Although the smoke of the Second Great Ninja War had dissipated, the images left by the war were deeply imprinted in every corner of Konoha.
To commemorate the ninja who sacrificed their lives in this short but intense war, and to appease the hearts of the villagers, Sarutobi Hiruzen ordered the construction of a Heroes' Monument in the most prominent location in Konoha.
On the day the monument was completed, Konoha held an unprecedentedly grand memorial service.
A light rain fell from the sky, as if mourning for the departed souls.
Hundreds and thousands of villagers and ninja spontaneously gathered in the square in front of the monument.
They wore black mourning clothes and held white chrysanthemums, their faces filled with solemnity and sorrow.
The newly completed monument, carved from a single huge piece of black granite, soared into the clouds, solemn and majestic.
Unlike the Memorial Stone, its surface was not covered with a dense array of names.
It was as smooth as a mirror, with only a single line of large characters inscribed in gold at the very top—
"Where the leaves dance, one shall find flames."
Sarutobi Hiruzen, dressed in a pure white Hokage robe and wearing his hat, slowly walked up to the high platform in front of the monument.
Behind him followed the high-ranking officials of Konoha.
Shimura Danzo, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, Uchiha Kagami, Akimichi Torifu...
The expressions on all their faces were extremely grave.
Sarutobi Hiruzen walked to the center of the high platform, took off his hat, revealing a face that was young but etched with the vicissitudes of life.
He did not speak immediately, but his calm gaze swept over the sea of black-clad figures below.
He swept his gaze over the women whose eyes were red and swollen from losing their loved ones, over the children whose faces were still childish but had already lost their fathers, over the ninja who had lost their comrades in the war and wore expressions of desolation.
The entire square was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Only the raindrops gently tapped on people's umbrellas, making a rustling sound.
After a long while, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally spoke slowly.
His voice, not amplified by chakra, was exceptionally clear and reached everyone's ears.
"Today, we stand here not to celebrate victory."
"We stand here to remember."
His voice was soft and heavy, carrying a force that could penetrate the heart.
"We remember the heroes who sleep eternally for the sake of protecting the land beneath our feet."
He did not shout empty slogans or preach grand theories as in usual speeches.
He simply took out a thick register from his robes.
"Hyuga So."
He read out the first name.
In the crowd, a middle-aged woman's body shuddered. She covered her mouth, and tears streamed down her face in silence.
"Konoha Chunin, a member of the Hyuga clan's branch family. On the border of the Land of Wind, to cover his teammates' retreat, he single-handedly blocked the fatal blow of dozens of puppets. He was only twenty-six years old when he died."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice narrated calmly.
"Inuzuka Kaze."
He read out the second name.
"Konoha Chunin, a member of the Inuzuka clan. On the battlefield of the Land of Rain, to investigate the intelligence of Amegakure's poisonous mist, he and his ninja hound exchanged their lives for precious intelligence for the Sannin squad. He was only twenty-two years old when he died. His favorite food was the tonkotsu ramen from Ichiraku Ramen."
One name after another was read out from Sarutobi Hiruzen's mouth.
Behind every name was a living story, a broken family.
He did not generalize them with the vague term "heroes," but used the simplest language to tell the stories of their lives.
What they liked to eat, what dreams they had, who their best friends were.
Gradually, suppressed sobs began to sound in the square.
The cold names carved on the Memorial Stone seemed to come alive at this moment.
They were no longer distant symbols, but living, breathing people who had lived among them.
In the crowd, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy stood quietly.
He was Namikaze Minato.
He looked at the man on the high platform, listening to him read out the names and tell the stories.
He didn't quite understand the complex emotions, but he could feel a great sadness and an even greater warmth enveloping the entire square.
The Hokage, known as the "Professor," had a catch in his voice as he read out these names.
He saw that the high-ranking officials beside him, who were usually so lofty, were also silently wiping away the tears from the corners of their eyes.
At this moment, they were not the Hokage, not advisors, not clan heads.
They were just ordinary people, mourning their fallen comrades.
Namikaze Minato understood, yet he didn't.
But he felt that the back of the man on the high platform, in the rain, seemed incredibly tall.
After reading the last name, Sarutobi Hiruzen closed the register.
He took a deep breath and looked at the crowd below again.
"They, with their lives, have shown us the true meaning of the Will of Fire."
"The Will of Fire is not a slogan for you to sacrifice yourselves blindly."
"It is protection."
"It is inheritance."
"And it is responsibility."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice suddenly rose.
"I, as the Third Hokage, hereby promise everyone!"
"From this day on, all orphans of ninja who have sacrificed their lives in the war will be raised by Konoha! All their living and educational expenses will be borne by us!"
"I will take half of the war reparations from Kumogakure to establish the Will of Fire Pension Fund! This fund will be personally supervised by me, and its sole purpose will be to guarantee the livelihood of our heroes' families!"
"At the same time, all war orphans will be given priority to enter the Ninja Academy! They will receive the best education and the guidance of the most outstanding teachers!"
"Because they are the children of heroes! They are our Konoha's most precious treasure!"
Boom!
These words were like a clap of thunder, exploding in the minds of all the villagers.
Lifelong pension?
Priority admission?
A fund personally supervised by Lord Hokage?
Is... is this real?
Everyone was stunned by this sudden and tangible "welfare."
They looked at the man on the high platform, their eyes changing from sadness to shock, and finally, to an unparalleled fervor and support.
Someone was the first to shout.
Then, a tsunami of cheers erupted throughout the square, even drowning out the sound of the rain from the sky.
At this moment, the "Will of Fire" was no longer an ethereal theory, but the most tangible warmth that could feed them, clothe them, and allow their children to be educated.
On the high platform, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura looked at the impassioned villagers below and exchanged a look, both seeing deep shock in the other's eyes.
Only now did they understand why Hiruzen had insisted, against all opposition, on spending so much money on this.
To buy people's hearts?
No, this was no longer buying people's hearts.
This was forging the very soul of Konoha.
Namikaze Minato looked at the figure on the high platform, who was being embraced by everyone. His small hands had unconsciously clenched into fists.
His azure eyes shone brighter than the sun.
He wanted to become such a person too!
To become a great ninja like Lord Third Hokage, who could protect everyone's smiles!
The speech ended. In the crowd, Sarutobi Hiruzen seemed to feel that fervent gaze.
He turned his head, and his line of sight met the blonde boy's in mid-air.
He looked at the undisguised admiration and yearning in the boy's eyes, smiled, and gave a slight nod.
It was like a promise that transcended time and space.
Then, he turned and slowly left the stage amidst the tsunami of cheers.
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