After several large scale clashes in recent days, both Konoha and Sunagakure had entered a brief period of restraint. Neither side seemed eager to start another major confrontation immediately.
At the same time, a large number of reinforcements had suddenly arrived at the village garrison. As a result, the small restaurants around the camp were filled with an endless stream of hungry shinobi.
The owner of the small restaurant where Hayashi and Minato sat was incredibly busy. Despite the constant rush, his face remained full of joy. The amount of money he earned in a single day like this was equal to what he normally made in an entire month.
Even with the overwhelming number of customers, the restaurant served food surprisingly quickly. Before long, the dishes Hayashi and Minato had ordered were placed on their table.
After eating a few snacks, Hayashi wiped his mouth and looked at Minato.
"Do you know why Jiraiya sensei asked you to come with me to check the list of fallen shinobi?"
Minato nodded, his expression turning serious.
At first, he had assumed he was simply being asked to help. However, after listening to the elderly jonin talk about the fallen for the entire afternoon, he began to understand the real reason.
Death was always a heavy subject.
Yet for shinobi who lived constantly on the battlefield, death gradually became something ordinary. It was almost as routine as eating or drinking.
When Minato was still a Genin, he had not felt this weight very deeply. But as he grew older, his strength increased, and the number of battles he fought grew as well.
He had taken lives. He had witnessed the deaths of many others.
Slowly, he had begun to feel numb.
But the stories the old jonin told had reminded him of something important.
Those names were not just records written on a list.
Each of them had their own life, their own story. To their families and loved ones, they were irreplaceable.
Every single one of them mattered.
Jiraiya sensei wanted Minato to understand the true weight of a life while checking that list.
Hayashi lifted his cup and let out a quiet sigh.
"Jiraiya sensei really is a great teacher. One day he will become a truly great ninja."
Minato nodded and raised his own cup.
Although Jiraiya often appeared unreliable, the years he had spent traveling outside the village had clearly changed him. He had matured greatly compared to the past.
Among the three Sannin of Konoha, the one who had grown the most was actually him, the former dead last.
After a moment of silence, Minato spoke again.
"Hayashi, do you remember the conversation we had when we left the Land of Rain?"
Hayashi nodded slightly.
At that time, the two of them had discussed the future and talked about whether true peace could ever exist in the shinobi world.
"So..." Minato hesitated briefly before continuing. "Have you found a way to achieve peace?"
"I have an idea," Hayashi replied calmly. "But it still needs to be verified."
He glanced at Minato's eager expression and then gestured lightly at their surroundings.
"You are not expecting me to explain something like that in a place like this, are you?"
Minato laughed awkwardly.
"I guess I am just a little impatient."
Hayashi smiled faintly.
"After this war ends, I will tell you and Nawaki about my plan. But before that, there is something more important."
His tone turned serious.
"You need to master the Flying Thunder God Technique as soon as possible. You have no idea how much that technique will improve your abilities."
Minato nodded confidently.
"I will. The next time we meet, I will definitely have mastered it."
"Good."
Hayashi smiled. He had been waiting a long time to see the birth of the shinobi who would one day be known as the Yellow Flash.
Minato suddenly remembered something.
"By the way, do you want me to bring anything to Nawaki?"
Hayashi thought for a moment before answering calmly.
"Yes. Tell him not to die."
...
...
At the end of Konoha Year 37, the shinobi team led by Hayashi and Sakumo finally returned to the village.
The journey back had taken some time. They were escorting a large number of wounded shinobi, so their pace could not be too fast.
However, their return was welcomed with great enthusiasm.
Civilians and shinobi alike lined the streets to greet them. Even the Third Hokage personally stood at the entrance of the village to welcome the returning team.
After completing a brief report to the Third Hokage, Hayashi returned with Mikoto to the long missed Uchiha clan compound.
The specific arrangements for their next missions would be decided later by the Third Hokage. For now, Hayashi simply instructed Mikoto to prepare lunch before leaving again.
The atmosphere throughout the village felt tense and heavy, as if something important was approaching.
Hayashi did not stay on the streets for long. Before long, he arrived at the Hokage Office Building.
"Haha, Hayashi, you are here," the Third Hokage said with a smile. "I thought Sakumo would arrive first."
"Sakumo dono probably just reached home," Hayashi replied. "After all, he has a wife and child waiting for him."
"Yes, little Kakashi is truly a genius," the Third Hokage said with a sigh. "He is only four years old, yet he is already skipping grades. His academic performance is excellent in every subject."
Hayashi smiled faintly.
"That is only natural. My disciple should be talented."
The Third Hokage laughed.
"If Kakashi can truly reach your level in the future, I will be able to laugh even in my sleep."
He tapped his pipe thoughtfully.
The Second Shinobi World War had already produced a genius like Hayashi. If the Third Shinobi World War could produce another genius like Kakashi, then Konoha would remain strong for decades.
The Third Hokage lit his pipe before continuing.
"Rest for a few days now that you have returned. Kushina misses you quite a bit. Once you are rested, you will return to the front lines."
"As for the memorial ceremony, we will hold it tomorrow afternoon."
He paused before continuing.
"The heroic spirits of those who died in battle must be remembered. But the heroes who survived must also be valued. The living are always more precious than the dead."
Hayashi nodded.
"I understand."
"I will trouble you to inform Sakumo as well. Also remember to attend the jonin meeting the morning after tomorrow."
"Understood. Then I will take my leave."
"Mm."
The Third Hokage lowered his head again and continued reviewing the documents on his desk while slowly smoking his pipe.
After leaving the Hokage Office Building, Hayashi soon encountered the person he had expected to see.
Kushina.
The last time Hayashi had returned briefly from Ryuchi Cave, he had not even had time to rest. He had immediately led his team back to the battlefield with Jiraiya.
At that time, he had only managed to greet Kushina quickly before leaving again.
Two days earlier, Kushina had learned that a group of shinobi led by Hayashi and Sakumo would be temporarily returning from the battlefield.
Since then, she had been waiting.
When Hayashi walked out of the Hokage Office Building, she had already been standing nearby for quite some time.
The two of them stood quietly for a moment.
Kushina clearly had many things she wanted to say, yet after finally seeing him again, she found herself unusually quiet.
Inside her body, the Nine Tails watched the scene with great interest and kept urging her impatiently, but Kushina completely ignored it.
"I'm back, Kushina," Hayashi said gently.
"Welcome back."
Kushina blinked before walking forward.
Her cheeks turned slightly red as she wrapped her arms around Hayashi's arm.
She did not ask where he would be going next. Instead, she simply walked beside him in silence.
Hayashi thought for a moment before speaking.
"Let's go to the Uchiha compound first. Mikoto is cooking. It has been a long time since the three of us spent time together properly."
He paused briefly.
"After that, we can walk around the village. We will be staying here for the next two days anyway."
Kushina nodded.
"Okay."
However, inside her mind she was thinking about something entirely different.
At the end of this year, she would turn eighteen.
That meant she would finally be an adult.
And adults... were allowed to do certain things.
...