41 Konoha

Konoha is currently bustling.

As the new Hokage is set to take office tomorrow, Satoru, who has left Kakashi, walks alone on the street, feeling the unique lively atmosphere of Konoha.

The endless stream of people throngs the streets, and everyone's faces are filled with smiles and hope.

Although the Third Great Ninja War seems to have just ended, Konoha seems largely unaffected.

The buildings on both sides of the street still stand tall, market stalls are filled with various charming goods, and traders shout at each other.

Satoru sighs emotionally, is this the best ninja village in the world?

Compared to Amegakure where he was, Konoha seems so vibrant.

Looking back at Amegakure, although Yahiko has become the new leader and the village is more united than ever, the main strength is still weak. Satoru knows that to truly revive Amegakure, strong ninjas are needed. Like Konoha, village alliances are undoubtedly a wise step.

His strength alone is not enough.

Although he is confident in his ability to conquer the entire ninja world, to realize the dream in Yahiko's heart, his own strength is ultimately limited.

He understands that true strength lies in unity and collaboration, as well as in training and heritage.

Therefore, he decides to start from the basics and develop new strengths step by step. He believes that only when his village has the strength to compete with the five major nations, the peace they hope for will advance.

Satoru understands that this path is full of challenges and difficulties, but he is willing to expend all his energy and time for this ambitious goal.

"Hey ha, hey ha!"

Suddenly, an energetic shout pierces through the bustling market, catching Satoru's attention.

He turns with curiosity and sees a young man wearing tight green pants with thick eyebrows and large eyes walking upside down on the street, his hands replacing his feet as he moves confidently on the road.

"This is youth!" The man shouts enthusiastically as he walks, showing his vitality and spirit to the world.

The people around him look at him strangely, but the young man doesn't care and is still immersed in his own world.

There's a glint of interest in Satoru's eyes.

He is keenly aware that the amount of chakra in this young man's body is very small, which is not characteristic of a quality ninja.

However, the seemingly impractical sandbag tied to his limbs shows unusual perseverance and dedication.

An odd boy.

Although Satoru's eyes are slightly attracted to this energetic young man, it doesn't last long.

He walks on the streets of Konoha.

The bustling crowds, charming shops, and leaves fluttering in the air all leave a deep impression on him.

He imprints this scene deep in his mind, becoming the direction in which he works hard.

Satoru's thoughts drift along with the Konoha wind.

There, his gaze catches a warm scene, a black-haired boy carefully supporting an elderly woman who is stumbling.

There's a warm smile on the boy's face.

However, when Satoru's gaze falls on the boy's deep black eyes, he finds a maturity that doesn't match his age.

The calmness in his eyes seems to have gone through trials and tribulations, which is in stark contrast to the boy's childish face.

Satoru's heart is moved as he sees his own childhood shadow in this boy.

He stares deeply at the boy, and then quietly blends into the bustling crowd.

As Satoru disappears into the midst of the crowd, the boy seems to realize something.

He turns slightly and looks around with questioning eyes. However, the crowd around him is busy, and he finds nothing.

The boy frowns slightly.

"What's wrong, Itachi?" The elderly woman seems to realize something unusual about the boy and asks, turning to him.

The boy smiles, "It's nothing, Grandma."

Satoru continues to walk through the busy streets of Konoha, with busy footsteps accompanying him, suddenly drawn by a burst of sound.

A woman with fiery red hair stands in the middle of the market, engaged in a heated argument with a seller.

"What? This bastard actually wants to charge me two hundred ryo!" The woman's voice is full of anger, attracting the attention of the people around her.

"If you don't buy it, I'll throw it away!" The seller replies, unwilling to back down.

Satoru stops and observes this scene with great interest.

He finds that although the woman is causing a scene, there is an unusual honesty in her eyes.

This woman... seems intriguing.

And her voice is very familiar.

Satoru furrows his brows slightly, trying to recall information about this woman from his memory.

Suddenly, an idea pops into his mind.

"It seems she's Minato's wife, Kushina?" Satoru whispers to himself.

He remembers Minato mentioning his wife yesterday, saying that she is a fiery but kind-hearted person. Now, the woman causing a scene in the market with red hair seems to be Kushina.

A cute smile appears on Satoru's lips, and he decides to walk closer and see what Minato's wife is like.

He's about to take a step forward when his steps suddenly halt.

He can't help the surprised expression on his face as his eyes fall on Kushina's stomach.

There, a very strong chakra flows slowly, and even through closed eyes, he can clearly feel the presence of that power.

There's an indescribable shock in his heart.

This is the first time in his life he has seen such a large amount of chakra appear on someone, its strength so strong that it's comparable to the Ryumyaku in his own body.

Satoru's figure pauses for a moment in the midst of the crowd. He stares deeply at Kushina. However, he doesn't linger too long. His figure merges back into the surrounding crowd and disappears into the street.

But at this moment, in a dark place without sunlight, a pair of blood-red eyes slowly open, and a dangerous aura continues to emanate from them.

"Who... just spied on me?"

The low and threatening voice echoes in the darkness.