Early April, Year 33 of Konoha's calendar.
Today was the opening day of the second term at the Land of Whirlpools' affiliated academy.
So early in the morning, the academy entrance was very lively, filled with parents bringing their children to enroll.
"Konan, you must study seriously." Konan's mother squatted down, looking at Konan with a serious expression. "The academy is not like daycare. Although Teacher Tobi didn't say anything, I know how you behaved at daycare."
"If the academy calls me in for a meeting, don't blame me for punishing you."
"Okay." Hearing her mother's words, Konan pouted and said, "I will study seriously."
"It's just that Teacher Tobi is too stupid. He only knows how to draw poop and nothing else."
And...
She only drew on Teacher Tobi's face.
Yet Teacher Tobi actually told on her.
"Really, when I see Teacher Tobi later, I'll make sure he gets what's coming." Konan thought angrily, then nodded at her mother with a sweet smile. "I will definitely pay attention in class."
At that moment.
"Konan."
A familiar voice came from the academy entrance.
"Nagato, Yahiko." Seeing who it was, Konan happily waved and said, "You're here too."
"Yeah." Nagato and Yahiko nodded at Konan, then politely said to Konan's mother, "Good morning, Auntie."
"Good morning to you too." Konan's mother smiled warmly and asked, "Where are Nagato's mother and Yahiko's father?"
"I'm very familiar with the Land of Whirlpools, so I didn't need my mother to bring me." Nagato said. "I used to come here to play every year when I was little."
There was also Shijō-nii, Kushina oba... ahem, nee-chan. Back then, they would bring him to the academy to play. But later, when they got busy with their own things, they rarely took him out anymore. So during that time, he started staying at daycare. But after Konan and Yahiko came to the Land of Whirlpools, he had companions again.
"My dad drank too much at dinner last night." Yahiko said with a headache. "He still hasn't woken up, so I had to come by myself."
"Haha." Konan's mother laughed awkwardly at Yahiko's words and said, "It seems Yahiko's father is very busy with work."
"He is very busy." Yahiko nodded gloomily. "Recently, he rarely comes home to have dinner with me."
He's been going to the food street by himself to find something to eat.
Although the food in the Land of Whirlpools is great, still...
He misses the feeling of eating together as a family.
"Is that so." Konan's mother paused for a moment after hearing Yahiko's words, then patted his head gently and said, "You can come to our house to eat with us in the future."
"Really?" Yahiko brightened up and asked, "Can I really come?"
"Of course." Konan's mother said kindly. "Konan gets lonely by herself, so it would be nice to have more friends with her."
"Yeah." Konan nodded and said, "Yahiko, you can come to my house to eat. My mom's cooking is really good."
"You can also come to my house." Nagato patted Yahiko's shoulder and said. "Or you can even stay overnight. My mom would definitely be happy. It's just..."
"My mom isn't very good at cooking."
You'd probably end up having to go out to eat anyway.
"I... I..." Moved by Konan and Nagato's words, Yahiko nodded and said, "Thank you."
Thank you so much.
...
"Has it started?" Uzumaki Jun rested his arms on the wall, leaning his head against it as he watched the students gradually arriving at the academy in the distance. He sighed and said, "Time really flies."
The Frog Team has reached the age to start school properly.
I wonder what the future of the Land of Whirlpools will be like.
Right now, production in the Land of Whirlpools has stabilized again. The new immigrants have adapted to life here and are slowly integrating into the country. Although most still haven't obtained citizenship, I believe...
They are already starting to see themselves as citizens of the Land of Whirlpools.
But...
"The pace is still too slow." Uzumaki Jun murmured. "The population of the Land of Whirlpools is still too small."
Although the city has expanded significantly, and it's likely that more cities will gradually branch out in the future, still...
A population of just over 400,000 is barely a drop in the bucket for industrial production.
Whether it's civilian labor or shinobi labor, there simply aren't enough people.
Moreover, the land area of the Land of Whirlpools also limits its development. As the population grows, the demand for food, clothing, housing, and transportation increases, but the available farmland for cultivation is still insufficient.
"I wonder how the 'Land Reclamation Project' is going for the researchers." Uzumaki Jun muttered. "I forgot to ask yesterday."
But it probably isn't going very well.
After all, creating a new landmass isn't as simple as piling up some dirt. It must conform to practical conditions and expand outward from the existing land.
The sea near the Land of Water is currently the most ideal direction for the Land of Whirlpools' expansion, but...
There aren't enough machines or chakra.
Especially Earth Release users. Right now, the only ones who have come to the Land of Whirlpools are a few dozen from the Kamizuru Clan and a dozen or so from the Senju Clan.
It's a drop in the bucket.
So relying solely on manpower to create land is impractical, since not everyone is a cheat like the God of Shinobi.
With massive chakra reserves and incredible stamina.
Especially for delicate work like land creation. If something goes wrong, even the small island of the Land of Whirlpools could be destroyed.
"Mechanical engineers." Uzumaki Jun sighed and murmured. "I wonder when Hatake Sakumo will make his move."
If nothing else works, I'll have to go to Kumogakure and see if I can lure that giant turtle over. Or maybe use Edo Tensei to summon Hashirama. Otherwise, there's no other solution right now.
Have me do it myself?
Please, I'm just a kid. If I show that much power now, it'll scare the entire shinobi world.
But...
The Husky and the Shiba...
If they meet now, will they start fighting?
If the God of Shinobi and the True God of Shinobi end up in a stalemate in the Land of Whirlpools...
Things could get messy.
"It seems I'll have to overwhelm Madara with glory."
Give Madara more banners and awards.
Let him get used to life in the Land of Whirlpools and become an outstanding taijutsu instructor.
...
"Grandpa Madara, smile a little, just a little." Uchiha Mikoto looked at the old man leaning on his cane at the entrance and quietly reminded him. "They're just children. If you're too stern, you'll scare them."
Grandpa Madara is great in every way, except for his resting blank face, like most of the clan members, always wearing a cold expression.
I really wonder if Grandpa Madara is even from the Uchiha Clan.
Otherwise, how could he know Uchiha-style ninjutsu, Uchiha-style taijutsu, Uchiha-style sword techniques, and Uchiha-style throwing techniques? Oh, and that incredibly powerful genjutsu from last time.
But...
No way.
The elders of the Uchiha Clan are all...
And I heard from Lord Jun that Grandpa Madara is a very pitiful old man, with only his foolish nephew by his side.
As for his family...
They're long gone.
"First impressions are very important for children." Uchiha Mikoto said seriously to Madara. "So Grandpa Madara, smile a little. That way, the children will like you."
"Hmph." Uchiha Madara snorted. "I don't need children to like me."
"If they want to become shinobi, then from now on, they are no longer children."
"If they don't listen, I'll make them experience what it means to be a shinobi."
Except for Hashirama, since when has Uchiha Madara ever smiled for anyone?
How ridiculous.
"Fine." Hearing Grandpa Madara's words, Uchiha Mikoto could only sigh helplessly. "Then I hope Grandpa Madara will go easy on them when the time comes."
Grandpa Madara is so stubborn.
However...
Unseen by Uchiha Mikoto...
The corners of Madara's lips twitched slightly, as if trying to form a smile but failing. In the end, his face remained expressionless as he stared ahead, murmuring softly, "Hashirama, I..."