A lizard was chasing a scorpion. The lizard's speed increased, and it was about to catch up to the scorpion.
But just then, the scorpion suddenly turned. Its pincers clamped down on the lizard's front leg, and its stinger fiercely striked the lizard's abdomen.
The lizard hissed in pain but didn't retreat. Instead, it opened its mouth and bit firmly onto the scorpion's back.
Zetsu watched, holding her breath, and whispered, "If I were the scorpion, wouldn't it have been better to just stay hidden in the sand hole? That way, the lizard wouldn't have found it."
Shun smiled and shook his head. "Zetsu, if it stayed hidden in the sand hole forever, it would die of thirst and hunger. For life to continue, it must face risks. Otsutsuki possesses the power to destroy worlds and the might to create them. Creation requires patience and tolerance, but destruction only needs a momentary impulse. Many Otsutsuki only understand destruction and possession, plundering the energy of other planets, yet they never cherish life. This will lead them to gradually become isolated, and even face extinction."
He paused, his gaze falling on Kaguya. "Kaguya, you created Hagoromo and Hamura to fight against the Otsutsuki clan and protect yourself. But have you ever considered that if you had shown more tolerance for life, perhaps the outcome back then would have been different?"
"I hope you remember that whether it's as powerful as Otsutsuki or as small as a lizard or a scorpion, all life deserves respect. Experiencing this tenacity of life can bring more tolerance to your hearts."
Kaguya fell silent, her gaze once again fixed on the struggling lizard and scorpion.
She recalled a thousand years ago, how she ruthlessly plundered Chakra for her own survival, even attempting to reclaim the Chakra from Hagoromo and Hamura. She never considered their feelings, ultimately pushing them to become her adversaries.
Now, watching the small animals in the desert fighting for their lives, the high wall in her heart, built by a thousand years of solitude, seemed to loosen a bit.
Zetsu lowered her head, her face filled with seriousness. "Father, I understand. I won't harm small animals casually anymore."
Just then, the lizard suddenly exerted force and bit off the scorpion's pincers. Stripped of its defenses, the scorpion quickly became the lizard's prey.
Shun gently stroked Zetsu's head and said, "This is the law of nature, where the strong prey on the weak, but every life that strives to live deserves to be respected."
The three continued their journey, and as the sun climbed higher, the desert landscape transformed.
The distant sand dunes shimmered with a golden glow under the sunlight.
Occasionally, a few tenacious cacti could be seen, blooming with pale pink flowers on the sandy ground.
Kaguya walked beside Shun, occasionally observing the small animals on the sand, her eyes showing a hint of softness.
After about an hour of walking, a cluster of buildings finally appeared in the distance.
Earthen yellow city walls encircled the village, and on the towering watchtowers, the figures of Sunagakure ninjas could vaguely be seen.
Shun pointed to the village in the distance, smiling as he said, "Look, that's Sunagakure ahead. Let's rest there and try some of the Land of Wind's specialty foods, like flower dishes and some drinks."
"Mother, let's go quickly and see!"
Zetsu immediately cheered, pulling Kaguya's hand, and quickly ran towards Sunagakure.
The gates of Sunagakure gradually became clearer, and Shun's gaze fell on Karura in the distance.
Actually, his true purpose in bringing them here was to have Kaguya absorb some of Shukaku's Chakra.
Before entering Sunagakure, the three of them made some disguises.
Shun transformed into a gentle middle-aged man.
Kaguya concealed her exquisite beauty, becoming a gentle woman.
Zetsu transformed into a little girl wearing a pink dress and clutching a cloth doll.
Soon, the three arrived at Sunagakure's most famous "Sunagakure Dew Drink Shop."
The cool air inside the shop dispelled the heat, and the whirring of the fans was particularly pleasant.
When the staff member approached, her gaze fell on Shun. She smiled playfully and asked, "Sir, you look new here. Are you traveling with your wife and daughter? Our iced sour plum juice and watermelon juice are the most refreshing, perfect for children."
"Then two sour plum juices and one watermelon juice, please. Thank you." Shun replied with a smile, smoothly pulling out a chair for Kaguya, his actions natural and considerate.
Two Sunagakure women at a neighboring table saw this scene and couldn't help but whisper, "Look at that family. The man is quite handsome and so gentle with his wife and child. How nice."
"Yes, you can tell they're on vacation. And that little girl is so cute, clutching her cloth doll."
"Even though Sunagakure has a lot of sand, the iced drinks in summer are quite famous. They picked the right shop."
Their whispers were not loud, but they clearly reached Kaguya's ears.
She picked up the sour plum juice the staff member brought, took a small sip, and a smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.
This feeling of being treated as an ordinary person was more comfortable than she had imagined.
"So sweet! So delicious!"
Zetsu took a sip of watermelon juice and her eyes immediately lit up. She drank it in small sips, her face full of satisfaction.
Shun drank his juice, his gaze casually sweeping over the other customers in the shop, but he paused slightly when he saw a figure in the corner.
Three girls were sitting there. One of them, a girl of about 13 years old, was wearing a Sunagakure ninja uniform, with a large iron fan at her waist. Standing at a height of 1.61 meters, she was none other than Temari.
Three years ago, in order to seize Shukaku's Chakra, he had beaten up the Fourth Kazekage Rasa and his wife, Karura.
In the chaos, he saw a 10-year-old Temari, the little girl holding a small iron fan in front of Gaara, her eyes stubborn and beautiful.
On a whim, he casually said, "When Temari turns 18, I will marry her as my queen."
After all, he had just beaten up her parents, and then immediately set his sights on their 10-year-old daughter.
This action was absurd and earned him a bad reputation in Sunagakure: "Powerful, but extremely lecherous!"
So much so that now, men in Sunagakure would avoid Temari from a distance.
"Father, what are you looking at?" Zetsu noticed her father's gaze and followed his line of sight, seeing Temari and her companions.
"That older sister's fan is so big! So cool!"
Kaguya also turned to look, her eyes carrying a hint of inquiry.
Her hearing was far superior to ordinary people, and she quickly heard the whispers of the two girls beside Temari.
The girls next to Temari were her two best friends, Shana and Shari.
"Shari, look at that brown-haired man, he's quite handsome." Shana nudged the girl next to her with her elbow, her voice very low.
Shari secretly glanced and whispered back, "What's the use of being handsome? Have you forgotten Shun, who caused a ruckus in the village three years ago? I heard he's also very handsome, but he's a complete lecher. Temari was only 10 years old at the time, and that man said he wanted to marry her. Now, the men in the village don't dare to approach Temari, for fear of retaliation from that ruthless man."
"Shari, you're saying that Temari is too miserable. She's only 13. She still has to wait 5 years to get married, unlike our Land of Wind, where you can marry at 16."
Shana's voice carried a hint of indignation. "I heard that man has already married 9 queens and still isn't satisfied, even coveting Temari. He's such a lecherous man."
Shari followed her gaze to Temari and sighed. She said in a tone full of sympathy, "Yes, who knows how many more queens that man will marry in these 5 years? By the time Temari marries him, what status will she have?"
Temari sat on the side, hearing their discussion. She tightly gripped the handle of her iron fan, her knuckles slightly white.
That man's words three years ago had made her a "special existence" in Sunagakure.
Boys her age dared not approach her, leaving her to endure whispers behind her back.
She followed Shana's gaze, casually scanning Shun's family, and felt a touch of envy.
Hearing their discussion, Shun's smile stiffened slightly, and he subconsciously looked at Kaguya.
Indeed, Kaguya's hand, holding the sour plum juice, paused, and a flicker of imperceptible inquiry flashed in her eyes.
Shun awkwardly coughed, not offering any explanation.
Kaguya raised an eyebrow slightly, not pressing further.
Having lived for thousands of years, she was indifferent to the worldly concept of "polygamy". She simply found Shun's embarrassment somewhat amusing.
Zetsu pretended not to understand their conversation. Only after finishing her watermelon juice did she tug on Shun's sleeve and whine, "Father, when are we going to the market? I want to see if there are any fun little trinkets."
"We'll go later, to avoid the crowds from jostling you." Shun smiled and pinched her face, attempting to change the subject.
Temari had finished her drink, so she stood up, picked up her iron fan, and said, "We've rested long enough, we should go back and practice Ninjutsu."
Shana and Shari exchanged glances and could only follow her.
Just as Temari and her two friends passed their table, Zetsu suddenly looked up and gave her a sweet smile. "Big sister, your fan is so big, it's so cool!"
Temari was stunned for a moment. Seeing Zetsu's cute appearance, her tense expression softened a bit, and she subconsciously smiled. "Little one, this fan is for fighting."
Her gaze swept over Shun and Kaguya, finding the couple harmonious. She didn't think much of it and left the drink shop with her best friends.
Watching Temari's retreating figure, Shun breathed a sigh of relief.
Kaguya seemed to see through his thoughts and gently touched his hand. "What? are you afraid I'll ask you about the past?"
Shun held her hand and said earnestly, "It's not fear. I just don't think it's necessary to bring it up."
Kaguya's eyes shifted slightly, and she stopped teasing him. "Let's go, let's explore other places."
The three walked out of the drink shop and headed towards the market.
The market was bustling with activity, stalls filled with hand-woven carpets, colorful fabrics, fresh fruits, and various small toys.
Zetsu excitedly pulled Kaguya's hand, weaving through the various stalls.