Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 387 The mission to the Land of Waves is over; return journey.
Karin withdrew the chilling golden chain, which then dissipated into specks of golden light.

She clapped her hands, turned around, and saw Itada and the others walking towards her. A bright smile immediately appeared on her face. She waved vigorously and called out in a clear voice, "Teacher! You're back! Everything's done here!"

"Teacher!" Kurotsuchi and Ranmaru also came over and greeted Ita-suke.

Kurotsuchi looked curiously at the Konoha ninja who had returned with their teacher.

Ranmaru stood quietly to the side, his red eyes curiously observing the Konoha members behind Itada, lingering for a moment longer when he saw Naruto's dazzling blond hair and blue eyes and the aloof young Sasuke.

Yuto, Tazuna, and many villagers also noticed the returning Ita-suke and his group, their eyes filled with gratitude and awe.

The crowd automatically parted to make way for the ninjas.

Many villagers, especially the workers who had just experienced a moment of despair, looked at Ita and the others with undisguised admiration.

In their eyes, these Star Country ninjas were the true heroes who had saved them from the clutches of the enemy.

Itada walked steadily to his three students, his gaze sweeping over the chaotic but now safe battlefield. He nodded approvingly and said in a deep voice, "Hmm, well done. Quick reaction, excellent teamwork, and no civilians were harmed. You did not disgrace the name of the Star Country's ninjas."

Praised by her teacher, Karin's smile brightened even more. She adjusted her oval glasses, then pointed to Matsuo, who was tightly bound by the Adamantine Lock, sprawled on the ground like a rag doll, and still trembling uncontrollably. She asked, "Teacher, what should we do with this guy? Should we take him back to the Land of Stars? Or..."

Before she could finish speaking, Yuto rushed forward. Suppressing his excitement, he first bowed deeply to Ita-suke, then raised his head, his eyes slightly red, his voice trembling with emotion: "Lord Ita-suke! And all the lords of Konoha! Thank you for saving us, and for saving the Land of Waves!"

He paused, his gaze shifting to the ashen-faced Matsuo on the ground, and he practically spat out the words through clenched teeth: "But this demon... please hand him over to us! The revenge for Brother Keisha, the revenge for everyone's loved ones who were forced to their deaths, everything they took from us... we must take it all back with our own hands! We, the people of the Land of Waves, have the right to put him to trial! I beg you, hand him over to us!"

"Yes! Leave it to us!"

"Kill Matsuo! Avenge Keisha!"

"Cut him into a thousand pieces!"

"Hang him!"

Youdou's words instantly ignited the long-suppressed anger and grief of all the villagers.

Tazuna stepped forward and bowed deeply to Ita and the others: "My lords, Matsuo and his group are the root of all the suffering in the Land of Waves. His sins are too numerous to count..."

Matsuo, sprawled on the ground, was terrified by the deafening shouts of battle around him. His large body trembled violently, and his crotch quickly became soaked, emitting a foul stench.

Tears streaming down his face, he twisted his bound body without regard for his image, desperately kowtowing to Itada Suke, who appeared to be one of the leaders. His forehead slammed against the hard ground with a dull thud, turning blue and purple in the blink of an eye.

"Spare me! Spare me, sir! Ninja lord! I was wrong! I really know I was wrong! Money! I have plenty of money! You're ninjas, right? How much does it cost to hire you? I'll pay! I'll pay ten times! No, a hundred times the price! Just let me go, and all my money, my company, is yours! Please, don't hand me over to these lowly people! They'll kill me! They'll definitely kill me!"

Matsuo's cries were desperate and filled with fear.

However, his pleas only made the people of Konoha feel more disgusted and contemptuous.

Kakashi's dead fish eyes drooped as if he were looking at a pile of filthy garbage; Jiraiya crossed his arms and sneered; young Sasuke was even more expressionless, his eyes as cold as if he were looking at an ant.

Naruto covered his nose in disgust, muttering, "How disgusting... This guy actually peed his pants in fear! And he called them 'lowlifes,' but Uncle Tazuna and Brother Yuto aren't lowlifes! You bastard!"

Ita-suke didn't even glance at Matsuo. His gaze fell on Yuto's young face, flushed with excitement and hatred, and then swept over the faces around him—some old, some young, some weathered—all now filled with anticipation and hatred.

He remained silent for a few seconds, seemingly weighing the options, or perhaps confirming whether the determination in the eyes of these ordinary people to "take back their destiny" was firm enough.

Finally, he spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears: "Yuto, Mr. Tazuna, and everyone from the Land of Waves, Matsuo is your enemy, the culprit who oppressed you. His fate should be decided by you, judged by the common people of the Land of Waves who have been harmed and oppressed by him. We, the ninjas of the Land of Stars, merely happened to be there and helped a little. The future of the Land of Waves will ultimately be in the hands of the people of the Land of Waves themselves."

Ita paused, then looked at Yuto, his eyes filled with encouragement and expectation: "The man is in your hands. Do what you believe is right, according to the methods taught by the 'Red Star Alliance' and according to the justice in your hearts."

Itada's words were like a drop of water falling into a boiling oil pan, instantly bringing the atmosphere to its peak!
"oh--!!!"

"Thank you, Lord Itada!"

"Thank you, esteemed ninjas!"

After a brief silence, deafening cheers and shouts of gratitude erupted.

The villagers waved their farm tools, tears welling in their eyes.

Yuto was trembling with excitement. He turned around abruptly, swung his arm forcefully at his companions and villagers behind him, and roared hoarsely, "Everyone! Take Matsuo, that demon, away! Prepare for a public trial! We'll let everyone in the Land of Waves see what fate awaits this bloodsucking devil!"

"Judgment!"

"Judgment!"

"Judgment!"

The crowd roared rhythmically.

Several strong young men rushed forward and roughly dragged Matsuo, who was limp as a rag doll and still begging for mercy in vain, off the ground. They dragged him like a dead dog toward the open space in the center of the village.

Matsuo's pig-like screams gradually faded away, eventually being drowned out by the roars and cheers of the crowd.

Naruto looked at Matsuo being dragged away, then at the enraged villagers, scratched his head blankly, and looked at Ita-suke, asking, "Uncle Ita-suke, will they... kill that bad guy?"

Ita nodded and said calmly, "According to the guidelines of the 'Red Star Alliance,' oppressors like Matsuo, who have irrefutable evidence, numerous crimes, and have committed unforgivable crimes against civilians, are usually tried."

"Trial?" Naruto blinked his bright blue eyes, feeling both unfamiliar and curious about the word.

“That’s right!” Karin, standing to the side, put her hands on her hips, puffed out her chest, and explained to Naruto with a proud and serious expression on her face.

"It's about making all the ordinary people who have been bullied, oppressed, or harmed by him come forward one by one and loudly recount the specific crimes Matsuo committed against them in front of everyone."

"For example, he drove someone's family to their deaths, he stole the fish and goods that everyone had worked so hard to catch at such a low price, and he sold everyone moldy grain at such a high price... All his evil deeds must be exposed to the light of day!"

She adjusted her glasses, her gaze behind the lenses clear and firm: "Then, everyone present who knows his crimes will decide together how to punish him."

"The significance of such trials lies in the fact that when the old laws and order fail to protect civilians, or even become accomplices of the oppressors, civilians have the right and the power to stand up, reclaim justice, and bring those who ride roughshod over them to justice! This is what the 'Red Star Alliance' has been supporting civilians to do all over the world!"

With Karin's infectious explanation, Naruto roughly understood.

He nodded as if he understood, looking into the distance. Under the command of Yuto and several other young people, the civilians of the Land of Waves began to move spontaneously.

Some people set up a makeshift platform, some found pens, ink, paper and inkstones to record something, and many more people excitedly gathered together, talking loudly and gesturing, with an unprecedented radiance burning on everyone's face.

It was a desire for revenge and a yearning for justice; Naruto seemed to vaguely see something emanating from them.

This was a scene Naruto had never seen before.

In Konoha, there are missions and acts of punishing evil, but nothing is as extraordinary as this, where ordinary civilians spontaneously organize to publicly try a once high-ranking merchant and nobleman…

This shocking scene was deeply imprinted in the boy's heart.

At that moment, Naruto, with his sharp eyes, spotted Menma, who was leaning on a cane and being supported by Hinata, appearing at Tazuna's door. He immediately ran over excitedly, shouting as he ran.

"Menma-san! Hinata! Are you alright?!"

Mianma's complexion was much better than before.

He gave Naruto, who was running towards him, a gentle smile and shook his head: "We're fine. The rogue ninja and those samurai that Matsuo sent weren't very strong. But your side, there was quite a commotion just now."

Hinata, supporting Menma, blushed slightly and whispered, "The enemy was too weak..."

At this moment, she had reverted to her usual gentle and timid demeanor, completely different from the sharp-eyed and decisive leader she had been in the previous battle.

Boruto, hands in his pockets, strolled out from behind the two. He first raised an eyebrow at Menma, then looked at the young Sasuke in the distance, nodded, and indicated that everything was alright.

Soon, everyone returned to Tazuna's simple yet warm home.

Tsunami had already prepared hot tea and simple food, and Inari obediently helped out.

After a thrilling experience, the atmosphere relaxed a little.

Kakashi, as the Jonin instructor of Team 7, first gathered his three students, Menma, Hinata, and Naruto, to begin summarizing the situation of the attack during the mission to the Land of Waves.

He listened carefully to Menma and Hinata's detailed account of the rogue ninja Midori Aoi leading samurai to attack the Tazuna family. When he heard that Hinata had single-handedly defeated Midori Aoi, who wielded the Thunder God Sword, a hint of approval flashed in Kakashi's single eye. Jiraiya stroked his chin, clicking his tongue in amazement, and began to look at the seemingly weak young lady of the Hyuga clan with new respect.

Then, Kakashi turned to Idasuke and, on behalf of Konoha, formally expressed his gratitude to the Star Country ninja for their timely assistance: "Lord Idasuke, thank you for your righteous help this time. If you had not arrived in time, Mr. Tazuna's family and the civilians of the Land of Waves would probably have suffered even greater losses."

Ita-suke waved his hand, his expression frank: "You flatter me. We were only escorting them at the request of Yuto. Eliminating tyrants like the Matsuo Group and helping civilians is what we, the ninjas of the Land of Stars, should do. Besides, we made a good deal, so we're even." Kakashi nodded, not bothering with formalities, and summarized: "So, as of now, the ninjas hired by the Matsuo Group—the rogue ninja Momochi Zabuza from Kirigakure, the rogue ninja Midori Aoi from Amegakure, and their wandering samurai—have been basically all annihilated or captured. The ringleader, Matsuo himself, has been taken into custody by the civilians of the Land of Waves and will soon be put on public trial."

He walked to the window and looked outside.

In the open space in the center of the village, a simple wooden platform had been erected, and more and more civilians gathered from all directions, creating a bustling and excited atmosphere.

Yudou and several young people from the "Red Star Alliance" were giving a passionate speech on stage, while the audience below occasionally erupted in angry roars or shouts of approval.

"Where will the Land of Waves go next? Will it overthrow the current daimyo's rule, or establish a new order...? That depends on the choices of Yuto and the others, as well as the common people of the Land of Waves themselves." Kakashi's words were tinged with a complex emotion.

As ninjas, they complete missions, protect their clients, and kill enemies, but rarely intervene directly in the internal changes of a country.

However, given the unique geographical location of the Land of Waves, the influence of the Land of Water behind Matsuo, and the involvement of the Land of Stars, the future of the Land of Waves is destined to be anything but peaceful.

However, Kakashi's reflections were quickly interrupted by another scene inside the room.

He turned his head and saw that Karin had somehow gotten close to Menma again.

Holding a medical kit, she was practically pressing her entire upper body against Menma's arm under the pretense of "checking on his recovery," while "earnestly" sensing his chakra. She muttered to herself, "Menma-kun, while your chakra is stable, your meridians are still a bit weak. You need more careful conditioning~ Let me examine the chakra nodes near your heart more thoroughly, okay?"

On Menma's other side, Hinata was clinging tightly to his arm, her face flushed like a ripe apple. This time, however, she didn't scold him angrily as before. Instead, she mustered her courage and looked at Karin, who was practically burying herself in Menma's arms, with shy yet clearly displeased eyes. Her voice was barely audible, yet unusually persistent: "Um... Karin-san... you... you're too close... Menma-kun... he needs to rest..."

This scene was so unbearable that not only Kakashi's eyes twitched slightly, but even Karin's teacher, Itada, and her teammates, Kurotsuchi and Ranmaru, couldn't stand it anymore.

Ita Suke coughed and looked up to examine the slightly leaky ceiling of Tazuna's house; Kurotsuchi crossed her arms, coolly turned her head to the side, and pretended to admire the "scenery" outside the window while suppressing a laugh; the youngest, Ranmaru, lowered his head and stared at his toes as if a flower had bloomed there.

Naruto smiled brightly and said, "Menma-nii is still as popular as he was back in the Ninja Academy."

The young Sasuke, who had been silently observing, felt that strange feeling well up in his heart again when he saw Karin so enthusiastically and proactively sticking to Menma's side, and Menma's helpless and unable-to-vent look.

He couldn't help but frown slightly, and asked with a hint of doubt, "You... knew each other before?"

Almost as soon as she finished speaking, Karin and Menma denied it in unison:
"I don't know him!"

"do not know."

The two reacted at a remarkably similar pace.

But it was precisely this overly synchronized and rapid denial that deepened the doubts in young Sasuke's heart.

He glanced at Karin, who was infatuated with a girl, and then at Menma, who looked somewhat helpless, and felt that something was off.

Seeing this, Jiraiya couldn't help but laugh. He crossed his arms and looked on with amusement, saying, "Oh my, the world of young people's emotions is so complicated and unpredictable! Interesting, very interesting!"

Jiraiya also had some knowledge of the situation in the Land of Stars.

He knew that there was a high-ranking administrative minister in the Star Kingdom named Whirlpool Vanilla, a surviving member of the Whirlpool Clan and an important figure in the Star Kingdom.

Judging from her hair color and the secret techniques of the Uzumaki clan she uses, this girl named Karin Uzumaki is most likely the daughter of that Minister of Herbs.

Her enthusiasm for the other woman was rather intriguing.

Is it just because she's attracted to Menma's handsomeness?

However, seeing Menma's awkward and embarrassed state of being "sandwiched" between the two girls, Jiraiya was somewhat envious of such a "hug on both sides".

'Why didn't any cute girls fight over me when I was young?' Jiraiya thought to himself.

In the following days, the Land of Waves underwent tremendous changes.

At the public trial, Matsuo was accused and denounced by countless angry civilians, and his crimes were too numerous to list.

Ultimately, under the overwhelming public pressure, this once powerful merchant, who had nearly ruled the Land of Waves, was hanged by the angry crowd from a street lamp in front of his luxurious mansion, ending his sinful life.

His Matsuo Group was also destroyed by angry citizens, and the wealth it plundered was organized by members of the "Red Star Alliance" led by Yuto, with part of it used to compensate the civilian victims and part of it used for the future reconstruction of the Land of Waves.

Yuto and his companions, supported by the "Red Star Alliance" ideology, acted swiftly.

They ventured deep into the villages and towns of the Land of Waves, exposing the corruption of the daimyo and the crimes of the Matsuo Group, promoting the new concept of the 'Will of the Stars,' organizing the common people, and gathering strength.

The call to overthrow the rule of the daimyo began to spread like wildfire across the long-oppressed island of the Land of Waves.

Meanwhile, Tazuna led the workers, whose hopes had been rekindled, and under the protection of Team 7 of Konoha and the Star Country squad, they devoted themselves day and night to the final construction work on the Land of Waves Bridge.

Without the obstruction and sabotage of the Matsuo Group, the project is progressing rapidly.

Menma's body recovered quickly under Karin's "dedicated" treatment.

Although Karin's "treatment" process was often accompanied by overly intimate physical contact and Hinata's resentful gaze, the effects were indeed remarkable.

Within two days, Mianma was able to move around normally again.

This relieved Hinata, but also made her more wary of Karin's excessive enthusiasm.

During these few days, Naruto underwent a series of special training sessions under Jiraiya.

Although Jiraiya may seem carefree on the surface, he is quite serious when it comes to teaching Naruto.

In just a few days, Naruto made significant progress in his application of taijutsu and ninjutsu, as well as his control over chakra, which greatly excited Naruto, who had always longed to become stronger.

Time slips away quietly amidst busyness and change.

Finally, amidst everyone's anticipation, the Wave Country Bridge, a bridge of hope that carries Tazuna's dreams and symbolizes the rebirth of the Wave Country, was successfully completed!

On the day of its completion, the sun shone brightly and a gentle sea breeze blew.

The brand-new bridge, like a giant gray dragon, spans the azure waves, connecting the Land of Waves and the Land of Fire.

At the bridgehead, countless civilians from the Land of Waves gathered to celebrate, each with a genuine smile and a hopeful outlook for the future.

Menma, Hinata, Naruto, and Kakashi stood at one end of the bridge, preparing to return to Konoha.

Ita, Karin, Kurotsuchi, and Ranmaru were also present; they would be traveling with the Konoha team to Konoha to participate in the Chunin Exams.

Tazna, along with his daughter Tsunpo and grandson Irena, came to see him off, along with many fellow workers and villagers.

With tears of emotion welling up in his eyes, Tazuna tightly grasped Kakashi and Ita's hands, choking back sobs and unable to speak.

Inari hugged Naruto's leg, looked up at him with her little face, and said very seriously, "Brother Naruto, Brother Menma, Sister Hinata, and all the other ninja brothers and sisters, thank you!"

You Dou also arrived, more composed than before, his eyes filled with unwavering determination.

He solemnly thanked the ninjas of Konoha and the Land of Stars, and said that the people of the Land of Waves would never forget their help, and that they would walk along this bridge toward a brand new future.

After a reluctant farewell, the two ninja teams stepped onto the bridge and headed towards the Land of Fire on the other side.

Sunlight shone on the bridge and on everyone, casting long shadows.

Not far from the bridge, on the edge of a dense forest, Jiraiya stood on a branch of a large tree, watching Naruto and his group's figures gradually disappear into the distance.

Beside him stood the silent young men Sasuke and Boruto.

"Phew..." Jiraiya let out a long sigh of relief, his usual nonchalant expression gradually disappearing, replaced by a deep solemnity.

He stroked his chin, muttering to himself, or perhaps speaking to the two beside him, "The matter in the Land of Waves has finally come to an end, but... I have a feeling that this Chunin Exams won't be peaceful. There's a sense... like a storm is brewing."

Young Sasuke remained silent, simply watching the departing blond boy's back as his gaze fell upon the shimmering sea, his eyes reflecting a deep, unfathomable depth.

Boruto leaned against a tree trunk, his right hand raised as if trying to touch the sky, lost in thought.

The sea breeze rustled through the forest, making the leaves whisper in the breeze.

[Image: Menma Namikaze from Infinite Tsukuyomi]

(End of this chapter)