only hope Senju Hikaru does not drive us to extinction.
Hikaru did not know that Hiruzen had already accepted the fact of his own defeat.
Even if Hikaru knew, he probably would not be surprised.
After all, this time, Hikaru had already taken everything he wanted and everything he deserved.
He had given no one any chance.
It was not strange for Hiruzen to think this way.
At this moment, Hikaru was leading the army back toward Konoha.
From the day Hikaru announced their departure until now, nearly half a month had passed.
Although Konoha’s shinobi were eager to return home, the army was too large.
Moving such a force was far less convenient than one might imagine.
Moreover, they no longer had a wartime mission, so naturally they did not travel with the same desperate speed as when they had set out.
On the return journey, they were far more relaxed.
As a result, their speed was not fast.
But no matter how slow they were, they were still shinobi.
After half a month, they were already drawing close to Konoha.
"It really feels good to come back."
Hikaru smiled as he walked.
"Although we were only away for two or three months, for some reason, I feel like I’ve been gone for a very long time."
"That is true. But no matter what, we have returned."
Shikaku smiled as well.
"Perhaps war is like this. In truth, we shinobi are all machines of war. But I believe none of us like war."
Shikaku suddenly said something that sounded rather philosophical, leaving Hikaru unsure how to respond for a moment.
But he had to admit that the statement was quite accurate.
The profession of shinobi was itself the greatest beneficiary of war.
Their abilities destined them to be war machines.
But shinobi were still people, not actual machines, nor tools that only obeyed orders.
Danzō had been mad enough to define all of his subordinates as tools.
But what had been the final result?
Although some people had indeed become tools, in the original story, Yamato, Sai, and even Sai’s dead brother were all examples of people unwilling to remain tools.
They had all betrayed Danzō in one way or another.
In a sense, they had truly humiliated him.
Humans were complicated creatures.
Although people did have a tendency to obey, they also had their own beliefs.
Perhaps Danzō could use the belief of "protecting Konoha" to bind them.
But once someone awakened, or discovered Danzō’s true intentions, the word "betrayal" would likely become Danzō’s main theme.
Hikaru shook his head lightly.
He did not bother thinking too deeply about such matters.
And now, they had already reached Konoha’s gate.
"Look! They’re back!"
"The heroes are back!"
"Lord Hikaru! It’s Lord Hikaru!"
"Long live Lord Hikaru!"
The moment Hikaru and the others entered Konoha’s gate, tsunami-like cheers swept over them.
Looking around, the area near Konoha’s gate was packed with people like a vast sea.
Not only villagers and ordinary shinobi had come.
The Third Hokage and Konoha’s higher-ups were all there as well.
The thunderous cheers shook the ears and stirred everyone’s nerves.
Looking at such a massive scene of celebration, even someone as emotionally restrained as Hikaru felt his blood heat up at that moment.
He had to admit that this feeling was unexpectedly intoxicating.
It was also unexpectedly memorable.
Hikaru raised his head slightly.
His gaze quickly locked onto Sarutobi Hiruzen.
What he found interesting was that Hiruzen looked unbelievably calm.
However, the two advisers standing behind Hiruzen looked at Hikaru with unmistakable hostility.
Their expressions were extremely ugly.
But Hikaru had no interest in paying attention to them.
Those two advisers might indeed have some ability, but to Hikaru, their abilities were practically dispensable.
"I hope you two know what’s good for you.
"After all, whether internally or externally, I am someone who dares to strike hard."
Hikaru silently thought this, then led the army toward Hiruzen.
No matter what, Hiruzen was still Konoha’s Hokage.
And Hikaru was only Konoha’s ANBU Minister.
There was still a natural superior-subordinate relationship between them.
Even though Hikaru had always intended to replace him, he still needed to show respect when respect was due.
Otherwise, if certain "insects" who wanted to replace him in the future followed his example, Hikaru would not be happy.
"Lord Hokage."
Hikaru bowed slightly and said softly,
"Fortunately, we did not fail our mission. We completed the task."
Even though Konoha was so lively at that moment, his voice still clearly reached everyone’s ears.
In that instant, all cheers stopped abruptly.
Every excited and fervent gaze locked onto Hikaru.
Then, they locked onto Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Hiruzen looked at the young man before him.
He sighed silently in his heart.
But very quickly, he returned to a normal state of mind.
This was a moment worth celebrating.
This was a moment worthy of cheers.
This was also the moment when Konoha rose again.
At this moment, he did not want to carry any other thoughts.
Because this moment belonged to Konoha.
It belonged to everyone.
"Thank you. Thank all of you."
Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly spoke.
"Thank you, every one of you who contributed to this war!"
"You are all heroes.
"You are all heroes of Konoha!"
"Especially you, Senju Hikaru.
"You are Konoha’s future.
"And Konoha’s future will depend on you."
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