Chapter 135: Reconstruction (Bonus Chapter for Blue Gunwale 20190325)

The fires of war had died down, and the smoke was slowly dispersing, yet the Leaf Village lay devastated.

The shattered walls stood like ruins eroded by the passage of time, silently bearing witness to the brutality of the battle. The collapsed houses resembled exhausted giants, sprawled haphazardly across the ground.

The charred trees seemed to have endured a nightmare, stripped of their former vitality. The bloodstains that had yet to be washed away formed one horrifying mark after another, reminding everyone of the merciless battle they had just survived.

As Naruto gazed upon it all, he could not help feeling dazed, as though he had returned to that other world.

That world had only just welcomed peace. Though it too had endured the ravages of war, its condition was far better than the Leaf Village’s present state. By the end of the war, they had advanced all the way into enemy territory, and the first rays of victory had dispelled the gloom cast by invasion.

The Leaf Village’s miserable appearance now instead resembled the city in Naruto’s memories immediately after it had been battered by artillery—a wasteland steeped in desolation and sorrow.

Naruto was utterly exhausted. He had just returned from the village’s temporary medical station, where he had helped treat the wounded.

Hinata was in relatively good condition. She had suffered no serious injuries, only extreme fatigue and some damage caused by the excessive amount of chakra that had coursed through her meridians within a short period of time. Those two robots had inflicted tremendous harm upon the shinobi of the Leaf, much like natural disasters. The casualties among the many middle- and lower-ranked shinobi, who formed the village’s backbone, had been especially severe.

Tsunade, the founder of the Leaf’s medical corps and its foremost medical expert, was absent. Thus, Naruto had been forced to step forward and use the power of the Yang half of the Nine-Tails to help heal the wounded.

Treating the injured did not consume too much of his energy. What truly drained him was the reconstruction of the Leaf Village.

For reasons Naruto did not understand, after hearing of the deaths of Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura and seeing their bodies, the two advisers, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, had handed a vast portion of the village’s authority and affairs over to him.

Only later did he learn that Hiruzen Sarutobi had discovered Naruto’s unusual nature long ago.

He had recognized the maturity Naruto possessed—maturity far beyond his years—as well as his seasoned ability to handle all manner of administrative affairs.

The way Naruto managed Whirlpool Village and the Land of Waves had only strengthened Hiruzen’s conviction. He had told Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane that he intended, in the future, to entrust Naruto with the management of the Leaf Village.

Naruto had originally wanted to say that perhaps he was too young to command everyone’s respect.

Unexpectedly, it was not only the ordinary shinobi who submitted to him. Even the Sarutobi clan, led by Asuma Sarutobi—those who had once served as the right and left hands of the Third and Fourth Hokage—were entirely convinced by Naruto.

What Naruto did not know was that when he had returned in Nine-Tails Chakra Mode and swiftly defeated the extraterrestrial robots in an appearance resembling a god descending into the mortal world, many shinobi had already begun to admire and revere him.

As he presided over the many affairs involved in rebuilding the village, the maturity and experience Naruto displayed further won the wholehearted respect of the shinobi.

The people of the shinobi world believed, to one degree or another, in all sorts of mystical things.

Naruto’s performance left them no choice but to believe that he was the savior they had been awaiting.

In their hearts, Naruto was much like the Fourth Hokage—the one who would lead them toward peace and light in the future.

Moreover, something earth-shaking had recently occurred in the Leaf Village.

The Uchiha clan, which had declared itself destroyed several years ago, had returned in grand fashion. This sudden upheaval sent shock waves through the entire village.

And in the Leaf Village as it now stood, Naruto was the only person with whom the Uchiha could communicate freely.

Toward everyone else, the Uchiha remained as aloof as ever, even openly hostile.

Treating the wounded was not the entirety of Naruto’s work that day. He also had to preside over a collective funeral.

It was the seventh day since the battle against the extraterrestrial robots, the seventh day after the deaths of Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura, and the seventh day after the deaths of the countless others who had perished.

The bodies of the many fallen had been placed together beneath the Hokage Rock. The solemn scene stirred immeasurable grief in the hearts of all who witnessed it. Standing before the assembled crowd, Naruto wore a grave expression. He would lead the living in holding a dignified memorial ceremony for those brave souls.

Every household in the Leaf Village was draped in mourning. White strips of cloth fluttered gently in the wind, carrying the grief of the living.

Villagers came one after another to mourn their departed loved ones. Their faces were filled with sorrow and longing as they recalled the many moments they had shared with Hiruzen Sarutobi, the old Hokage.

Their hearts were filled with gratitude—for the immense contributions the dead had made to the Leaf Village.

During the memorial service, Naruto led the people in offering flowers to the fallen, expressing their reverence and remembrance.

Afterward, Naruto had the dead buried together in the village’s public cemetery. With his own hands, he carved their names into the memorial monument, every stroke filled with respect for the departed.

Their souls would forever protect the Leaf Village, guarding the land for which they had once fought.

The eyes of those attending the memorial were involuntarily drawn toward several distinctly separate groups.

The members of the Uchiha clan had donned their clan crests and made a conspicuous appearance under the leadership of Sasuke Uchiha, the clan leader’s son. Their presence was particularly striking.

For a moment, everyone felt somewhat dazed. They sensed that this was not merely a memorial ceremony.

It seemed as though the Leaf Village had returned to the moment when it had first been founded.

In those days, the Uchiha clan had been much the same. Led by its clan head, Madara Uchiha, they had all worn their clan crests and assembled in grand fashion.

At that time, they had been filled with determination and hope, striving together to build a beautiful homeland. Now, the Uchiha clan’s return seemed to resemble history repeating itself.

“History will not repeat itself, of course.”

After the collective funeral ended, Naruto spoke slowly at a meeting of the Leaf’s senior leadership.

His gaze was resolute and his voice steady as he conveyed to everyone the ironclad conviction in his heart.

“The Uchiha clan will not remain in the Leaf Village. That was something Clan Head Fugaku decided long ago. As the person now effectively directing the Uchiha clan, Sasuke Uchiha has no intention of allowing the clan to remain in the Leaf either.”

Naruto paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over everyone present as he observed their reactions.

“That is correct. We have several new clan settlements outside the village, enough to accommodate all our people.”

Sasuke rose and spoke.

“In the Land of Fields, we have a village. In the Land of Waves, we have a city. We also possess territory in the Land of Whirlpools. The Uchiha clan has learned from the lessons of history. We will spread throughout the shinobi world, putting down roots everywhere, blossoming and bearing fruit.”

“Therefore, we have no intention of restoring the position the Uchiha clan once held in the Leaf. As long as our clan settlements and ancestral properties remain ours, that will be enough.”

Sasuke’s tone was firm and left no room for argument.

He was still displeased with Naruto for having concealed the Uchiha clan’s secret departure while pretending not to know anything about it. For several days, he had barely spoken properly with Naruto.

But now was the time to secure benefits for his family, and also the time to stand behind Naruto, his ally. Sasuke naturally had to step forward and speak on his behalf. He understood that the future of the clan was of vital importance, and that cooperation with Naruto was equally indispensable.

“Furthermore, I, Naruto Uzumaki, have no intention of taking the position of Hokage either.”

Following Sasuke’s thunderous declaration, Naruto uttered words that were even more astonishing.

His voice echoed through the meeting room, leaving everyone sunk in thought.

“Once the reconstruction is complete, I will find a more suitable leader for the Leaf Village—someone to serve as Hokage.”