80: Chapter 80 Snowflakes Falling on the Leaf VillageThe atmosphere of the year's end also enveloped Konoha.
Fine snowflakes fell from the gray sky, gently covering the Fire Shadow Rock and draping the entire village in a pure silver coat.
The formal invitation from the Apocalypse Merchant Guild was delivered to the Hokage's office by a well-trained ninja hawk.
The wording was appropriate, stating that Naruto Uzumaki would take advantage of the New Year holiday to return to Konoha with Tsunade and Shizune to visit the Fifth Hokage and pay his respects to his old friend.
This letter of invitation caused a great stir among the high-ranking officials of Konoha.
In the Hokage's meeting room, the charcoal fire crackled and popped, but it couldn't dispel the chill and scheming in some people's hearts.
"We are naturally happy to welcome Lady Tsunade back for a visit."
Advisor Mitokado Homura adjusted his glasses and said cautiously, "But Naruto Uzumaki.his current identity is sensitive.He is the president of the Apocalypse Merchant Guild, and more importantly.the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki."
Koharu Utatane immediately chimed in, her voice slightly shrill: "The Nine-Tails is a crucial strategic deterrent for the village!Now that its jinchūriki has escaped control and established a private army, its power is expanding at an alarming rate!We must consider re-imposing control, or at least ensure it doesn't pose a threat to the village!"
Her words resonated with some of the conservative elders.
They both coveted and feared the power of the Nine-Tails.
"Control?With what means can we control it?"
Another more pragmatic elder couldn't help but retort, "According to the current intelligence, the Apocalypse Merchant Guild openly has two Kage-level powerhouses, Tsunade and Tessho, and Naruto Uzumaki's own strength is even more unfathomable!"
"Plus the power they might have absorbed from the Hidden Sound Village.a hardline approach will only give Konoha a terrifying enemy!"
"Are we just going to let the Nine-Tails wander outside?"
"At least for now, Naruto Uzumaki has not shown any hostility towards Konoha.On the contrary, he has shown great goodwill towards the village through various means."
The two sides argued endlessly, and the meeting room was filled with tension.
Jiraiya, who had been silent all along, suddenly slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups rattle.
"Stop arguing!"
He scanned the entire room, his eyes resolute."I watched Naruto grow up.I know his true nature better than any of you!The path he's taking now may be different from what we expected, but he would never intentionally harm Konoha!"
"He came as the president of the Chamber of Commerce, presenting a formal invitation!This shows us Konoha the utmost respect!It would be truly foolish of us to greet him with hostility!"
He took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his blood caused by the crowd's argument, and made a solemn decision: "Receive the Tianqi Chamber of Commerce delegation with the highest level of hospitality, maintain friendly contact, observe cautiously, and strive for cooperation."
"This matter need not be discussed further!"
As Naruto, Tsunade, and Shizune walked through the familiar gates of Konoha, stepping through the thin snow, they felt an extremely complex atmosphere.
There was curiosity, awe, alienation, and a few hidden.hostility.
The reception was handled entirely by Mitarashi Anko.
Today, Hongdou has shed her usual flamboyance, dressed in a decent and warm apricot-colored winter outfit, with her long hair tied up.
She was poised and graceful, arranged the reception process in an orderly manner, and spoke with just the right amount of enthusiasm, revealing a gentleness she had never shown before.
"Lady Tsunade, President Naruto, Miss Shizune, welcome back to Konoha."
Red Bean smiled and led the way, her gaze meeting Jiraiya's with tenderness.
"The accommodation has been arranged.It's an old house that has been thoroughly cleaned."
Walking down the familiar street, looking at the lanterns hanging on both sides and the occasional children in new clothes chasing snowflakes, Tsunade's eyes were somewhat dazed.
Those memories are buried deep within my mind.
Images of youth and comrades-in-arms keep resurfacing from time to time.
Jiraiya stayed by her side, looking at her still radiant profile in the snowlight, and his heart was filled with countless emotions.
Time seemed to overlap at this moment.The companion who fought alongside him and laughed and joked with him has now embarked on a completely different path, while he himself has gained someone else by his side who is worth cherishing.
"I never thought I'd have the chance to walk the streets of Konoha with you like this."
"Tsunade said softly."
Jiraiya chuckled, a hint of self-deprecation in his voice: "Yeah, I never expected that after becoming Hokage, the easiest part would be dealing with you 'troublesome people' like me."
On the other side, Naruto temporarily left the group, citing a desire to explore on his own.
He strolled along the streets covered in a thin layer of snow, and before he knew it, he had walked to the training forest behind the former ninja academy.
Snowflakes fell silently, tree branches were covered with silver frost, and the only sound in the quiet was the crunch of footsteps on the snow.
He saw that figure.
Hinata Hyuga.
She stood alone, dressed in a light purple thermal kimono with a white cotton haori over it, under a tree covered with icicles, looking up at something.
Snowflakes fell gently on her fair cheeks and soft, short, blue-purple hair, creating a scene of serene beauty, like a painting.
Seemingly sensing someone, Hinata slowly turned her head.
When her gaze fell upon Naruto, her signature white eyes widened instantly, and her body trembled slightly.
Her cheeks flushed red at an extremely rapid pace, spreading all the way to her ears.
She subconsciously lowered her head, nervously twisting the hem of her haori with both hands, her breathing becoming shallow.
".Naruto.kun?"
Her voice was weak, trembling, and filled with a deep-seated emotion that had suddenly burst forth.
After many years, the boy I remember as a bit boisterous and always chasing after others' approval has undergone a complete transformation.
He stood tall and straight, with a calm demeanor and an air of complete control between his brows.
Only those blue eyes, when looking at her, still faintly retained a trace of the gentleness of the past.
Naruto was also somewhat surprised, then smiled knowingly: "Hinata?Long time no see."
He walked to her side and followed her gaze; a branch was hanging there.A small, handmade bird's nest, somewhat simple but sturdy, with a sparrow, seemingly unafraid of the cold, peeking out.
"Looking at this?" Naruto asked.
"...Um."
Hinata nodded gently, her voice still very soft, "It.comes back every winter."
The simple conversation seemed to have broken down a barrier.
A subtle atmosphere, a blend of nostalgia and youthful sentiment, permeated the air.
Snowflakes drifted silently between the two of them, and time seemed to slow down.
Naruto didn't ask her why she was there, and Hinata didn't explain either.
It seemed that their meeting was only natural, amidst such a snowy landscape and in such an old place.
They stood side by side, watching the sparrow and the falling snow, occasionally exchanging a few simple words about the past and their current situation.
There was no overly intense conversation, just a sense of unspoken peace.
Naruto could sense the overflowing shyness in the girl beside him.
Unlike his current relationships with Sakura, Ino, and Temari, Hinata's emotions are like the snow in the forest—clean, soft, and carrying a steadfastness that has remained unchanged for many years.
He didn't point it out, nor did he deliberately get closer.He simply enjoyed this rare tranquility, letting the long-dormant emotion belonging to "Naruto Uzumaki's" original destiny trajectory quietly revive and slowly rise in this silent atmosphere of falling snow.
This tranquility did not last long.
Outside the training forest, a Hyuga branch family ninja appeared silently.He bowed slightly to Hinata, but his gaze quickly and cautiously swept over Naruto, conveying the message that something had happened in the clan.
Hinata was a little disappointed, but she still politely bowed slightly to Naruto: "Naruto-kun.I, I'll take my leave now."
"Okay, goodbye, Hinata."
Naruto nodded with a smile.
Naruto watched Hinata leave under the protection of the branch family ninja, lost in thought.
The Hyuga family.
It seems they've already noticed their young lady's contact with them.
Moreover, judging from the respectful yet scrutinizing, but not hostile, attitude of the branch family ninja, the Hyuga main family's attitude towards this matter is probably quite different from before.
For the now-dominant Apocalypse Merchant Guild, and for the power wielded by Naruto Uzumaki, this ancient Konoha powerhouse seems to.see a new possibility?
Naruto's lips curled into a playful smile.
The waters of Konoha have never truly been calm.
He turned around and followed the footprints he had come from, walking into the village.
The snow was still falling, and the training forest behind us returned to silence, with only the faint footprints describing the brief yet meaningful encounter that had just taken place.
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