Chapter 45:- Arrival

When they reached the gates, one of the guards stopped them. But another one recognized Kenshin.

It was Izumo, who happened to be on guard duty the day Kenshin first brought the then dying Kana here.

"Hey, you're that hidden rain kid, right? I remember you. I heard about you and your mother's transfer. I never thought that something like that would happen." He said with a warm smile.

He glanced at Kana, not recognizing her. "Hey, who are the ladies? Where's your mother?" He whispered to Kenshin, being careful not to let the ladies hear.

Kenshin chuckled softly at Izumo's attempt to be discreet, appreciating the familiarity despite the circumstances. "Izumo-san, this is my mother, Kana Uzumaki," Kenshin replied, gesturing towards Kana with a respectful nod. "She's doing much better now, thanks to the treatment she received here."

Izumo's eyes widened in surprise as he realized who she was. "Wow, she looks completely different. I'm glad to see she's recovered," he whispered back, still trying to be subtle.

"And this," Kenshin continued, nodding toward Konan, "is Konan, one of the leaders of the Hidden Rain. She's accompanying us as part of the transfer arrangements."

Izumo blinked, the recognition dawning on him as he connected the dots. "So, you're really staying here then? In Ichiro Uchiha's house in the Uchiha compound?"

Kenshin nodded, "That's right. It's a fresh start for us."

Izumo smiled, straightening up and signaling to his partner to let them pass. "Welcome to the Hidden Leaf, then. We'll let the hokage know you've arrived. It's good to have you here."

As they stepped past the gates and into the village, Kenshin felt a mix of emotions—relief at finally arriving, and a weight of responsibility knowing that this was now their home.

Kana walked beside him, her eyes quietly absorbing the surroundings, while Konan stayed a step behind, her gaze distant yet vigilant.

The streets were bustling with life, the warmth of the sun melting the last remnants of snow. Villagers moved about their day, occasionally casting curious glances their way.

The snow crunched softly beneath their feet as they walked through the streets of the Hidden Leaf and towards the hokage's office.

As they neared the Hokage's office, the trio of Ino, Shikamaru and Choji approached.

Ino's eyes lit up as she recognized Kenshin. She broke away from her teammates and approached him with a bright smile, eager to strike up a conversation.

"Hey, I remember you! You're that guy Akane was with last week, right? Kenshin, isn't it? You've got to tell me, what's it like moving here from the Hidden Rain?" Her tone was light and playful, with a hint of interest that didn't go unnoticed by the others.

As Ino engaged Kenshin, Shikamaru and Choji followed her, though with slightly different levels of enthusiasm. Shikamaru, hands in his pockets, offered a casual nod. "You're Kenshin, right? Akane's step-brother?"

He sounded more curious than enthusiastic, but the fact that he was paying attention at all was a testament to how unusual the situation was. "It's not every day shinobi get transferred from other villages."

Choji, munching on a bag of chips, chimed in, "Yeah, especially someone with hair like yours. Is it a family thing?" His tone was friendly, genuinely curious, and he seemed to be taking in everything about Kenshin with interest. "Want a chip?"

Ino shot them both a glance that clearly said, "You're interrupting," but kept her smile directed at Kenshin.

"So, what do you think of the Hidden Leaf so far? I bet it's a big change from the Rain Village." Her voice was a bit more insistent now, trying to steer the conversation back to just the two of them.

Before Kenshin could respond, Kana stepped forward, her voice smooth but with a hint of reprimand. "Aren't you supposed to introduce yourselves first before bombarding a man with questions?

By the way, I'm Kana Uzumaki, his mother. And this," she added, nodding towards Konan, "is Konan, one of the leaders of the Hidden Rain Village."

Ino blinked, momentarily caught off guard by Kana's sharp yet graceful presence. She quickly composed herself, offering a polite bow.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. My name is Ino Yamanaka," she introduced herself, her tone respectful yet still carrying a hint of her usual confidence.

"And these are my teammates, Shikamaru Nara and Choji Akimichi."Shikamaru gave a casual wave, while Choji nodded politely.

Ino's gaze returned to Kenshin, a bit more hesitant now but still curious. "It's nice to meet you, Kana-san," she added, trying to regain her earlier charm. "I was just surprised to see your son here, that's all."

"Uh, Ino-san, Shikamaru-kun, Choji-kun," Kenshin greeted, shaking hands with each of them.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow and gave a lazy smile. "You don't have to be so formal, Kenshin."

Choji nodded in agreement, still munching on a bag of chips. "Yeah, just call us by our names. No need for the 'san' or 'kun' stuff."

Ino smiled warmly, trying to ease the awkwardness. "Exactly! We're all the same age. And we're all friends now, so loosen up." She gave his hand an extra squeeze before letting go, her eyes lingering on him for a moment longer than necessary.

Shikamaru glanced between Kenshin and the two women accompanying him, his sharp mind quickly assessing the situation.

"You've got some important business to take care of," he said, his tone as casual as ever but with an underlying note of seriousness. "We shouldn't hold you up any longer."

Konan nodded in agreement, stepping forward slightly. "We have a meeting with the Hokage to finalize the transfer. We should be on our way."

Shikamaru gave a slight nod, his eyes glancing between Konan and Kana with an analytical look. "We'll catch up later, Kenshin. Don't let Ino overwhelm you."

Choji waved casually with a chip in hand. "Yeah, see you around, Kenshin."

Kenshin offered them a polite smile as they parted ways. The trio headed off, Ino casting one last look over her shoulder before they disappeared around the corner.

Kana watched them go, her gaze lingering on Ino. "She seems... interested," she noted, a hint of amusement in her voice.

Kenshin sighed softly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess so. Too bad I'm taken. She seemed nice."

Konan, still standing a bit apart from the group, kept her expression neutral, though her eyes softened slightly as she watched the exchange.

"Let's not keep the Hokage waiting," she reminded them gently, leading the way as they resumed their path to the office.

As they walked, Kenshin couldn't shake the feeling of being observed, knowing that his arrival in the village was likely already stirring interest among the locals.

'Well, it's better that way,' Kenshin thought, his mind already planning the future. 'If I want to rebuild the Uzumaki clan in this village, it'll help to draw some attention. Maybe I'll even find more Uzumaki scattered across the lands.'

As they approached the Hokage's office, they were met by Shizune, who was on her way out. Her eyes lit up as she recognized Kana, her expression softening with warmth.

Kana-san, it's so good to see you again," Shizune said with a bright smile, stepping forward to greet them. "You look much better now."

Kana returned the smile, nodding appreciatively. "Thanks to your care, Shizune-san. I wouldn't have made it without your help."

Shizune waved a hand dismissively, though her cheeks colored slightly with modesty. "I just did what I could. The real credit goes to you. You recovered quickly, even Tsunade-sama was surprised."

Her gaze shifted to Kenshin, her smile widening. "And Kenshin-kun, it's nice to see you under better circumstances too. How are you adjusting?" Although there was still a hint of awkwardness between them.

Shizune then turned her attention to Konan, her demeanor becoming more formal and respectful. "And you must be Konan-sama. Your messenger told me about you. It's an honor to meet you."

Konan inclined her head slightly in acknowledgment. "Thank you. The honor is mine. I appreciate the hospitality the Leaf Village has shown to my subordinates."

Shizune nodded and gestured towards the hallway leading to Tsunade's office. "Tsunade-sama is expecting you. I'll let her know you're here."

Shizune moved to inform Tsunade of their arrival, followed by the three of them.

[Image of Shizune]

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