"Cheers!!!"
In a tavern in the Hidden Sand Village, a group of teenagers sat in a circle, raising their glasses in celebration.
Seeing their enthusiastic atmosphere, the owner nearby also revealed a smile.
"Brother Yubi... you're amazing. I've heard about your heroic performance on the front lines back in the Village; my father even told me to take you as my role model."
"The whole Village welcomed you this morning, and Brother Yubi was walking in the very front row. True Divine Qi!"
A group of Genin who had just graduated from the Ninja Academy were all chattering and discussing.
Of course, there were also those among them who were older than Yubi.
Two of them were even in the same class as Yubi, but even now, they were still Genin.
Today was Yubi's treat, and he had specifically invited these people. On one hand, he had finally returned to the Village after more than a year; on the other, it was to celebrate Pakura's graduation and her becoming a Genin.
Unlike the time when Arai led the team and the three of them returned to the Village—where the higher-ups had intentionally arranged for some villagers to welcome them—this return to the Hidden Sand Village was almost a spontaneous welcome by the people.
The scene was quite grand. A group of higher-ups led by the Third Kazekage also appeared and made a point of publicly commending those who had achieved outstanding military merits.
The one leading them was definitely Rasa.
After all, under his leadership, Sunagakure was able to contend with Iwagakure until now.
As for himself and Sasori, they had merely accelerated the end of the conflict with Iwagakure.
Of course, he and Sasori also received a warm welcome and praise from the higher-ups, and their presence was very strong.
The conclusion of such a major conflict, especially by forcing Iwagakure into peace talks, undoubtedly provided a shot in the arm for the Village, whose atmosphere had been somewhat depressed since the Ninja World War ended... they had finally regained some face.
However, what moved Yubi even more was the sight of those Sunagakure returning from the front lines, hugging their families and weeping together.
The whole Village coming to welcome them... the bigger reason was that many Sunagakure Family members had come to pick up their relatives.
Next, Yubi and Sasori met with the Third Kazekage and other higher-ups. After reporting on some work-related matters... they went to the shop with their friends to celebrate.
Originally, he wanted to pull Sasori into participating, but Sasori wasn't interested in this.
If he had come, he would likely have dampened the mood.
Yubi had no Family, so he naturally couldn't enjoy the atmosphere of a Family reunion like the others... instead, Pakura had called some of her friends and even brought along some of Yubi's close friends to organize this gathering for him.
The one treating them was, naturally, still Yubi.
It also highlighted Yubi's good popularity.
Whether among the older generation or the vibrant younger generation, he was very well-liked.
"Yubi, you fellow... why couldn't I tell when we were in school that you were actually this amazing? I remember during one assessment, your grades weren't even as good as mine," one of Yubi's classmates said in a sour tone, truly envious.
"Give it a rest... stop looking for a sense of superiority. Yubi is someone who's going to become the Kazekage. As for you... at most, you'll just be running errands for the Village."
Another person sneered.
"What did you say?! You bastard, don't look down on me! We were in the same class as Yubi; since he's so strong now, we can't be left too far behind. I've decided! From today on, I will Cultivate hard... and strive to pass the Chunin exam first!"
"Do you think... I believe you?"
At the dinner table, everyone was noisy and very happy.
It was foreseeable that for a long time to come, information about the battlefield would spread through word of mouth from the returning Sunagakure and begin to ferment.
For his generation, Yubi had clearly reached a height that others didn't dare to imagine.
"Yubi... becoming the Kazekage must be your dream, right?"
A Genin slightly older than Yubi asked with a smile.
Most newcomers graduating from the Ninja Academy dream of being able to become a 'Kage'.
This was the subconscious awareness instilled in them at school and the influence of the atmosphere they were in.
"Haha... you're exaggerating a bit. Actually, my performance on the battlefield can only be said to be okay... Compared to Mr. Shimizu and the others, I'm still far off. They are the decision-makers of the army. Being able to win was mainly because their strategic deployment and combat plans were excellent. Someone like me was just a tag-along," Yubi said with a grin, rubbing the back of his head.
"Hmph, quite the pretender."
Pakura pouted and made a remark.
Yubi saying this actually made him seem more free and easy, and even added a bit of mystery.
Pakura took a large gulp of juice, put down her glass, and stared at Yubi seriously. "If you don't have the ambition to become the Kazekage... I'll look down on you."
"..."
The corner of Yubi's mouth twitched.
"There are many people in the Village stronger than me... besides, I don't think being a Kage is a good thing. There are too many affairs to handle and too many things to consider; it's a bit of a waste of brain cells... I just feel it's not quite right for me," Yubi reached out to scratch his cheek and coughed.
"No ambition."
Pakura made another remark.
"..."
Yubi.
"Well... true. Even if you became the Kage, you'd soon be replaced by me... I'm going to become the most outstanding Kazekage. As for you, you could barely be considered my rival. But now, since you've given up on your own, I have no more worries."
Pakura closed her eyes and spoke with a firm tone, looking a bit like a little adult.
As a descendant of the Village's Family factions, the information and environment Pakura was exposed to were naturally slightly different from the others present.
Her desire to become a Kage had likely planted its seeds in her heart very early on.
In the future, in terms of performance and military merits, she was indeed the number one female Ninja in the Hidden Sand Village, and it was because of this... that she 'threatened' Rasa.
"Then I'll congratulate our Young Miss Pakura in advance for being able to become the Kazekage as she wishes in the future," Yubi laughed and raised his glass teasingly.
"Cheers!!!"
The group of teenagers clinked glasses again with laughter and noise.
Pakura's cheeks burned; she heard the teasing in Yubi's tone, and the others also thought she was joking and didn't pay it any mind.
They didn't take her statement seriously at all.
This made Pakura clench her fists, secretly deciding in her heart that she must make this group of people look at her with new respect.
Soon, everyone started chatting about other things again.
People of their age didn't like to talk about serious topics and had no interest in such things.
Yubi also really liked this relaxed feeling.
Even though he had become a Sunagakure Ninja and wasn't in Konoha... he discovered that Sunagakure also had its own advantages.
At least in the Hidden Sand Village, the factions and power dynamics weren't as complex as in Konoha... even as a group of teenagers, they could communicate as they pleased.
Rather than having reservations.
Looking at Konoha, some characters with special backgrounds, even if they showed the best talent, would find it hard to be recognized.
They would even be ostracized by their peers.
The situation was too complex.
This could also be seen as a 'tradition' of Konoha.
This meal lasted from daytime until night before the group dispersed, each returning to their own homes.
The end of the battlefield with Iwagakure meant that the pressure on the Village from the outside world had completely dropped to its lowest.
If there were still some troubles now.
It was the Hidden Mist in the nearby sea areas... although the resources within the Land of Wind were relatively meager, over the past few years, the Hidden Mist had continued to cause chaos in the coastal areas of the Land of Wind. Many Villages and towns were affected, and they still managed to scrape off quite a bit of profit... the Hidden Mist could be considered to have made a bit of a war fortune.
At least, their Village didn't need to invest as much cost as the other Five Great Ninja Villages.
Most importantly, this kind of harassment and coercion could also, to a certain extent, gain temporary speaking rights and initiative.
It also had strategic significance.
But no matter what, having fought until now.
For the Hidden Sand Village, the dawn of 'peace' was finally in sight.
In the following years... compared to the 'dark period' of previous years, the conflicts in the Ninja World were already considered quite mild.
All of the Five Great Ninja Villages could breathe a sigh of relief.
Entering a brief period of peaceful development... although... it wasn't really that peaceful.