NOVEL NEXT Chapter 43: Return, Loss, and What I Must Protect in My Heart
On this day, all of Konoha was filled with an air of joy. Nearly everyone had gathered at the village gates, lining both sides of the road, waiting.
It was a spontaneous welcoming ceremony, organized to honor the heroes of Konoha returning from the battlefield.
Mochizuki Hui stood among the crowd, his heart filled with anticipation as he gazed into the distance, toward the path where the heroes would return.
At a certain moment, figures appeared at the end of the road.
Leading the procession was none other than the Second Hokage himself, Senju Tobirama!
Behind him were the clan heads of Konoha—Hyuga, Uchiha, Sarutobi, Shimura, Nara...
Following them were squads of elite shinobi, all walking proudly with their chests held high, their strides full of confidence.
These people were the heroes of Konoha. Thanks to their presence and protection, the village had remained unscathed throughout the war, becoming one of the rare havens untouched by the chaos of the shinobi world.
"Lord Second Hokage!"
As Senju Tobirama approached, the crowd erupted into cheers. Countless voices called out, faces filled with joy and excitement.
The cheers were especially exuberant among the young people and children, their voices full of admiration and reverence.
Then came the clan leaders. As they approached, their clansmen cheered and shouted their names with pride.
The shinobi units that followed were greeted with shouts and waves from friends and family in the crowd. Some people spotted their loved ones among the ranks, and with hands over their mouths, tears streamed down their faces in relief and joy.
All of Konoha seemed to have plunged into a sea of celebration.
But not everyone was cheering. Some stood silently, their eyes scanning the returning shinobi, but they couldn't find the faces of their sons, daughters, husbands, wives, fathers or mothers they had sent to war.
Mochizuki Hui watched the returning soldiers with a smile. He looked at the unfamiliar yet vaguely familiar faces, and his heart gradually settled into a calm stillness.
The welcoming ceremony wasn't long. The number of returning shinobi was small, as most had silently returned to the borders of the Land of Fire, continuing their watch and forming layers of defence to protect Konoha.
These shinobi, though they received no accolades during this moment, were the unsung heroes, protecting the village in silence.
As the crowd followed the returning troops back into the village, it was a time of joy, a time of reunion, and a time of homecoming.
Mochizuki Hui stood at the end of the now-empty road, staring into the distance. He seemed to see two figures standing there.
They wore masks and gazed back at Mochizuki Hui.
They waved to him before slowly walking away, their figures growing faint and transparent, until they finally vanished.
"Mama, why didn’t Daddy come back? Uncle Yoshida came back."
A child's innocent voice snapped Mochizuki Hui out of his reverie. He turned toward the sound and saw a little girl, no more than three or four years old.
Her delicate face was full of confusion, her big eyes misty with unshed tears. She looked up at her mother, clearly disappointed that she couldn’t find her father among the returning shinobi.
The girl's mother covered her mouth with one hand and clutched a bloodstained handkerchief—likely a keepsake from Yoshida—with the other. Hearing her daughter’s words, tears began to pour from her eyes.
"Mama, why are you crying? Don't cry, Mama. You said crying means you're not a good girl!"
Seeing her mother in tears, the little girl spoke seriously, raising her hand as if to wipe away her mother’s tears. But she was too small, and her hand could only reach her mother's waist.
At her daughter’s words, the mother seemed to break down. She knelt, hugging her daughter tightly, sobbing.
"Your father... he... he’s never coming back."
The woman spoke, her voice choked with grief, as tears streamed uncontrollably down her face. The little girl, held tightly in her mother’s arms, looked lost and uncertain.
"Mama, why isn’t Daddy coming back?"
The girl asked again, still not understanding. After all, her father had promised her that he would come back in a few days. She didn’t know how long “a few days” was, but she felt like it had been a very long time.
"Because your father is a hero, sweetheart. Heroes have many important missions to complete."
A gentle voice interrupted them. The little girl looked up to see a young boy, his face clean and delicate, gazing warmly at her.
"A... hero?"
The little girl was confused. She didn’t know what a hero was, and so she asked.
"Yes, a hero. Just like the Second Hokage."
"My daddy is like Lord Hokage?! When will he come back, then? He promised to come back for my birthday."
The girl’s voice was full of excitement, but also tinged with disappointment and a longing she couldn’t fully understand.
"Well, when you grow up, he’ll come back."
"Really?"
Her eyes sparkled with hope.
"Of course. When you’re all grown up, he’ll return from far away, bringing with him the gifts he’s been preparing for you."
Mochizuki Hui spoke seriously, but as he looked into the little girl’s eyes, filled with innocent hope, his heart ached.
"That’s wonderful! Then I’ll grow up really fast, so Daddy can come back soon! Mama, let’s go home! I’ll drink lots of milk and eat all my food, so I can grow up quickly!"
The little girl declared earnestly, her voice brimming with hope.
Her mother bit her lip, then wiped away her tears. She gently cupped her daughter’s face and said, “Alright, let’s go home.”
Then, she stood, gave Mochizuki Hui a small bow, and said softly, “Thank you.” With that, she took her daughter’s hand and slowly walked away.
As Mochizuki Hui watched their figures grow distant, he called out loudly, "If you ever need help, you can find me at the Senju clan! The village and I will always protect you, just like he did with his life!"
The woman turned back, staring at Mochizuki Hui as though she could see the man she longed for standing beside him.
"Thank you," she said once more, and then she and her daughter disappeared into the distance.
Under the warm sunlight, the seven-year-old boy stood there, watching them walk away. He looked at the streets filled with both joy and sorrow, and at the families who had finally reunited or would never reunite.
At that moment, a small hand gently grasped his.
Feeling a tug, Mochizuki Hui was pulled forward.
“Come on, Hui! Let’s go celebrate with Grandpa Tobirama!” Tsunade’s warm hand held his tightly as she led him along.
As Mochizuki Hui glanced at the people around him, some appearing and then fading from his view, he suddenly understood something.
These people—these lives—were what he was meant to protect.
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