Suddenly, the newly graduated Genin squads and their squad leaders all flew into the sky.
It was then that everyone noticed Shun's figure.
He activated his golden Six Tomoe Rinnegan and waved to them.
Pale golden Chakra carried everyone into the sky. Cloud Dream City below was visible in its entirety.
Officials, volunteers, and refugees below all looked up at the sky.
Shun's gentle yet powerful voice quickly spread throughout Cloud Dream City. "I am Shun, and I am delighted to see everyone here. I hope everyone can live a happy life in Cloud Dream City. Next, I will announce the rankings for this refugee escort mission."
"First place, Shisui's squad, escorting 5,200 refugees."
"Second place, Kakashi's squad, escorting 3,650 refugees."
"Third place, Izumi's squad, escorting 2,578 refugees."
"Fourth place, Anko's squad, 2,382 people."
"Fifth place, Choza's squad, 2,158 people."
"Sixth place, Aoba's squad, 1,668 people... "
"One hundredth place, Genma's squad, two hundred people..."
"Two hundredth place..."
The moment the rankings were announced, the Genin erupted in cheers, and the refugees also applauded.
Shisui bowed slightly, while Hamamaru, Seishin, and Shiryu exchanged smiles.
Kakashi ruffled Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura's heads, his eyes full of approval.
Izumi gently patted Manaka, Shion, and Karin's shoulders, proud of their performance.
Even Genma, ranked one hundredth, straightened his chest.
In today's Ninja World, to safely guide over two hundred refugees from a war zone along Heavenly Road was already a great honor.
Shun spoke passionately, amplifying his voice with Ninjutsu, "When I took over the Land of Water more than ten years ago, it only had over eighty million people, and even having enough food was a problem. Today, the Land of Water has become a heavenly nation, with over six hundred million people."
"Today's Cloud Dream City is just a small city of several hundred thousand people. In the future, it will become a large city with millions of people. This is the result of your efforts."
"Farmers from the Land of Fire taught us new farming techniques. Blacksmiths fleeing war improved the craftsmanship of ninja tools. There were even teachers who once taught at the Ninja Academy, now nurturing new ninjas in the Land of Water's schools..."
"It is precisely because of these people that the Land of Water's development speed can far surpass other nations, and it can become the 'Heaven' that everyone speaks of."
The Genin all looked down at the refugees they had protected.
Hamamaru saw the old woman he had protected during a previous battle being helped by Cloud Dream City residents towards the square, and his eyes instantly reddened.
He finally understood that what he escorted was not just a life, but also a part of the Land of Water's future strength.
Naruto saw the child he had carried waving at him with candy, and he couldn't help but smile and wave back.
Manaka saw the child she had healed, holding his mother's hand and walking towards the medical station, a gentle smile appearing on her lips.
All the hardships, at this moment, gained a deeper meaning.
"Perhaps you don't feel it now, but in a few years, when you return here, you will understand the significance of today."
Shun pointed to the empty land on the east side of Cloud Dream City.
"A monument will be built there in the future, and every squad that participated in the mission will leave a collective stone statue here. The story of you escorting the refugees to settle here will be forever etched into this land."
"You have, fresh out of graduation, demonstrated the meaning of 'guardianship' through your actions, and this guardianship is the cornerstone of the Land of Water becoming a heaven. Moreover, your stories will be written into the annals of Cloud Dream City and passed down through generations by its residents."
A Genin from Genma's squad couldn't help but ask, "Shun-sama, even if we are ranked one hundredth, can we still leave a stone statue?"
Shun smiled and nodded, reaching out to pat his shoulder. "Rank does not represent value. Two hundred refugees are two hundred lives, and two hundred possibilities. Your efforts to protect them are all worthy of being remembered. Peace in the Ninja World is not measured by 'more' or 'less,' but by every single person willing to step forward."
Upon hearing this, the Genin all straightened their chests, their eyes filled with pride.
The squad leaders also showed relieved smiles.
These children, especially Shun's own children, showed no signs of being spoiled. Instead, they worked harder than other Genin.
They had long shed their naivety, growing into responsible ninjas who understood the significance of "people" to a nation.
At this moment, in the square at the end of the road, the refugees suddenly waved towards the sky.
The old woman previously protected by Hamamaru held up a handkerchief embroidered with wave patterns, and the child healed by Manaka held up his drawing.
Shun saw this scene and smiled, telling the Genin, "Look, this is how you appear in the hearts of the refugees, and how the Land of Water appears in the heart of the Ninja World."
As time passed, the flow of people on the road gradually decreased, but the square became increasingly lively.
Shun slowly landed with the Genin and squad leaders, and as soon as they reached the square, they were surrounded by refugees.
The old woman held Hamamaru's hand and handed him her embroidered handkerchief. "Child, thank you. If it weren't for you, this old body of mine wouldn't have made it to the end of this road, nor would I have seen such a wonderful Land of Water."
The child, meanwhile, threw himself into Manaka's arms and handed a drawing. "Big sister, this is a drawing of you and this big black dragon. In the future, I want to protect others just like you."
Hamamaru, Seishin, Shiryu, Sasuke, Manaka, Shion, and Karin gathered together, looking at the warm scene before them and exchanging smiles.
Their previous conversations on the road were still vivid in their minds, and now that they had finally safely delivered the refugees to Cloud Dream City, all their hard work transformed into a profound sense of accomplishment.
Shun looked at this heartwarming scene, his eyes filled with tenderness.
He knew that Cloud Dream City and Heavenly Road were just the beginning.
In the future, more refugees would come to the Land of Water along this road, and more Genin would protect peace with their actions, just like today.
And this road, this city, these stone statues, these stories, would become the Land of Water's most precious wealth, forever reminding everyone:
Valuing life and protecting the weak is the true reason for a nation's strength.
As the sun set, streetlights illuminated the streets of Cloud Dream City.
The white light illuminated everyone's faces and also reflected the outline of Heavenly Road.
Before leaving, they couldn't help but look back at the road and the city.
This road, carrying hope, and this city, bustling because of them, would become their warmest memories.