The Village Hidden in the Leaves.
The tall wooden walls now encircled Konoha, standing as a testament to its growth and strength.
Over the course of ten years, the village had undergone tremendous change.
Ten years is enough to make one's hometown almost unrecognizable, save for a few landmarks that offer glimpses of its former self.
"This…"
"Is this really Konoha?"
Shimura Danzo widened his eyes in disbelief.
Having grown up in Konoha as a child, he remembered it as a modest, simple village. But now it had transformed into a prosperous and bustling town.
Even the gates of Konoha were now grand and imposing.
Two Chūnin clad in Konoha uniforms sat at a desk near the gate, managing a registry. They noticed Shigen and his group approaching.
"Welcome to Konoha," one of the Chūnin greeted warmly. "Please come over to register your information before entering."
"We're from the village," said Sarutobi Hiruzen as he stepped forward to record his and Danzo's names. He flashed a wide grin.
"I'm Sarutobi Hiruzen, a Genin of Konoha."
"Huh? You're Sarutobi-senpai?"
The Chūnin looked shocked as he recognized Hiruzen, his expression one of disbelief. "You've changed so much! If I didn't look closely, I wouldn't have realized you were our senior back in the academy!"
"I'm Kazuki Kumoi, remember?"
"Oh?"
Hiruzen scratched his head, his own eyes widening in surprise. "You were just a kid who'd just enrolled when we graduated. And now you're already a Chūnin?"
"Hehe…"
Kazuki proudly patted his Chūnin uniform. "I passed the village's Chūnin Exam two years ago—looks like I'm a step ahead of you, senpai!"
"Hahaha… You're impressive!"
Hiruzen laughed and praised his junior but sighed wistfully. "I guess we'll have to catch up and take the exams soon, too…"
"Hmph…"
Danzo joined them, his expression sour. "We only spent the last ten years traveling through the ninja world. Otherwise, we'd already be Jonin by now."
"How could that be a waste of time!"
Hiruzen nudged Danzo playfully.
Even though Hiruzen knew their travels had delayed their advancement, the experience they gained over the decade had been invaluable.
Ten years of journeying through the ninja world…
It had broadened Hiruzen's perspective immensely.
He was no longer the carefree, mischievous boy he once was. Now, he could view the world from the positions of Hashirama and Tobirama, pondering Konoha's future and its relationship with other great villages.
Most importantly, their strength had grown immensely.
Danzo's abilities now matched that of a Jonin, while Hiruzen—having mastered five chakra nature transformations—had taken a major leap forward in power after receiving Shigen's Cursed Seal, which significantly enhanced the potency of his techniques.
In fact…
Hiruzen now believed he could surpass his father, Sarutobi Sasuke, in battle.
"It was a waste of time…"
The Chūnin at the gate agreed with Danzo, bringing up their peers. "Your classmates, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, have long since become Jonin. Even Maru Hoshi Kosuke was once a Jonin!"
"But…"
"Kosuke made some mistakes…"
The Chūnin leaned closer, speaking in a hushed voice. "He's been demoted back to Genin. He refuses to retake the Chūnin Exam and has been working as a Genin ever since."
"Kosuke…"
Hiruzen frowned slightly.
Deciding not to dwell on the matter, Hiruzen finished registering their information and prepared to escort Shigen to the Hokage's office to report.
"This gentleman hasn't registered yet," another Chūnin interjected, stopping them and pointing at Shigen, who appeared to be about their age. "Is he also a ninja from the village?"
"No."
"This gentleman is an honored guest of the village," Hiruzen replied seriously, writing down a fictitious name in the registry. "He is more distinguished than anyone."
"In that case, you should take him on a proper tour of the village," the Chūnin said after checking their identification books. "You should also update your information and photos—most people wouldn't recognize you after ten years away!"
The Chūnin chuckled.
"Speaking of which… Once you enter the village, you might not recognize it either. The changes in Konoha over the years have been incredible."
Indeed, the changes inside the village were even more dramatic.
The buildings lining the streets had shed their former simplicity. Their designs had become more refined, their colors more vibrant—no longer limited to muted greens and browns. Shops now stretched along the streets in orderly rows.
The landscape of Konoha was vivid and beautiful.
Nestled among the low mountains and surrounded by lush green forests, the colorful buildings complemented the scenery. The red Hokage Tower stood tall, and beyond it, the stone visage of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, loomed grandly over the village.
Compared to the fledgling Konoha of ten years ago…
This Konoha now resembled a proper great ninja village, or even a small city-state.
For those who had stayed in Konoha, these changes might not have seemed so noticeable. But for Hiruzen and Danzo, who had been away for a decade, the transformation of their hometown was astonishing.
"It's unbelievable…"
Hiruzen leapt onto a tall water tower, surveying the village's landscape. "Konoha has changed so much in ten years…"
"Yeah…"
Danzo nodded in agreement.
"Time really flies…"
Shigen looked out at the village, as if seeing the passage of time etched into its growth. He knew that the Konoha of the future would be even more prosperous.
Beyond the landscape, the village had also grown in population.
It seemed Konoha's reputation had drawn many to settle there. The streets were filled with children playing and laughing.
Among them was a white-haired boy who carelessly barreled toward Shigen, nearly colliding with him.
But Shigen extended his hand, and a gentle breeze encased the boy, halting his reckless charge safely.
"Huh? Is this ninjutsu?"
The white-haired boy looked around curiously at the breeze surrounding him, then glanced up at Shigen. "Are you a ninja from the village?"
"No."
Shigen shook his head.
"An intruder! A ninja from outside has sneaked in!"
The white-haired boy yelled loudly to his friends behind him, completely oblivious to the fact that he was still restrained by Shigen. "Go call the village seniors! I've found an enemy infiltrator!"
"…"
The group of children burst into a chaotic uproar.
"…"
Shigen stood silently, a faint hint of exasperation crossing his face.
Thump!
Hiruzen landed beside them, knocking the boy on the head with a flick of his finger. Laughing, he teased, "You've got no eye for people, kid! Of all the folks to call an enemy, you chose the one who looks least like a bad guy."
"What's that supposed to mean!"
The white-haired boy puffed out his cheeks in indignation.
"Does this gentleman look like a villain to you?"
Hiruzen tousled the boy's hair, motioning for him to take a good look at Shigen. "Kid, this man is the greatest figure in the ninja world. Just looking at his face, you can tell he's not a bad person!"
Honestly…
Standing next to Shigen, even Danzo looked more like a villain.
"What's your name, and what clan are you from?" Hiruzen asked curiously, stroking the boy's white hair.
"…"
Shigen lowered his gaze slightly.
The boy's stark white hair and the red face paint under his eyes reminded Shigen of someone familiar from the future.
The white-haired boy struck a flamboyant pose, holding his thumb over his chest. He introduced himself with an exaggerated, self-aggrandizing flair:
"I'm the heartthrob of countless beauties across the ninja world…"
"The most handsome, generous, free-spirited, talented, and gifted genius boy—the future top student of the Ninja Academy and Konoha's greatest ninja!"
"Jiraiya!"
"…"
Hiruzen stared at him, dumbfounded.
He'd never seen someone so shameless before.
Even in his younger, rowdier days, Hiruzen couldn't match this boy's sheer audacity.
Shigen, however, remained silent for a moment before remarking, "With all that talking, aren't you getting thirsty, kid?"
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Powerstones?
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