The domineering Uchiha drove the Third Hokage mad!

Chapter 313 The Story of Yunmeng City

Suddenly, the newly graduated genin squad and their instructors felt something was wrong with their bodies.

They were originally standing on the ground, but now it was as if they were being lifted up by an invisible force, and their bodies began to float slowly.

This feeling was both strange and somewhat frightening.

Some ninjas panicked and clung tightly to the nearby buildings, trying to steady themselves.

However, this layer of pale golden chakra seemed to possess immense power, and no matter how much they struggled, they could not stop themselves from continuing to fly upwards.

Just as everyone was in a panic, someone finally noticed a figure in the air.

That was the name of the Three Peaks. He hovered quietly in mid-air, looking down at the crowd below.

Seeing everyone's tense expressions, he smiled and waved: "Don't be nervous. I'm letting you fly so you can see the whole view of Yunmeng City."

Sasuke controlled his body and flew quickly towards Uchiha Mitsunaga's side: "Father, I'm here... I'm here!"

Uchiha Mitsunaga smiled and nodded, then secretly manipulated his children to fly faster than those around them.

Xingchi was closer, so he quickly flew over: "Father, what brings you here!"

Uchiha Mitsunori patted his head: "This is your first time completing a mission, I had to come and see!"

Just then, Naruto finally flew nearby and exclaimed, "Wow, Daimyo Sanmine, this is amazing! How did you make us fly so easily?"

Looking at the optimistic Naruto, Uchiha Mitsunori chuckled and said, "Naruto, this is just a clever use of chakra."

The ninjas, now quiet, began to gaze at the scenery below.

The streets of Yunmeng City were packed with people, and officials held up wooden signs that read "Resettlement Housing" and "Medical Station" and loudly directed the crowds.

Volunteers pushed carts filled with rice porridge back and forth, and refugees helped each other find places to stay.

This lively yet peaceful scene made the ninjas hold their breath.

People on the ground also spotted the figure high in the sky.

First came a few soft gasps of surprise, then quickly turned into a unified cheer.

Some middle-aged men excitedly lifted their children above their heads: "Look! He's the daimyo of the Three Peaks! And there are the ninja brothers and sisters who escorted us!"

The child looked up at the sky, waved his little hand high, and called out in a childish voice, "Thank you, brothers and sisters!"

Uchiha Sanfeng's gentle yet powerful voice quickly spread throughout Yunmeng City: "I am Uchiha Sanfeng, and it's a pleasure to see you all here. I hope everyone can live a happy life in Yunmeng City. Next, I will announce the rankings of the teams escorting the refugees this time."

"First place: Uchiha Shisui's team, escorting 5200 refugees; Second place: Kakashi's team, escorting 3650 refugees; Third place: Uchiha Izumi's team, escorting 2578 refugees; Fourth place: Mitarashi Anko's team, 2382 people; Fifth place: Akimichi Choza's team, 2158 people; Sixth place: Yamashiro Aoba's team, 1668 people... One hundredth place: Shiranui Genma's team, two hundred people... Two hundredth place..."

The moment the rankings were announced, the genin erupted in cheers, and the refugees on the main road also clapped along.

Uchiha Shisui bowed slightly, and Bai Qi, Xing Chi, and Shiryu exchanged smiles.

Kakashi Uchiha patted Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura on the head, his eyes full of approval.

Uchiha Izumi gently patted Kikyo, Shion, and Karin on the shoulders, proud of their performance.

Even Genma Shiranui, ranked 100th, stood tall with his chest held high.

In today's ninja world, being able to safely guide more than two hundred refugees from war-torn areas along the Avenue of Heaven is already a great honor.

Uchiha Mitsunori delivered a passionate speech, amplifying his voice with ninjutsu.

"More than a decade ago, when I took over the Water Kingdom, it had only a little over 80 million people, and even getting enough to eat was a problem. Now, the Water Kingdom has become a paradise country with more than 600 million people. Today, Yunmeng City is just a small city with a few hundred thousand people, but in the future, it will become a metropolis with millions of people. This is the result of your hard work."

"Farmers from the Land of Fire taught us new farming techniques; blacksmiths who fled abroad improved the craft of making ninja tools; and even teachers who once taught at the Ninja Academy are now training new ninjas in schools in the Land of Water... It is because of these people that the Land of Water has been able to develop at a speed far exceeding that of other countries and become what everyone calls 'paradise'."

The genin all lowered their heads, looking at the refugees they were protecting on the main road.

When Bai Qi saw the old woman he had protected during the previous battle being helped by the residents of Yunmeng City towards the square, his eyes instantly reddened.

He finally understood that he was not only escorting a life, but also a force for the future of the Water Kingdom.

Naruto saw the child he was carrying waving candy at him and couldn't help but smile and wave back.

Kikyo saw the child she had healed holding his mother's hand as they walked towards the medical station, and a gentle smile appeared on her lips.

All the hard work has taken on a deeper meaning at this moment.

"Perhaps you don't understand now, but a few years from now, when you return here, you'll find that Yunmeng City may have millions of inhabitants. Seeing the prosperous Yunmeng City, you'll understand the significance of today."

Uchiha Sanfeng pointed to the open space to the east, where craftsmen were already laying the foundation: "A monument will be built there, and a collective stone statue of each squad will stand there. Your story of escorting refugees will be engraved in stone and passed down from generation to generation. In the future, when children pass by, they will know that it was you who, amidst the flames of war, brought their grandparents, fathers, and mothers to safety."

A female genin from Genma Shiranui's squad, Natsumi Takeuchi Ai, couldn't help but ask, "Lord Mimine, even if we're ranked 100th, can we still leave behind a stone statue? We're not escorting many refugees..."

Uchiha Mitsunori smiled and nodded, patting her shoulder: "Rankings don't represent value. Two hundred refugees represent two hundred lives and two hundred possibilities. Your efforts to protect them deserve to be remembered. Peace in the ninja world isn't measured by 'more' or 'less,' but by everyone willing to step forward."

Tears welled up in Xia Zhunai's eyes, and she nodded vigorously, "Thank you, Lord Mitsumine! I will work even harder in the future to protect more people!"

Uchiha Mitsunori looked at the assembled genin: "The graduation mission I assigned you was to demonstrate the meaning of 'protection' through action, and this protection is the cornerstone of the Land of Water becoming a paradise. Moreover, your stories will be written into the annals of Yunmeng City, and will be passed down through generations of its inhabitants. May your glory endure alongside the Land of Water!"

Upon hearing this, the genin straightened their backs, their eyes filled with pride.

Soon, someone began to lead the chant: "Glory be with the Land of Water... We are willing to dedicate our lives to the Land of Water!"

These words seemed to have a magical power, quickly becoming synchronized amidst the roars of the genin!

Everyone was in high spirits, and even the teachers leading the team showed relieved smiles.

At that moment, in the square at the end of the avenue, the refugees suddenly waved to the sky.

Their emotions were ignited by the shouts from above: "Glory be with the Land of Water... We are willing to dedicate our lives to the Land of Water!"

The old woman who had been protected by Bai Qi was holding up a handkerchief embroidered with wave patterns; the child who had been healed by Kikyo was holding up a painting he had drawn...

Seeing this, Uchiha Mitsunori smiled and said to the genin, "Look, this is how you are perceived by the refugees, and this is how the Land of Water is perceived by the ninja world."

As time went by, the number of people on the main road gradually decreased, while the square became more and more lively.

When Uchiha Mitsunori and his group landed, the refugees in the square immediately surrounded them, as if they were their own family.

The old woman held Bai Qi's hand and handed him a handkerchief she had embroidered herself: "Child, thank you. If it weren't for you, my old bones wouldn't have been able to walk this road to the end, and I wouldn't have been able to see such a beautiful water country."

The little girl who had been healed by Kikyo broke free from her mother's hand and rushed into Kikyo's arms.

She held up a painting: "Sister, this is a painting I made of you! Look, you're feeding me my medicine, and there's a road to heaven next to us. I also painted the sun because you're as warm as the sun!"

The colors on the drawing paper are crooked and uneven, yet full of childlike innocence.

Kikyo's eyes welled up with tears, and she hugged the little girl tightly: "Thank you, I like you very much too."

The other genin were also warmly surrounded by the refugees, and everyone's faces were filled with happy smiles.

Several children, holding up wreaths woven from wildflowers, stood on tiptoe to put them on Stephen Chow's head: "Brother Stephen Chow, here you go! You taught us to whistle, it sounds so beautiful!"

Stephen Chow knelt down and let the children put the flower wreaths on their heads, smiling like a child: "Thank you, these flower wreaths are so beautiful!"

The genin and the refugees looked at each other in bewilderment, then erupted into even louder cheers.

Yesterday's hardships are still fresh in my mind, but now that the refugees have been safely delivered to Yunmeng City, all the hard work has turned into a great sense of accomplishment.

Uchiha Mitsunori looked at this heartwarming scene with tenderness in his eyes.

He knew that Yunmeng City and Paradise Avenue were just the beginning.

In the future, more refugees will come to the Land of Water along this road, and more genin will protect peace with their actions, just like they do today.

And this avenue, this city, these stone statues, these stories will become the most precious treasure of the Water Kingdom, forever reminding everyone:

Valuing life and protecting the vulnerable is the true reason for a nation's strength.

As the sun sets, streetlights illuminate the streets of Yunmeng City.

The white light illuminated everyone's face and reflected the outline of Paradise Avenue.

Before leaving, they couldn't help but look back at the avenue and the city.

This avenue, which carries hope, and this city, which is bustling because of them, will become their warmest memories.