Konoha New Era : Third Hokage Ascends

After a period of incubation, Kana finally began writing, imitating the work of famous artists from the past, and compiling a fairy tale about the Six Paths Sage into a book. In this work, she expresses her thoughts after many discussions with Fumori Masaki, while also reflecting on the current situation in the Land of Fire, making appropriate modifications to the original story.

Masaki and Kana created an excellent work of literature. The focus wasn't on the precision of language but rather on crafting a message that could evoke empathy in readers. If readers couldn't connect emotionally, then no matter how accurate the ideas in the book were, it wouldn't touch their hearts or inspire them to embrace and implement its teachings.

Kana seemed to understand this deeply, having personally witnessed the once-great Senju clan slowly diminish. She now truly felt the weight of her father's desire for peace and was determined to support his vision.

This sense of peace was also becoming evident in the capital of the Land of Fire. The First Shinobi World War was unprecedented in scale, the first time the Land of Fire had engaged in such an enormous conflict. The costs were staggering—money, weapons, and lives. The burdens weighed heavily not only on commoners but also on the local nobility.

Some elder aristocrats became advocates for peace. Leveraging their seniority, they spoke in court, urging the daimyo to consider halting the war. Their petitions weren't solely driven by personal beliefs but also reflected widespread exhaustion among the people.

Most of these elderly aristocrats had lived through the chaos of the Warring States period. Now older and more cautious, they had become content with their achievements and the current peace. For them, the horrors of war were unbearable, so the desire to seek peace was a natural conclusion.

Over the years, Kana had studied the existing teachings of the Ninshū believer and gained some understanding of their doctrines. However, she found that many of Ninshū's teachings were outdated. In today's society, these ancient ideas held little appeal. Kana's task was to expand and modernize these concepts, making them more relevant to the current era.

Her work took a long time to complete, and by the time it was published, a year had already passed. The first copy was gifted to the "People Princess," a nickname Kana had affectionately given to her friend in the capital. Their bond had grown so close that they were like sisters. The princess promoted Kana's book, piquing the interest of the nobility.

As soon as the book, Fairy Tales, was released, it sparked a frenzy among the nobles. While the narrative was based on the myth of the Six Paths Sage, its background was set within the current situation in the Land of Fire. The careful modifications and the timeless emotions conveyed in the story struck a chord, particularly with the elder nobles.

These elders wielded great influence. Their high praise spurred even more interest, leading other aristocrats to purchase the book. Soon, owning a copy of Fairy Tales became a status symbol among those with means.

Kana's success exceeded her expectations. Not only was she invited to high-society events, but she also began to benefit financially. She entered into business deals with some of the nobility. Looking back, she felt grateful for the bold decisions she had made, and with these results in hand, she knew she needed to keep pushing forward.

Kana and her business partner Yurao renegotiated their contract, ensuring that all of Kana's future manuscripts would be printed exclusively by his company. In exchange, Yurao offered Kana even more favorable terms. Following Masaki's advice, they decided to open a bookstore together, splitting the operational costs and profits. While Yurao would handle the daily business, Kana retained oversight and received regular dividends.

Yurao had no objections. He had no intention of deceiving Kana—her influence and connections were too valuable to risk losing. For her part, Kana wasn't particularly interested in the money from the bookstore. What she cared about was having her work recognized far and wide. As more nobles invited her to meet, Kana's confidence in her future only grew.

When she wasn't working on her next book, Kana often met with other nobles. Some didn't truly understand the Ninshū philosophy, but others did, and those interactions brought her joy. Conversations with the latter deepened her understanding of the Ninshū's ideas, while the former served as a reminder of how disconnected some aristocrats were from reality.

In the span of three years, Kana had become a well-known figure among the capital's elite. Many suitors came to propose marriage, but she turned them all down, insisting that she had no intention of marrying yet. Her family, once eager to see her marry well, had softened their stance. After all, she had built a name for herself outside the traditional path of marriage, and they had come to accept her choice.

As trade flourished between the major nations, Yurao expanded his business to other countries. The peace agreement between the five great nations had created stable conditions for commerce, particularly with the Land of Wind, where border trade had grown rapidly.

Tsunade, Kana's niece, remained in Konoha, while Kana's sister, Misaki, had returned to the Uzumaki Daimyo to maintain their family ties. Misaki was pleased to see Kana's book gaining traction in other nations. In a letter to her sister, she expressed how novel she found the story and how proud she was of Kana's achievements.

Misaki had always worried that Kana might feel trapped in the village until she eventually married a noble. But now, seeing her sister thrive, she could finally rest easy. She gently encouraged Kana to consider marriage, but Kana replied that she hadn't found anyone suitable and preferred to focus on her writing.

One day, while visiting the "People Princess," Kana heard a surprising piece of news. Her heart raced as she hurried back to Konoha to share it with Masaki. This news had the potential to take the Ninshū revival movement to a whole new level.

When Kana arrived at Masaki's home, she saw his two daughters, Akemi and Asuna, playing in the yard. Both girls were adorable, with Akemi being warm and outgoing, while Asuna was quieter and more reserved. As Kana entered through the gate, Akemi called out, "Kana Bachan!"

Kana smiled, knelt down, and gently patted the heads of the two girls. "Hello, dears. Where's your otou-san? I need to speak with him."

"Tou-chan's in the study," Akemi answered.

"Thank you," Kana said with a nod. "You two keep playing. I'll go find him." She then made her way into the house, heading toward the study to meet with Masaki.