On the morning of September 22nd, the sky over the Land of Fire was unusually clear. The Queen's decree and the Hokage's order from Konoha were simultaneously posted on the bulletin boards of all the city gates in the Land of Fire.
"Effective immediately, the Land of Fire will implement a dual system. Crimson Flame City will retain the old system, while the rest will follow the Land of Fire's new laws. Noble private armies will be disbanded and incorporated into the regular army to jointly guard the Land of Fire's borders."
At the end of the edict, Queen Tian Flying Swallow's bloodstain was glaringly red; below the command, Kagami Uchiha's Hokage seal was burning hot.
On September 25th, smoke and dust billowed from the beacon towers on the border. Black banners with flame patterns swept across the mountains, while the black robes of the Konoha Anbu, the gray armor of the newly formed civilian army, the red robes of the surrendered noble army, and the golden armor of the Queen's personal guards... Millions of soldiers lined up in square formations, their spear tips raised, resembling a forest that could pierce the clouds.
Tian Flying Swallow stood on the command platform, her voice piercing through the howling wind. "The internal strife of the Land of Fire has been quelled! Today, we will continue to fight for the people behind us!"
Tian Yueqing stood beside her on horseback, his sword pointing eastward toward the enemy nation, its icy blue blade gleaming dazzlingly in the sunlight. "Those who dare to invade the territory of my Land of Fire— "
"Kill!" Millions of angry roars merged into thunder, shaking the hills.
The thunderous roar of hooves echoed through the land, banners fluttered in the wind. The nation's strength, now united against a common enemy, had finally converged, becoming the sharpest blade in the Land of Fire.
The cherry blossoms in Crimson Flame City bloomed unusually in the tenth month of the lunar calendar, their pink and white petals carpeting the ground. A child in a brocade jacket squatted under a tree, tugging at the old lord's sleeve and asking, "Grandpa, why can we still live in the castle?"
The old man gazed at the newly built watchtower on the border of Crimson Flame City in the distance, where sentries patrolled with long spears, and blue flags fluttered atop the tower. He patted the child's head, his voice as soft as a falling petal. "When you pass the entrance exam for the Kage Academy, you will grow your family strong again, becoming an unparalleled Sage-Rank Clan."
The Land of Fire, amidst the smoke of war, ushered in a new era.
On September 26th, just past midnight, the lights in the royal tent were still blindingly bright. Tian Flying Swallow, her long hair loose, walked barefoot on the cool woolen felt. Moonlight slipped in through the gaps in the tent curtains, weaving a silver thread around her feet. She stared at the huge map that had just been hung on the wall, her fingertips repeatedly tracing the vermilion boundary line of "Crimson Flame City," until her fingertips turned red from the friction.
The decree of "one country, two systems" had only been issued for half a day, yet the entire Land of Fire was already in an uproar—some criticized her for being weak and compromising, while others praised her for being wise and powerful. But only Tian Flying Swallow herself knew how many familiar Kageko were hidden in this national policy. She suddenly turned around, the curtain was lifted, and a white figure walked in from outside. Tian Yueqing walked in quietly, the hem of her white robes damp with night dew, and even her hair carried a chill.
" Tian Yueqing, how long are you going to hide? What's the deal with this letter?" Tian Flying Swallow's voice was low, yet sharp and undeniable, like a drawn dagger. "The wording of this letter about 'one country, two systems'—'first seize power, then land, then win hearts and minds'—that's a strategy he taught me. Do you think I've forgotten it?"
She approached step by step, the hem of her royal robe brushing against the bronze lamp, causing the flame to leap up half a foot, illuminating the bloodshot veins in her eyes clearly. "Even the 'leave a glimmer of hope' he used to tell us when persuading nobles to surrender was a negotiation tactic he taught us!" She stopped in front of Tian Yueqing, almost able to see the frost on his eyelashes, and asked with hopeful eyes, "It's him, isn't it? Tsubasa... he's back, isn't he?"
Tian Yueqing's shoulders trembled almost imperceptibly. She remained silent for a long time, so long that even the night insects outside the tent fell silent, before she sighed softly, her voice as low as the wind rustling through the grass. " Flying Swallow, since you've already guessed, then I... will keep it from you no longer."
"Back then, Tsubasa underwent his Golden Core Tribulation in the Shikkotsu Forest." Tian Yueqing raised her head, the candlelight casting flickering spots in her eyes. "That day, the heavenly lightning and fire shattered even the rocks, and Tsubasa's physical body... turned to ashes on the spot. Fortunately, he possessed Perfect Sage Body, which sealed his last wisp of essence within his newly formed Golden Core after successfully Tribulation Transcendence. Nourished by the Spiritual Qi of the Shikkotsu Forest, he spent five years gradually rebuilding his entire body and bones."
She paused, her Adam's apple bobbing as if swallowing bitter words. "Now... he's survived, but he's only the size of a baby. You know he's a proud man, so he doesn't want to reveal his condition. But he's growing incredibly fast; in just a few months, he's already about three years old. Tsubasa spends every day running around the Shikkotsu Forest with his daughter, Tian Yu, catching butterflies and fireflies, just like a little dumpling that hasn't been weaned."
Tian Flying Swallow suddenly took a half step back, her lower back hitting the corner of the table, causing her to gasp in pain. But the dull ache in her heart was a hundred or a thousand times worse. In a daze, she could still recall the last time she saw Tsubasa —so this was his "return," returning in a way she had never imagined. He had always faced all difficulties alone.
"Take me there." She heard her voice tremble, yet it was unusually firm. "Let's go now, to the Shikkotsu Forest immediately."
At dawn on September 27th, before daybreak, a heavy golden seal appeared on the king's desk. Beside it lay a decree, its ink still wet, bearing only a single line of elegant calligraphy. "State affairs are temporarily entrusted to the Right Minister and the Left Minister. I have private matters to attend to and will return in ten days."
Tian Flying Swallow had long since removed her heavy royal robes and changed into a plain, moon-white dress. She even threw away her ever-present sword in the tent, keeping only the Nine Dragons Jade Seal that Tsubasa had given her years ago. She walked out of the tent in the morning light, Tian Yueqing had already led in a black-feathered eagle. The eagle's wingspan was wider than the tent, and its beak gleamed with a cold light.
" Flying Swallow, this eagle is fierce, hold on tight." Tian Yueqing helped her onto the eagle's back, her fingertips touching her icy hands, and couldn't help but give her another word of advice.
Tian Flying Swallow gripped the reins tightly, and Moyuying let out a clear cry before soaring into the sky. The sentries at the beacon towers along the way only saw a streak of crimson light streak across the sky—the color of the Queen's white robes in the morning light.
The Shikkotsu Forest is like another world. Morning dew rolls off the huge fern leaves and drips onto the mossy ground, startling a few colorful beetles into fleeing in panic.
Three-year-old Tsubasa was lying on the grass, his little hands holding a palm-sized maple leaf, struggling to fold it into a small boat. He was wearing a short-sleeved shirt, revealing his chubby little arms, and his soft black hair clung to his forehead, with a few strands sticking up unruly, like a frizzy fox that had just woken up.
"Daddy! The boat is drifting away!" Tian Yu, with her hair in a bun, was so anxious that she stamped her feet and thrashed about in the water, splashing water that soaked her pink dress.
Tsubasa called out in a childish voice, "Don't be afraid," his chubby little hands making random Hand Seals in front of his chest, while he muttered an off-key incantation, " Water Release: Trickling Stream!" As soon as he finished speaking, a small column of water, about the thickness of a thumb, "poofed" out of his palm, just enough to support the maple leaf boat and gently bring it to his daughter.
"Look, isn't Daddy amazing!" He proudly puffed out his little chest, only to be pounced on by his daughter and pinned to the grass. The two little bundles of joy rolled around in a ball, their laughter as clear and crisp as wind chimes.
Not far away, the Senju Ga and the Kaidō Senju dozed off with their eyes half-closed. The smiling faces of the two children were reflected in the water glass in front of them. Sunlight shone through the bubbles and cast Kageko on the moss, swaying like a moving painting.
" Tsubasa--!"
A heart-wrenching cry suddenly rang out, startling a flock of birds in the forest into flight. Tian Flying Swallow, having jumped off the back of the black-feathered eagle, lost her footing and stumbled onto the grass, ignoring the mud stains on the hem of her plain clothes, her eyes fixed only on the small figure lying on the ground.
Tsubasa was riding on his daughter's back like a "big horse" when he heard the sound and turned around abruptly. His golden eyes, which were exactly the same as before, were first confused, then filled with tears. His little mouth opened and closed, but he couldn't say anything for a long time.
"Yan... Flying Swallow?" he called out tentatively, his childish voice as soft as cotton candy.
Tian Flying Swallow could no longer hold back. She rushed over and hugged him tightly, so tightly that she almost mashed his small body into her bones. She knelt on the grass, her chin resting on the top of his soft hair, and tears streamed down her face, hitting his shirt and making Tsubasa shrink back.
"How dare you... how dare you come back like this!" She cried and cursed, her voice choked with sobs, "Do you know how much I... I thought I'd never see you again..."
Tsubasa was a little breathless from her hug, but he sensibly reached out his chubby little hand and clumsily wiped away her tears. The warmth of his palm was astonishing. "Don't cry, I really didn't lie to you this time." He held up his little finger, emphasizing earnestly, "I'll grow up very fast, really, I was thinking of saying that when I was older!"
Looking at his earnest little face, Tian Flying Swallow suddenly burst out laughing, but her tears flowed even more fiercely. She lowered her head and kissed his forehead, as if she were treating a lost treasure that had been found again, or as if she were confirming that this was not a dream.
Seeing that Tian Yu Aunt was only holding her little father, Tianyu pouted and said, "Fourth Aunt, you're so biased! Tian Yu wants a hug too!"
So, on the grass of Shikkotsu Forest, the Queen held the little Hokage in her arms, and the Little Tian Yu wrapped its arms around the Queen's waist, the three figures huddled together. The morning light shone on their tear-streaked faces, warm and gentle, as if gilding all loss and reunion with a golden edge.
As night fell, Senju Ga set up a bright green tent, lined with soft blankets, even more comfortable than the brocade of the royal tent. Tian Flying Swallow held the sleeping Little Tsubasa in his arms, his fingertips gently tracing the small Yin Shadow cast by his eyelashes, looking exactly like he did when he held his newborn son.
"Sister Yueqing," she called softly, and the white-clad figure beside her gazed at her.
" Flying Swallow, just say what's on your mind." Tian Yueqing's voice came from outside the tent, carrying a rare hint of a smile.
"When I go back this time, can I take him with me?" Tian Flying Swallow traced circles on Tsubasa's small hand with her fingertips. "I want to be there for him as he grows up; I don't want to leave him for even a moment."
"As you command, you are the Queen and we will obey you, but our whole family must go." Tian Yueqing agreed readily, and the soft rustling of her clothes as she turned around could be heard outside the tent, mixed with a low laugh.
Tian Flying Swallow leaned down and placed a kiss on Tsubasa's small palm. She whispered, "That would be the best, of course. We'll accompany him as he grows up."
A few days later, news of the Queen's return to court spread throughout the capital. On that Tian Flying Swallow entered the main hall carrying a little bundle of joy dressed in a miniature Hokage robe, the courtiers' ceremonial tablets fell to the ground with a "clatter."
"And who is this...?" the Right Minister asked tremblingly.
Tian Flying Swallow, holding Tsubasa in her arms, sat on the throne, smiled at the little bundle in her heart, and then announced loudly, "From this day forward, Crown Tenbutsu will temporarily assume the regency. He has grown up and should shoulder greater responsibilities."
Tenbutsu immediately raised his hand in dissatisfaction. "I object! I'm only six years old, still growing! How can I shoulder such important national affairs!"
The court officials were taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter, even the guards outside the hall couldn't help but cover their mouths. Tian Flying Swallow lowered her head, her forehead touching the little bundle in her arms, her voice so soft that only the two of them could hear it:
"Welcome home, my... little husband. From now on, my most important task in the Land of Fire is to focus on raising you."
Sunlight streamed through the palace doors, casting long Kageko that seemed to stretch into an endless Mirai.