Time always slips away quietly.
One month in the Ninja World is five months in Immortal Village.
So, Shun always took his Royal Consorts to Immortal Village to visit their children in his free time.
His left arm was gently linked with Mikoto, his right hand held Yukari's, and Tsunade walked beside him.
Occasionally, they would point at the distant scenery, talk about their children, and the four of them walked along, chatting and laughing.
Upon arriving at Immortal Village, they searched for their children among the crowd, their eyes filled with an unspoken longing and concern.
"Sasuke... you've grown up."
Mikoto found her son training in the shade of a tree, her voice filled with unconcealed tenderness.
She gently let go of Shun's hand and quickly walked towards Sasuke, taking out a neatly folded handkerchief from her sleeve and reaching out to wipe the sweat from his forehead.
"Sasuke, no matter how diligently you train, you must also pay attention to rest and not overwork yourself."
Sasuke's usually cool gaze instantly softened a few degrees, and he nodded slightly. "Mother, I understand."
"Sasuke, where's Shiryu?"
Tsunade's gaze swept across the training grounds and quickly landed on Shiryu, who was sparring with Lee.
She walked over with a smile. Looking at the golden light emanating from her son's body, she couldn't help but nod. "Not bad, your strength has increased quite a bit. You're much stronger than your father was back then."
Upon hearing his mother's voice, Shiryu immediately stopped sparring and ran towards Tsunade.
He had a bright smile on his face as he said, "Mother, why are you here? I recently created a new move, Sage Art: Dragon Ascension. I'll show it to you later."
Tsunade patted his shoulder, her eyes full of pride.
Yukari found Karin, who was playing with Hinata, among the crowd. She walked over gently and handed her daughter a small basket of pastries.
"These are red bean cakes I made myself. Share them with your friends. Training has been hard lately, so you need to replenish your nutrition."
Karin took the basket and linked arms with Yukari. "Mom, you're so good. I just had something to tell you, I have gotten stronger..."
The mother and daughter spoke in low voices, creating a particularly warm scene.
Shun stood not far away, watching the interaction between his three Royal Consorts and their children, a gentle smile gracing his lips.
The passing teenagers subconsciously stopped their movements, their gazes following the figures of these families, their eyes filled with envy.
Naruto scratched his head, looking at Mikoto wiping Sasuke's sweat, and couldn't help but exclaim, "Sasuke, they're too happy. Shun-sensei and the Royal Consorts are too gentle with their children. A family together is truly wonderful. I miss my mom and dad too."
Sakura folded her arms, her eyes filled with longing. "Yes, aunt Mikoto is gentle, aunt Tsunade is spirited, aunt Yukari is approachable, and Shun-sensei himself is charming. When they stand together, they look like characters from a painting."
Hinata stood to the side, her cheeks slightly flushed. When she looked at Shun's figure, the scene from her dream involuntarily surfaced in her mind.
Now, as time flowed, seeing Shun and his three Royal Consorts in such harmony, this expectation hidden deep in her heart seemed to become clearer with the years.
The most excited was Ino. After the Royal Consorts and their entourage had walked away, she would pull the person next to her and ramble.
"Look at Shun-sensei. Even though he's so busy every day, he's still so gentle to the Royal Consorts. I will definitely marry Shun-sensei in the future, become his Royal Consort, and live such a warm life."
Ino would say such things several times almost every day.
Shikamaru was already used to it, always sighing and rubbing his forehead. "Ino, can't you be more realistic? Shun-sensei already has many Royal Consorts."
Ino retorted, "That just shows how excellent he is. Besides, I'm still growing up. When I mature a bit more, Shun-sensei will definitely notice me."
Just as Ino was still rambling, she suddenly heard a familiar yet authoritative voice. "Ino, what are you talking about?"
Everyone turned around, and saw that it was Shun, who had returned at some point.
Ino's face instantly turned red, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, and she stammered, "S-Shun-sensei, I... I wasn't saying anything."
Shun's lips curled into a slight, peculiar smile. "I heard everything, you want to be my Royal Consort?"
Ino wished she could find a hole to crawl into, lowering her head and not daring to look at him.
Her companions around her were stifling their laughter, and the atmosphere was a bit awkward.
At this moment, Tsunade walked over, smiling and teasing, "This little girl is interesting. Little one, if you really have that intention, then work hard to improve yourself. When you're excellent enough, perhaps this big pervert really will seriously consider it."
Upon hearing this, Ino's eyes rekindled with hope, and she nodded vigorously. "Tsunade-sama , I will definitely work hard."
At this time, Shun's mind-reading ability had not been turned off.
The unspoken thoughts of the girls were clearly entering his perception.
Yakumo stood among the crowd, her fingers tightly twisting the hem of her ninja uniform, her cheeks flushed with a faint blush. Her heart was undergoing intense struggle, yet also held a touch of longing.
'I also really like Shun-sensei. He's gentle and powerful, and always so patient when guiding my training. But I'm so shy. Should I go up and confess? Ino was so brave to say she wanted to be a Royal Consort, should I also muster up the courage to say what's in my heart?'
She secretly looked up at Shun, then quickly lowered her head, her knuckles turning slightly white from clenching her fists.
After struggling for a long time, Yakumo took a deep breath and suddenly looked up. "Shun-sensei, I like you too. I... I also want to become your Royal Consort when I grow up."
As soon as she finished speaking, everyone looked at her in surprise, and her cheeks instantly turned crimson.
Shun was stunned for a moment, then said gently, "Yakumo, you are very excellent, but you are still young now and need to grow up well. Just cherish this feeling for now, okay?"
His tone was reassuring, not directly rejecting, but clearly stating his current stance.
Mikoto watched from the side, gently patting Yakumo's shoulder, signaling her not to be too nervous.
Then, she smiled gently. "Shun, it seems you're very popular with little girls."
Hinata saw all of this, and her heart couldn't help but beat faster. She secretly glanced at Shun, her heart full of hesitation, with a mixture of conflict and struggle.
'Yakumo and Ino are so brave, they can express their feelings. I also like Shun-sensei. But the Hyuga clan's etiquette is so strict. Father taught me from a young age to be dignified. If I say it, will I disgrace the clan? Will I make sensei uncomfortable?'
She repeatedly rubbed her sleeve with her fingers, swallowing the words "I like you too" back down.
Tenten stood beside Hinata, seeing her conflict and Yakumo's bravery.
She muttered to herself, 'Shun-sensei is truly too excellent. Not only is he powerful, but he's also so gentle to everyone. No wonder everyone likes him. It's a pity he already has aunt Mikoto, aunt Tsunade , and aunt Yukari, among several Royal Consorts. If he were still single, maybe I would also muster up the courage to try.'
Tenten gently shook her head, suppressing that thought.
Hana squatted on the ground, stroking her ninja dog's head while secretly observing.
She silently mused, 'Shun-sensei is truly amazing, so gentle and responsible, and he cherishes his family so much. In the future, I want to find a man as excellent as him.'
Shun took in the thoughts and reactions of these girls. Their intentions were pure, but they were still young and needed to focus on growing up.
—
The Ninja World's calendar turned page after page.
Over seven months had passed in the Ninja World, but more than three years had passed in Immortal Village.
The former boys and girls had shed their childishness, their figures becoming more upright, and their temperaments undergoing drastic changes.
Naruto was no longer that impetuous and impulsive brat. He had grown much taller, the baby fat on his face had gradually receded, and his features had become more defined.
His aura had become much calmer. His eyes were still cheerful, but they had a newfound determination that was forged through training.
Sasuke stood to the side, appearing even more cool and handsome. He had short black hair, deep eyes, and a faint sense of pressure emanating from him.
Three years of training had made him even more proficient in controlling Natural Energy. Every movement he made possessed both the sharpness of youth and a maturity beyond his age.
Hinata had also changed a lot. Her figure had become more slender and graceful, no longer as timid as before.
When she stood, her back was straight, and her gentleness now held a touch of resilience.
Occasionally, when she met Shun's gaze, she would still blush, but she could now return a calm smile, no longer hastily looking down as before.
On a beautiful, sunny day, Shun once again set foot in Immortal Village.
As his gaze swept over Naruto, Sasuke, Shiryu, Karin, Hinata, Ino, and the others, his eyes revealed a look of relief and admiration.
These youngsters, over the past three years, had experienced countless challenges and trials, and their strength had grown rapidly.
Shun smiled and said to them, "You are all the future of the Ninja World and Ancestral Star. You have already achieved impressive results, and these three years of training have not been in vain."
Then, his tone became serious. "Next, you should return to the Ninja World and prepare to participate in the Chunin Exams. This is an important opportunity for you to showcase your strength and prove yourselves. I believe that with your current level, you will definitely achieve results that will shock the Ninja World in the competition."
Upon hearing Shun's words, the youngsters' eyes ignited with fighting spirit.
Naruto was the first to excitedly clench his fist and say, "Finally, I can go back and participate in the Chunin Exams. I will definitely become a Chunin and make everyone acknowledge me."
Ino was even more excited, jumping up and down. "Shun-sensei, I will definitely perform exceptionally well in the Chunin Exams and let you see my growth."