Land of Water's royal palace.
A golden spatial fluctuation suddenly appeared within the palace.
As Shun's figure emerged, he saw Tsunade hurrying to greet him.
Tsunade was wearing white silk casual clothes, her hair loosely tied back, and a hint of worry on her face.
"Where did you go? We've been looking for a long time, dinner is almost cold."
After speaking, she turned and picked up a cup of hot tea from the table, steam still rising from the cup.
"It's a bit chilly outside, quickly drink this hot tea while it's warm."
Shun took the hot tea. Warmth spread from his fingertips throughout his body, dispelling the chill of the night.
"I went to Amegakure and discussed strategic directions with Nagato."
Tsunade nodded gently, not asking further. "First, drink some hot tea to warm yourself up. The children are all waiting in the dining room."
Shun held her hand, and the two walked side by side towards the dining room.
In the corridor, they could hear the children's playful noises from the dining room—Seishin's laughter, Sasuke's rebuttals, Karin's coquettish pleas—all intertwined, full of warmth.
These vibrant sounds intertwined like a warm current, instantly washing away the sorrow in his heart.
A smile unconsciously curled at the corner of his lips, and his steps quickened slightly.
As he pushed open the door, the noise in the dining room instantly ceased.
The children all turned their heads to look. Karin was the first to rush over, hugging Shun's leg.
"Papa! You're finally back!"
Sasuke put away his previous arrogance, stepping forward quickly, his eyes full of anticipation. "Father, I can already activate the three-tomoe Sharingan, do you want to see?"
Shun bent down to pick up Karin, ruffled her hair, and then patted Sasuke's shoulder. "Okay, we'll go to the training ground to see after dinner, but for now, let's eat, or the food will really get cold."
Mirai also ran over, shouting, "Papa, I want a hug too!"
Shun smiled gently, then used his right hand to pick up Mirai.
The family sat around the dining table, the aroma of dinner filling the air.
Tsunade continuously placed food on Shun's plate, and the children chattered, sharing the day's interesting events, filling the dining room with a warm atmosphere.
Time quietly slipped away amidst the busyness, and several months passed in a flash.
The peace of the Ninja World was shattered, and a wave of expansion sweeping across various countries suddenly erupted.
The first news came from Nagato. Following Shun's suggestion, he first swiftly annexed the Land of Grass and the Land of Birds. Then, after integrating the ninja forces of both countries, he launched a surprise attack on the Lands of Fire, Earth, and Wind.
Akatsuki's ninjas worked in perfect coordination, and Pain's Shinra Tensei was unstoppable, forcibly occupying 7 cities from the Land of Fire, seizing 6 cities from the Land of Earth, and taking 5 cities from the Land of Wind.
Amidst the shock of the various nations in the Ninja World, Nagato held a grand ceremony in the capital of the Land of Rain, officially announcing the establishment of the sixth Great Nation, the "Land of Akatsuki."
When the news spread, the entire Ninja World was in an uproar.
A nation established by a rogue ninja organization had risen in just a few months to a power capable of rivaling the Five Great Nations—this was something no one had anticipated.
The rise of the Land of Akatsuki ignited the ambitions of other Great Nations.
Ōnoki of the Land of Earth personally led Iwa ninjas to raid the Land of Waterfall. The Land of Waterfall was unable to resist Iwagakure's offensive and was annexed in just three days, forming an encirclement of the Land of Fire.
Sunagakure was not to be outdone. Taking advantage of the Land of Fire's preoccupation with Akatsuki's offensive, they seized 5 cities in the Land of Rivers, pushing their territory eastward, also bordering the Land of Fire.
The Land of Lightning was even more ambitious, annexing the Land of the Moon and the Land of Rice Fields in one fell swoop, and also seizing 4 cities in the Land of Hot Water, extending its territory westward, connecting with the eastern border of the Land of Fire.
In just a few months, the map of the Ninja World was redrawn, and the balance that had been maintained for decades was broken.
Border conflicts were frequent, refugees were everywhere, and starvation was rampant, causing panic throughout the Ninja World.
Meanwhile, the Land of Water, with its ample land and stable environment provided by the previous land reclamation and island creation, became the only "safe haven" in the Ninja World, with an explosive growth in the number of immigrants.
Inside the royal palace's council hall, an official from the Immigration Department rushed in, holding the latest statistical report.
His voice was a bit urgent. "Your Excellency, the number of immigrants for last month has been tallied, totaling over 3.2 million. Most of them are from the Land of Fire, over 2.8 million, with the remainder mainly from annexed smaller nations like the Land of Waterfall and the Land of Rivers."
Shun took the report, quickly scanning the data on it.
Among the immigrants from the Land of Fire, only a small portion were commoners. The majority were nobles weary of war and wealthy merchants seeking refuge.
He nodded slightly, his tone steady. "Continue to expand settlement areas, and coordinate with the Civil Affairs Department to ensure every immigrant has a place to live and food to eat. Additionally, have the Military Department screen capable ninjas to join the guard patrols, responsible for security in the new lands, to prevent chaos."
"Yes."
After the Immigration Department official acknowledged, the Household Department official stepped forward, his tone carrying a hint of worry. "Your Excellency, all the nations in the Ninja World are watching us now. Especially the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth, they have sent people several times to probe the movements of the Land of Water, and some spies even attempted to infiltrate the new lands, only to be discovered by our patrol teams."
A sharp glint flashed in Shun's eyes, and his fingers gently tapped the table.
"Have Minato strengthen border security and dispatch more patrol teams. Once any ninja from other countries are found to be snooping, show no mercy and expel them directly. If they dare to act, deal with them according to wartime regulations. Let them know that the Land of Water is not to be trifled with."
The officials all agreed and successively exited the council hall.
—
That night, a soft sound of footsteps approached.
Mikoto wore a light purple long dress, her black hair styled into an exquisite bun, adorned with a pearl hairpin, adding a touch of gentle elegance.
She reached out and gently massaged Shun's shoulder, her voice soft. "Honey, are you thinking about Ninja World matters again?"
Shun took her hand, turned, and pulled her into his embrace, her faint perfume lingering around his nose.
He said, "It's nothing, just minor issues."
He kissed Mikoto's cheek and said, "Mikoto, your skin is getting smoother and smoother lately. I need to test the results of your training."
Mikoto leaned in his arms, her cheeks slightly flushed. She gently pushed against his chest and said, "It's only a little past 7 PM, it's still early, and the children are still playing in the yard."
Shun said, "I've already activated the barrier, the children can't get in or hear anything, so don't worry."
He lowered his head and kissed Mikoto's lips, his movements gentle yet lingering.
When the two separated, Mikoto's breathing was already a little hurried.