Aftermath of the Konoha Crush
Even though Sunagakure repeatedly claimed that the attack on Konoha had nothing to do with them and was solely orchestrated by Orochimaru, they played the victim first—shouting injustice even though their actions were dubious. Orochimaru, once the respected student of Hiruzen Sarutobi, had betrayed both Konoha and the Kazekage of the Sand. Under his deception, the Fourth Kazekage—Sunagakure's own leader—had been assassinated and impersonated during the Chūnin Exams.
Sunagakure never admitted openly that they had invaded Konoha in alliance with Orochimaru. They avoided acknowledging the destruction and casualties they helped cause.
But whether they admitted it or not, Konoha had no choice but to acknowledge it. No matter how diplomatic the phrasing, Sunagakure had unilaterally broken the alliance treaty. That betrayal would not come without consequences.
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A Meeting of Urgency
"Your Excellency, I can find Tsunade," said Jiraiya suddenly, offering a ray of hope to the daimyo of the Land of Fire.
"Oh?" the daimyo responded with interest. But his tone quickly darkened. "Even if you find her, how can you be certain she'll agree to become Hokage? Konoha cannot afford to wait."
The daimyo's gaze turned cold as it landed on Shimura Danzō, who had already interrupted him five times during the meeting.
What he didn't know was that Danzō himself was seething with frustration. He wished he could wring Jiraiya's neck and hang him from the ceiling.
Tsunade-hime, the granddaughter of the First Hokage, was a notorious gambler. If she didn't place a bet every day, she felt uneasy. She once borrowed money from Konoha when the village was deep in debt, and to this day, she hadn't repaid it.
Of course Jiraiya could find her—how hard was it to locate a woman who left a trail of gambling debts behind her? Danzō could only curse her internally like an old nag, ranting in his mind like a modern keyboard warrior, launching verbal tirades against Tsunade.
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[Sudden Task]
"Father said the village's elder council has persuaded the daimyo of the Land of Fire to fully support Konoha's reconstruction."
The Hidden Leaf, though no longer as prosperous as before, bustled with activity amid its ruins. Buildings lay in various stages of disrepair, yet the streets were lively. Civilians and shinobi worked together, sweat pouring down as they rebuilt the village with their own hands.
Outside Konoha's gates, supply convoys arrived in waves. Some delivered essential materials, while others brought skilled workers and craftsmen from across the Fire Country.
Today, whatever Konoha needed, the Land of Fire would provide—without hesitation.
The village was recovering from the Konoha Crush at an astonishing speed.
"It won't be long before everything returns to the way it was," said Hyūga Hanabi as she walked the village streets with Ye Dou.
Though she hadn't yet emerged fully from the trauma of war, a smile occasionally broke through her solemn expression—a small miracle owed to the Hyūga clan's strategic foresight.
When the battle broke out, Hyūga Hiashi had not immediately led his clan into the chaos. Instead, he ordered them to hold back and defend themselves. Only after Konoha sent out the call for all-out resistance did the Hyūga mobilize.
Thanks to this strategy, the clan retained its strength. Unlike the heavy casualties suffered by the Konoha Police Force, the Hyūga suffered relatively minor losses.
That was why Hanabi could still smile—because her people had survived.
But not everyone was so fortunate.
During this time, Ye Dou had witnessed countless tragedies—families torn apart by war, loved ones lost forever.
At the Memorial Stone, mourners gathered daily, weeping for those who had fallen during the attack.
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Hospital Visit
"It must be done," Ye Dou murmured softly.
He stepped into a flower shop, bought a bouquet, and headed to the hospital to visit Rock Lee, who was still recovering from life-threatening injuries sustained during the Chūnin Exams.
He couldn't be sure if anyone had ever taken notice of his actions before the Konoha Collapse Plan. Either way, he kept up appearances, visiting the hospital now and then.
Hyūga Hinata shared the same purpose. Her sister, Hinata Hyūga, had not fully recovered from her injuries and remained hospitalized.
Interestingly, the once-clear tension between Hanabi and Neji seemed to have faded after the Chūnin Exams.
Hanabi had declared more than once that if she ever became the Hyūga clan head, she would reform the relationship between the main and branch families.
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Flowers for Neji
"Ye Dou!"
"Yeah?"
"Do you know what kind of flowers Neji likes?"
Ye Dou shook his head.
"You've been on his team all this time, and you don't even know what flowers he likes?" Hanabi asked, exasperated.
Left with no choice, she picked some she liked herself and went to visit Neji.
Ye Dou said nothing.
Not just Neji—he hadn't known what kind of flowers even Hanabi liked before today.
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Hospital Room
"Thank you, Lady Hanabi. I like them very much," said Hyūga Neji, dressed in a hospital gown. Despite Hanabi insisting he didn't need to be so formal, Neji maintained his manners.
"I'm glad you do, Brother Neji. I'll go wash some fruit," Hanabi said warmly before exiting the room and gently closing the door behind her.
After a moment of silence, Ye Dou finally spoke.
"You've mellowed out."
For a moment, it almost felt like he had returned to his previous life—like he wasn't in the world of shinobi at all.
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