In the top-floor meeting room of the Star City's administration building, the atmosphere was solemn and dignified.
Seated around the massive circular conference table were the key ministers forming the core of the Land of Stars's power. Sunlight streamed through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the room brightly and reflecting off the national flag on the wall… a deep blue background adorned with brilliant stars.
The head of the table naturally belonged to the figure clad in a black robe, his face hidden behind a white three-eyed fox mask, Menma, appearing in his persona as Shura.
Though he presented himself in his youthful form, his calm yet immense presence filled the entire room, leaving no room for underestimation.
Seated around him were the pillars of the Land of Stars:
The Internal Affairs Minister, Kanon: Her vibrant red hair was neatly tied up, wearing thin-framed glasses, her expression calm and efficient, a thick stack of report documents in front of her.
Finance Minister, Oyashiro En: Usually nonchalant, he was unusually dressed in a well-tailored dark suit, his fingers lightly tapping the table, his gaze sharp behind his diamond-shaped sunglasses.
Defense Minister & Military Commander-in-Chief, Hikari: Dressed in a dark blue clan attire, her black pupils occasionally swept across the room, carrying an air of aloofness and sharpness.
Anbu Commander, Kisame: Still with his fearsome shark-like face, he sat silently in the corner with his arms crossed, like a dormant beast, though his aura seemed less brutal and more settled compared to before.
Head Priestess of the Shrine Maidens, Miroku: Dressed in sacred priestess robes, her demeanor was graceful and serene, her eyes holding compassion and wisdom.
Education Minister & Deputy Head of the Ninja Academy, Nono: Her smile was gentle, but her eyes revealed the resilience and wisdom born of experience.
Justice Minister, Yosei: The former Hoshikage, now with a serious, meticulous expression.
National Construction Minister, Gotta: Long-term field assignments on infrastructure projects had tanned his skin and roughened his hands considerably.
Additionally, there were two special observers: the similarly red-haired Kushina, and the blond, blue-eyed, gentle-mannered Minato.
The two sat slightly further back, quietly observing the functioning of the nation their son had built, their eyes filled with novelty and unconcealable pride.
The meeting proceeded in an orderly manner. Each minister stood in turn to report to Menma on the development of various aspects of the Land of Stars over the past year.
Kanon reported on internal affairs and population in a clear, steady tone: "...In summary, thanks to the agricultural development of the middle and lower reaches of the Yuu River and the integration of the Land of Snow's mineral resources, our nation's total economic output officially surpassed that of the Land of Water by the end of last year. Grain production is expected to potentially exceed that of the Land of Fire after the next spring harvest, achieving self-sufficiency while maintaining substantial reserves."
She paused, adjusted her glasses, and continued, "According to preliminary statistics from the census department, our current total population is approaching sixteen million. While the original Land of Star and Land of Demons are mostly mountainous and forested with a combined population of less than 3.5 million, the newly incorporated Land of Swamps has over 6 million, the Land of Darkness over 5 million, and the Land of Snow also over 1 million."
"It is worth noting that due to our land distribution policies and preferential treatment for the poor, news has spread, and many desert tribes from the Land of Wind and impoverished people from the Land of Earth are attempting large-scale migration to our nation."
"The Daimyos of Wind and Earth have dispatched troops and Ninja to blockade the borders to prevent this, but many impoverished people still risk crossing."
"It is estimated that this year alone, immigrants from these two countries could exceed 500,000. Properly settling these new immigrants will be a key focus for the Internal Affairs Ministry going forward."
Oyashiro En followed with a more detailed financial report, including various taxes, commercial trade, military expenditures, education spending, special allocations for the construction of the three capitals, etc.
A series of staggering revenue and growth figures all pointed to the vibrant vitality of this newly emerging nation.
Hikari briefly reported on military reorganization, training, and border defense, her tone concise and forceful.
Miroku spoke about the role of the Priestesses in reassuring the people, medical aid, and the cultural integration of the new territories.
Gotta reported on the progress of major infrastructure projects, especially the railway network connecting the capitals, the construction of water conservancy facilities, and the recovery situation in the three provinces.
Yosei reported on the implementation of the new legal code and the progress of improving the judicial system.
Minato and Kushina listened quietly, their hearts filled with unparalleled astonishment. They had never imagined that the combination of Ninja's power and state machinery could unleash such astounding constructive force, capable of creating such a prosperous and hopeful nation in such a short time.
This was completely different from the Konoha Village they remembered, filled with missions, slaughter, clan interests, and village leadership politics.
If their memory serves, it's only been about four years since Menma took control of the Land of Stars and founded the Land of Stars, and he's already created a new nation that can rival the Five Great Nations?!
Menma listened quietly throughout, occasionally nodding or asking one or two pointed questions at key moments.
Finally, he summarized, "The past year has been hard work for everyone. The Land of Stars' current situation is inseparable from the efforts of everyone present here. In the new year, I hope you will all continue to strive."
"Regarding the immigrant settlement issue, Kanon, you need to put in extra effort, coordinating closely with Gotta's Construction Ministry and Miroku's Priestesses to ensure the new immigrants can settle down stably and become a new force in building the Land of Stars."
"Regarding border pressure, Hikari, you and Kisame need to pay close attention. We must guard against any desperate actions by those two countries, but also, when necessary, provide a path to life for those civilians seeking hope."
"Yes, sir!" Everyone responded in unison, their voices filled with respect and motivation.
As the meeting neared its end, Education Minister Nono stood up, her expression carrying a trace of gentle insistence.
"Sir, regarding the Ninja Academy, I have a request," Nono's voice was as soft as ever, yet clear to everyone, "The overall level of the first, second, and third-year students has stabilized at Genin-level. Among them, the most outstanding have strength approaching Chunin-level. What they primarily lack is the tempering of practical combat experience."
She looked around and continued, "I understand that you, sir, have strictly limited the difficulty of early graduation exams to ensure the children build a more solid foundation. This is responsible."
"However, these children, especially those from the first three years, are mostly war orphans. Their desire to become stronger, to contribute to this nation that gave them new life, is extremely urgent."
"Keeping them suppressed within the academy for too long might not only dull their edge but could even lead to psychological issues. Therefore, I earnestly request your permission, sir, to allow a batch of outstanding students to graduate early."
The conference room fell quiet, all eyes turning to Shura at the head of the table. Hikari also seemed to be pondering something.
Menma was silent for a moment, his fingers lightly tapping the table.
He understood Nono's concerns. He regularly reviewed the files of those children, and they were indeed promising talents. The Ninja World emphasized bloodlines, but the people here almost all possessed the Sage of Six Paths' heritage.
Even commoners could produce geniuses from time to time. For example, after the First Hokage founded Konoha Village, he discovered a large number of talented Ninja from commoner backgrounds, the most famous including Sannin like Orochimaru and Jiraiya, as well as Minato, Might Duy and his son, and even Kakashi's clan seemed to have commoner origins.
'The Land of Stars had been stable for several years now. It was time to reap the first fruits.'
"You are right, Nono," His steady voice came from behind the mask, "It is time to give them a chance. Excessive protection is not a long-term solution. Hikari."
"Here," Hikari responded immediately.
"Have the military dispatch experienced examiners to organize the graduation exams. Any student aged twelve or above can volunteer to participate. Exam standards: the Three Basic Jutsu must be mastered proficiently."
"Additionally, they must master at least one practical weapon throwing technique or one offensive Ninjutsu," Menma ordered.
"Yes," Hikari replied succinctly.
At this point, observer Kanon suddenly spoke up with a suggestion, "Shura-sama, since this graduating class is special, with students from three years competing together, the competition will undoubtedly be fierce. Perhaps we could offer some additional rewards, both to motivate the children and to demonstrate the nation's emphasis on the new generation."
Menma nodded, feeling this was a good suggestion.
"Indeed. Any specific proposal?"
Kanon, clearly having thought about it beforehand, spoke fluently: "The top nine students based on comprehensive final scores will form three elite squads, led personally by Jonin on missions. Furthermore, all graduates who pass the exam will be rewarded with one D-Rank Jutsu. The top three will receive an additional C-Rank Jutsu. And the top student of this year..."
She paused, emphasizing her tone, "...will receive an additional B-Rank Jutsu as a reward. Moreover, their name will be engraved on the Academy's Honor Wall, serving as an example for future students."
A B-Rank Jutsu! For these newly graduated Genin, this was undoubtedly a huge temptation and a precious resource.
Menma looked at Kanon with approval, "Approved. Proceed with this plan."
His gaze then swept over Hikari, Kisame, and the other department heads present, "Notify everyone: on the day of the graduation exams, all Jonin from various departments, barring urgent missions, are to attend and observe. If they spot promising seedlings, they can make contact in advance and consider taking them as disciples for focused training."
"Yes!" Everyone accepted the order, understanding deeply how much importance Menma placed on nurturing the next generation's strength.
As night fell and the Star City lit up, the administration building, having concluded its serious daytime meetings, gradually quieted down.
After finishing his daily Anbu duties, Kisame walked out of the heavily guarded building and immediately spotted the figure waiting for him under a streetlamp.
Miru was dressed in practical Anbu's casual wear, her long brown hair flowing softly over her shoulders. The dim lamplight cast a soft glow on her gentle face. She wasn't wearing her mask.
Seeing Kisame emerge, a warm smile immediately appeared on her face.
Several Anbu team leaders also leaving work saw this and exchanged knowing looks. One of the bolder ones couldn't resist whistling, teasing, "Yo! Commander, someone's here to pick you up after work!"
"That's right! So envious!"
"Commander is lucky!"
Kisame's shark-like face showed a trace of embarrassment. He glared at them irritably, "Mission reports all finished? Too much free time?"
The team leaders laughed and pushed each other, quickly making themselves scarce, leaving behind hearty laughter echoing in the night air.
Kisame walked over to Miru. His tone was still a bit gruff, "Those guys, getting more and more undisciplined. Seems their usual training load is still too light."
Miru looked at his pretend-ferocious expression and couldn't help but chuckle softly, her voice like a spring breeze, "I think this version of you is much better than before."
Kisame was taken aback, "Better? How?"
"More human, more like a... living person, rather than just a blade that only knows how to execute missions," Miru gazed at him, her black pupils reflecting the streetlamp's light, and his figure, "This version of Commander Kisame, I really like."
Kisame fell silent for a moment, his shark-like face seeming to soften slightly. He didn't respond directly, just somewhat unnaturally averted his gaze and muttered, "Let's go. Didn't you say you wanted to check out the night market?"
"Mm-hmm!" Miru nodded happily, naturally reaching out to link her arm with Kisame's muscular one.
Kisame's body stiffened momentarily, but he didn't pull away, allowing her to hold his arm as the two merged into the bustling night market crowd of the Star City.