Under the bright sunlight, the newly built training ground of the Ninja Academy in the Land of Stars was bathed in warmth, the fresh bluestone pavement radiating heat.
Fifty-two children of varying ages stood in neat rows, dressed in uniform dark blue short jackets and fitted pants, their small faces a mix of nervousness and barely suppressed excitement at being in this unfamiliar environment.
Among them were thirty-seven children selected from across the Land of Stars for their Ninja Talent, along with Karin, Kimimaro, Haku, and the twelve children originally from Hoshigakure.
It had to be said that although Hoshigakure was small, it was still a Ninja Village. Its inhabitants all had the talent to refine Chakra, and their children naturally possessed greater potential to become Ninjas compared to ordinary civilians.
The air carried the scent of fresh wood and paint, mingled with the vibrant, slightly sweaty energy unique to children.
Behind them stood the Ninjas of the Land of Stars who had come to witness the ceremony. Further out were officials from the Land of Stars' government and some local civilians who had been permitted to attend the opening ceremony.
All eyes were fixed on the modest yet symbolic podium at the front of the training ground, marking the dawn of a new era.
To the side of the podium stood Hikari, Kanon, and other high-ranking Ninjas of the Land of Stars, waiting in silence.
Suddenly, a figure appeared without a sound.
The hem of the black robe specially chosen by Hikari for Menma fluttered slightly in the breeze. The high-collared black garment with red trim covered half his face, while the intricate Nine-Masked Beasts' emblem on his back shimmered faintly under the sunlight.
Today, Menma wasn't wearing his usual white three-eyed fox mask. Instead, he stood before the crowd with his youthful face, exuding an intangible, breath-stealing authority.
"Shura-sama!" Hikari, Kanon, and the others bowed slightly.
"Shura-sama!" The other Hoshigakure's Ninjas followed suit, their voices filled with reverence.
Further out, the officials and civilians also bowed respectfully, like a receding tide.
Everything about the Land of Stars' reforms had been brought about by this man. Their current prosperous lives had been forged under his leadership. Every single person held a mix of awe and curiosity toward this enigmatic ruler of the Land of Stars.
The children on the training ground widened their eyes, gazing up at the legendary Shura, the one who had founded the Land of Stars and ended the rule of Daimyos and nobles, with a blend of curiosity and fear.
Menma's gaze swept over the young faces below.
These children had been brought to the Star City from various regions and had been cared for over half a month. They looked much healthier now compared to their previous malnourished states.
Yet deep in their eyes lingered a wariness, and admiration, that didn't match their age.
"War. Hunger. These things took your homes and parents from you, turning you into orphans." Menma's voice wasn't loud, yet it cut through all the noise on the training ground with a peculiar clarity, striking directly at the heartstrings of every listener.
His tone was calm, as if stating a fact unrelated to himself, yet it made many of the children below instinctively clutch their clothes, their eyes reddening slightly.
That pain was the darkest moment each of them had experienced.
"Your parents, your loved ones… perhaps they died in some meaningless conflict, under the oppressive taxes of a noble lord, or in a fight over a scrap of food."
The crowd fell into complete silence, as if even the wind had stilled.
Only Menma's composed yet weighty voice echoed:
"Why did this happen?!" His face turned slowly, as if scrutinizing every single listener.
This youthful face, these eyes that seemed to see through the world's truths, posed a challenge to the Ninja World!
His voice suddenly sharpened, carrying an unshakable resolve: "Because of division! Because countless Daimyos, countless nobles, countless Ninja Villages, for the sake of their own territories, their own interests, tear at each other endlessly! They sit high above, using our blood, our tears, our lives, as stepping stones for their own indulgence!"
"Only by ending this division! Only by uniting the entire Ninja World as one! Only with a single voice, a single will, can we truly break this cycle that has lasted for a thousand years! Only then can your descendants be spared the suffering you have endured! No longer will they have to fear starvation, or being struck down by a stray kunai, or losing their loved ones in their sleep!"
His arm swept upward, pointing toward the boundless blue sky.
Every gaze followed, lifting toward the sky.
"The Land of Stars stands here to shatter this rotten old world! This Academy is where the foundation of a new world will be forged! And you… you are the future! The power you gain here is not meant to perpetuate hatred, not to fight over scraps of resources! It is meant for protection!"
"Protect this land beneath your feet… free from the oppression of Daimyos and nobles, free from the flames of war! Protect everything you wish to safeguard in the future! And then, with this power, spread this peace, this order, across the entire Ninja World!"
"Only when the Ninja World becomes a single, united nation will war truly vanish! Only then will hunger become a thing of the past! Only then will orphans like you cease to exist!"
Menma's voice thundered like war drums, striking deep into the hearts of every child: "Remember this day! Remember why you are standing here! Power… is for protection and unity!"
After a brief, deafening silence-
The training ground erupted in earth-shaking cheers!
The Hoshigakure's Ninjas and officials raised their fists in exhilaration, while civilians wiped away tears.
The children's faces flushed red, their eyes alight with something beyond mere survival… a flame of belief.
They might not yet fully grasp the grand vision of 'uniting the Ninja World', but the promise of 'no more war' and 'no more orphans' shone like a beacon in their young hearts.
This man named Shura had just promised them a brand-new world!
At the back of the crowd, in a quiet corner, a frail-looking boy with round glasses stared intently at the crimson-cloaked figure on the podium.
This was 'Kumamoto Kabuto', the disguised Yakushi Kabuto.
For Kabuto, Shura's words were undeniably stirring, but what truly caught Kabuto's attention was that face, that voice… an inexplicable sense of familiarity nagged at him.
Though this was his first time seeing the legendary and enigmatic Shura, Kabuto couldn't shake the feeling that he had seen him somewhere before.
He frowned slightly, lost in thought.
The opening ceremony of Land of Stars' Ninja Academy wasn't extravagant, but it was solemn. Elite Hoshigakure's Ninjas gathered in full force, officials of the Land of Stars finally glimpsed their mysterious ruler, and even civilians were permitted to witness the event.
The legends of Shura and his vision for a new world would spread like wildfire… first across the Land of Stars, then to neighboring nations, and eventually-
Throughout the entire Ninja World!