Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!
Chapter 504: Grand Welcome Ceremony

Chapter 504 - 504: Grand Welcome Ceremony

"Welcome home, our great heroes."

Outside the gates of Konohagakure, Tsunade stood at the forefront, smiling as she led the applause.

"Welcome, welcome."

Kawakaze, Orochimaru, and the others chimed in, though their enthusiasm felt somewhat perfunctory.

"I don't deserve such praise, we were simply fulfilling our duty to the village."

Fugaku's words were smooth and diplomatic—years of serving as the Uchiha clan head had made such responses second nature.

Duy, however, had no interest in such formalities. Especially since their returning party was small.

Most Konoha shinobi were still stationed in the Land of Earth, leaving only five of them—including Fugaku—who had returned.

The three Konoha ninjas behind them stood at attention, their faces brimming with excitement.

After all, having the Hokage and the village elders personally welcome them was a rare honor.

But Duy couldn't care less about any of that.

"Enough with the pleasantries—someone promised to buy me a drink."

His gaze swept across the group, starting with Kawakaze, as he mentally tallied the number of free drinks awaiting him.

"Look at you, so eager."

"Come to my place tonight. Drink as much as you want."

Sakumo stepped forward and pulled Duy into a hug. Their friendship was as strong as ever.

"Sounds good, big brother Sakumo!"

Duy grinned from ear to ear, his excitement evident.

"You've all worked hard."

Tsunade barely spared Duy and Sakumo a glance.

Even though only a handful of them had returned, it was still necessary to exchange a few polite words.

She couldn't afford to be as informal as those two—not when she was the Hokage.

"...No—"

Fugaku had barely spoken when Orochimaru suddenly stepped forward impatiently.

"Did you bring what I asked for?"

Kawakaze's attention immediately shifted at the mention of it.

Meanwhile, Tsunade, who had just been shoved aside, could only force a smile.

What was she supposed to do with these people?

It was only now that she realized why Orochimaru had taken the time to come despite his busy schedule—he had an ulterior motive all along.

She had even felt a brief moment of satisfaction earlier, thinking he had shown up out of respect for her.

Now it was clear—her pride meant absolutely nothing.

The welcoming ceremony was officially derailed.

"Don't worry, I brought it back."

Fugaku shot Tsunade an apologetic smile. It wasn't that he didn't want to play along, but with someone constantly interrupting, he had no choice.

As he spoke, he gestured behind him, and a Uchiha shinobi stepped forward, pulling out a sealing scroll.

"An arm. Should be enough for your research."

Taking the scroll, Fugaku personally handed it to Orochimaru.

"More than enough."

"I'll head back first. I'll find you later for a drink."

Orochimaru's snake-like pupils glowed with excitement as he secured the scroll, then turned and disappeared into the village without another word.

Fugaku didn't even need to think twice—Orochimaru's promise of drinks was pure courtesy.

If he even remembered to go home that night, it would be a miracle, let alone meeting for a drink.

Orochimaru's tailed beast cell fusion experiment had stalled due to a lack of viable materials, driving him to near madness.

Had he not been so bogged down with responsibilities, he might have gone to collect samples himself.

Right now, any piece of tailed beast flesh or blood was an invaluable treasure in his eyes.

As Orochimaru disappeared, Kawakaze was itching to follow.

Even though he knew he'd likely be dismissed as a nuisance, the curiosity was unbearable.

But out of respect for Tsunade, he remained still.

"That opportunist..."

"Forget it. Let's head inside."

With Orochimaru having disrupted the ceremony, Tsunade had no interest in continuing the formalities.

"After you."

Fugaku resisted the urge to laugh, making no effort to explain on Orochimaru's behalf.

He knew well enough—after all these years, Tsunade and Orochimaru's relationship didn't need his input.

"You don't have to be so formal."

"Let's walk together."

Tsunade always felt that Fugaku was overly reserved at times.

But with the weight of an entire clan on his shoulders, she understood why.

"Regardless of rank, Lady Tsunade, you are my senior."

"It wouldn't be proper to walk side by side."

Fugaku's polite deflections were effortless—maintaining respect without offending.

"You really are something else."

Tsunade sighed, knowing that if she didn't move first, Fugaku wouldn't either. She stepped ahead, leading the way.

As Fugaku and Duy entered the village behind her, they were met with an unexpected sight.

The streets were adorned with lanterns and banners, and the air buzzed with excitement.

A deafening cheer erupted from the gathered villagers, celebrating their triumphant return.

This victory wasn't just a matter of pride—it was historic.

The long-standing grudge between Konoha and Iwagakure had been decisively settled.

The Land of Earth had been annexed, marking one of Konoha's greatest military achievements.

And as the reigning Hokage, Tsunade was now undoubtedly on her way to becoming one of the most legendary leaders in Konoha's history.

"Uchiha, Uchiha!"

"Might Duy, Might Duy!"

As the villagers chanted their names, Fugaku and Duy could barely contain their emotions.

For the Uchiha, this kind of recognition had never existed since the village's founding.

After the war in the Land of Earth, their reputation had soared to unprecedented heights.

Fugaku had not only avenged his uncle but also elevated the Uchiha Clan to a position beyond what their ancestors could have imagined.

If his uncle could see this moment, he would surely feel at peace.

Tears rolled down Fugaku's face, unstoppable.

For Duy, the emotions ran even deeper. If he had never met Kawakaze, he would likely still be an eternal Genin.

And, as expected, his way of crying was far less restrained than Fugaku's.

His sobs were loud and unfiltered, tears and snot streaming down his face.

Even from a distance, Guy and Kai cringed and instinctively took three steps back.

But the proud glimmer in their eyes could not be hidden.

This was their father.

"Well? Satisfied?"

Tsunade crossed her arms and smirked, clearly proud of the moment.

She hadn't personally arranged all this, but without her approval, it wouldn't have happened.

Simply elevating the Uchiha's reputation had already shattered expectations.

Tadashi Hyūga, watching from the sidelines, was visibly envious. His clenched fists and intense gaze were proof enough.

But he understood one thing—he didn't have the strength to defeat Ōnoki.

Even if such an opportunity had been given to the Hyūga, he knew they couldn't have achieved what Fugaku had.

The Uchiha had truly cemented themselves as Konoha's strongest clan.

"More than satisfied."

Fugaku nodded rapidly, hurriedly wiping his tears away.

At this moment, if Tsunade asked him to die for her, he might not even hesitate.

That was the power of true leadership.

Off to the side, Kawakaze wore a sly, fox-like grin.

Of course, he had played a role in this.

To say he had no personal motives would be a lie, but in the end, it didn't matter.

The Uchiha would now become Konoha's strongest supporters—the sharpest blade in Tsunade's arsenal.

Whether future generations could wield it properly was no longer his concern.

"I'm so excited!"

"I'm running 5,000 laps around Konoha!"

Duy's mind worked differently from most people. Without hesitation, he wiped his face and took off.

Tsunade and the others stood frozen, dumbfounded.

Even the villagers looked on in disbelief, wondering if he had lost his mind.

5,000 laps alone was already ridiculous—but Duy was running upside down.

With his hands planted firmly on the ground, he sprinted forward at a speed faster than most people could run normally.

Sakumo let out a deep sigh, rubbing his forehead.

How had he ended up knowing someone this bizarre?

As Duy disappeared into the distance, two more figures soon followed—two young boys, also running on their hands.

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