bioinnovel Chapter 381 We Must Support Our Husband
Chapter 381 We Must Support Our Husband
The harem area of the Water Kingdom's palace was always peaceful and serene.
But today, this tranquility has been completely shattered. People hurried along the corridor, and low arguing and sighs mingled together.
Temari paced back and forth at the entrance of her palace.
Her delicate brows were furrowed, and her amber eyes were filled with anxiety. Her face, which usually carried a touch of sassiness, was now etched with worry.
The image of her father, Luo Sha, staggering backward with blood trickling from the corner of his mouth in the broadcast footage was etched into her mind like a brand, impossible to erase.
"Sunagakure is my father's life's work; how can we just surrender like that! No, I must plead with Mitsunori. Even if it means bowing my head and admitting my mistakes, we cannot let Sunagakure become a vassal state!"
She turned abruptly and walked towards Sanfeng's study, her skirt sweeping across the flower bushes under the corridor, creating a gust of wind.
Just as I reached the corner, I bumped into Hei Tu, who also had a solemn expression.
Heitu was dressed in a red, single-sleeved bodysuit, his hands tightly clasped together, his black pupils filled with complex emotions.
She could not forget the scene of her grandfather, Onoki, glaring angrily as he unleashed his Dust Release, only to be easily defeated by the golden sword energy. She also could not forget the distraught and incredulous look in his eyes at the end.
That was her most beloved grandfather, the pillar of Iwagakure, who had now suffered such a humiliating defeat and was now faced with the choice of submission.
A wave of bittersweet emotion welled up inside her, making her nose sting slightly. But when she thought of Sanfeng's resolute gaze and his declaration to unify the ninja world, she didn't know how to speak. Torn between her blood-related grandfather and her homeland, and the man she deeply loved and his pursuit of peace, she was caught in the middle, torn between two conflicting emotions.
"Temari-neechan..."
Hei Tu called softly, his voice choked with emotion.
Temari stopped in her tracks and noticed the bloodshot eyes in Kuroto's eyes, which eased her anxiety slightly.
She stepped forward and gently patted Kurotsuchi's shoulder: "I know you're not feeling well, Lord Onoki..."
The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I didn't know how to offer comfort.
She herself was extremely anxious, let alone the deep bond between Kurotsuchi and Onoki.
Kurotsuchi lowered her head, somewhat at a loss: "Grandpa... he's never been so disheveled before. But Mikado, he did it all for the peace of the ninja world... I really don't know what to do."
At this moment, Mabuya walked in side by side with the two teak-clad figures.
She wore a light purple long dress, her long hair cascading down her shoulders, and a gentle worry on her face, her hands clasped gently in front of her.
The two teakwood gatekeepers, dressed in red outfits, looked worried but remained composed.
Both of them were from the Land of Lightning. Seeing the Fourth Raikage, A, being severely injured, they naturally worried about their homeland and people. However, from beginning to end, they never said a word to persuade Mitsumine to give up.
Mabui spoke softly, her voice gentle: "Temari, Kurotsuchi, I know you're worried about your loved ones, and so are we. The Land of Lightning is our homeland, and Lord Ai is the Raikage we respect. Seeing him defeated is heartbreaking for us too."
The two Yukimon nodded, adding, "But we also believe in the Three Peaks' original intentions. The war in the ninja world has lasted too long, and the people of the Land of Lightning have had enough of being displaced. If unification can truly bring peace, perhaps... it wouldn't be a bad thing."
Temari suddenly raised her head, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes: "But are your families, your country, really willing to submit? Lord Ai is so proud, he certainly won't compromise easily!"
Mabui sighed softly: "It's not that we're willing to accept it, but we understand that the price of resistance is too high. Even four Kage-level fighters working together are no match for Sanfeng. If war really breaks out, it will only be ordinary people who suffer. Sanfeng said that he will not kill innocent people indiscriminately and will preserve the culture and customs of various countries. Perhaps, this is already the best outcome."
Temari wanted to say something more, but then she heard a steady footstep coming from afar.
Everyone turned to look and saw Uchiha Sanfeng, dressed in a black trench coat, walking slowly towards them.
Temari immediately stepped forward, her voice urgent: "Mitsubone! Please give Sunagakure another chance! My father... he acted impulsively. Sunagakure is willing to submit, but could you please refrain from using words like 'submission'? Could you give Sunagakure a little more autonomy?"
She lowered herself to an extremely low position, her amber eyes filled with pleading, her usual sassiness completely gone.
Heitu also raised his head, his eyes full of expectation, but in the end he didn't say anything.
She knew that Sanfeng's decisions were never easily changed, but she still hoped that her grandfather could have some dignity.
Uchiha Sanfeng stopped and glanced at the four queens.
He saw the pleading in Temari's eyes, the struggle in Kurotsuchi's eyes, and the worry and restraint in the eyes of Azaburo and the two Yugimon.
A warm feeling welled up in his heart. He raised his hand and gently stroked Temari's hair, his tone softening slightly: "Temari, I know you're worried about Lord Rasa, and I understand your feelings for Sunagakure."
He turned to look at Kurotsuchi, his eyes filled with apology: "Kurotsuchi, Lord Onoki is your grandfather. I severely injured him, which has put you in a difficult position."
Heitu shook his head, his voice soft: "I know you have your reasons."
Uchiha Mitsunori took a deep breath, his gaze hardening, and his tone regaining its usual authority: "But I must tell you, unifying the ninja world is something I must do."
He raised his hand, pointing to the distant horizon, his eyes gleaming with unwavering determination: "The old order of the ninja world is utterly corrupt. Nations wage war against each other for their own selfish interests, tearing families apart and causing countless ninjas to become victims of war. I have witnessed far too many tragedies, and I cannot allow such things to continue."
His voice grew heavy, tinged with a barely perceptible weariness: "I know it will be difficult for you to bring your loved ones and your country under your rule. But I assure you, I do not intend to annex them, but to establish a completely new order. In this order, there will be no war, no division, all nations will coexist peacefully, and all people will live in peace and prosperity."
"But the word 'surrender' is too hurtful..." Temari bit her lip, her eyes filled with resentment.
"I understand." Mitsumine nodded, his tone softening slightly. "If your relatives are willing to submit voluntarily, I can use the word 'submission' instead of 'alliance.' But political and military affairs must be coordinated in a unified manner; there is no room for negotiation on this point. Only in this way can we prevent future wars and truly achieve peace in the ninja world."
He turned to look at Mabui and the two Yukimon, a hint of relief in his eyes: "I understand what you two are thinking. Peace in the ninja world comes at a price, and what I can do is minimize that price."
Kurotsuchi asked softly, her eyes full of anticipation, "Sanmine, can you really guarantee that after unification, there won't be any more wars in the ninja world?"
Uchiha Mitsunaga, with his arms around the four queens, said calmly and forcefully, "The old order of the ninja world must be broken. Only in this way can a completely new ninja world without war be established. You are worried that your homeland's ninja villages will disappear, and that your clansmen's faith will collapse. But I can tell you clearly that after unification, the ninja village system will not be abolished."
Upon hearing this, the four princesses simultaneously raised their heads, their eyes filled with disbelief.
A glimmer of hope flashed in Temari's amber eyes as she instinctively asked, "Really? Sunagakure... still exists?"
Uchiha Mitsunori nodded, raised his hand to brush away the stray hairs from her temple, and patiently explained, "Of course. Every ninja village has its own history, culture, and heritage. These are the treasures of the ninja world and should not be submerged by the tide of unification. The Will of Fire of Konoha, the perseverance of Iwagakure, the resilience of Sunagakure, the bravery of Kumogakure... These core spirits deserve to be preserved and passed down."
He gazed at the distant coastline of the Land of Water, his eyes filled with a sense of profound mystery: "But the function of the ninja villages must be completely changed. In the past, ninja villages were machines of war, with ninjas from different countries fighting each other for the benefit of their villages, leaving rivers of blood. From now on, ninja villages will be arenas for competition, cradles for cultivating strong individuals, not tools for waging war."
Hei Tu repeated softly, his eyes filled with confusion: "Competition? Replacing war with competition? This... is it even possible?"
Uchiha Sanfeng turned around, his eyes unusually firm: "I will establish a unified competitive system for the ninja world, holding the 'Ninja World Summit Tournament' every four years. Each ninja village will select elite ninjas to participate, competing in ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu, and teamwork."
As someone from the Land of Lightning, Mabui knew all too well the obsession some ninjas had with battle.
She asked softly, "What if there are ninja villages that are unwilling to abide by the rules of the competition and want to resume warfare?"
Uchiha Mitsunori laughed domineeringly, "With me here, no one can break the rules. I will establish the Shinobi World Peace Council, with Kage-level shinobi from each village serving as council members, to jointly supervise the fairness of the competition and handle inter-village conflicts. If any shinobi village initiates a war without authorization, all shinobi villages will jointly impose sanctions."
The two Yukimon nodded, the worry in their eyes gradually dissipating: "In this way, the competition between ninja villages has changed from a 'life-or-death struggle' to a 'healthy competition,' which is indeed much better than war."
A light also appeared in Kurotsuchi's eyes. She thought of her grandfather, Onoki, who had spent his whole life pursuing the strength of Iwagakure, but was always bound by war.
If Iwagakure could gain more resources and technology through the competition, Grandpa's lifelong wish might be realized in a more peaceful way: "Then... if Grandpa knew that Iwagakure would not only not disappear, but could also become stronger through the competition, he might really agree to submit."
A relieved smile finally appeared on Temari's face: "I'll write to my father now and tell him about this plan. I believe he will understand that this is the true way out for Sunagakure."
Heitu nodded: "I will also try to persuade Grandpa and make him understand your good intentions..."