Chapter 61 — Konoha, Oda Nobunaga Has Arrived
"Lord, you seem to be in a particularly good mood today?"
As they neared the borders of the Land of Fire and approached Konohagakure, Zōmajirō finally couldn't hold back any longer.
Along the way, his lord—Oda Nobunaga—had been smiling to himself far too often.
And not the usual measured, inscrutable smile.
It was… strange.
Almost unsettling.
Frankly, it didn't quite resemble the lord he remembered.
"Hm? Ah—ahem."
At the question, Oda Nobunaga hurriedly reined in that ill-timed smile.
Yet no matter how he tried, the corners of his mouth still betrayed him.
There was no doubt about it.
His mood wasn't just good.
It was exceptionally good.
And really—how could it not be?
Let's count them properly:
Sasori.
Kakuzu.
Orochimaru.
Deidara.
And soon… Hidan.
The Akatsuki had practically been hollowed out by him.
And Oda Nobunaga was not foolish enough to let such elite talents fight as scattered individuals.
How terrifying would a coordinated, organized Akatsuki be?
That was something perhaps only he truly understood.
As for their personal ambitions and little schemes—
Well, once they were under his banner, those could be sorted out later.
"Lord."
Seeing that his master didn't answer, and noticing the massive gates of Konoha now clearly visible ahead, Zōmajirō tactfully changed the subject—very much the mark of a capable subordinate with unmistakable protagonist energy.
"It seems the Third Hokage himself has come out to receive you."
"Oh?"
Pulling back the curtain of the grand carriage—drawn by six horses—Oda Nobunaga leaned forward to inspect the scene.
A full, formal welcome.
Banners raised.
Shinobi lined in order.
Ceremony in full display.
"Heh."
Oda chuckled softly.
Once again, he found himself reflecting on a timeless truth:
A nation's dignity is forged by strength.
Had this been in the past—even if he visited as the Daimyō of the Land of Fields—Konoha would at most have sent a few elders to greet him.
But now?
Now he was a daimyō who had defeated Kumogakure—
Even if only part of its forces.
That alone was enough.
Enough that even Hiruzen Sarutobi had to show him the respect he deserved.
---
"The Daimyō has arrived."
At the same moment Oda Nobunaga observed the elaborate welcome, the Third Hokage—who had already been waiting at the village gates for some time—was also studying the approaching delegation from the Land of Fields.
As for why Oda Nobunaga had come—
Hiruzen Sarutobi already had a few educated guesses forming quietly in his mind.
Whether this visit would prove to be a blessing or a curse for Konohagakure remained to be seen.
"Hiruzen, whatever you do later, you must not appear weak."
"The other side may be a daimyō of a nation—and one arriving with the prestige of having defeated Kumogakure—"
"But no matter what, we cannot allow the reputation of Konoha as the foremost shinobi village of the era to be diminished."
As the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was still considering how best to receive such an extraordinary guest, the reason the entire Konoha high command had been dragged out in force now made itself felt.
Standing among the welcoming party was Danzo Shimura, who seized the opportunity to speak—his words laced with thinly veiled provocation.
He neither raised his voice nor spoke directly, yet every sentence was a needle aimed squarely at Hiruzen.
"Huh?"
Still lost in thought, Hiruzen instinctively raised his smoking pipe toward his lips—
And promptly choked on a mouthful of smoke.
"Cough—cough—cough!"
The Third Hokage coughed violently, shooting an irritated glare toward the smugly satisfied Danzo at his side.
If this weren't such a public occasion, Hiruzen very much wanted to retort with a classic line:
So… you really have gotten old, haven't you?
"Hmph. You truly are past your prime."
With no attempt at restraint—and with Oda Nobunaga already about to arrive—Danzo openly continued his barbed commentary in front of everyone present.
"That's enough, you two."
Unable to watch any longer, one of the other Konoha elders—Koharu Utatane, the only woman among them—stepped forward to cut off the exchange.
"Are you trying to make Konoha look ridiculous in front of Oda Nobunaga?"
"Hmph."
Bound by a lifetime of rivalry and friendship alike, Hiruzen and Danzo snorted in unison and fell silent.
At that moment, the six-horse carriage of Oda Nobunaga—and his imposing guard—rolled up to the gates of Konoha.
Hiruzen's gaze swept carefully over the escort before he raised a hand and gave a subtle signal.
Instantly, the academy students pulled in to fill out the welcome ceremony—including Naruto Uzumaki—waving small flags with all their strength and shaking large bundles of flowers.
"Welcome! Welcome! A warm welcome!"
Their youthful voices rang with enthusiasm.
For the ninja academy students, the visit of the Daimyō of the Land of Fields was brimming with novelty and curiosity.
After all, this was someone who had defeated the Cloud Village—
And he was said to be not much older than many of them.
For children at that age, the sense of identification was irresistible.
---
"Greetings, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi."
Having finally arrived at Konoha—the first stop and, in truth, the final destination of his journey—Oda Nobunaga stepped down from the carriage and swept his gaze across the assembled crowd.
Ancient or modern, he reflected inwardly, things were much the same everywhere.
He offered a quiet sigh of sympathy for the students—so eager, so sincere, and so utterly unaware of cost or consequence.
Putting on a flawless diplomatic smile, Oda Nobunaga extended his hand first.
After all, if one intended to set a trap on another's home ground, the least one could do was be courteous.
"Welcome, Your Excellency, Daimyō Oda Nobunaga of the Land of Fields."
Despite Oda's expectant look, Hiruzen ultimately refrained from kneeling on the spot to recreate the legendary scene of Hashirama Senju bowing for dramatic effect.
Instead, he clasped Oda's hand with both of his own, bending his waist slightly as he shook it firmly.
"It is our great honor to receive you."
Years of serving as Hokage had refined Hiruzen's diplomatic poise to perfection.
The two stood at the village gates, academy students cheering tirelessly in the background.
Only when the children's voices began to falter did the exchange of polite, substance-free pleasantries finally draw to a close.
"Please."
Sensing that the students could no longer provide suitable background noise, Hiruzen gestured invitingly.
At that moment, a shy little girl with pale eyes stepped forward as the student representative.
Under the stern gaze of a certain Byakugan-bearing father in the crowd, the White-Eyed Princess—
Hinata Hyuga—
Managed, just barely, not to make a mistake as she presented the bouquet to Oda Nobunaga.
"Welcome, honored Daimyō Oda Nobunaga."
Her face flushed crimson, her voice barely louder than a mosquito's buzz.
The instant the bouquet was delivered, she fled at top speed.
Her performance left her strict father deeply dissatisfied.
After all, he had fought hard for this opportunity during Konoha's senior council meetings—
Because in the eyes of the Hyūga clan head, anyone who beat the Cloud Village was a comrade worth supporting.
"That young lady was…?"
Watching the tiny Hinata retreat as if escaping disaster, Oda Nobunaga—fully aware yet pretending ignorance, mentally comparing her to Shion—asked casually.
"A member of Konoha's Hyūga Clan."
Smoothly omitting her more sensitive status, Hiruzen Sarutobi transitioned seamlessly into introducing the senior figures of Konoha.