Naruto : a hero's journey

Hiruzen stepped forward, With a warm smile, he began his speech, acknowledging the courage and perseverance of everyone who participated in the tournament.

"To those of you who lost," he said, his voice firm but comforting, "do not be discouraged. Your efforts were not in vain. You've shown great spirit, and this experience will help you grow. You all fought with heart, and that alone is something to be proud of."

The crowd murmured in agreement, and many of the participants who had lost seemed to stand a little straighter. Hiruzen then turned to the winners, his gaze sweeping over them.

"To those of you who won, I congratulate you. Your victories are the result of hard work, dedication, and talent. But remember, this is only the beginning. Stay humble, stay focused, and continue to grow."

Finally, his eyes settled on Satoru, the winner of the tournament. The entire stadium seemed to hold its breath as the Hokage addressed him directly. "Satoru, as the champion of this tournament, you've earned the right to make a wish."

Satoru blinked in surprise, not expecting such an offer. He thought carefully, his mind racing. This was an opportunity he couldn't waste.

After a moment of contemplation, he spoke clearly, "I wish to be trained by the best teachers in any subjects I choose."

The crowd was silent, waiting for the Hokage's response. Hiruzen stroked his beard thoughtfully, considering Satoru's request. After a moment, his eyes gleamed with something between admiration and challenge.

"Your request is a good one, Satoru," he began. "But I will offer you something better. If you can rise to the rank of chunin within the next two years, I will personally train you—or you may choose Danzo to be your mentor."

The crowd erupted in shock and excitement. The very idea of being trained by the Hokage or Danzo was almost unheard of for someone so young. Satoru, standing before Hiruzen, could feel the weight of the offer.

He reached out and shook Hiruzen's hand, sealing the deal. "I accept," he said with a confident smile.

The crowd roared with approval, the entire stadium alive with energy. Satoru stood there, hand still gripping the Hokage's.

After the victory, Satoru's friends decided to throw a party for him.

As the night settled in, the large house Satoru shared with his friends became alive with laughter and celebration.

Tatsuo, Dai, Keiko, and Hiten had worked together, decorating the place with colorful banners and preparing food for everyone. They wanted to make sure Satoru felt celebrated after his victory in the tournament.

Satoru, while grateful for the gesture, insisted that everyone should come, not just their small group. He wanted to share this moment with all the people who had been by his side during the journey.

Soon enough, the gathering grew, with the top six contestants from the tournament, Kaito, and even Chosuke joining the festivities.

The house, usually quiet, was now packed with people, filling the air with chatter, and laughter echoed down the street. Satoru wondered how an orphan like him had managed to build so many connections.

As Satoru greeted each guest, shaking hands and exchanging kind words, he suddenly spotted two familiar faces among the crowd.

His heart skipped a beat when he saw Miku's parents, his "aunty and uncle," standing near the entrance, smiling warmly at him. Without hesitation, Satoru rushed over to them, his excitement uncontainable.

The moment he reached them, they both pulled him into a tight hug. "We watched every match, Satoru," Aunty said, her voice full of pride. "You made us so proud."

Uncle nodded in agreement, his usual stern face softening as he patted Satoru on the back. "You've come a long way, kid."

Satoru's chest swelled with emotion as he thanked them, He led them further into the house, guiding them to where the others were gathered. As they walked, Aunty couldn't help but compliment him again, "It's so sweet of you to make sure everyone feels welcome, even though this party is for you."

Uncle chuckled. "Yeah, you've been running around making sure everything's perfect. It's a good trait, Satoru."

Satoru smiled, Despite the party being in his honor, he couldn't help but stay active, greeting guests and making sure everyone had a good time.

Satoru guided his aunt and uncle into the guest hall, where the party was already lively.

His aunt, sighed as they settled in, "Miku's so busy nowadays. He barely has time to come home, let alone meet up with us."

Hearing Miku's name made Satoru pause. His enthusiasm dimmed for a moment, eyes instinctively glancing toward the entrance.

The absence of his brother, someone who had been such a large influence in his life, cast a slight shadow over the evening's celebration. 'I really thought he'd be here,' Satoru thought, forcing himself to refocus on his aunt and uncle.

Before he could fully mask his feelings, a strong pair of arms wrapped around him from behind. "What the—!" Satoru yelped, startled as he was lifted slightly off the ground in a bear hug.

"Well, if it isn't the man of the hour!" Miku's voice filled the room, as he spun Satoru around, grinning ear to ear. Satoru's heart leaped. Miku had come after all.

Miku placed his hands on Satoru's shoulders, pride shining in his eyes. "I'm proud of you, kid. You did it." He ruffled Satoru's hair, a habit from when they used to train together.

Satoru blinked, momentarily speechless. "You… saw the match?"

Miku grimaced slightly. "No, I couldn't. I had a mission. I'm sorry."

Satoru quickly waved it off. "It's fine. You've got more important things now—you're a chunin after all. I understand."

Miku smiled, shaking his head. "I forget just how mature you are for your age." He squeezed Satoru's shoulder one more time before turning toward his parents. "Now, let's not keep these two waiting."

Satoru led Miku to his aunt and uncle, who beamed with pride upon seeing their son. They all quickly fell into conversation, talking about his missions and life as a chunin.

Meanwhile, Satoru slipped away to greet more guests.

Satoru spotted Hajime entering the party a bit later than everyone else. He was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, his eyes lazily drifting over to his younger brother, Hiten, who was busy helping out with the decorations while wearing a neck brace.

The sight of Hiten moving cautiously, clearly still in discomfort from Chosuke's earlier attack, brought a smirk to Hajime's face.

Satoru walked over to greet him, "Glad you could make it," Satoru said, though his attention briefly shifted to Hiten, who was awkwardly moving a stack of plates. "Your brother still recovering from... the incident?"

Hajime let out a low chuckle, crossing his arms tighter as he observed Hiten's stiff movements. "Yeah, the poor kid's still got some neck pain. Serves him right, though.

Should've been more careful around Chosuke. I told him—never underestimate a guy who can weaponize lunch." His smirk grew, there was—just that familiar tone of an older brother who both tormented and looked out for his sibling.

Satoru laughed. "Yeah, that was something... Definitely a party moment to remember."

The two started walking toward the guest hall, and Hajime's playful demeanor shifted as his expression grew more thoughtful. "Hey, Satoru," he began, his voice lower now, "about everything that happened between us before. Are we... you know, still on good terms?"

Satoru had long since moved on from that. He shrugged casually, offering a small smile. "It's fine. You know how I am— No hard feelings. It's all in the past."

Hajime's face relaxed, the tension melting away. He smiled and reached out, ruffling Satoru's hair with a playful gesture that felt almost brotherly. "Good to know. You've always had that mindset, huh? But listen, you're more than just some hired help now, kid. I've seen you fight, I've seen you grow. You're not just some errand boy anymore."

Satoru looked up at Hajime, surprised by the shift in tone.

There was something a recognition of Satoru's growth that he hadn't expected. "Thanks," Satoru said quietly, feeling a sense of warmth in the acknowledgment.

Hajime's smile widened, "You've come a long way. You've earned your spot here. Keep doing what you're doing, but don't forget where you came from."

Satoru nodded, appreciating the sentiment.

As they approached the guest hall, Satoru glanced back at Hiten and chuckled. "Think your brother will make it through the night?"

Hajime shrugged, "Maybe. Or maybe I'll have to carry him out of here again. Either way, it's going to be a long night."

Miku stood across the room, narrowing his eyes as he watched Hajime ruffle Satoru's hair, the playful gesture between them igniting a strange spark of jealousy in him.

His eyes darted between Satoru and Hajime, his mind working overtime to piece together an irrational conclusion. He couldn't just stand there any longer.

Without thinking it through, Miku stomped over, his footsteps louder than usual, betraying his current state. He fixed Satoru with a questioning glare.

"Oi, Satoru!" he slurred, pointing at Hajime. "Did you... did you replace me with him as your big brother or something?"

Satoru blinked, completely confused by Miku's sudden intrusion. "What? No, of course not," he replied, but Miku wasn't listening.

Miku dramatically turned his gaze to Hajime, squinting like he was assessing some kind of threat. "You... don't steal my brother," he warned, wagging a finger in Hajime's face, his tone half-serious, half-drunken babble. "I'll fight you for him if I have to!"

Hajime raised an eyebrow, his expression shifting from amusement to mild concern. He quickly caught onto Miku's slurred speech and hazy eyes, realizing what was going on.

"Dude's drunk," Hajime muttered to Satoru under his breath. He then turned back to Miku, his hands raised in mock surrender. "Relax, man. I've got my hands full with just one hyperactive kid running around high on sugar." He gestured toward Hiten, "I don't need another brother to look after."

Miku let out an exaggerated sigh, shoulders slumping in relief as if Hajime had just delivered the best news of the night. "Thank God," he muttered, wiping a hand across his forehead dramatically. "For a second there, I thought you were... I don't know... some kind of pedophile trying to steal my brother."

Satoru's eyes widened, and he quickly nudged Miku. "Miku, what the hell?" he whispered, though part of him couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.

Hajime, unfazed by the drunken rambling, chuckled and patted Miku on the shoulder.

"No worries, buddy. Your 'little brother' is all yours. I'm not here to steal anyone." He glanced at Satoru, shaking his head. "You've got an interesting family, kid."

Miku, apparently satisfied, gave Hajime a slow nod of approval before turning his attention back to Satoru. "Alright, good. Just... making sure." He paused, his expression suddenly softening. "You know, Satoru, I'm really proud of you. You've come a long way, and... you're still my little bro. Even if you make new friends."

Satoru smiled, "Thanks, Miku. I'm still your little brother, don't worry."

Miku, with a wide grin, "Good," he mumbled, his words barely coherent. "Now let's... get back to the party."

Satoru walked around the party, checking on different groups, Every time he approached a new group, they greeted him with congratulations, making him feel both proud and a little overwhelmed.

As he made his way through the crowd, his eyes caught sight of Keiko standing near the food tables. She was watching a rather amusing scene unfold—Tatsuo and Chosuke locked in an intense ramen-eating competition.

Tatsuo, was somehow winning, his mouth stuffed with noodles as he tried to slurp them down as fast as possible. Chosuke, the usual victor in eating contests, was clearly struggling, his face red from both the food and the effort.

Chosuke's mother stood nearby, completely dumbfounded,shocked, astonished, perplexed, confused, befuddled, and utterly surprised!

She couldn't believe her son, known for his voracious appetite, was actually losing to Tatsuo of all people.

Satoru chuckled at the sight before heading over to sit next to Keiko. She had a soft smile on her face as she glanced over at him. For a moment, they both just sat there, watching them.

But before Satoru could think of something to say, Keiko turned toward him and, without warning, leaned in and kissed him on the lips.

Satoru froze, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. He hadn't expected that—not here, not now. But as the initial shock passed, he didn't resist.

Instead, he found himself leaning into the kiss, letting the moment wash over him.

When Keiko pulled back, there was a playful glint in her eyes. "You won," she said simply, her voice soft but confident. "Now you get your date."

Satoru, blinked a few times before grinning. "I guess I did," he replied, his voice quieter than usual.