Chapter 119 School Starts, The Will of Waves!

Life passes swiftly, like a white colt galloping through a narrow gap.

In the blink of an eye, two months had quietly slipped by.

During these two months, Naruto had been fully focused on preparing for the school.

The school's facilities, sports equipment, desks, chairs, teaching tools, student uniforms… all these items required careful preparation.

It wasn't that Naruto didn't want to delegate, but he felt that the Ninja Academies in the Ninja World were far too crude and their curriculum was overly simplistic.

After all, Ninja Academies were places to train killing machines, but the school he was establishing was entirely different. His school was meant to cultivate talent.

It wasn't just about moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor education in comprehensive development. Even students without shinobi talent should receive proper education to cultivate specialized talents.

Nono had already recruited a group of teachers in music, art, finance, and literature from outside.

And now, the school was ready to open.

The former Daimyo's residence of the Land of Waves, now the office of the Land of Waves' leader.

Naruto was reviewing documents in his hand.

[Safety Guidelines for Winter Enrollment at the Land of Waves School]

[Roster of Teachers and Students at the Land of Waves School]

[Speech for the Land of Waves School Opening Ceremony]

After carefully confirming that everything was in order, Naruto set the documents down with satisfaction.

Although winter wasn't the ideal time for enrollment, the school was opening nonetheless.

At this time, Nono, dressed in a snow-white down jacket, pushed the door open and walked in.

It was already winter, and snow had begun to fall in the Land of Waves. A few snowflakes dotted Nono's shoulders and hair, making her appear even more radiant.

A timely snow promises a good harvest.

Although the Land of Waves' agriculture wasn't particularly developed, all the factories would officially open next year, making it a prosperous year for the Land of Waves.

"Is everything ready?"

"Everything is ready. The heating in the classrooms is already on, and the venue for tomorrow's speech has been arranged."

"But..." Nono showed a troubled expression.

"What's wrong?" Naruto frowned and asked, "Did something happen?"

With the school opening imminent, even small matters could become significant.

"It's not a big deal. It's just that a Ninja team from Kirigakure tried to infiltrate the Land of Waves today and clashed with the patrol team."

Nono briefly explained the situation.

Hearing this, Naruto's frown eased. It was just Kirigakure, after all. He continued, "Send them to work with Mui for now. We'll have Mei deal with them in a few days."

"Tomorrow, the school starts!"

---

The opening day.

The snow, which had been falling for a while, finally stopped.

The factories in the Land of Waves were also closed for the day.

Although the air still carried a chill, the sun in the sky provided a comforting warmth.

On the field of Land of Waves School.

This was a massive field capable of accommodating nearly ten thousand people. Now, it was filled with students seated in designated sections.

What was most surprising was that even in the depths of winter, the field didn't feel cold at all. Instead, it was almost too warm.

To this, Naruto could only say that Mei's Boil Release was incredibly useful.

In winter, they had Mei brand heating, and in summer, there is Haku brand air conditioning. At least the environment was comfortable.

However, Haku was still a child, so he was among the students enrolling this year.

"Zabuza-sama, while I'm at school, please take good care of yourself."

Outside the school field, Haku, dressed in a blue-and-white boys' uniform, spoke earnestly to Zabuza, who was wrapped in bandages.

Zabuza's face showed a hint of displeasure as he grumbled unhappily, "Hmph! Without you, I'll be even more at ease."

But as soon as Zabuza finished speaking, Haku's expression turned teary.

"Zabuza-sama, do you no longer need me?"

"Hey! You…!" Zabuza felt a sudden sense of dread, as this was always the prelude to...

Sure enough, many people around them began to cast scrutinizing looks his way.

"That's not what I meant!" Zabuza couldn't help but facepalm.

'Damn it. I, the Demon of the Hidden Mist, was being manipulated by a tool.'

In the end, he could only sigh and ask, "What do you want to eat when you get back tonight?"

"Red bean rice."

Haku's tearful expression instantly turned into a bright smile, and he skipped happily toward his seat on the field.

Zabuza watched Haku's cheerful back, his face still showing displeasure, but the corners of his mouth unconsciously curled upward.

'This was how the world should be.'

'Children should stay in their own world. The world of adults was still too early for them.'

Zabuza looked up at the densely packed students on the field, his vision inexplicably blurring.

'The Land of Waves…'

'Such a beautiful world, I would never allow anyone to destroy it!'

Although the atmosphere was a bit strange, this kind of farewell was the main theme outside the school field.

Residents who had lived in the Land of Waves for decades were hearing about the concept of a school for the first time. Although they didn't fully understand what it was, they knew that graduating from the school would make them pillars of the Land of Waves.

This was the leader's promise.

As all the students took their seats, the parents remained outside the field, eager to hear the leader's speech.

Stepping onto the podium, Naruto looked out at the sea of blue and white below, feeling a wave of nostalgia. This vibrant scene reminded him of his high school days in his previous life.

'Sure enough, students should wear school uniforms… it was a form of protection.'

Of course, there were still a few who looked less than thrilled.

Like a certain Uchiha brat, or the leader of the Uchiha Clan.

Seeing this scene, Naruto's smile widened.

"Zzttzztt——"

As a burst of static noise sounded, Naruto's booming voice suddenly filled the air.

"Respected teachers, dear students, today marks the first day of the Land of Waves School's opening. Although it is the cold of winter, we know that the harsh winter will pass, and spring will come."

"As the current leader of the Land of Waves and the first principal of the Land of Waves School, I often ponder how we should educate the future pillars of our nation."

"Finally, I arrived at the simplest truth."

"How should people live?"

"A nation is like a forest, and every individual in that nation is like a tree within it. The old trees extend their branches to shelter the young saplings from wind and rain. When the young trees grow into towering giants, the old trees will fall, becoming nutrients in the soil, nourishing the land and nurturing new trees. People will always die, and the heavens and earth will not remember us. But the new trees will be the testament to the existence of the old ones. In this continuous cycle of witnessing, the nation's forest will grow ever more vast, thriving and prosperous. "

"Now is the time for us, the old trees, to shelter you from the storms. But one day, you too will become towering trees, sheltering the new saplings. "

"People will always die. As Ninja, we cannot escape this fate. Even Kage-level powerhouses, or the legendary Sage of Six Paths cannot live significantly longer than others."

"Faced with death, I too feel fear. But I deeply understand that one day, I, Uzumaki Naruto, will also die. Perhaps from old age or illness, or perhaps on the path of expanding the Land of Waves. But when that time comes, I will be able to face death calmly and without regret. "

"Because I will have nurtured and sheltered a group of outstanding individuals like you, the future towering trees of the Land of Waves. "

"The world is yours, and it is ours, but ultimately, it is yours. You are like the sun at eight or nine in the morning, the hope of the future rests on your shoulders. The world belongs to you, and the future of the Land of Waves belongs to you."

"I hope that one day, you too can face your own deaths without regret, dedicating your lives to the greatest cause of the Land of Waves."

As Naruto reached the end of his speech, his voice gradually rose. Seeing the excited faces of the children below, he raised his fist.

"Let us study together for the future of the Land of Waves!"

As his words echoed, the atmosphere among both students and parents became electric.

Clap clap clap!

Thunderous applause erupted!

Everyone present stretched their necks, their faces flushed with excitement.

Their eyes were filled with fervor.

They couldn't wait to devote themselves to the greatest cause of the Land of Waves.

Even Mei, who had been filled with resentment, felt her spirit waver after hearing this speech.

Only Naruto, seeing the state of everyone, smiled with satisfaction but also felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

'Why did this scene feel so familiar?'

'Oh no!'

'The Will of Waves had emerged.'

'I have become Sarutobi Hiruzen.'