Just like that, three years had passed since the founding of the Shinobi Republic.
People had gradually started adapting to the existence of this new rising superpower.
The Shinobi Republic kept booming at a crazed pace—its annual total industrial and agricultural output grew by 15% to 20% a year, sometimes even higher.
In Year 4 of the Republic, the "Rain-and-Wind Regulation Plan" was finally completed.
A massive canal system redirected excess water resources from the Land of Rain—along the Land of River and the Land of Waterfall corridor—toward the Land of Wind.
Combined with Uchiha Yōrin's constant manipulation of natural energy, Land of Wind's desertification was finally contained… and even began to reverse.
Of course, there were always a few idiots who insisted "the desert deserves to live too," claiming that reversing desertification was "destroying nature." But once the Republic's Anbu paid them a visit and used a single genjutsu, they immediately became obedient.
One by one, they went on TV in tears and admitted they'd been paid dirty money by certain people to spout nonsense. Viewers found it more entertaining than any nightlife.
And in the second half of Year 4, a few major achievements were reached as well.
First: Uzu Port's throughput skyrocketed.
Second: the Shinobi Republic established its first major city in the New World—
Because the ninja world's natural energy was so dense—and enormous monsters appeared constantly—the local population was pitifully small compared to the historical Americas.
Without ninjutsu, and without enough numbers to build a strong civilization, indigenous communities lived under constant threat from gigantic beasts. Saying they lived in hellish conditions wouldn't be an exaggeration.
So when they saw shinobi land, casually treating those massive monsters like "wild mobs" to clear, the psychological shock was obvious.
In that situation, even if the Republic had acted brutally, waves of locals would still have flocked to them. But the Republic actually behaved decently—practically a beacon by this world's standards.
So, at least in the short term, the New World wasn't a problem.
No internal crises. No external threats.
Yōrin didn't slack off completely—but he wasn't working as frantically as he had right after founding the nation.
It became routine: handle work, then spend time with his wives, and—out of habit—tease Tsunade.
And honestly, because she was the official "main wife," she wasn't as carefree as the others.
So there had to be a proper wedding—something grand enough that everyone could bless him and Tsunade.
But then again… as the Republic's dictator-in-chief, if the wedding was too extravagant, wouldn't it encourage luxury and waste?
So, after rounding things off mentally, he decided: don't make it too massive.
Tsunade: "To hell with all that—give me a straight answer. Are we getting married or not?!"
Yes. Yes, yes, yes—of course they were.
If he didn't, Tsunade wouldn't be the only one furious; the resurrected Second Hokage might undo the Edo Tensei and drag the First Hokage back too, turning it into a tag-team lecture.
And to be fair, Senju Tobirama had become terrifyingly good at dismantling Edo Tensei over these years—he could "return to the Pure Land" whenever he wanted.
Yōrin even suspected that if Tobirama truly insisted, he might manage something close to what Uchiha Madara did in canon—reviving himself outright.
But Tobirama didn't have Madara's obsession. He wasn't that interested.
When Yōrin brought it up, Tobirama just said:
"Sure, the Pure Land has 'nothing.' But it has peace and relief. The dead return there to find happiness… at least most do."
Yōrin: "So Madara was the 'rare exception,' right?"
Tobirama refused to follow that tangent and changed the subject immediately.
"So when are you and Tsunade getting married? You're not going to ditch her, are you?"
Yōrin: "Of course not."
Tobirama didn't say it out loud, but Yōrin could guess:
For monsters like Hashirama and Madara, even the Pure Land probably came with special privileges and freedom of movement.
They'd likely interacted for decades there—maybe even had long, uncomfortable conversations. Tobirama probably got dragged into some of it too.
And yet Madara still never gave up on Infinite Tsukuyomi…
Honestly, Six Paths Sage was in the Pure Land too—why didn't anyone talk Madara out of it? Or did Madara just refuse to believe it?
Anyway.
"Just get married already," Tobirama snapped, shutting the whole topic down.
Yōrin: "Once I marry Tsunade, will you finally rest in peace?"
"..."
In normal circumstances, that question would be fine. In the context of Edo Tensei, it was weirdly funny.
Tobirama went rigid, suddenly wary—as if he feared Yōrin would follow up with:
"Oh? In that case, maybe I won't marry her."
If that happened, Tsunade might very literally beat him into the ground.
And, admittedly, Yōrin kind of wanted to see that—just once.
But he was the Republic's dictator now, not some random troublemaker. He couldn't create a political disaster just because it amused him.
…
In the end, the wedding was set:
Year 3, May 5th—Dragon Boat Festival.
But before the wedding festivities, Yōrin still had one more thing to do.
He needed to go see the fruit of all that waiting:
The Uchiha Infinite-clone army.
After relentless effort, Orochimaru finally cracked the secrets of Uchiha + Senju… and created the so-called "Senju-Uchiha hybrid clone."
Strangely, when Orochimaru announced it with ecstatic pride, Yōrin realized he wasn't as thrilled as he'd imagined.
Maybe the long wait had burned off his anticipation.
Or maybe his personal strength had already reached the point where he didn't need that kind of power anymore.
Still—no matter what—it was a good thing.
He used Flying Thunder God and flashed straight into Orochimaru's facility. Deep inside, he finally saw the completed specimen.
"I used the latest techniques. I've finally fused Senju and Uchiha genetics perfectly!"
Orochimaru's voice shook with excitement—he was clearly ready to launch into a full lecture.
But Yōrin cared less about the elegance of the method and more about the results.
In that sense, he was coldly pragmatic.
"Yes. He carries traits of both Uchiha and Senju. More importantly, he shows real signs of atavism."
Orochimaru, disappointed that Yōrin wasn't savoring the explanation, quickly pivoted to the numbers Yōrin wanted:
"Six-tomoe Sharingan beyond Mangekyō, and Senju-grade chakra and physical strength—this specimen has it all.
And to prevent self-awareness, once we confirmed success, I removed the brain. What you're looking at is a truly brain-dead experimental body."
It was cruel. Yōrin felt nothing.
"Can we mass-produce them? And the most important question—can this restore Ōtsutsuki-level power?
Also, can we apply this augmentation to our own Uchiha people?"
"I still need time," Orochimaru admitted. "But the fact that Phase One succeeded means we're on the right path.
Given enough time, we can complete the 'human ascension' project."
Yōrin: "Still—faster would be better.
I have a feeling they'll reach this planet sooner than we predicted."
"Ōtsutsuki?"
"Yes."
Orochimaru's voice trembled when he asked the next question.
"Then… are you planning to release Kaguya early?"
"Yes."
"Your strength… has it reached the Six Paths Sage's level?"
At that point, Orochimaru looked shaken—almost feverish.
And Yōrin's answer made him go completely still, eyes wide with awe.
"Yes," Yōrin said. "I've been Six Paths-tier for a long time."
Orochimaru: "Then why—"
He tried to ask why Yōrin never announced it, why no one knew—but he stopped halfway, realizing the obvious.
There hadn't been any opponent worth forcing Yōrin to reveal everything.
If "super-Kage" strength was already enough to dominate the world and build the Republic, then publicly declaring "Six Paths-tier" would be unnecessary noise.
Orochimaru finally understood.
And for the first time, even someone like him felt a dangerous thought bloom:
Uchiha Yōrin really is… chosen.
Serving someone like this wasn't just pragmatic.
It felt like privilege.
He bowed his head.
Yōrin didn't respond to the reverence. He simply gave an order.
"Continue your experiments. I have things I need to do as well."
"Yes, Yōrin-sama."
This time, Orochimaru meant it from the heart.