XX-level Hokage

“I want to hear it!” Garrot raised his hand. “In our Zou, we sing and dance together at night. Although I don’t play any instruments, I can keep time!” With that, Garrot tapped a cheerful rhythm on the stone table with his claws.

"Tch, I just can't do anything with you guys." Tayuya complained, but her actions betrayed her true feelings as she picked up the flute. "I'll just play a random tune, but don't fall behind the rhythm."

A melodious yet slightly eerie flute melody echoed through the bamboo forest. Tayuya's flute playing was incredibly penetrating, seemingly capable of stirring the surrounding air.

Seeing this, Shouhan's lips curled up slightly. She gently waved her iron fan, not creating a strong wind, but controlling the subtle airflow to pass through the bamboo leaves, producing a rustling harmony that blended perfectly with the flute music.

"The resonance of wind and sound?" Toki closed her eyes and gently tapped her fingers on her knee. As someone from Wano Country, although she didn't have a shamisen in her hand at the moment, she softly hummed an old Wano folk song.

The song was ethereal and melodious, as if it had traveled through eight hundred years of time, transforming the harshness of the Warring States period into tender affection.

Although Carrot couldn't understand the lyrics, the cross-racial emotions were universal. Instead of banging on the table, faint sparks of electricity flickered on her body, the current dancing in the air and making a "buzzing" sound, miraculously catching on the rhythm of the flute, like a unique percussion.

The sounds of wind, flutes, singing, and electricity.

These four distinct sounds, within this small bamboo grove, surprisingly created a melody called "Harmony." The melody ended.

"Phew..." Tayuya put down her flute, a genuine smile appearing on her face for once. "The coordination wasn't bad. Especially that rabbit, I didn't expect your electronic music to have such a good rhythm."

"Hehe! That's the rhythm of electricity!" Carrot puffed out her chest proudly. "Next time, bring Coco too, she's even better than me!"

“It’s incredible.” Shi Jing opened her eyes, her golden pupils full of smiles. “We come from different worlds and different races, and we can actually sit together and play a duet. If Lord Mashiro could hear this, he would be very happy.”

"What does that girl know about music?" Temari snorted, putting away her fan. "She only listens to that rock stuff, it's so noisy." Although it was a sarcastic remark, everyone could hear the affection in Temari's tone.

Just as the four mothers were enjoying a rare moment of peace, a commotion suddenly erupted outside the bamboo grove. "Mom! I knew you were here!"

"Tayuya! Did you approve my allowance request?!"

With two loud shouts, two girls who looked exactly alike (except for their hair and eye color) and were wearing the same black and white Lolita dress rushed in. It was Sachi and Mei.

Following closely behind were Coco, who was holding a carrot in her hand, and Amber, who was looking away from him with a helpless expression. "Why are you here?" Shouhan frowned. "Weren't you eating in the banquet hall?"

"It's too noisy over there!" Xing plopped down next to Shouhan, sprawling out without any regard for appearances. "That glass thing got bigger and crushed the table. Then Aunt Wanhua and Aunt Feilun started fighting again, dust flying everywhere, making it impossible to sleep."

So we ran away. "Mom, I just closed a big deal with Zona, and I need some start-up capital! Can you lend me some? When I make money, I'll buy you a pure gold flute!"

"Get lost!" Tayuya's forehead veins bulged. "Trying to scam me out of my money? No way!"

"Garchu! Mom!" Coco jumped straight into Garrot's arms, the two rabbits cuddling and snuggling together. "I just had a race with Hatsumi, and I won by half a body length! But I've finished my carrots!"

"Here, Mom has some more." Carrot pulled a carrot out of her cloak as if by magic.

Amber walked over to Shi's side, sat down quietly, and poured her mother a cup of tea: "Mother, there's some chaos outside, and Sister Tianchen is maintaining order. I sensed that your aura is stable, so I came to check on you."

"You've worked hard, Amber." Shi gently patted her daughter's head. "Are you getting along well with your sisters from another world?"

“Hmm.” Amber nodded, a glint of light flashing in her golden eyes. “Coco is quick, and Zona is very interesting. Although she’s a bit noisy, she’s not unpleasant.” The four mothers wore different expressions as they watched their daughters suddenly intrude and break the silence.

Although Tehan disliked Sachi's laziness, he still fanned her with a fan; although Tayuya scolded Mei for being greedy, he still took out a few gold coins from his pocket and stuffed them into her hand (while scolding her); Carrot and Coco were sharing carrots; Toki and Kohaku were quietly enjoying each other's company.

"This is the home that Mashiro wanted."

Shouhan looked at this scene and suddenly sighed.

“Noisy and chaotic,” Tayuya added. “But it’s warm and delicious!” Carrot concluded.

"Yes, this is now." Shi smiled and looked up at the sky.

The wind blew through the bamboo forest again, and this time, it brought not the mothers' complaints, but the laughter of the girls.

"By the way, Mom, that girl named Zona said that if we develop this bamboo forest into a panda ecological park, we could make a fortune by charging admission fees!" Ya's voice rang out again.

"Shut up! You're not allowed to sell the palace land!" "Oh, Mom, you're so rigid!"

"Xing! Sit up straight! Don't slouch like you have no bones!" "Ugh, this is so troublesome."

Amidst the lively arguments, the fourth session of the Mother's Tea Party also came to a close amidst chaos and warmth.

Bonus Chapter: Tea Party (Part 5)

Location: Jingxue Study, west side of the Imperial City, Ninja Kingdom; Time: One hour after the start of the Royal Meeting.

To the west of the palace, there is an exquisite villa that stands apart from the main hall.

There are no cherry blossoms or tropical plants planted here; instead, the place is shrouded in a thin layer of white mist.

Even in the warm afternoons of the capital, the temperature here remained refreshingly cool. This was Bai's residence, and also the place with the richest collection of books in the palace—"Jingxue Study".

As the sounds of the martial arts arena faintly drifted in, the air here seemed to freeze, with only the rustling of turning pages and the crisp clinking of ice cubes. In front of the French windows of the study, a "young man" (actually a woman, but retaining her former clothing habits) dressed in a plain white kimono knelt beside the tea table.

She had long, straight, smooth black hair, and her face was so pretty that it would make most women envious.

Within this vast royal family, Shiro is a unique figure. She did not bear any children, not because she was incapable, but because she chose to give them up. In her heart, she always defined herself as Shiro's purest "tool" and "guardian," as well as "Aunt Shiro" shared by all the royal children.

At that moment, Haku's fingers lightly traced a line in the air. "Ice Release: Ice Flower Technique".

As the moisture in the air condenses, a few crystal-clear ice lotus flowers bloom in the teacup, bringing the hot tea to a suitable temperature.

"Your Ice Release technique, no matter how many times I look at it, is like a fragile work of art. It reminds me of an old friend, but that person was not as kind and gentle as you."

Sitting opposite Bai was an intellectual beauty dressed in a black bodysuit with a purple long gown over it. She was wearing glasses and holding a thick ancient book in her hands. Behind her, several slender arms made of flower petals were helping to support the weight of the book.

She is Nicole Robin.

“Miss Robin, you flatter me.” Bai Wen smiled gently and pushed the iced tea towards Robin. “Compared to your daughter Flora’s ‘giant tree’ that can suppress a raging storm, my ice is merely a little show for decoration.”

“Flora, that child…” Robin closed the book, a helpless yet indulgent smile in his eyes, “She doesn’t have much of a desire for power, on the contrary…”

"But I'm more interested in your collection of books. I just saw her over at the training grounds; she seemed to be discussing the biological principles of sleep techniques with that Uchiha woman named Miko."

“Although Miss Miko may seem arrogant, she actually longs for intellectual resonance,” Bai said softly. “Miss Miko must be very happy to have a sister like Miss Flora.”

The two women smiled at each other, enjoying this rare moment of tranquility. Compared to the mothers outside who were either drinking contests, playing games, or engaging in martial arts competitions, they cherished this spiritual connection even more.

Just then, the door to the study was gently pushed open.

"Phew. Finally found a quiet place."

Kurenai walked in looking somewhat tired, a hint of helplessness in her signature red eyes, and the lingering fragrance of the illusion she had picked up while setting up the illusion in the corridor.

“Miss Hong, you look a little tired?” Bai immediately stood up and conjured up another ice flower. “Please have some tea.”

“Thank you, Shiro.” Hong took the tea, leaned back on the soft couch without any regard for her image, and let out a long sigh. “It’s complete chaos outside. Manka and Filon are having a strength contest, and they’ve broken all the garden paving stones; Kushina and Tsunade are having a drinking contest, and they’re so loud I can hear them even inside the illusion barrier; and Tayuya… it sounds like they’re having a concert?”

"Hehe, that was certainly lively."

Another gentle voice rang out along with Red's footsteps.

Tianyue, who had just "escaped" from the bamboo forest, also stepped gracefully in.

“Mrs. Shi.” Robin politely rose to her feet. For this woman from eight hundred years ago, who had personally experienced the “Void Century,” as an archaeologist…

Robin always held him in the highest esteem.

"Excuse me, everyone." Shi bowed slightly, then sat down next to Robin. "While the bamboo grove is elegant, Carrot and Tayuya's duet..."

"Get up... that kind of enthusiasm is really a bit overwhelming for an old man like me."

The four women, all of whom were reserved and preferred quiet, finally gathered together. The conversation naturally began with Robin.

“Mrs. Toki.” Robin pushed up her glasses, her eyes gleaming with a thirst for knowledge. “Actually, I’ve always wanted to ask you, during those eight hundred years you traversed, what was the biggest difference between the world you saw and the world that Lord Mashiro has created now?”

This question instantly made the atmosphere in the study more somber.

Holding a teacup, he looked through the window at the towering structure in the distance that blended ninjutsu and technology.

"The biggest difference..." Shi said softly, "In the past, whether in Wano Country or overseas, people were 'waiting,' waiting for Joy Boy, waiting for the Child of Prophecy, waiting for dawn... um... time is a heavy shackle."

She paused, a gentle smile curving her lips.

"But now, in this age of jade, what I see in my daughter Amber and the other children is no longer waiting, but creation; time is no longer a shackle, but a paintbrush in their hands."

"Creating the future...?" Kurenai mused. "Indeed, like my Namiya (Yuhi Namiya). Although she's introverted, the dreamlike scenes she created with genjutsu are unimaginable to ninjas who previously existed solely for killing."

History is the same. Robin's fingers gently traced the spine of the book. "Before, I deciphered the Poneglyphs to find the Ancient Weapons, to understand the darkness of the world. Now, Flora deciphers history simply to satisfy her curiosity, to understand the origins of chakra and Devil Fruits. That purity is truly enviable."

“This is precisely what Lady Mashiro wants to protect,” Shiro interjected softly. “Not just peace, but also the freedom to choose.” The atmosphere was just right when Kurenai suddenly looked at Shiro, her eyes filled with a concern that only women could understand.

“Speaking of which,” Bai Hong hesitated for a moment before asking, “seeing everyone coming back with their daughters… do you feel lonely?” The study fell silent for a moment.

Robin and Toki stopped what they were doing and looked at Shiro.

In this large family, almost all the main women had children with Mashiro, except for Shiro and Stussy. Shiro paused for a moment, then revealed that pure, snow-lotus-like smile.

“No, Miss Hong.” Bai shook her head, her eyes clear and bright. “It’s not that Lord Bai doesn’t love me, nor that I can’t, but… I think things are just fine as they are now.”

Bai stood up, walked to the window, and looked down at Liuli, Keke, and Chujian running and playing in the garden below.

"I am Lady Mashiro's tool, and also her shadow. If I had my own child, I might develop selfish desires and wouldn't be able to act as I do now."

Love all children unconditionally.

Bai turned around, his back to the sunlight, and his whole body seemed to glow.

"To me, Miss Wanhua is my child, Miss Yuzi is, and Miss Liuli is too. Whenever I see them call me Aunt Bai, I feel that I am the happiest mother in the world."

"And," Bai playfully winked, "without the hassle of taking care of children, I can spend more time with Mashiro-sama, right?" Hearing this answer, all three mothers smiled with relief.

“Truly worthy of White,” Red exclaimed. “We probably can’t even compare to this pure love.”

“Yes.” Shi nodded. “Like snow, though cold, it gently covers the earth and nourishes all things.”

“Miss Bai’s level of understanding is truly admirable,” Robin said with a smile. “However, if Flora ever does anything inappropriate in the future, please bear with her. Sometimes she forgets everything when she’s buried in her books.”

“Miss Flora is very well-behaved.” Bai sat down again. “Actually, I really enjoy listening to her stories about the sea.”

Just then, the door to the study was pushed open again. "Aunt Bai! Mother! Are you here?"

Peeking in was a girl with black curly hair and ruby-like eyes—Yūhi Rui. Behind her followed Nico Flora, who looked calm and was holding a notebook, and Amaterasu Kohaku, who was always a step behind.

"Tears?" Hong sat up straight. "What's wrong? Is it over outside?"

Not yet. "Tears smiled a little shyly, "But Sister Wan Hua and Sister Fei Lun were drinking too fiercely, and Sister Zona was running a gambling game. Flora, Amber, and I felt it was a bit noisy, so we wanted to come here to hide."

“I…would like to have some tea,” Amber added softly, her golden eyes filled with anticipation. Looking at their three relatively quiet daughters, the four mothers exchanged a smile.

"Come in." Bai waved his hand, and the icy mist in the room dissipated a bit, revealing more cushions. "Perfect timing, we were just talking about you guys." "Talking about us?" Flora walked over curiously and naturally sat down next to Robin.

“Talking about how you two make things so much easier for us, except for the occasional time when you get stuck on something,” Robin said with a smile, tapping her daughter’s forehead. Flora, the mother, unusually acted coquettishly.

Tears walked over to Red and said excitedly, "Mom, just now, Sister Xin Nu and I used illusion magic to turn Lilim's ghost into a colorful one, and everyone said it looked beautiful!"

"Really?" Hong stroked her daughter's curly hair. "It seems you've grasped the true essence of illusion's 'beauty.'"

Amber sat quietly between Shi and Bai, took the iced tea Bai offered, and whispered, "Thank you, Aunt Bai." "You're welcome, Miss Amber," Bai said gently.

At this moment, the afterglow of the setting sun shone through the French windows into the study, dyeing the originally cold and icy world with a warm golden hue.