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

Chapter 307 Temari and Kankuro
As winter arrived in Konoha year 58, and the first snowflake fell, the landscape of the ninja world underwent a dramatic transformation.

The Land of Stars achieved an overwhelming victory in its war against the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth, not only completely annexing the Land of Wind and its ninja village, Sunagakure, but also forcing the Land of Earth to cede territory and pay reparations, becoming its vassal state.

This newly emerging nation, with its rapidly expanding territory, astonishing resource output, and the terrifying combat power displayed by the Star Ninja Army, has boldly entered the ranks of the Five Great Nations. Its momentum is so great that it even shows a tendency to surpass the old powerhouse, the Land of Fire.

However, since the two countries have not directly clashed and maintain a fragile peace on the surface, the titles of the most powerful country and the most powerful ninja village in the ninja world are temporarily still attributed to the Land of Fire and the Hidden Leaf Village.

But beneath this thin layer of ice lies a surging undercurrent.

Whether it was Hiruzen Sarutobi in the Hokage's office, the Fourth Raikage in the Cloud and Thunder Gorge, or the Fourth Mizukage and his advisor elder Genji in the Mizukage Building, they all clearly realized that with the Star Country's overwhelming momentum, the outbreak of the Fourth Shinobi World War was almost a foregone conclusion; it was only a matter of time.

In an instant, all the major ninja villages stepped up their efforts to expand their ninja forces and stockpile military supplies, and the entire ninja world was filled with a tense atmosphere as if a storm was brewing.

Within the Land of Stars, a period of intense yet orderly development and assimilation has begun.

The annexation of the Land of Wind, establishing the Land of Wind County, and the receipt of five counties ceded by the Land of Earth brought vast new territories and an additional population of over ten million, bringing the total population of the Land of Stars to over fifty million.

Such a vast territory and population require a huge number of administrative personnel to manage; the long border and emerging cities require ninja troops to patrol and protect, and police to maintain order.

The entire country is like a highly efficient and precise machine, with every gear turning at full speed to consolidate the newly formed, massive body.

East of the Deathly Sands, on a trade route connecting old and new territories, a special convoy is on its way.

The core of the group consisted of a dozen or so children aged between seven or eight and twelve or thirteen. Although their clothes were not fancy, the fabric was decent. There was a hint of melancholy and unease between their brows that was not commensurate with their age.

The most eye-catching among them are Temari, who is only ten years old and has a golden ponytail with four strands of bangs hanging down on the left side of her forehead, and her nine-year-old brother Kankuro, who has purple markings on his face and carries a small puppet on his back.

These children are all the offspring of former high-ranking officials of Sunagakure.

Escorting this group were four young ninjas wearing Star Ninja headbands: Otsutsuki Toneri, Suzuhara Ai, Sato Sagumo, and the calm and composed Hyuga Neji.

Their mission is to safely escort these children from the former Sunagakure village to the Star Capital.

These children will enter the Star Ninja School for a three-year boarding program.

There, they will receive systematic ninja skills training and unified ideological education of the "Will of the Stars" alongside the new batch of recruits from the Land of Stars.

This is the established strategy of the Star Country to absorb the new forces of the defeated side and cultivate future loyal ninjas.

As descendants of the defeated, Temari, Kankuro, and others had long accepted their fate.

Along the way, they did not show any obvious resistance or hostility. On the contrary, they took the initiative to try to communicate and show goodwill to the escorts such as Toneri and Suzuhara Ai.

And Sheren and his colleagues kept their superiors' instructions firmly in mind—

These children are future companions, not prisoners.

Therefore, despite maintaining necessary vigilance, they also took good care of these children who had lost their homes, always prioritizing ensuring they had enough food and water.

When the team arrived at an oasis on the edge of the desert to rest, they were captivated by the sight before them.

A large number of people gathered on the open ground next to the oasis.

Not only were there solemn ninjas wearing star-patterned headbands and dark blue chakra-powered armor, but also many workers in uniform operating various large-scale engineering machinery, and engineers wearing white safety helmets and discussing blueprints.

Not far away, on the once flat edge of the desert, undulating, yellowish-brown hills suddenly rose up, stretching into the distance like the arms of a giant, trying to keep the endless yellow sand out.

"What are we doing here?" Temari couldn't help but ask Suzuhara Ai, who was standing next to her, looking up at her.

The bustling construction scene before her eyes was completely different from the desolate and lifeless desert she had imagined.

Following her gaze, Suzuhara Ai explained softly, "Judging from their attire and equipment, they should be an engineering team belonging to the 'First Construction Group'."

"Hey! It really is!" Sato Sayun exclaimed excitedly as he scrambled up a tall poplar tree nearby, shading his eyes with his hand as he peered into the distance. "I see the banner! It's for the 'Desert Control Project'!"

Neji Hyuga didn't speak, but activated his Byakugan, instantly piercing through distance to clearly see the huge banner hanging at the edge of the construction site—

"Star Kingdom First Construction Group Wind County Desert Governance Project Department".

He nodded slightly, confirming Zuo Yun's judgment.

"That guy over there... isn't that Uncle Gota?" Otsutsuki Toneri's gaze locked onto a burly figure in the distance who was assigning tasks to several Star Ninja squad leaders.

The man seemed to sense the gaze on them, turned his head to look over, then gave a few instructions to his subordinates before walking over with steady steps.

"Toneri, it's you guys!" Gota's voice was loud and clear, with his characteristic hearty manner. As he approached, his gaze swept over Toneri's team and the curious Sand Village children behind them, and he greeted them with a smile.

The servant stepped forward and respectfully asked, "Uncle Wu Tai, is a new national project underway here?"

Wu Tai laughed heartily, clapping his hands, which were slightly dusty: "It's hardly a secret. Experts from the Ministry of Land and Resources and the Ministry of Environment have long calculated that the desert in what used to be the Land of Wind—oh, it should be called the County of Wind now—would advance towards the Dark River Plain of our Land of Stars at a rate of nearly nine meters per year if left unchecked. In recent years, the Dark River Plain has been frequently shrouded in yellow sand, and the source of this is right here."

He pointed to the boundless sea of ​​sand behind him.

Temari, Kankuro, and the other children from Sunagakure were stunned by what they heard.

"Desert...governance?" Kankuro muttered to himself, the concept being far too unfamiliar to them.

In their minds, the desert is an eternal existence, the very foundation of the environment, so how can it be "managed"?
Seeing their doubts, Wu Tai squatted down, his robust body appearing very reliable.

He stretched out his rough fingers, mobilized his chakra, and controlled the sand on the ground to quickly gather and shape, soon forming miniature, undulating mountain models in front of everyone.

“Look,” Wu Tai explained, pointing to the sand table model, “the main monsoon of Wind County blows from the southwest ocean, which should theoretically bring rainfall. However, due to the special terrain, hot climate, and… supposedly the impact of a cataclysmic war a long time ago, the land has become desertified and turned into what it is now.”

There was a hint of emotion in his voice.

"Our plan is to use Earth Release ninjutsu, in conjunction with large-scale engineering machinery, to construct a series of hills of varying sizes and with specific orientations here." His fingers traced raised lines on the sand table.

"These hills act like barriers, effectively blocking and lifting the moist monsoon winds from the southwest. As the wind is blocked and slowed down, the moisture it carries can easily condense into rain and fall into the valleys between these hills."

He paused, then continued to describe the grand plan: "Then, we will combine Wood Release, Water Release, and Earth Release ninjutsu, and invest a large amount of manpower in afforestation and irrigation to gradually improve the ecological environment of these valleys, forming new oases. These oases will connect into lines, then converge into areas, and step by step advance into the heart of the desert, reclaiming the land encroached upon by the yellow sand!"

These children, who were born and raised in the desert, especially Temari and Kankuro, stared intently at the model of the chain of hills made of sand that kept "advancing" into the depths of the desert, imagining the scene and feeling a great shock in their hearts.

Temari couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Then...then from now on, the Wind...County will have no desert anymore?!"

She found it hard to imagine that the yellow ocean she had watched grow up, a symbol of hardship and desolation, would one day be replaced by lush greenery.

Although Hyuga Neji was young, he was a meticulous thinker. He spoke with a solemn expression: "Such a massive project... even with the participation of ninjas, it would probably take decades, right?"

Wu Tai gave Neji an approving look and nodded: "It is indeed a long-term project. Currently, there is only one ninja in the country who is skilled in large-scale Wood Release, and there are many other infrastructure projects that need to be carried out simultaneously. So the initial plan is to advance this 'oasis lifeline' to the area where the original Sunagakure was located within five years; to complete the encirclement of the main desert areas of the Wind County within ten years; and to basically curb the expansion of the desert within twenty years and gradually restore the ecology of some areas."

“Suppress?” Temari keenly caught the word.

"Isn't the goal to completely eliminate the desert?"

Wu Tai smiled, a smile that carried a profound consideration that seemed incongruous with his rugged appearance: "The desert is a unique natural environment in itself, inhabited by many animals and plants adapted to it. Completely eradicating the desert might be possible with the power of ninjutsu, but that would destroy the biodiversity, which is not advisable."

"Preserving a portion of the desert area can not only protect these unique life forms, but also serve as a warning to future generations to cherish the hard-won greenery and remember the difficulty of transforming nature."

The grand vision of desertification control greatly impressed Temari and the other children who grew up in the desert.

After Wu Tai left, everyone rested and had a meal at the oasis. During this time, their eyes were involuntarily drawn to the scene of the construction site in the distance.

The Star Ninja formed hand seals and cast spells, causing the earth to rumble as new hills slowly rose under the influence of Earth Release techniques. Large bulldozers and road rollers followed closely behind, reinforcing and leveling the land. Ninjas skilled in Water Release and Sensory Ninjas worked together, carefully guiding groundwater resources to create new streams in the valleys between the hills. Meanwhile, many more workers busily planted seedlings of drought-resistant plants such as poplar, saxaul, and jujube trees in the surrounding area.

Most amazingly, a slightly older girl with a few freckles on her face was nimbly running through the newly formed hills and valleys.

Her hands pressed on the sand, and a surge of vibrant life energy coursed through her. Emerald green shoots broke through the soil at a visible speed, growing rapidly and quickly forming a small patch of lush vegetation.

This almost divine intervention left Temari and the other children from the desert speechless, as if they had witnessed a miracle. After resting, the group set off again.

Soon, they arrived at the edge of the desert, a city that was originally on the border between the Star Kingdom and the Wind Kingdom, but has now become an inland transportation hub.

Here, they boarded the legendary "Thunder Chariot" for the first time.

Temari, Kankuro, and the other children excitedly pressed themselves against the large car windows, watching the scenery rushing past outside, feeling the incredible speed, and letting out gasps of amazement. This was a completely new experience for them, one they had never had before.

When the Thunder train finally came to a slow stop at the magnificent train station in Star City, the bustling scene before them dazzled and bewildered the children from the desert.

They followed closely behind Toneri and the others, boarding the school bus that was already waiting outside the station, which bore the logo of the Star Ninja Academy.

On the school bus, a gray-haired boy with round-framed glasses and a friendly smile enthusiastically took on the role of a temporary guide, introducing the scenery along the way in Star City to the children.

Surprisingly, he could call out the name of every child in the car without any mistakes, including Temari and Kankuro.

This overly "thoughtful" familiarity made Temari feel a little strange and uneasy.

The school bus smoothly drove into the Star Ninja School.

At the school gate, Principal Pharmacist Nono personally waited there with several teachers.

She was dressed in a nun's habit, with a gentle and reassuring smile on her face, welcoming this special group of new students.

"Kabuto, you take the children to the dormitory area and settle them in first," Yakushi Nonou instructed the white-haired boy.

"Yes, Dean." Kabuto squinted, thoroughly enjoying his time at the Ninja Academy, a rare break in his ninja career.

Temari opened her mouth, mustered her courage, and asked, "Principal... do you know a boy named Gaara?"

Even at this time, she still cared about her younger brother.

Pharmacist Nono glanced at the little girl. Her courage and concern for her family made Nono smile gently: "Don't worry, that child is safe now. You're his older sister, right? He'll be coming to school tomorrow too."

Upon hearing the news about Gaara, Temari felt much relieved and, together with Kankuro, respectfully bowed to Yakushi Nonou to express her gratitude.

After Kabuto and the other teachers left with the children, Nono Yakushi's gaze turned to the Toneri squad, who were preparing to say goodbye, and finally settled on Toneri Otsutsuki.

Yakushi Nonou walked up to Toneri, her gentle smile fading slightly, replaced by a hint of seriousness. She said softly, "Toneri, there's something I need to tell you. Please remain calm... Your father's condition suddenly worsened yesterday, and he was rushed to the hospital."

The man who was about to leave suddenly stopped in his tracks, frozen in place as if he had been frozen in place by a spell.

A fleeting look of bewilderment and shock flashed in his pure white eyes.

………………

Inside a special ward at Star City Central Hospital.

Outside the window, fine snowflakes fell silently, turning the world into a tranquil, pure white.

The ward was warm and quiet, with only the regular, low ticking of the medical equipment, like the final beat of life.

Otsutsuki Sakuto lay quietly on the hospital bed. He was thin and pale as paper. Long-term illness had exhausted most of his energy.

The silence inside was broken by the sound of the door being gently pushed open.

Shuo Ren's withered fingers twitched slightly. Through his mental eye, he "saw" a familiar and youthful chakra silhouette approaching step by step.

The silhouette was filled with suppressed sadness and unease.

It was his son, Sheren.

Sheren walked heavily to her father's bedside. Looking at her father's more haggard appearance than she remembered, as if he might disappear at any moment, her nose tingled and her eyes instantly reddened.

Those pure white eyes, transplanted from the Hyuga family, were filled with tears that silently streamed down her cheeks.

He opened his mouth, but felt something blocking his throat, and couldn't make a sound.

Shuo Ren seemed to "see" his son's tears. He slowly raised his wrinkled, bony hand and, with a slight tremor, reached out to the servant's face.

His movements were slow, carrying a sense of weakness as if he were about to die.

When his cool fingertips touched the warm tears of his companion, he sighed softly and gently wiped them away with his fingertips.

“Don’t be sad, Shiren…” Shuo Ren’s voice was hoarse and weak, but it carried an unusual calmness: “My body… was like a candle in the wind. The fact that I’ve been able to hold on until now, to see you grow up, to see the Otsutsuki lineage have new hope… is already thanks to the blessings of our ancestors. It’s a rare stroke of luck.”

He withdrew his hand, his breathing slightly rapid. After pausing for a moment, he continued, his tone becoming solemn, as if he were entrusting something of utmost importance: "The arrangements after your death... I have already discussed it with the head of the Hyuga branch family, Hizashi... Once you come of age, you can choose a woman of suitable age and character from the Hyuga branch family to enter into a marriage contract, so as to continue the pure bloodline of my Otsutsuki clan..."

"Of course, if you find someone else in your heart in the future, someone else worthy of your love, then I... will not force you."

He turned his head slightly, and although he couldn't see, he was still facing Toneri precisely, his voice carrying his final entrustment and expectation: "From now on... the Otsutsuki clan... will depend on you."

Sheren bit her lower lip tightly, trying her best to hold back her tears.

He nodded forcefully, his voice choked with emotion yet exceptionally firm: "Yes, Father! I will... I will definitely revitalize the Otsutsuki clan! I will never let the glory of our ancestors be tarnished!"

Hearing his son's tearful yet powerful promise, a faint but incredibly gratified and satisfied smile slowly appeared on Shuo Ren's pale face.

That smile seemed to have lifted a tremendous burden.

"Good...good..." he murmured, his breath growing weaker and weaker: "My whole life...I've been burdened with sins because of my obsession with dividing the family...My hands are stained with the blood of too many innocent people...Fortunately...Fortunately, Lord Shura guided me, allowing me to glimpse the right path in the final moments of my life, and to have the opportunity...to make amends..."

His words were broken and intermittent, yet filled with sincere emotion.

He mustered his last strength and said to Sheren, "Sheren... from now on... you must follow Lord Shura well... He possesses power and magnanimity beyond our imagination... help him, to fulfill... fulfill the true wish that our ancestors failed to complete... to end this ninja world... the endless cycle of chaos and hatred that has plagued it for thousands of years..."

At this point, he seemed to have exhausted his strength and paused for a long time. Only the regular sounds of the medical equipment and the increasingly dense sound of falling snow outside the window could be heard in the ward.

After a long while, he seemed to remember something and asked in an extremely soft voice, "This time... mission... went smoothly? What... did you see or hear?"

Sheren understood that his father wanted to learn more about the changes in the land he had dedicated himself to and ultimately chose to follow in the final moments of his life.

He quickly knelt down beside the hospital bed, grasped his father's cold hand, and began to tell his story in a low voice.

He recounted the bustling desertification control project he witnessed in the Wind County, the grand blueprint drawn by Uncle Gotae, the shock and bewilderment of the former Sunagakure children upon their arrival in the Star Capital, and the order and vitality that were so different from the old ninja world that could be seen everywhere in the Star Country...

He spoke very carefully, recounting his experiences and feelings along the way.

Shuo Ren listened quietly, occasionally nodding very slightly or twitching the corner of his mouth, as if he were imagining the scenes his son described.

The snow outside the window fell heavier and heavier, swirling and covering everything in the world with a thick layer of white, as if silently preparing for some important moment.

Sheren's story gradually came to a halt, because he felt that the strength in his father's hand was slowly fading.

“Father?” he called softly.

no respond.

The ward was silent. On the medical instrument, the curve representing vital signs had, at some point, turned into a cold, straight line, no longer fluctuating.

Sheren stared blankly at his father's peaceful face, which seemed to be just asleep. Tears welled up silently in his pure white eyes once again, dripping onto the back of his father's hand, which was gradually losing its warmth.

Outside the window, heavy snow was falling, covering the entire Star City, as if gently burying all the sorrow and parting.

[PS: Today's picture: My sister-in-law]

(End of this chapter)