Two days later, the five members of Team Minato finally stood before the towering gates of Konoha once more.
Dust clung to their clothes, their sandals were worn from the long journey, and the exhaustion of months spent near the southwestern front lingered in their eyes. Yet the moment the familiar symbol of the Hidden Leaf came into view, the weight pressing down on their shoulders seemed to loosen.
They were home.
After passing through the gate and completing the necessary identification procedures, Minato turned toward his students.
"We'll separate here," he said. "I need to report directly to the Hokage and submit a full account of what happened at the border. Until you receive further instructions, you're free to rest."
Obito immediately stretched both arms above his head.
"Finally! I'm going to sleep for an entire day!"
Kakashi gave him a sideways glance. "You slept during half the journey."
"That was tactical recovery," Obito argued.
"That was snoring."
"I don't snore!"
"You do," Rin said with a quiet laugh.
Even Ren nodded solemnly. "Loudly."
Obito stared at them as though he had just suffered the cruelest betrayal imaginable.
Minato smiled at the familiar exchange, though the weariness hidden beneath his expression had not entirely disappeared. The mission might have ended, but the war had not. Reports still had to be delivered, casualties recorded, intelligence assessed, and plans made for whatever came next.
"Rest properly," Minato reminded them. "All of you have earned it."
His gaze lingered briefly on Obito's eyes, then on Ren.
There was more behind that look than simple concern.
During their months away, Team Minato had changed.
Obito had awakened the Sharingan and pushed it all the way to two tomoe. Kakashi had grown sharper and more controlled, his battle instincts becoming increasingly frightening for someone his age. Rin had become steadier under pressure, no longer freezing when blood and death appeared before her. As for Ren…
Minato still had difficulty determining the limits of Ren's growth.
Every time he believed he understood the boy's strength, Ren displayed something new.
"Minato-sensei," Rin said softly, "don't forget to rest too."
Minato paused before giving her a reassuring smile.
"I won't."
Then, with a flicker of yellow, he vanished toward the Hokage Building.
The four young shinobi remained near the entrance of the village, staring at the familiar streets stretching before them.
For several seconds, none of them moved.
The scent of grilled food drifted through the air. Merchants called out to passing customers. Children ran between storefronts while their parents shouted after them. Somewhere farther down the street, a blacksmith's hammer rang rhythmically against metal.
There were no warning horns.
No puppets hidden beneath the sand.
No scouts watching the horizon for enemy movement.
No smell of blood carried by a dry desert wind.
Rin released a slow breath, her shoulders finally relaxing.
"It feels like we've been gone for years."
Ren nodded.
"It really does."
Months spent near the southwestern border had distorted their sense of time. Every sunrise had carried the possibility of an attack. Every mission beyond the outpost walls could have ended with someone not returning.
Now, standing beneath Konoha's enormous green canopy, the battlefield almost felt like a nightmare they had only just awakened from.
Ren looked up at the leaves swaying overhead.
The contrast was striking.
The Land of Fire was fertile, warm, and filled with forests and rivers. Konoha enjoyed resources that many other hidden villages could only envy. Even during wartime, civilians could walk through crowded streets, purchase fresh food, and live beneath the protection of towering trees.
The other great nations were not nearly as fortunate.
The Land of Wind was dominated by endless deserts and violent sandstorms.
The Land of Water was damp, cold, and wrapped in mist for much of the year.
The Land of Lightning possessed harsh mountain ranges and sunlight intense enough to make exposed travel exhausting.
The Land of Earth was somewhat better, but even its rocky terrain could not compare to the abundance surrounding Konoha.
Ren understood why the Hidden Leaf had become a target again and again.
Resources created prosperity.
Prosperity created envy.
And envy, when combined with military ambition, created war.
Had Ren been born in another village and risen to become its Kage, he might have eventually looked toward the Land of Fire with the same hunger.
But he had been reborn in Konoha.
For now, his interests were tied to the Hidden Leaf.
Unless he someday abandoned the village entirely and became a rogue shinobi, there was little reason to pretend otherwise.
Ren pushed the thought aside.
"Come on," he said. "Standing at the gate won't make us any cleaner."
Obito looked down at the dust covering his clothes. "I think I've got sand in places sand should never reach."
Kakashi immediately began walking away.
"I didn't need to hear that."
Rin covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
Together, the four of them entered the village.
The moment they stepped fully into Konoha, the noise and warmth of ordinary life washed over them like a wave.
Civilians moved between shops with baskets on their arms. Shinobi leaped across rooftops carrying messages or mission documents. Restaurant owners shouted daily specials. A group of academy students hurried past while arguing about who would become Hokage first.
Obito watched them go with a grin.
"They're dreaming too small."
Kakashi glanced at him. "You're right. None of them said they wanted to become Hokage while failing basic academy exercises."
"That was years ago!"
"It was not."
Ren's attention shifted toward the businesses lining the street.
Several new signs had appeared since their departure. One shop had been renovated. Another had closed entirely. A weapons store displayed a new collection of reinforced kunai, likely marketed toward shinobi traveling to the front.
Then Obito suddenly stopped.
"Wait."
He pointed toward a shop farther down the road.
"What's that?"
The others followed his gaze.
A long line stretched from the entrance of an Akimichi-owned beverage shop. Civilians and shinobi alike waited impatiently beneath the afternoon sun, some holding coins while others argued over their place in the queue.
Above the entrance hung a brightly painted signboard.
It showed a transparent glass bottle filled with dark liquid. A stylized leaf symbol had been printed across the bottle's label.
Beneath it, bold writing announced:
KONOHA RAW COLA AVAILABLE TODAY
LIMITED STOCK—THREE BOTTLES PER CUSTOMER
Obito stared.
"Konoha Raw Cola?"
He tilted his head.
"What kind of name is that?"
Kakashi studied the dark liquid shown on the sign.
"It looks like ink."
"That's what I was thinking," Obito said. "Why are people lining up to drink ink?"
Rin, however, had gone strangely quiet.
Her eyes moved from the signboard to Ren.
Then back to the signboard.
She remembered Ren visiting Tsunade before they left the village. At the time, he had brought along a recipe and discussed some sort of business arrangement. Rin had not listened to the entire conversation, but she clearly remembered the name.
Konoha Raw Cola.
Her eyes widened slightly.
Could this entire craze have started because of Ren?
Before she could ask, a familiar figure emerged from the shop carrying three glass bottles against his chest.
Asuma Sarutobi looked extremely pleased with himself.
He had clearly succeeded in securing the maximum number allowed per customer, and judging by the guarded way he held the bottles, he had no intention of sharing them.
Rin pointed.
"Isn't that Asuma?"
Obito's eyes brightened.
"Asuma!"
Before anyone could stop him, he rushed forward.
Asuma had barely taken three steps from the entrance when Obito appeared directly in front of him.
"Whoa!"
Asuma nearly dropped one of the bottles.
He tightened his grip and stepped back, glaring at Obito.
"What are you doing?"
Then he finally recognized the others approaching behind him.
His irritation turned into surprise.
"Obito? Ren? Kakashi? Rin?"
Asuma looked them over, taking in the dust, travel gear, and worn expressions.
"What happened? Did the Hidden Sand surrender?"
Obito blinked.
"Why would you ask that?"
Asuma grinned.
"You've been away so long that I thought the war might have ended."
Obito opened his mouth, ready to launch into an exaggerated explanation, but Asuma raised one hand.
"I'm joking. Welcome back."
His tone became more sincere.
"It really has been a while."
Rin smiled. "It's good to see you too."
"You returned because of the Chunin Exams, right?" Asuma asked.
Obito nodded distractedly.
"Yeah, probably."
His gaze had already fallen to the bottles in Asuma's arms.
"What's that stuff?"
Asuma followed his stare.
Then his expression changed.
The warmth of reunion disappeared instantly, replaced by suspicion.
"This?"
He shifted the bottles away from Obito.
"This is Konoha Raw Cola."
"So it really is a drink?"
"What else would it be?"
Obito leaned closer, examining the nearly black liquid through the glass.
"It looks dangerous."
Asuma gave him a condescending look.
"You've been away from the village for a few months and already turned into a country bumpkin?"
Obito's eyebrow twitched.
"Who are you calling a country bumpkin?"
"You."
Asuma lifted one bottle proudly.
"Konoha Raw Cola only appeared about a month ago, but it's already the most popular drink in the village. Every new batch sells out almost immediately."
"Seriously?"
"I heard the formula was personally developed by Tsunade."
Ren remained silent.
Asuma continued enthusiastically.
"It's sweet, cold, sharp, and somehow refreshing at the same time. The bubbles explode across your tongue. Once you drink one bottle, ordinary juice starts tasting boring."
Obito looked skeptical.
"That sounds exaggerated."
"It isn't."
"Then give me one."
Asuma immediately hugged the bottles tighter.
"No."
"You have three!"
"And all three belong to me."
"You can't drink all of them at once."
"I don't need to."
Obito placed an arm around Asuma's shoulder as though they were lifelong brothers reunited after decades apart.
"Come on. We fought side by side at the academy."
"We sat in the same classroom."
"Exactly! That creates a bond deeper than blood."
"No, it doesn't."
"I just returned from the battlefield."
"So?"
"I nearly died."
Asuma looked at him without sympathy.
"You say that every time you want something."
"This time it's true!"
"It was probably your own fault."
Obito's expression tightened.
Ren had to admit that Asuma understood him surprisingly well.
Obito continued pestering him until several people waiting in line began watching the argument with amusement.
Finally, perhaps remembering that they truly had not seen one another for months, Asuma sighed.
"Fine."
He carefully pulled one bottle from his arms.
"But you get two sips."
Obito snatched it immediately.
"You're unbelievably stingy."
"I waited forty minutes for that bottle."
"Forty minutes?"
"And I got here early."
Obito examined the metal cap, then twisted it open.
A sharp hiss escaped.
Tiny bubbles surged toward the neck of the bottle.
Obito raised it toward his lips, but just before drinking, he paused and looked at Rin.
"Rin, you should try it first."
The offer came so naturally that Rin blinked.
Kakashi looked away.
Asuma's mouth curved into a knowing smile.
Ren pretended not to notice.
Rin shook her head.
"No, thank you."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"It might sell out before you get another chance."
"I'm sure, Obito."
Obito hesitated, apparently considering whether he should insist, but Rin's smile made it clear she truly was not interested.
"All right."
He took a large swallow.
The reaction was immediate.
His eyes widened.
His entire body stiffened.
For one alarming second, Asuma looked worried that Obito might spit it out.
Then Obito lowered the bottle and stared at it in amazement.
"What is this?"
Asuma smirked.
"Good, isn't it?"
"It's strange."
"That doesn't sound like praise."
"No, I mean…" Obito took another mouthful before Asuma could stop him. "It feels like something is exploding on my tongue!"
"That's the carbonation."
"The what?"
"I don't know. That's what the shopkeeper called it."
Obito grinned.
"This is incredible!"
He turned toward the others and held out the bottle.
"Ren, Kakashi—you have to try this."
Ren accepted it first.
Unlike Obito, he took only a small sip.
The moment the drink touched his tongue, he began evaluating it.
This was the first time he had tasted the commercially produced version.
Before leaving Konoha, Ren had only created the basic formula and delivered it to Tsunade. The original mixture had been crude. It possessed the recognizable taste of cola, but the sweetness had been heavy, the carbonation inconsistent, and the aftertaste somewhat medicinal.
After Ren departed for the border, the remaining development work had fallen to Tsunade and Ren's father, Tajima.
The result was noticeably improved.
The sweetness had been reduced.
The carbonation was stronger and more even.
There was also a faint herbal aftertaste that had not existed in Ren's original version. It was subtle enough not to become unpleasant, but distinct enough to separate the drink from an ordinary sugary beverage.
Tsunade must have altered the recipe.
Ren suspected she had added ingredients intended to reduce fatigue or aid digestion, though the quantities were clearly too small to produce a serious medical effect.
Still, the overall balance was far better than he had expected.
Ren handed the bottle toward Kakashi.
"It's good."
Rin watched him carefully.
That brief answer confirmed her suspicion.
Ren was involved.
Kakashi took the bottle, lifted his mask just enough to drink, and swallowed a small amount.
Everyone waited for his judgment.
Kakashi lowered the bottle.
"It's fine."
Obito stared at him.
"Fine?"
"Yes."
"That's all you have to say?"
Kakashi shrugged.
"Were you expecting me to write a mission report?"
Obito looked offended by his complete lack of excitement.
Ren was not surprised. A sweet carbonated drink was unlikely to interest Kakashi as much as training, weapons, or the latest volume of a certain questionable romance novel.
Obito reclaimed the bottle.
He drank again.
Then again.
Asuma's face darkened.
"Two sips."
Obito ignored him.
"Obito."
Another swallow.
"Obito!"
By the time Asuma forcibly seized the bottle back, nearly half of it was gone.
Asuma stared at the remaining cola in horror.
"You drank half!"
"I was thirsty."
"You said you'd pay me back!"
"I will."
"With what money?"
Obito froze.
Asuma's eyes narrowed.
"You don't have any, do you?"
"I have money."
"How much?"
Obito began checking his pockets.
First the left.
Then the right.
Then the inner pocket of his jacket.
His confidence slowly disappeared.
Rin sighed and reached for her own pouch.
"I'll pay for him."
Obito immediately straightened.
"No! I can pay."
"You just checked every pocket."
"I have emergency money somewhere."
Kakashi walked past him.
"Your emergency is apparently cola."
Asuma continued glaring at the bottle, mourning the loss of half his precious drink.
Only then did Obito seem to remember that cola was not the most important thing he had brought back from the battlefield.
A grin spread across his face.
"Asuma."
"What?"
"Look carefully."
Obito stepped back and pointed dramatically toward his eyes.
His chakra stirred.
The dark pupils changed.
Two tomoe appeared in each crimson iris.
Asuma's irritation vanished.
His eyes widened.
"The Sharingan?"
Obito crossed his arms, basking in the reaction.
"That's right."
Asuma leaned closer.
"Two tomoe?"
"How about that?"
"When did this happen?"
"On the front lines."
Obito's grin grew wider.
He had clearly been waiting for this moment since the instant they entered the village.
"We accomplished something huge out there."
Kakashi muttered, "Here we go."
Obito ignored him.
"We fought Chiyo."
Asuma's expression stiffened.
"Chiyo?"
"The legendary puppet master from the Hidden Sand," Obito continued. "The one even senior shinobi don't want to face."
"I know who she is."
"Well, I fought her personally."
Ren glanced at him.
That statement was not technically false.
Obito had been present.
He had used his Sharingan.
He had contributed.
Yet calling it a personal battle made the encounter sound considerably more balanced than it had actually been.
Without Minato, the entire team would have faced disaster.
Chiyo's puppets, poison, experience, and killing intent had been on another level. Even after awakening the two-tomoe Sharingan, Obito would not have survived a direct exchange for long.
"I escaped without a scratch," Obito declared.
Asuma looked him up and down.
"Really?"
"Of course."
Ren briefly considered correcting him.
Then he decided against it.
Obito had earned the right to boast a little.
He had entered the battlefield as an academy failure desperate to prove himself. He had returned with blood on his hands, scars hidden beneath his clothes, and a two-tomoe Sharingan burning in his eyes.
That growth had come at a price.
Let him enjoy the moment.
Asuma's gaze shifted toward Kakashi, Rin, and Ren.
"You really fought Chiyo?"
Rin nodded.
"It happened during one of our missions."
Asuma's expression became more serious.
"And everyone made it back?"
There was a brief pause.
The noise of the street continued around them, but the memory of the battlefield rose silently between the four returning shinobi.
Not everyone had made it back.
Not every team had returned intact.
Not every name on the mission roster still belonged to the living.
Obito's smile faded slightly.
"Our team did."
Asuma understood what had been left unsaid.
His grip tightened around the cola bottles.
For a moment, none of them spoke.
Then Ren deliberately changed the subject.
"Asuma, let's talk about something more important."
Asuma looked at him.
"The Chunin Exams," Ren said. "You're the Hokage's son. Have you heard anything we should know?"
Obito immediately leaned closer.
"Yeah. Any secret rules? Special examiners? Hidden advantages?"
Asuma frowned.
"Why would I know that?"
"Because your father is the Hokage."
"He doesn't tell me classified information over dinner."
Obito looked unconvinced.
"Not even accidentally?"
"No."
"What if you listen outside his office?"
"I'm not going to spy on the Hokage."
Kakashi's visible eye narrowed.
"You thought about it."
"I did not."
Ren watched Asuma carefully.
The denial had come a little too quickly.
And beneath the irritation on Asuma's face, there was something else.
Unease.
He knew something.
Perhaps not the exact structure of the exam, but enough to understand that this year would not be ordinary.
Ren's expression sharpened.
The war had already transformed their generation. Young shinobi were gaining battlefield experience at an age when they should have been performing simple escort missions and searching for lost pets.
A Chunin Exam held during such a period would not merely test textbook knowledge or basic teamwork.
The village needed capable field commanders.
It needed shinobi who could make decisions while surrounded by death.
And it needed them quickly.
Asuma glanced toward the crowded street, then lowered his voice.
"I don't know the full details."
Obito moved closer.
"But?"
Asuma hesitated.
The humor had disappeared from his face entirely.
"But I heard my father arguing with several senior shinobi three nights ago."
Ren's eyes narrowed.
"What were they arguing about?"
Asuma
----------------------------------------------
Extra chapters upto available in Patreon
[Www.patreon.com/Samurai492 ]"
__________________________________