Land of Fire, Konoha Village.
Hatake Kakashi, Sarutobi Asuma, Yuhi Kurenai, Might Guy.
These four top ninjas of Konoha Village were standing at the front gate of Konoha Village like welcoming girls, waiting for a "guest" to arrive.
There were also many Anbu ninjas hidden in the shadows, disguised as normal people, ready to provide support at any time.
They were so prepared, but the target they were waiting for was only one person -
Linto.
A day ago, Jiraiya received a letter from Linto by carrier pigeon, learning that he had already killed Orochimaru and was on his way to Konoha Village, expected to arrive today.
Jiraiya stayed by the Clean Water Ball to protect Sasuke, never leaving for even a moment.
The Third Hokage, thinking about Linto's victories since he left Konoha, was afraid that something might happen on the way and that this dangerous person would start fighting in Konoha Village. So he sent Kakashi and the other three.
They called it protection and reception, but anyone could see that it was really spying.
"But is this really needed?"
Asuma was usually a very easygoing person, but today he was unusually impatient. He pulled out a cigarette, flicked his lighter to light it, and blew out a long stream of smoke:
"It's just one person. Do we all need to watch him?"
Asuma had seen Linto fight Kakashi.
His ability was special, but... that's all it was.
From the Uchiha clan's destruction to now, it's only been half a year. Even if Linto trained day and night, how much could he have improved?
"He couldn't have changed from a normal person into a god in an instant, like in a fairy tale, right?"
Kurenai was very interested in Linto: "Kakashi, you fought Linto, what kind of person is he?"
"Him?"
Kakashi leaned against the Konoha Village gate, holding his book, but when he heard this question, his eyes seemed a little unfocused.
He was remembering that night's battle.
"He's a very interesting person. If the village hadn't had those kinds of problems, Linto probably could have become a great ninja."
When Kakashi talked about "those kinds of problems," the other three looked a little awkward.
Among the four people responsible for receiving Linto today, there were still no ninjas from the Ino-Shika-Cho, Byakugan, or Aburame clans.
Only Asuma was there as a descendant of the Third Hokage.
This was why Asuma was impatient -
He could accept going on any dangerous mission as a Konoha ninja, but he didn't want to be seen as the "Hokage's son," acting like a symbolic good luck charm.
Kakashi sighed softly in his heart.
The people were still the same people, and Konoha was still the same Konoha, but...
It felt a little different.
"Hey ho! Hey ho!"
Might Guy was still focused on doing push-ups.
Okay, Kakashi had to admit that Guy was still the same as always.
The four people had different thoughts, thinking about their own things. Suddenly, Might Guy stopped doing push-ups and narrowed his eyes, looking at the end of the horizon.
"Did you guys hear something?"
"A sound?"
The four of them followed Might Guy's gaze and looked into the distance.
The weather wasn't good today. Dark clouds covered the sky, and the air was heavy and damp, like it was about to rain.
At the end of their vision -
With the sound of rumbling wind and thunder, a straight gap was torn open in the thick, dark clouds, as if a sword had forcefully cut open the clouds, letting through a ray of bright sunlight.
Kurenai vaguely guessed what had torn open the clouds, but she couldn't believe her guess, and she licked her dry lips, "What... what's that?"
Before she finished speaking, the sound of wind and thunder was close.
They saw it.
Linto was standing on the Destruction Blade, surrounded by golden lightning. A strong wind rushed from behind him, forcing the clouds in front of him to split open.
Because the strong wind cleared the way, Linto, standing on the Destruction Blade, was always covered in sunlight, like he was wearing a thin golden robe.
Thump -
The cigarette fell from Asuma's mouth to the ground.
"No, he really became a god?"
The sky was always the area that humans desired the most. Some ninjas could fly in the sky using ninja beasts and jutsu, but... the shock of that kind of flying couldn't compare to Linto's at all.
The sound of wind and thunder echoed in the sky above Konoha Village, and almost everyone stopped what they were doing and looked up at the sky.
When the people and ninjas of Konoha saw Linto tearing through the clouds, walking on the sunlight, and flying over, they were all stunned.
Someone started it first, and all the people of Konoha put their hands together and prayed to Linto, who was flying over.
Kakashi's mouth was half open, "Hey, hey, hey, this is... a little too much, isn't it?"
Suddenly, Kakashi noticed that there was also a woman hanging below the Destruction Blade, wrapped in purple vines. He could vaguely hear the woman shouting:
"Linto - you - jerk!"
As the woman shouted, the wind blew into her mouth, making her voice broken, but even so, Kakashi could still clearly hear the anger in the woman's voice.
"There's another person? And it's..."
As they got closer, Kakashi saw Konan wearing the Akatsuki organization's black robe with red clouds.
"Akatsuki?!"
Kakashi looked at his other three companions.
They expected Linto's arrival to cause some kind of chaos, but now it seemed like...
things were more troublesome than they thought.
With the wind howling and countless people watching, Linto put away the Destruction Blade and landed lightly in front of the Konoha gate.
After Konan landed, she coughed nonstop. She opened her mouth, pointed her finger, and was about to curse, but then Linto threw her a bottle of tea, which felt warm and comfortable in her hands.
"Drink it, or you'll catch a cold," Linto said, "I haven't completely mastered flying, so I can only take you this way. Sorry for trouble you."
Konan opened her mouth, but because of her gentle personality, she didn't curse. She drank the warm tea, which warmed her body that had been frozen all the way.
Linto put the Destruction Blade on his back and saw Kakashi walking over.
Linto remembered that this ninja had helped him once, so he nodded slightly, "Long time no see."
Kakashi sighed softly, "You had to make such a big entrance?"
Linto didn't do it to intimidate Konoha. He just wanted to get back as fast as possible.
"Where is Jiraiya?"
"Jiraiya-sama is guarding Sasuke. He hasn't slept or rested for the past twelve days. He's been by Sasuke's side, never leaving for a moment. I'll take you there."
"Okay."
Kakashi walked ahead to lead the way, and the other three formed a triangle formation, protecting Linto and Konan in the center.
Konan whispered, "They're spying on us."
"It's not just spying," Linto said.
Kakashi and the other three were preventing Linto and Konan from suddenly attacking, and also preventing Danzo and the Root organization from going crazy and causing unnecessary conflicts.
Linto looked up at the sign with the Konoha symbol.
He never thought that he would actually visit this old place again.
But this was still not his real home.
Linto stepped inside with one foot.
At the same time, in the Root organization's base.
A Root ninja wearing a white dog mask knelt on one knee and said to Danzo, "Sir, the people are ready and can take action at any time."
Danzo slowly opened his eyes.
"Don't rush. Let him save that little one first. Then he'll be worth taking action against."
Danzo touched his right arm, which was covered in bandages, and stared at Linto, who was walking in the streets of Konoha, on the monitor screen:
"Now that you're back, don't even think about leaving."
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