Sosuke watched the departing fleet of the Land of Rain, a trace of emotion on his face. He waved his hand and murmured, "No one knows what the future will become now."
Probably even His Highness Jun does not know now!
The storm of revolution sweeping across the entire ninja world still has not subsided even now. They have followed His Highness Jun all the way to this point, encountering many troubles and problems they had never seen or imagined before, but they still slowly made it through.
To be honest...
At the beginning, they, these ninja, were really not accustomed to the system of the Land of Whirlpools!
After all, this world belongs to the ninja. Any civilian who sees them must address them as 'Ninja-sama'. Whether genin or jounin, all ninja possess a peculiar power capable of instantly taking a civilian's life.
Therefore...
Only a ninja can defeat another ninja. But slowly, they grew accustomed to it.
They had to get used to it!
If these foreign ninja did not adapt, the Land of Whirlpools would likely seal their chakra and throw them into manual labor, without any pay. For the sake of the future, for the children, they could only persevere hard alongside their clan leader.
Until later...
Everyone got used to it!
Especially the new generation of children, growing up in this environment from a young age, adapted to the new system much better than their elders.
Whether becoming ninja or ordinary people, they could all grow up happily under the new system, graduating from the academy and stepping into various jobs. By then...
When the current generation of elders in the Land of Whirlpools grows old, a brand new era will surely arrive.
Moreover, His Highness Jun is currently working on distinguishing between military ninjutsu and civilian ninjutsu. It is believed that the applications of ninja in the future will be categorized in much greater detail.
"I hope you all can continue to charge forward courageously in the future..." A wistful smile touched Sosuke's lips as he watched the receding ships of the Land of Rain, murmuring, "And not be left behind by the times!"
"If you're really so uneasy about him leaving, why doesn't the Land of Whirlpools forcibly keep him?" Terumi Mei beside him asked, puzzled. "According to village procedures, a ninja of such strength must be loyal to the village. Otherwise, they would inevitably be treated as a missing-nin."
The damage a missing-nin can cause to a village is unimaginable. The stronger they are and the higher their position, the more they know about the village, and the greater the potential loss.
This is why villages have always been so afraid of missing-nin appearing. Once discovered, they investigate immediately, regardless of right or wrong. If the ninja is loyal to the village, then it is fine. But if the investigation yields nothing, and his loyalty cannot be proven, then sorry...
For the peace of the village, the major villages would ultimately choose to take action directly!
Otherwise, if a problem occurs, it could bring unimaginable losses to the entire village...
This is the greater good of the ninja village. To protect the village, nothing is too great a sacrifice!
Especially...
Terumi Mei frowned, looking at the distant Land of Rain fleet, and said, "If such a powerful ninja were to defect, it would surely bring terrible disaster to the Land of Whirlpools."
"The times have changed, little girl!" Sosuke shook his head after hearing Terumi Mei's words, a trace of emotion in his tone. "The Land of Whirlpools is no longer the old village system. So, we will not do such a thing. Moreover..."
He turned around, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly into a smile...
"Yahiko would not defect from the Land of Whirlpools. Because this place..."
He sighed...
"Is his home."
He placed his hands behind his back and walked away slowly...
"And also... hurry up and get back to work. No slacking off."
Terumi Mei stuck out her tongue at Sosuke's words and said irritably, "I know!"
Then, she glanced back once more at the departing Land of Rain fleet, a hint of anticipation in her eyes...
"What will the future be like?"
...
Year 49 of Konoha, Year 21 of the Red Calendar, late August...
The Fourth Kazekage of Sunagakure broke the stalemate first, secretly infiltrating the capital of the Land of Wind and directly releasing the One-Tail Shukaku. It caused massive destruction, resulting in a large number of casualties and severe losses for the Land of Wind!
The Fourth Kazekage was consequently labeled a madman by the entire Land of Wind. No one could believe that a Kage would commit such a despicable act.
However...
Failure is failure. Although Sunagakure bore all the blame, they still succeeded. Under the threat of the One-Tail, the Daimyo's court and the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, signed the "Land of Wind Constitution" at the village border. To some extent, it resembled the Land of Fire's constitution, but it also added many policies suited to the customs and habits of the Land of Wind, while removing parts unsuitable for the Land of Wind, making the entire constitution adapt to the current national conditions.
But domestically, there was still dissatisfaction with Sunagakure's actions. People believed the Fourth Kazekage was a madman and strongly demanded a change of Kage. Then...
There was no 'then'. What exactly happened in between is unknown.
The entire country settled down again, beginning to recuperate.
Although Sunagakure completed its revolution earlier than the other two villages, the method used was different from the Land of Fire's. So, to some extent...
Hidden dangers had already been created, merely concealed in the shadows where no one could see them.
And no one knows...
When they might erupt!
The next country to complete its revolution surprised everyone...
In early September of the same year, under everyone's astonished gaze, Iwagakure suddenly and inexplicably produced a large number of ninja. Led by the Third Tsuchikage, they stormed into the Daimyo's palace with lightning speed, forcing the Daimyo of the Land of Earth to sign the "Land of Earth Constitution". They also established upper and lower houses. The upper house was composed of Iwagakure's high-ranking officials, and the lower house was composed of the Land of Earth's nobility. Therefore...
Iwagakure became known as a country jointly governed by ninja and nobility.
As for the Land of Lightning...
Seeing that Kumogakure was actually last, the Fourth Raikage's temper flared!
Clearly, after several wars, Kumogakure was the strongest, yet they had not finished their revolution. Initially, in a fit of hot-headedness, he considered sending Killer B to the Daimyo's palace for a 'visit', but was stopped by everyone. After all, everyone was aware of the current situation in the Land of Wind...
Small-scale conflicts were constant within the country, the Fourth Kazekage bore a sullied reputation, called a traitorous rebel and a great missing-nin of the Land of Wind. Internal unrest persisted in small pockets, with many dissatisfied with the Fourth Kazekage's actions. The result...
The more they fought, the more chaotic it became!
So, for the future of the Land of Lightning, after some thought, the Fourth Raikage could only give up the idea, continuing steadily and surely, step by step advancing towards the Daimyo's palace.
He also took the opportunity to curse the Land of Whirlpocks internally...
Others might not know, but having participated in the invasion of the Land of Whirlpools, how could they not know where Iwagakure's inexplicably appearing ninja came from?
Although...
Kumogakure withdrew from that battle prematurely, they still had a general understanding of the situation in the major villages at the time.
"That despicable Land of Whirlpools..." The Fourth Raikage said angrily, "Is truly too hateful."
Selling weapons to the Daimyo's court with one hand, and releasing Iwagakure's prisoners with the other, simply profiting from both sides!
While they fought and died here, the Land of Whirlpools made a fortune from the war...
Thinking of this, the Fourth Raikage felt envy, jealousy, and hatred. But against the Land of Whirlpools' methods, they could do nothing.
He sighed...
He needed to find a faster, better, and safer way to end this war!
Otherwise...
The Land of Lightning would surely fall far behind!
...
Late October of the same year...
Kumogakure used the airships purchased long ago from the Land of Whirlpools to secretly infiltrate the Daimyo's palace. While the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning was still asleep, they directly kidnapped him. Then...
There was no 'then'!
The Daimyo of the Land of Lightning and the Fourth Raikage signed the "Land of Lightning Constitution" in front of the Raikage Building in Kumogakure...
By this point...
The Five Great Countries had basically completed their revolutions. The entire ninja world began to enter an era of overall peace with localized conflicts...