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

Chapter 306 She is just my sister

Menma, along with Jiraiya and Hydrangea, headed west along the main road that ran through the valley.

Once you leave the valley, the view opens up dramatically, and when you are truly in the Youhe Plain, the scenery is breathtaking.

As far as the eye can see, there is an endless golden ocean.

The mature rice stalks drooped, their full heads shimmering warmly in the autumn sun, swaying in the wind like the breath of the earth.

On the plains, the harvest is proceeding in a tense but orderly manner.

The air was filled with the unique fragrance of rice, mixed with the scent of earth.

Ziyanghua squatted curiously by a field ridge and saw some women, elderly people and teenagers carrying winnowing baskets and baskets, following behind large harvesting machines or manual harvesting teams, carefully picking up the scattered rice ears in the field, bringing each grain back to the granary, and cherishing every harvest.

She also picked up a small piece of fallen rice from the edge of the field and examined it carefully in her palm. She found that the rice was not only unusually plump and heavy, but the grains on the rice were also arranged much more densely than those she had seen in the Land of Rain or other places.

Jiraiya also squatted down, took the piece of rice from the hydrangea, examined it carefully, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

He had traveled to many countries and had a wide range of knowledge, but he had never seen rice growing so well.

He turned to an old farmer who was resting in the field, smoking a pipe, and asked in a kind tone, "Uncle, your rice is growing really well! The yield must be very high, right? How did you grow it?"

The old man noticed that the three men had extraordinary bearing, especially Jiraiya and Menma. Although one looked carefree and the other looked like a teenager, their aura of strength was undeniable.

He quickly put down his pipe, bowed respectfully, and replied, "You three are ninja lords, aren't you? You're right, the harvest is indeed excellent! The seeds we plant here are all new seeds issued by the government. I heard they were specially cultivated using some kind of... chakra technology!"

The old man smiled simply and continued, “At first, no one believed it. They thought, ‘How could there be such a good thing?’ But then, those officials sent by the government personally set up a test field at the edge of the village and let us watch the whole process from sowing to harvesting. The rice grew so fast, changing every day, lush and green, that everyone believed it! The following year, every household rushed to get these new seeds!”

He pointed to a field of rice that had just been harvested in the distance, his tone full of emotion: "In the past, with our own old seeds, we were lucky if we could get 150 catties of rice per mu!"

"Even with that, we still have to pay 50% rent to the lords and nobles, plus all sorts of taxes, and after all the deductions, we're lucky if we get 20% of the harvest from one acre, maybe 30 catties. We barely manage to survive by digging up some wild vegetables. If the harvest is bad, we have to work as servants for the nobles to pay off our debts. And if we encounter a year of famine, then it's truly..."

The old man shook his head, as if unwilling to recall those hard days, but then his face lit up again: "Things are different now! We only need to pay 10% tax to the government of the Star Kingdom, and there are no other rents! Moreover, these new seeds can easily yield more than 400 catties of grain per acre! I heard that those fertile fields over there can yield up to 500 catties!"

"After a year of hard work, every family has surplus grain! We can take it to the city to sell to merchants, and if we think the merchants are undercutting us, we can sell it directly to the government's Ever-Normal Granary, where the price is fair! With the money, we can buy cloth to make new clothes for the children, and we can also buy some meat to have a feast during festivals... We never dared to dream of such a life before!"

Hydrangea's eyes lit up, and she couldn't help but ask, "Really? Everyone here can have enough to eat?"

"Yes! Yes, all of them!" The old man nodded vigorously, his wrinkles spreading into a wide smile. "The children have fuller faces, and the adults have more energy to work! This is all thanks to Lord Shura and the Star Kingdom!"

At this moment, Mianma walked over, took the rice stalk from Ziyanghua's hand, gently twirled a grain between his fingertips, and said, "This is the 'Xinliang No. 7' hybrid rice variety. Theoretically, the minimum yield is 450 jin per mu. In fertile fields like those along the banks of the Youhe Plain, with abundant water and soil, if managed properly, the yield can reach 600 jin per mu, or even 700 jin per mu."

Upon hearing this, the old man's eyes lit up even more, and he repeatedly praised, "This ninja is truly an expert! He's absolutely right!"

"Six or seven hundred catties?!" Jiraiya and Hydrangea couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

Even in the Land of Fire, a yield of 200 catties per mu is considered top-quality land. How could the Land of Stars produce 600 or even 700 catties per mu?!

No wonder the Star Kingdom was able to export grain to the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind all by itself in the past!
Jiraiya looked at Menma and realized that this was not the result of natural evolution or ordinary agricultural skills.

Menma nodded and explained, "It can be called one of the applications of 'Chakra Agriculture'."

"By utilizing water and earth chakra, as well as the later-discovered wood release chakra, we can intervene in and optimize the rice breeding process to cultivate hybrid varieties that are better adapted to specific environments, have higher yields, and stronger disease resistance."

"This technology is not only used in rice, but also in staple foods such as potatoes, corn, and sweet potatoes, as well as cash crops such as apples and citrus. There are also specialized laboratories conducting research and cultivation on these crops."

"For example, 'Xinliang No. 7' means that it is the seventh generation of stable hybrid rice successfully launched by the 'New Food Crop Research Laboratory'."

As ninjas, Jiraiya and Hydrangea immediately understood the principle behind it.

Since chakra can heal wounds, and wood release chakra can even promote the growth of trees, it is logically feasible to use it to optimize plant growth and cultivate superior varieties.

This gave them a more direct and profound understanding of the Star Country's approach to applying ninjutsu power to people's livelihood.

The old man standing to the side was completely bewildered, and could only scratch his head sheepishly. Although he didn't understand those profound things, he knew that the new seeds had brought a good harvest and a good life.

The old man solemnly handed the rice stalks back to him, a testament to the hard work of farmers, which deserves respect.

After saying goodbye to the old man, he continued to lead the two of them westward along the You River.

Along the way, scenes of harvest were everywhere.

The golden rice paddies seemed to stretch endlessly, and boats laden with grain or goods shuttled back and forth on the Youhe River, creating a bustling scene.

After school, the children, carrying uniform schoolbags or traditional bamboo baskets, run happily along the ridges of the fields. Some join their families in their work, helping to pass water and glean ears of grain, their innocent faces beaming with carefree smiles.

Beside those medium and large-sized agricultural machines, besides the skilled workers operating them, there were many farmers working together, sweating profusely. They shouted slogans and helped each other. Although their faces showed fatigue, they were filled with the joy of harvest and the anticipation of the future. The whole field was filled with a harmonious and vigorous vitality.

at this time.

woo-

A long, drawn-out whistle rang out, and a dark blue Thunder train roared past along the railway track in the middle of the rice paddy at an astonishing speed. The wind it created fluttered the hems of the three people's clothes and hair, and the rice paddies rippled in response.

Jiraiya watched all of this in silence.

The scene before me was so real and captivating.

Under the rule of the Asura, the common people here were indeed freed from war, famine, and the oppression of nobles, and lived a stable, prosperous, and hopeful life.

The ideals promoted by Shura are not empty slogans, but have been tangibly manifested in the present harvest, the smiling faces of children, and the peace and tranquility of the people.

This is undoubtedly much more solid and feasible than Nagato's vague "peace" that relies on creating pain and forcing others to understand through "divine punishment".

However, the more this was the case, the more conflicted Jiraiya became.

If Shura's path is correct, then what about Konoha's "Will of Fire"?
How should we interpret the prophecy of the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku regarding the "Child of Prophecy" and the "Child of Destruction"?
His established perceptions and beliefs are being severely challenged.

Mianma seemed to see through his inner struggle.

At this moment, the three of them had arrived at a small ferry crossing on the banks of the You River, where several ferry boats were moored.

Menma stopped and said to Jiraiya, "Then, let's leave it here."

He turned to look at Hydrangea and asked in a calm tone, "Hydrangea, for the rest of your journey, would you rather continue traveling with Uncle Jiraiya, or choose to stay in the Land of Stars?"

"To be honest, your 'Unsealing Technique' proves that you have a unique talent in space-time ninjutsu. If you are willing to stay, I might be able to find you a teacher who is proficient in space-time ninjutsu."

Without the slightest hesitation, the hydrangea raised her head, her purple eyes gleaming with unwavering determination, and answered crisply, "I'm willing to stay!"

The peaceful and tranquil atmosphere here, where ordinary people can live and work in peace and contentment, is exactly what she has always longed for deep in her heart.

However, she still glanced at Jiraiya subconsciously, her eyes filled with gratitude and reluctance.

Seeing this, Jiraiya laughed heartily, waved his hand, and said in a deliberately nonchalant manner, "Our employment relationship was only temporary! Now that we have safely arrived in the Land of Stars, the employment relationship naturally ends! Go, little hydrangea, go and pursue the peace and life you yearn for! Don't worry about this old man who wanders around everywhere!"

Hydrangea walked up to Jiraiya, bowed deeply to him, and said with a slight sob in her voice, "Uncle Jiraiya, thank you so much for taking care of and protecting me all this way! Please... take good care of yourself!"

She knew that although she was nominally employed by Jiraiya, in reality, Jiraiya's strength and knowledge were far beyond what she, an ordinary genin, could compare to. Along the way, Jiraiya had learned a lot from her, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he was half a teacher.

Looking at the hydrangeas, Jiraiya couldn't help but think of the three children he had met in the Land of Rain many years ago: Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan.

If the three of them had been able to find a peaceful and prosperous place like the Star Kingdom back then, would those later tragedies have been avoided?

A complex mix of emotions welled up inside him.

He shook his head to suppress these thoughts, turned around, and prepared to board the ferry to the other side to continue his unfinished journey.

Just then, Menma's voice rang out from behind him again:

"Oh right, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya paused, turning his head slightly.

Menma continued, "Next time you go to Mount Myōboku, please pass on a message to that old toad for me."

Jiraiya couldn't help but turn around, complaining somewhat discontentedly, "Hey, kid, the Great Toad Sage is a sage who has lived for thousands of years, you should at least show some respect!"

Menma ignored his complaints, looked him straight in the eye, and said, word by word:

"Please tell it that I have found the Otsutsuki clan members who came to this planet with Kaguya. I will also personally deal with the Otsutsuki clan's invasion of the ninja world."

His tone suddenly turned cold, carrying a chilling warning:

"However, Mount Myōboku had better behave itself and not try to interfere in the internal affairs of the ninja world. Otherwise, the next war in the Land of Stars will surely break out in Mount Myōboku."

This blatant threat instantly darkened Jiraiya's expression, and he was deeply shocked.

At the same time, the information revealed in Mianma's words made him even more suspicious.

Kaguya?

An invasion by the Otsutsuki clan?

These unfamiliar words seem to be connected to ancient secrets. The wind at the ferry crossing seems to have turned bitterly cold at this moment.

The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the river surface a golden red, and the ferry slowly left the shore, heading downstream.

Jiraiya stood alone at the stern of the ferry, his long white hair fluttering in the evening breeze, gazing for a long time at the two figures on the shore that were gradually shrinking.

His usual playful expression was gone; his brows were furrowed, and his eyes were filled with unprecedentedly complex emotions: shock, confusion, vigilance, and a hint of unspeakable... wavering.

Shura's final warnings about Mount Myōboku and his words about the "Ōtsutsuki clan" echoed in his mind like thunderclaps.

He had to immediately transmit this information, along with what he had seen and heard in the Land of Stars, back to Konoha and Mount Myōboku, and to Sarutobi-sensei and the Great Toad Sage.

The threat posed by the Star Kingdom is far greater than imagined!
However, at the same time, another image kept lingering in his mind.

The boundless golden waves of rice, the genuine and satisfied smiles on the faces of farmers, the bustling and orderly cities, and the ordinary people who are full of hope for life.

All of this was in stark contrast to the ninja world he remembered as one of constant warfare, extreme wealth inequality, and the oppression of commoners by nobles.

The concept of Asura is not an empty slogan, but is manifested through real prosperity and stability.

This impact is far more powerful than any verbal debate.

On the other side, Menma at the ferry let Jiraiya leave, knowing that the next time they met might be on the battlefield.

He knew the identity of this Sannin of Konoha and anticipated that the other party would report what he had seen and heard in the Land of Stars back to Konoha and send his own information back to Mount Myōboku.

However, he has more faith in the power of what he sees with his own eyes.

Empty ideological debates are often pale and powerless, but the golden rice fields, the satisfied smiles on the farmers' faces, the carefree running of children, and the vibrant vitality and order of the whole society—these tangible scenes are more impactful than any flowery words or empty promises.

He needed Jiraiya to become a "witness" and bring this shock back to Konoha, back to the ninja world that was still bound by the old order.

After bidding farewell to Jiraiya, who was filled with mixed emotions, Menma took the hydrangea and embarked on her journey back to the Star Capital.

They arrived by evening, using their walking speed.

The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the buildings of Star City in a warm golden hue.

Hydrangea followed closely behind Menma, her heart pounding like a rabbit's.

When she saw the Whirlpool Clan crest hanging on the porch of the mansion, she felt a strange tension and unease.

'Is this Menma's house?'

'Was I being too intrusive by coming here so abruptly?'

Mianma, quite naturally, pushed open the door and called out, "I'm back."

A response came immediately from inside the house.

A red-haired woman wearing an apron and holding a spatula poked her head out of the kitchen, her face beaming with a warm smile: "Welcome home, Mianma!"

Then, Kushina's gaze fell on the purple-haired girl behind Menma who seemed a little flustered, and a hint of curiosity flashed in her eyes.

Menma turned to the side and introduced her to Hydrangea: "This is my mother, Kushina."

Then he said to Kushina, "Mom, this is a hydrangea."

Hydrangea, who was still a little confused, instantly reacted upon hearing the word "Mother." She quickly stood up straight and bowed deeply to Kushina, her voice trembling with nervousness: "H-Hello! Lady Kushina! I am Hydrangea! I apologize for disturbing you!"

Looking at the polite yet somewhat timid girl in front of her, Kushina's smile softened even more. She waved the spatula in her hand and said cheerfully, "Oh, no need to be so polite, just call me Auntie! Come in, come in, it's just about time for dinner!"

At this moment, Minato Namikaze, Hikaru Uchiha, Mikoto Uchiha who was helping in the kitchen, and Gaara who was playing by himself, all came out of the living room after hearing the commotion and looked curiously at the door.

Seeing so many people all at once, and especially feeling the powerful ninja aura that Minato and Hikaru inadvertently exuded, Ziyanghua became even more nervous, her little hands unconsciously clenching the hem of her clothes.

Seeing this, Menma introduced them to her one by one, speaking calmly in an attempt to ease her anxiety: "This is my father, Minato Namikaze. This is Aunt Mikoto Uchiha. This little guy is Gaara. This is Hikaru Uchiha."

Then, he turned to his family and introduced them simply: "This is hydrangea, um... she's the younger sister I met in Amegakure."

Kushina's eyes lit up, and she enthusiastically stepped forward to take Hydrangea's hand: "So you're Menma's adopted sister! Then we're family! Don't stand at the door, come in and sit down, the food will be ready soon!"

Minato smiled gently and nodded: "Welcome to my home, Hydrangea. Make yourself at home."

Mikoto Uchiha smiled and nodded, her eyes gentle.

Gaara, hiding behind Mikoto, peeked out with his little head, his emerald green eyes curiously observing the suddenly appearing young lady with beautiful purple hair.

Feeling the warmth of the Uzumaki family, Hydrangea's tension eased considerably, and a warm feeling quietly welled up in her heart.

This feeling of being accepted and welcomed was so unfamiliar and precious to her, who had grown up in the cold and tense environment of Amegakure.

However, in this warm atmosphere, the hydrangea suddenly felt a faint, scrutinizing gaze fall on her, with a hint of murderous intent.

She subconsciously looked up and met a pair of scarlet eyes.

Those were Uchiha Hikaru's eyes, with three black tomoe slowly rotating, staring straight at her.

Uchiha Hikaru's gaze lingered on the hydrangea for a moment, then slowly shifted to Menma. He puffed out his cheeks, his eyes turning "fierce," carrying an undisguised questioning tone, as if to say:

'Really...just my younger sister?'

Menma received Hikaru's murderous gaze, touched his nose helplessly, but did not offer any further explanation.

As Hikaru stared at her with his intensely imposing Sharingan, Hydrangea's relaxed mood tightened again, and she subconsciously moved closer to Menma.

This little action naturally did not escape Uchiha Hikari's eyes, and the "fierce light" in her eyes seemed to intensify even more.

The atmosphere at dinner was generally warm and lively.

Kushina and Mikoto are excellent cooks and prepared a sumptuous meal.

Shuimen spoke gently and kept putting food on Ziyanghua's plate to make her feel at ease.

Gaara was very quiet, but he also silently observed this new older sister.

During the meal, Menma briefly mentioned that Hydrangea was skilled in "Unsealing Technique," which allowed her to seal ninja tools or items into cards and release them during battle, demonstrating her talent for space-time ninjutsu.

Upon hearing this, Minato showed great interest. As the most powerful user of the Flying Thunder God Technique after the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, he had a deep understanding and knowledge of space-time ninjutsu.

"Unsealing technique? Sealing an item in a specific medium? That's an interesting concept." Minato said gently to Hydrangea, "If you're interested, I can discuss it with you later, which might be helpful for your technique."

Hydrangea was flattered and nodded quickly, "R-really? Thank you, Uncle Minato!"

Uchiha Hikaru ate his meal quietly most of the time, only occasionally glancing at Menma and Hydrangea with his Sharingan. Especially when Hydrangea smiled happily because of Minato's words, or subconsciously looked at Menma, Hikaru's eyes would narrow slightly, and the atmosphere around him seemed to drop a few degrees.

Kushina seemed to sense something, and gently kicked Menma under the table, giving him a look that said, "You'll have to deal with this yourself."

Mianma could only pretend not to see and bury his head in his food.

After dinner, Kushina and Mikoto cleared away the dishes.

Minato and Gaara were watching TV in the living room.

Uchiha Hikaru stood up, walked up to Menma, crossed his arms, raised his chin and looked at him, his tone unreadable: "Menma, come out with me for a moment, I have something to ask you."

After saying that, without waiting for Mianma's response, he took the lead and walked towards the courtyard.

Mianma sighed, knowing that this "interrogation" was unavoidable, and said to the somewhat uneasy Ziyanghua, "Sit down for a while."

Then he followed the light and went outside.

In the courtyard, the moonlight was like water.

Uchiha Hikaru stood with his back to Menma, his long, black hair swaying slightly in the night breeze.

"Speak," Guang's voice carried a hint of coldness: "What exactly is the deal with that hydrangea? Is it really just a 'little sister'?"

Menma walked to her side, looked at her delicate profile slightly puffed out in the moonlight, and explained with a smile, "She really is just my younger sister."

"I met her by chance in Amegakure. She helped me out a little. And her background is also very tragic. She was a victim of war. I saw that she was talented and innocent, so I wanted to give her a place to stay and better opportunities for development."

Hikaru turned around, his crimson Sharingan staring directly at Menma, as if trying to see through his heart: "Is that all? Nothing else?"

"No," Menma said with a smile, trying to reassure her. "Right now, my mind is focused on how to deal with the challenges ahead, you know that."

Mianma slightly raised his head and looked at the starry sky.

Hikari looked up at the starry sky and knew that Menma was referring to the threat from the Otsutsuki clan from outer space.

[PS: Today's picture is from Tian Tian]

(End of this chapter)