Naruto: Escape From Konoha

Chapter 171: 167: Children

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Early morning.

In the small villa's courtyard, Ruri wore a pale moon-white dress and wore finely crafted slippers. She held a watering can and tenderly cared for the green plants in the flowerpots.

Her long black hair, cascading down her back, framed her naturally straight hair. Her eyes were a tranquil and peaceful shade, completely unaffected by the world outside.

Although Ruri's flowing, loose attire attempted to conceal it, her bulging stomach was unmistakable.

While it was not significantly noticeable compared to the early months of her pregnancy, her stomach had been gradually bigger. Recently, she had been plagued by inexplicable fatigue, which made her spend more time resting in her room.

Her training had been entirely abandoned, and her daily exercise routine was limited to leisurely walks.

She could sense the unborn life within her womb growing stronger with each passing day. Thinking about it, a lovely smile graced her lips.

Footsteps approached from behind, belonging to none other than Shiraishi.

He joined Ruri, gazing at the blazing morning sun that had just emerged.

"It's quite hot. You should return to the house to rest. Too much heat isn't good for your health, especially in your condition."

It was now September, and Ruri's delivery was two to three months away. Shiraishi was determined to prevent any unforeseen complications that might cause him to regret for his whole life.

"Alright, I'll head back inside immediately. Do you have any plans for the day?"

Ruri turned to him inquiringly.

"I'm taking a break today. Many of the matters below can be managed independently now. I just need to check the progress regularly. The engineering tasks have been arranged, with dedicated personnel overseeing them."

"I believe they are passionate about their work, and even if it doesn't require human supervision, they should do just fine."

"Passion is only temporary, and it doesn't hurt to save manpower in this regard. Besides, your pregnancy is important to me now."

From initially being overwhelmed and inexplicably excited, Shiraishi had regained his calm, rational thinking, fully ready to embrace his role as a father.

"I can handle things here."

Ruri's tone held a trace of annoyance as she felt underestimated by Shiraishi.

Despite her inability to engage in intense fight due to her pregnancy, her Sharingan's genjutsu could easily deal with most Jonin. Moreover, not everyone could approach her with her formidable pupil abilities.

Furthermore, to ensure her safety, Soryu remained hidden, he wasn't with the others. If she encountered an enemy she couldn't handle with genjutsu, Soryu could intervene using its unique abilities, holding off the enemy until backup arrived.

"I'm not so sure. Many people have recently entered the Land Of Demons, leading to a mix of travelers. If possible, I would like to transfer you to the shrine where the Priestess resides to ensure the well-being of our unborn child."

Shiraishi suggested.

"Is this due to the business activities?"

Since the completion of the roads within and around the Land Of Demon's, it had drawn the attention of numerous wealthy businessmen and women. Investment in local industries had significantly enriched the Land Of Demon's treasury.

"Not a business activity. Most of the businessmen involved in ordinary business are peaceful. However, those in the medical business, as well as the ninjas from the Ninja Village, aren't always so clean. Ninjas, in particular, use various methods to steal drug information from companies."

Shiraishi's had a pained expression as he spoke.

Ever since the Purple Rose Medical Company became famous, not only spies, bur numerous ninja villages had been discreetly involved in activities that involved the theft or acquisition of Purple Rose Company's drug information.

Kumogakure was particularly notorious in this regard.

Kumo often used diplomatic missions as a guise for covert and secret activities. Because the Land If Demons was a neutral nation, and given its Rule by the Priestess, Kumo had to operate discreetly. It was no surprise that not only Kumo but also other villages, including Suna and even Konoha, had engaged in these activities. Notably, the actions were likely led by their Anbu forces.

In the Land of Demons, foreign envoys visiting through legal and formal channels for friendly purposes posed a challenge to the local officials. They couldn't openly reject them, and Shiraishi, in particular, had to tolerate their actions. Disrupting their activities might lead to unwelcome consequences, and he lacked the means to change the situation.

Although the military had good security measures in place, they couldn't underestimate the actions of these ninja villages, especially during these war time. It was essential to avoid getting drawn into unnecessary conflicts.

However, being the focus of these people indicated that Purple Rose Company's drug research and development capabilities were top-notch in the ninja world. If it were just an ordinary medical company, it wouldn't attract so many corporate spies.

"That's quite the ordeal," Ruri expressed her disdain for the complications. She preferred to resolve issues through strength, crushing her enemies.

Ruri didn't like to engage in scheming or planning. She believed in her strength, and she trusted Shiraishi to handle the scheming. This delegation of tasks was reminiscent of how Konoha used to assign missions during her time as a ninja.

"Yes, but you can't ease my worries at the moment," Shiraishi replied with a smirk as he gently embraced Ruri from behind. He rested his hands on her lower abdomen, his smile revealing a hint of mischief.

"Stupid," Ruri scolded him in a low voice.

"Alright, let's not dwell on that. Your focus should be on taking care of yourself now. In the afternoon, I will take you to the shrine where Priestess stays. I feel more at ease with you there."

Hearing Shiraishi's words, Ruri sighed and nodded. She never expected to willingly let someone else protect her, a feeling that was neither good nor bad

.....

In the afternoon, Shiraishi escorted Ruri to the shrine where Priestess resided.

Except for an extremely luxurious palace, there were very few guards and attendants. This sparse presence was likely because Priestess preferred solitude and did not wish to witness the death of more lives due to her unique powers, which both awed and terrified people.

After all, Shiraishi had little knowledge of the Land of Demons' history. It was believed to have origins dating back to the era of the Sage of the Six Paths, but there wasn't really many records about the events available in the Land Of Demons.

Ruri's presence here gave her peace and assurance. In addition to the tranquility, it was also well-guarded by the Priestess herself.

People held both respect and fear for her. It was difficult for Shiraishi to determine how the Land of Demons had developed. The specifics were not detailed in the records, leaving him with only scattered fragments of information.

The Priestess's inexplicable and mystical powers, distinct from traditional ninja abilities, made it a mysterious and intriguing place.

Everytime the Priestess looked at Shiraishi, he couldn't help but feel that he was not looking at a typical human but a unique and extraordinary "being" with no human scent.

"In that case, I'll be off now. I'll come to visit you every few days,"

Shiraishi promised, leaving Ruri in the side hall where other priestesses often served.

Guards, including two Uchiha ninjas, one ninja from the Uzumaki clan, and one from the Hyuga clan, were placed there. These guards, albeit Jonin-level, were in disguise, and what they usually did was training.

Shiraishi was not in a position to assign them significant missions at present, so they concentrated on honing their abilities. The four ninjas, with their respective unique abilities, including sealing jutsu, sensory ninjutsu, Byakugan, and natural energy usage, possessed considerable power.

They represented an elite Jonin force, and their purpose was to ensure Ruri's protection. The two Uchiha ninjas had unlocked the Three tomoe Sharingan and mastered natural energy, giving them superior strength compared to many Jonin at their level.

The ninja from the Uzumaki clan and the Hyuga clan also had developed their respective clan jutsus and trained with natural energy. These four guards could handle any challenge, whether it be Genjutsu, Ninjutsu, or Taijutsu.

Furthermore, they could always call upon the Soryu if necessary. Even if an enemy at the "Five Kages" level were to launch a surprise attack, these guards had methods to delay them and prevent an immediate defeat. With Genjutsu, Ninjutsu, and Taijutsu at their disposal, they were well-prepared for any situation.

The level of security now in place gave Shiraishi peace of mind. It was an arrangement he had thought about for a long time.

.....

Konoha's Will of Fire: "Where the leaves dance, the fire is also alive."

This adage signifies that the fire of determination always burns brightly within the village, nurturing the growth of new generations. It carries the heartfelt hopes of the older generation for the healthy development of the younger people and serves as a perpetual inspiration for Konoha's ninjas.

Though Shiraishi may not entirely align with the sentimental aspect, he acknowledged the profound meaning behind this saying.

People who lead the way in their times will eventually grow old and die either sooner or later. The promise of a brighter future rests upon the shoulders of the children who have yet to fully mature.

Having lived in Konoha for many years, Shiraishi deeply comprehended the village's strength and the fragility of the village. Konoha can be described as relatively weak. Therefore, the growth and well-being of underage children weighed heavily on his mind.

The world is rife with children suffering. The magnitude of their suffering is staggering when calculated, but the sheer numbers are indeed overwhelming.

Recognizing this crisis, Shiraishi proposed the establishment of a "Children's Treatment Hospital" during a recent high-level meeting.

This hospital was designed exclusively for children. In this current era of war, which the adult bear responsibility for causing the chaos.

Yet, the proportion of the pain endured by the weak, the young minds still untainted by the world. These children bear the burdens of past generations and, as they grow, they continue this cycle of suffering to the next and on and on..

Hate, grief, bloodshed, and violence leave lasting imprints on these young hearts. The incessant exposure to such horrors was bound to shape their adult lives. The great pressure on these young minds outweighs any physical trauma.

The tragedy of a world in turmoil, with humans destroying one another, has already inflicted severe emotional trauma on these children, whose resistance were limited.

If left unresolved, this cycle of senseless destruction will persist, poisoning future generations with the same destructive ideals they were exposed to in their youth.

Building is often more challenging than destruction.

The Land of Demons attracts not only profit-seeking businessmen but also refugees seeking sanctuary. War has ravaged their homelands, compelling them to travel across the seas in search of peace.

This problem wasn't unique to the Land of Demons, as many other peaceful nations also received an influx of refugees fleeing war. Children were the most vulnerable and often the most neglected casualties in this tumultuous time. Their lives were weak in this torrent of events.

From an incomplete statistics, it indicated that over 5,000 children accompanied their parents to the Land of Demons due to war, and more than half of them suffered from severe mental trauma.

Failing to address this problem now will only exacerbate it, and the future cost may be tenfold or more. Thus, the first-ever Children's Treatment Hospital was established in the Land of Demons.

It is the first hospital dedicated exclusively to children in the ninja world. Even Konoha, with its relatively comprehensive medical infrastructure, had not previously addressed the issue or established a hospital specifically designed to treat children's physical and emotional wounds.

The challenge lay not in the availability of funds and medical facilities but in the shortage of qualified medical personnel. Though huge investments have been made in the medical sector, training competent medical staff takes years. It wasn't a task that could be accomplished in a mere two or three years.

Currently, the Children's Hospital was limited to Oni City, the capital of the Land of Demons, and a few major cities. Villages, towns, and cities with lower populations are unable to offer this specialized service due to shortage of manpower.

For Shiraishi, it is a satisfactory start. Tsunade's medical reforms in Konoha took several years, if not longer, to show significant results.

Shiraishi's mission is to reform the entire medical sector in the Land of Demons. Early on, he received essential support from Ruri's parents to achieve these results from the early stage.

"Sen, how's the situation now?" Shiraishi asked of the medical ninja beside him.

Sen was an accomplished medical ninja within the Land of Demon's military and held a high-ranking position in the medical department. He was among Shiraishi's trusted lieutenants when it came to medical matters.

Around forty years old, Sen had a gentle appearance and wore old-fashioned glasses. He looked at the statistical table in his hand and reported, "To be honest, the situation isn't looking optimistic. Despite our round-the-clock efforts, the number of child patients has been increasing rather than decreasing."

"Can we allocate more staff to the medical department?"

"For now, there's no one to spare. Shifting focus to the Children's Hospital would leave other hospitals short of manpower, which could cause unrest among the people."

Considering the issue, Sen refrained from suggesting that Shiraishi move staff from other hospitals to the Children's Hospital. He understood that while the problem of children's sickness needed urgent attention, other patients should not be neglected.

Shiraishi understood the dilemma, and refrained from talking about it.

"The medical company has recently developed a new sedative drug that has shown promising results in clinical trials. It should help relieve the pressure here."

"I'll personally request the new drug in person."

After their conversation, Shiraishi left, aware that the staff problem at the Children's Hospital would not be resolved quickly and would need to be addressed gradually. He thought about pursuing an official partnership with Konoha for medical assistance but after much thought he found it unrealistic.

Konoha was currently under scrutiny from numerous ninja villages, and most of its medical ninjas were deployed on the frontlines. Sending more trainees to Konoha to learn medical jutsu was also not possible, as the current training programs were already saturated. Konoha couldn't afford additional burdens in these circumstances.

"Do i have to work part-time as a medical teacher?"

Shiraishi pondered the prospects as a part-time medical teacher before dismissing the idea, acknowledging that it was not a practical solution.

Depressed, he scratched his head, realizing that he might lose more hair with such actions.

"Well... forget it... , i can always have Katsuyu create more clones. If we can get through these years, the situation should improve."

....

As for the ongoing war, Shiraishi had not been closely following it. He had entrusted this matter to Ayane for assessment, and without any significant intelligence updates, he simply observed from the sidelines.

In this era, many peop6 had succumbed to their primal instincts, making it challenging for people to remain rational and appear weak.

Although Shiraishi was weighed down by the complicated issues surrounding the Children's Hospital, there were still positive developments.

After over half a year of concerted effort, the issue of road infrastructure in the Land of Demons had largely been resolved.

Even in remote areas, proper roads had been established, eliminating the need to traverse muddy potholes during rain. These roads ensured convenient transportation even in adverse weather conditions.

Additionally, schools had been established, covering most regions. Only a few remote villages lacked educational institutions.

Wherever populations gathere whether big or small, schools were constructed in line with local needs.

Intellectuals with adequate knowledge were recruited to teach according to Shiraishi's textbooks, initiating educational reforms throughout the Land of Demons.

Shiraishi visited the shrine to see Ruri just once a week, dedicating the rest of his time to his duties. Occasionally, Ayane would return to treat her equipment and spend some time with Shiraishi.

The seasons had shifted from summer to autumn and finally to Winter.

Winter had arrived.

Ruri's delivery date was approaching.

In the side hall of the shrine, the four Jonin responsible for guarding Ruri engaged in a game of cards.

'Byakugan'

The Hyuga Clan Jonin concealed his eyes behind with his hands on his cards, activating his Byakugan to observe closely.

However, such attempts couldn't escape the sensory of the Uzumaki Jonin, who detected the chakra's changes.

The Uzumaki Jonin expressed his dissatisfaction.

"You're truly despicable, using your Byakugan to peek at other people's cards."

The Hyuga Clan Jonin was embarrassed but defended himself. "Haha, well, I couldn't resist. Also, don't you always have your sensory ninjutsu active?"

"I can sense chakra, not see through objects or cards. I keep it active to prevent strangers from approaching here."

"Then, I'm also using mine to prevent the enemies approaching."

The Hyuga Jōnin retorted argued. His words immediately earned the contemptuous looks from the others.

At this point, the device on the wall began beeping.

"It seems that Ruri-sama is about to give birth. Let's put an end to the card game and focus on our protective duties."

The card game came to an end as the four Jonin assumed their positions outside the delivery room to guard it.

Inside the delivery room, two female medical ninjas were on standby to assist with the delivery. Their primary role was to ensure that everything proceeded smoothly.

The delivery room was enclosed by a protective barrier, even preventing space-time ninjutsu from entering easily; instead, the barrier would reflect any attempt.

Additionally, it was reinforced by both Byakugan and sensory ninjutsu, ready to detect any stranger's approach immediately.

...

Shiraishi arrived ten minutes later. Alongside him were Ruri's parents, Kosuke and Miyoko.

They stood outside the delivery room, where they could hear Ruri's muffled cries of pain. Despite her best efforts to endure the pain of childbirth, occasional cries of pain still escaped her lips.

Shiraishi, anxious and clueless about the situation inside, wondered why Ruri's ordeal seemed to be taking so long. He reassured himself that since she was in such pain, it probably meant things were progressing as they should.

After sitting for a few seconds, Shiraishi couldn't contain his restlessness any longer. He stood up abruptly, feeling as if he had been waiting for an eternity.

"Why is it taking so long?"

"Shiraishi, there's no use in being anxious. Let's stay calm and wait. Ruri is a resilient girl, and both mother and child will be fine. The Uchiha bloodline isn't so fragile," Miyoko comforted him, speaking from her own experience.

Kosuke approached Shiraishi, patted him on the shoulder, and didn't say much, but his presence was reassuring. As a man, he understood the mixed emotions of nervousness and excitement that Shiraishi was experiencing.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Ruri's cries of pain subsided, and a hearty "Wah-Wah-Wah" emanated from the delivery room. It was the sound of a baby's cries.

The protective barrier outside the delivery room opened, and Shiraishi was the first to reach the door. The female medical ninja inside opened the door, and Shiraishi asked urgently, "How is everything?"

With a smile, the female medical ninja reassured him. "Shiraishi-sama, rest assured, everything went smoothly."

Shiraishi's tense nerves relaxed, and he hurried inside, followed by Kosuke and Miyoko.

Inside the room, Ruri had just settled down from the pains of childbirth, lying on the delivery bed, weakly panting and looking quite tired. Sweat dripped down her face, sticking her hair to her cheeks.

A female medical ninja stood by the delivery bed, cradling two babies in her arms.

"Congratulations, Shiraishi-sama. They are twins, a boy and a girl, and both are perfectly healthy."

The babies were handed to Shiraishi, who expressed his gratitude to the female medical ninja before looking down at the boy and girl in his arms. Although Shiraishi had used medical equipment to confirm the twins before, seeing them in the flesh was an exciting moment.

Ruri, lying on the bed, weakly said, "Let me see them."

With Miyoko's support, she slowly sat up.

Shiraishi presented the two babies to Ruri for her to get a closer look. She smiled weakly at the sight of her newborn son and daughter.

"Ruri, you're quite weak right now. It's best to get more rest," Shiraishi suggested as he placed the babies in Miyoko's arms and helped Ruri lie back down to recover.

"Okay," she replied weakly, without pushing herself further.

Giving birth to the twins had undoubtedly taken a toll on her.

Despite not being a sensory ninja, Ruri had sensed that both children had extraordinary vitality. They had innate qualities that made them naturally attuned to natural energy.

She had no idea if it was because of natural energy or her Sharngan

As for Shiraishi's bloodline, Ruri simply ignored it.

"So, what will you name your two children?"

Miyoko was slightly anxious and nevours when she asked the question.

Knowing that while they may not be concerned with the children's surnames, Ruri's status as the Uchiha clan leader in the Land of Demons meant she couldn't decide hastily.

Shiraishi was well aware of Miyoko's concerns and understood Ruri's significance within the Uchiha clan.

Deciding the heirs to the clan was a weighty matter, not something to be determined lightly. After reflecting for a moment, he said to her, "I discussed this with Ruri beforehand."

Miyoko felt relieved hearing his words.

"That sounds fine. Each child can bear a different surname."

"It doesn't matter to me. Maybe a genius from another family within the clan will succeed me."

Ruri said bluntly. Even her own flesh and blood wouldn't change her determination. The position of the clan head wasn't their personal property.

Ruri's response didn't sit well with Miyoko.

who criticized her for being overly pragmatic and striving to claim public matters as her own. She also highlighted the importance of Sharingan and the Uchiha name, emphasizing that the position of clan leader shouldn't be treated as a private inheritance.

"As a businessman and woman who loves showing off, and always needing to take public matters as your own. However, you find it challenging to control the Sharingan. You should know that the name 'Uchiha' is synonymous with 'power,' and the position of clan head isn't our family's personal property."

The abruptness of Ruri's words left her parents choking. In fact, they had been considering the idea of having one of Ruri's children inherit the position of the head of the Uchiha clan within the Land of Demons.

Without waiting for their response, Ruri said coldly, "The capable rise, the mediocre fall. That's the Uchiha way."

Shiraishi chose not to interfere with Ruri's family matters and instead turned his attention to the two babies in his arms. The boy was still crying, while the girl remained astonishingly calm, not resembling a typical newborn.

Shiraishi found the girl's silence intriguing. As he observed her, he noticed an air of arrogance that uncannily resembled Ruri when she was a child.

This observation raised an unsettling feeling within Shiraishi.

---

Goodbye. See you next year. ????