The forest was tranquil, with the sounds of nature's insects cheerfully chirping beneath the undergrowth.
Zetsu has already left, dragging his weird pitcher plant head into the trunk of the tree and going somewhere unknown.
'I can't sense him anymore...' Logan tossed away the pulverized bark in his hand, the tiny brown particles vanishing into the air. Whenever Akatsuki's members encountered intelligence-related matters, Zetsu's figure was indispensable. After continuous contact, Logan had become accustomed to Zetsu's elusive movements. And with his growing strength, he had managed to detect Zetsu following him once he crossed the border of the Land of Hot Water.
As for the pure speed competition, Logan could easily leave Zetsu in the dust.
'It will be basically blurry after a hundred meters.' Logan secretly thought. After a few minutes, the insect chorus continued, and a flower snake slithered stealthily along a fork in the tree.
Confirming that Zetsu had indeed left, Logan crouched and leapt, the sudden gust from his movement startling the snake. He continued to run towards Konoha Village in the original direction.
As for White Zetsu's proposal to continue stealing intelligence in Konoha, Logan finally agreed. After all, the Flying Thunder God Technique's instant teleportation was too extraordinary to pass up. It was much faster than physical movement. Back then, Minato was renowned as the Yellow Flash for a reason. Though White Zetsu didn't know what Logan was researching, his offer to provide information on Space-Time Ninjutsu was worth considering, whether true or false.
'Well... I'll just tell you what information I 'got' while in Konoha.'
The landscape was picturesque, with the journey from sunrise to sunset passing in the blink of an eye. Logan is very familiar with the sights in the Land of Fire. As a former ANBU, he quietly observed the beautiful and fertile land. Three years of peace had passed since he left, and while cities had become more prosperous, there weren't many other changes.
'This was probably the best change in the Ninja World,' Logan thought.
One evening, with the sunset hanging over the mountains, since Logan had finished all his dry rations, he caught a wild rabbit and sat on the hillside. A gentle breeze blew across the lush green plains, with every blade of grass visible. The golden-yellow roast emitted a tempting aroma, and Logan, bathed in the orange-red glow of the setting sun, felt a wave of nostalgia. As he got closer to Konoha, many familiar memories appeared in his head. Logan tore off a piece of meat, gazing towards the capital of the Land of Fire.
A girl who could sing and dance, with eyes like red gemstones, had once danced in the orange glow, surrounded by people clapping along with the sunset.
The same goes for the rabbit. The nostalgic dance of the past was slow and the light faded on the plain.
After Logan finished eating, he extinguished the fire, and lay down to sleep.
The quiet night cooled with the fading sunlight, and Logan thought that it was better not to visit the ceremonial envoy and return to Konoha... 'There would be plenty of opportunities in the future.'
The next day, Logan sped past the bustling capital. The city walls were towering and market traffic were countless times busier than Bay Town. Logan took a distant glance before continuing his short journey.
The feeling of returning home was faint, and the phrase didn't quite fit. Regardless, Logan arrived at Konoha Village that day. The gates stood as they had long ago, with a Chunin guard leaning against a post, chewing on a stalk of grass.
'Friend or foe, I'm about to reunite with many people again.' Logan took a deep breath, patted the vest he was wearing, and stepped out of the forest, walking down the main road.
…
Three years was not a short time. Students were nearing graduation, teacher is almost caught, and the Chunin guarding the gate were likely not the same as before. Fortunately, it seemed that prior notice had been given, as the two Chunin at the gate recognized him when he reached the gate.
There was certainly no welcome ceremony, and an ANBU hidden in the dark instantly went to deliver the news. Logan walked into the peaceful and serene streets of Konoha, feeling the scrutinizing gazes of the two Chunin recognizing a senior figure. When he looked up and saw the iconic Hokage Rock, Logan sighed inwardly. After arriving in the village, his first task was, of course, to report to the Hokage's Office.
Upon arriving at the Hokage Tower, Logan received numerous smiles and greetings from the ANBU's members. Some faces were vaguely familiar, while most were unrecognizable. Although the layout of the building remained unchanged, the lively atmosphere made everything feel new. Logan felt a bit less at ease than he used to. And due to the psychological effect, it seems that ordinary office clerks are glancing at his handsome face.
A clerk led him to an office and then left. Logan cleared his throat, knocked on the door, and entered.
Behind the window, the blue sky and the layered buildings were visible. An old man in a white robe, symbolizing the Hokage, sat at a desk holding a pipe.
"Hokage-sama." Logan greeted, making his expression very sincere as he bowed slightly.
Sitting behind a pile of documents, Hiruzen, who had been waiting for a long time, smiled and said, "Look who's here. Has the wind finally blown you back, Hattori?"
Logan was a bit embarrassed. He felt that Hiruzen's working style was becoming more and more casual.
According to the original timeline, it was hard to see the Hokage's formal demeanor at work, especially later on when dealing with graduating kids. Right now, he was the same perverted old man who couldn't resist Naruto's Sexy Technique.
"Not at all, Hokage-sama. Since you called me back, of course I returned to the village immediately after finishing my business in the Land of Moon." Logan stood in front of the large desk and said without blushing or changing expression.
Hiruzen watched his performance with a smile, and made no comment on Logan's shamelessness. However, he was quite happy about the other party's return. He took a puff of his pipe and said, "The business in the Land of the Moon... The 'Aurora' that is making a fuss over there, was that your doing?"
Logan touched his nose at this. It was okay for him to train secretly before, as it was hard to tell the truth of the rumors. However, before leaving, he had thrown out a bunch of electromagnetic kunai, causing quite a commotion. So he was already prepared to be questioned.
"Yes, it was that 'technique' I was practicing." Logan said ambiguously, "Anyway, I've already left, so don't look for me."
Hiruzen shook his head. After receiving the news, Konoha's intelligence network immediately associated it with Logan, who had technique with similar effects. In the end, they didn't pay much attention to it, apart from being amazed at the impressive effects.
"Alright, how have you been these past few years?" Hiruzen asked, knowing that a bit of small talk was always necessary.
Since Hiruzen didn't probe further, Logan was satisfied, and responded politely, "It's pretty good. Although the days of wandering were tough, I still felt the village's care from thousands of kilometers away and strived hard."
The exaggeration was palpable, and Hiruzen was somewhat speechless. Putting down his pipe, he said, "Your habit of saying strange things from time to time hasn't changed... Well, let's just get to the point. Now that you're back, what are your plans?"