Everyone Was a Child of Destiny

"What Child of Destiny? There was no such thing in this world!"

"A few days ago, a ninja told me that I was a Child of Destiny, that I would bring change to the ninja world. At the time, what came to mind was neither shock nor pride at being called a Child of Destiny, but..."

Was this guy running some kind of pyramid scheme?!

"You have to know that Teacher Amang had always told me to think for myself, to seek out answers on my own when facing problems, and to learn to analyze things myself whenever I felt conflicted."

"Believe no rumors, spread no rumors! Do not put too much faith in strangers' words. Start from reality, come from reality, return to reality, and keep your feet on the ground. Do not believe those vague, intimidating words. Cherish the present! Seize the future!"

"However, the guy who told me about the Child of Destiny was an important figure in the ninja world, a powerful ninja. So I knew he could not possibly have been running a pyramid scheme!"

"Then... was I really a Child of Destiny?!"

"Only after I told Teacher Amang about it did he tell me something: What Child of Destiny was there in this world? If there was one, then it was ourselves!"

"At that moment, I was utterly shocked! It was as if I suddenly understood something..."

"The Land of Grass rebuilt itself from the ruins. Beautiful buildings rose one after another, broad roads appeared, crops were planted in the fields once more, smiles returned to everyone's faces, and life steadily improved."

"Yet none of this was accomplished by me, the so-called Child of Destiny. It was created through the joint efforts of everyone in the Land of Grass!"

"Together, everyone rebuilt the Land of Grass upon these disaster-stricken ruins. Together, they reclaimed wasteland, built houses, laid broad roads, and made life better and better."

"It was everyone!"

"It was the combined effort of all!"

"Only then did I understand what Teacher Amang meant."

"That's right. Every one of us is a Child of Destiny! Because together, we use our own hands to build a better life. Together, we protect our home, and together, we will create a future that belongs to us!"

As his words fell.

"Clap, clap, clap~"

Applause immediately rang out through the classroom. The students smiled or looked enviously at Nagato beside them, whose face remained calm.

How incredible!

As expected of the academy's Top Student—Nagato!

He had actually written such an excellent essay!

Teacher Jiang Yi also wore a smile as he looked at this exceptionally outstanding student and said with emotion, "The outstanding essay for the topic assigned from above, 'Child of Destiny,' is... Nagato's! Give him a round of applause, everyone! This essay, 'What Child of Destiny Was There in This World'... was truly well written!"

He took a sip from the teacup on the podium, then set it down again. His slightly reddened eyes swept over the students below.

There were members of the Uzumaki Clan, members of the Chinoike Clan, and even more... ordinary people from the Land of Grass.

He seemed to recall something. His heart was filled with emotion as he sighed softly. "After the Land of Eddies was destroyed, the fleeing Uzumaki Clan endured relentless hunts throughout the ninja world. Some of you know that your teacher was one of the Uzumaki Clan members who fled back then. Quite a few of you even fled alongside me."

His eyes grew slightly clouded.

"At that time, who was the Uzumaki Clan's savior? Where was our Child of Destiny? We longed for one. Yes, even I hoped that a savior would appear and lead the Uzumaki Clan out of disaster."

"However."

"One year, two years, three years... no Child of Destiny ever appeared. Even the allies who had once been close to the Uzumaki Clan pretended not to see us, as though they had not witnessed the disaster befalling the Uzumaki Clan. Countless mysterious people hunted us down, and innumerable clan members died while fleeing, until..."

At this point, he sighed with emotion.

"The Leader appeared. He led the Uzumaki Clan out of disaster. In the face of pursuit from the entire ninja world, he chose to take in the Uzumaki Clan, allowing us to once again have a warm home. He sheltered us and let us settle down once more. Otherwise..."

His gaze swept across several Uzumaki Clan members seated in the back.

"Perhaps we would still be fleeing now. No—perhaps we would all already be dead, and I would not be standing here teaching you today."

When his words ended.

At that moment.

One student raised his hand, stood up, and asked curiously, "Then wouldn't that make the Leader the Child of Destiny, the savior of the Uzumaki Clan?"

"Yes. At that moment, the Leader was the savior of the Uzumaki Clan, the Child of Destiny of the Uzumaki Clan, and the benefactor who gave the Uzumaki Clan a stable life." Teacher Jiang Yi smiled and nodded, then swept his gaze over the students below again. "Many of you children here were picked up by the Leader, or were children who saw no hope amid war. At that moment... the Leader was also your savior. However..."

He paused slightly.

"Just as the Leader said, what Child of Destiny was there in this world? We are all the Children of Destiny of our own lives! The Leader can give you a stable home and keep you from the ravages of war and hunger, but... if you wish to control your own fate, you can only rely on yourselves! If we want to build this nation and make the Land of Grass better and stronger, then we must work together!"

He pointed at a student in the front.

"So, you are a Child of Destiny!"

Then he pointed at the student beside him.

"You are also a Child of Destiny!"

"You, you, you! And you! Me! The elders, the Leader! Everyone is a Child of Destiny!"

Teacher Jiang Yi spoke in a resolute tone. "Rather than, like that powerful ninja, placing your future hopes on finding some vague and illusory Child of Destiny, you should rely on yourselves and seize the present! Study hard! Become pillars of the Land of Grass!"

As his words fell.

"Clap, clap, clap!"

All the children began applauding. The confusion in their eyes seemed to have vanished, replaced by something indescribable. With confidence and determination, they looked at their teacher, at the Land of Grass, and into the distance.

We are all Children of Destiny!

Even Elder Yang Zheng, who had stepped out for a walk to relax after becoming frustrated with his research and happened to pass by, now had a smile on his face as he looked inside through the window...

His eyes could not help turning red, and his wrinkled hands began to clap softly as well.

"Children of Destiny?" Looking at the children before him, each with light in their eyes, he muttered, "This is the future of the Land of Grass!"

The Third Hokage's disciple.

Jiraiya, the Toad Sage and one of Konoha's Sannin, had been far too obsessed with this so-called Child of Destiny.

He shook his head with a sigh and did not disturb the class.

He came quietly, and he left quietly.

The Leader was the ninja who saw the entire ninja world most clearly!

Only by seizing the present could one command the future!

He had been wrong.

The Leader.

He...

Possessed a breadth of heart that surpassed even the God of Shinobi!

"Come to think of it, yesterday's experiment produced an unexpected breakthrough. I should tell the Leader later."

Time slipped by.

Just as everyone had expected, after the Second Great Ninja War ended, the entire ninja world was generally at peace.

No large-scale wars broke out.

Every country and ninja village quietly developed, tending to the wounds left by the war.

In the blink of an eye.

Peace had already lasted for three years.

After Nagato's exceptional essay, "What Child of Destiny Was There in This World!" spread, the entire Land of Grass was filled with unprecedented drive and passion.

Everyone contributed their own share toward building the Land of Grass.

Everyone was a Child of Destiny of the Land of Grass!

Thus, in just over two years... the Land of Grass underwent astonishing development through everyone's shared efforts.

Development beyond all expectations.

Even Kusana had not expected the Land of Grass to develop so quickly!

At this moment.

Kusana was... inside the Research Institute beside the academy, looking at the cylindrical object Elder Yang Zheng had handed him. His face immediately filled with excitement. "This is... the Chakra Capacitor?!"

Finally.

Had they succeeded?