Before they even reached him, Tsunade was already waving and shouting,
"Hikaru, hurry and let us out! The graduation ceremony's about to start!"
Seeing the always-impulsive Tsunade, Hikaru chuckled. Then, in the blink of an eye, a familiar sensation washed over them.
A second later, they were all back home.
Chinatsu blinked in surprise at the sudden appearance of the group. Around her, several Anbu were investigating something.
The unexpected arrival of so many people immediately drew the Anbu's attention.
They turned and stared in disbelief, before the scene broke into a murmur of voices.
"Is that... the First Hokage?!" one Anbu gasped.
"The Second Hokage too? What's going on here?" another asked, just as stunned.
More Anbu surrounded them. Their gazes flicked between Hikaru, Hashirama Senju, and the others, filled with confusion and wariness.
After all, this place had just been reported as under attack—now the First and Second Hokage had suddenly appeared here? It was hard to believe.
"Wasn't there supposed to be an attack here? How are the First and Second showing up now? Could someone be impersonating them?"
An Anbu voiced the growing suspicion aloud.
Seeing the situation spiraling, Mito Uzumaki slapped her forehead, frustration crossing her face.
She'd been too rattled by Hashirama's antics to consider how the Anbu would react to all this. This was the Hokage's residence—of course an incident like this would draw their attention.
But she quickly regained her composure.
Scanning the area, she raised her hand and clapped twice. The crisp sound cut through the chaos.
The Anbu turned toward her at the sound.
Mito Uzumaki took a deep breath and spoke calmly:
"This isn't anything serious. Hikaru just caused a bit of a disturbance while testing a new jutsu. As for the First and Second Hokage, they're also part of that technique's effect."
Standing nearby, Hikaru rolled his eyes at her explanation and muttered to himself,
'That was your fault, not mine...'
The Anbu exchanged doubtful looks. Mito's explanation was reasonable—but hard to swallow.
Still, none of them spoke up. They waited for further clarification.
At that moment, Hashirama Senju stepped forward.
Without saying a word, a wooden clone slowly peeled off his body.
Wood Style!
The Anbu's eyes went wide in shock. Their faces froze in disbelief.
They had heard tales of the First Hokage's Wood Style, but none had ever seen it in person.
Now, faced with the real thing, they could no longer doubt who he was.
"That's enough. Disperse," Mito Uzumaki ordered gently.
The Anbu, now convinced, bowed slightly and withdrew one after another.
"Alright, let's go!" Tsunade cheered, grabbing Hikaru by the wrist and pulling him away excitedly.
Nonō Yakushi shyly followed, clinging to Hikaru's other hand.
Mito Uzumaki watched them go with a pleased smile.
Over the years, Tsunade and Hikaru had only grown closer. Scenes like this had become a common sight, but they still warmed her heart every time.
Though today, she had someone to hold hands with too.
With that thought, she stepped up beside Hashirama and gently took his hand.
Hashirama glanced at her in surprise, puzzled by the gesture.
But Mito only smiled and said,
"Let's go too. As the Hokage, I still need to attend today's graduation ceremony."
Hashirama looked at her, even more surprised.
He knew her well—being Hokage was something she always saw as a burden. So something must have changed.
Tobirama Senju, hearing her words, frowned slightly.
If he remembered right, based on young Tsunade's age, Hiruzen Sarutobi should be in his prime. Why was Mito acting as Hokage?
But seeing the joy on her face, he hesitated, then chose to hold his tongue.
He'd ask about it later. Today, his big brother and sister-in-law were seeing each other again after many years—he didn't want to spoil the mood.
As they walked through the village, the citizens of Konoha saw them.
Some couldn't believe their eyes, rubbing them repeatedly before daring to look again.
Once they were sure, they ran off to spread the word. Within moments, the news spread like wildfire across the village.
"The First and Second Hokage are back!"
The announcement ignited Konoha like a spark to dry grass.
People poured out of their homes, flooding the streets, eager to see the legendary Hokage with their own eyes.
The crowds lining the road grew denser and denser, buzzing with excitement.
Some were waving their arms in joy, others were brought to tears.
After all, the First and Second Hokage were the founders of Konoha. Their return was nothing short of miraculous.
Hikaru and the others soon found themselves trapped by the ever-growing crowd. Each step forward became harder than the last.
He sighed helplessly. Situations like this were not his specialty.
Turning to Mito, he gave her a look—asking silently if they could teleport out.
She gave a small nod.
And the next second, their figures vanished on the spot, leaving behind a street full of stunned onlookers.
"Where'd they go?!" someone gasped.
"No idea. Some kind of jutsu?" another speculated.
Amid the rising chatter, someone suddenly called out,
"Maybe they're headed to the Academy for the graduation ceremony! Let's go too!"
The suggestion was met with immediate approval.
The crowd surged toward the Ninja Academy, eager to see the Hokage again—and catch the spectacle of the graduation ceremony.
Inside the Academy, Hikaru and the others had already arrived via teleportation.
The place was bustling with voices. Students proudly wore their Konoha forehead protectors, showing off to their parents.
Teachers were laughing and chatting with students. Some kids were so excited about graduating that their eyes were red with tears. The teachers simply laughed and offered comforting words.
Watching this peaceful, joyous scene, Hashirama and Tobirama smiled in contentment.
This was what they had built Konoha for.
Seeing a new generation of ninja thriving filled them with pride and deep satisfaction.
"Hmph!"
A cold snort suddenly broke the moment.
Hikaru turned—only to see Chiri pouting, cheeks puffed in displeasure as she stared him down.
"You're late! And you broke your promise to come find me!"