The march back to Konoha went smoother than Taiichi expected. Leading a couple hundred battle-worn shinobi for the first time had him on edge—strength alone didn't cut it when you had to keep everyone moving, organized, and alive. Still, he got them there in one piece.
From a distance he spotted the crowd gathered at the village gates. Even with his sharp eyes he could pick out the Third Hokage standing at the front, advisors beside him, and what looked like half the village waiting behind.
Taiichi raised his voice so the whole column could hear. "Everyone! The Hokage and the villagers are right there to welcome us home. Straighten up. Show them what victory looks like."
A ragged cheer answered him. Even the worst-off wounded pushed themselves upright or leaned on comrades so they could walk in under their own power. Pride cut through the exhaustion.
The column stepped forward under a wave of "Banzai!" and "Heroes!" The Hokage's face lit up the second he saw them. Taiichi moved ahead of the group, stopped in front of Hiruzen, and bowed.
"Hokage-sama. Matsushita Taiichi, reporting back with two hundred and forty-three victorious shinobi. We await your orders."
Hiruzen blinked at the crisp, almost military delivery, then laughed and clapped Taiichi hard on the shoulder. "Good. Very good." He turned to the rest of the column. "All of you—every last one—you're the village's pride. Go home. Two months' leave. Spend it with your families. Konoha still needs you."
Cheers erupted again. Wounded shinobi were gently guided toward the hospital while the rest scattered into waiting arms—wives, parents, kids. The street filled with tears and laughter.
When the crowd finally thinned, only Hiruzen, Koharu, Homura, and Taiichi remained. The Hokage smiled at him like a proud grandfather. "Come on, Taiichi. Office. We need to talk about your future."
Inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen didn't waste time. "You're probably wondering why I pulled you off the front lines so fast."
Taiichi stayed silent, waiting.
"You've earned the Jonin rank—more than earned it. But I also want you here in the village for a while. With so many of our best fighters deployed, having someone who can actually kill a tailed beast on standby feels like smart insurance."
Taiichi nodded slowly. He believed maybe two-tenths of that explanation. The village wasn't exactly empty with the Hokage, Kushina, and every major clan still around. But he kept that thought to himself.
Hiruzen leaned back. "Before I assign you anything, tell me what you want to do while you're here."
Taiichi didn't hesitate. "Can you put me in the Barrier Team?"
Hiruzen's eyebrows shot up. "The Barrier Team? I figured you'd want the hospital again. Why there?"
Taiichi rubbed the back of his neck. "When I fought Shukaku, I realized how hard it is to pin down something that big. I want to develop a sealing technique one person can actually use—something that can at least slow a tailed beast down. The Uzumaki Adamantine Sealing Chains gave me the idea, but that's bloodline stuff. The Barrier Team has the kind of sealing knowledge and resources I need to figure something out on my own."
Hiruzen stared at him for a long second, then let out a short laugh that was half amusement, half disbelief. "You really don't think small, do you?" He grabbed a sheet of paper and scribbled out an order. "Fine. You've earned the right to chase your own path. Report to the Barrier Team the day after tomorrow. Take tomorrow to rest."
Taiichi accepted the paper like it was gold. "Thank you, Hokage-sama. Really."
"'Hokage-sama' when I give you what you want, 'Hokage Grandpa' the rest of the time, huh?" Hiruzen shook his head, smiling despite himself. "Get out of here before I change my mind. Go handle your promotion paperwork."
Taiichi bowed deeply and left with a grin.
Once the door closed, Koharu and Homura exchanged looks.
"Jonin at his age," Homura muttered. "Makes the rest of us feel old."
Hiruzen just watched the door Taiichi had walked through, eyes thoughtful but satisfied. The kid had power, brains, and enough loyalty to keep things simple—for now. That was more than enough.