The wind carried fine grains of sand, swirling in the air—a scene that never changed in this desolate land.
Deep within the desert lay Sunagakure, a village that looked abandoned at first glance. The war had left its mark, adding a layer of silence to the already bleak landscape.
...
Inside the Kazekage's office,
Rasa was fuming. The squad he had sent to Fire Country for a raid had vanished without a trace.
"Damn that daimyo… Damn Konoha…" Rasa cursed, venting his frustration.
Ebizō, standing nearby, was long used to such outbursts. The Wind Country's daimyo had cut off Sunagakure's funding, and they had barely managed to hold out this long. Supplies for the front lines were running dangerously low, and the village's internal budget was in shambles. Even the death benefits for fallen shinobi had been halted.
Doubt and discontent were spreading among the villagers. If not for Ebizō and Chiyo supporting him from behind the scenes, the Fourth Kazekage might have already been overthrown.
"We should sign a ceasefire agreement with Konoha as soon as possible. If we restore our mining operations and resume collecting tariffs, the village's finances will improve."
Though Wind Country was barren, its underground was rich in mineral resources—most of which lay deep in the desert, inaccessible to ordinary people. But shinobi, who could wield chakra, had no such limitations.
During times of peace, the border checkpoints controlled by Sunagakure brought in a significant amount of revenue. This tariff collection was an unusual privilege. In other nations, such duties fell under the jurisdiction of the daimyo's office. But Wind Country was different.
Its vast territory rivaled that of Fire Country, but its population was barely a fifth of the latter's. With such a long, poorly governed border—stretching alongside Land of Rivers, Earth Country, Rain Country, Bird Country, and even large lawless zones—Sunagakure had naturally taken over tariff collection.
Even so, life in the village remained harsh.
Rasa stayed silent, absorbing Ebizō's words. He knew the elder was right—if they signed the treaty, the village's finances would stabilize.
But what about him?
The war had pushed Sunagakure to the brink, and he was its leader. Once the fighting ended, the village would need someone to blame.
The instigator of the war.
The loser.
The first Kazekage to be overthrown by his own people.
Would Chiyo and Ebizō still support him then?
That was why he had delayed signing the ceasefire. He was searching for an opportunity—one last achievement to secure his position.
"…I will head to Land of Rivers soon to finalize the treaty." Even as he spoke, he knew he had no choice but to concede.
Once Ebizō left, Rasa stood alone, staring out at the village through his office window. His eyes flickered with a storm of emotions.
"You forced my hand," he muttered. "Tell Kirigakure that I accept their proposal."
"Yes, sir."
A shadow flickered in the dimly lit office. A moment later, it was gone.
—
Meanwhile, far away in Konoha, the atmosphere inside the Hokage's office was equally heavy.
Danzo had been summoned, but Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent, reviewing documents at his desk.
Time passed.
Then, at last, Sarutobi spoke—his voice low and controlled, like the calm before a storm.
"When you discovered the issue, you should have reported it to me immediately. Instead, you chose to escalate the conflict, Danzo."
Danzo's expression remained impassive.
"During wartime, eliminating enemy shinobi who infiltrate our borders is Root's duty."
Sarutobi looked up, his eyes dark and cold. "You know that's not what I mean. The Kazekage and the daimyo have already sent formal letters of protest. They demand an explanation."
"An explanation?" Danzo scoffed. "Are they asking why, in the middle of a war, I killed invading Sunagakure shinobi inside Fire Country?"
Sarutobi's face darkened, and he slammed his hand against the desk as he stood.
"The war with Sunagakure is already over—"
Danzo cut him off. "Tell that to the civilians who were slaughtered by their shinobi. War doesn't end that way, Hiruzen."
With that, he turned and left, leaving Sarutobi behind, his face clouded with anger.
At that moment, their long-standing rift became irreversible.
Stepping out of the Hokage's office, Danzo found himself momentarily lost in thought.
Ever since he had awakened in this world, he had done his best to avoid direct conflict with Hiruzen. He had focused on building power in the shadows.
Yet here he was, facing confrontation sooner than expected.
What had changed?
Was it the Root members who had died for their cause?
The innocent civilians caught in the crossfire?
Or was it something deeper—something unresolved in his heart?
…
"This world is a wretched place, and yet I am part of it," Danzo murmured.
A slight movement caught his eye. He turned to see Nonō Yakushi trailing behind him, her presence so quiet that most wouldn't have noticed.
"Nonō," he asked suddenly, "do you hate war?"
"Yes, sir," she replied. "War only ever brings more suffering."
For a moment, an old pain flickered in her eyes, stripping away the false smile she usually wore.
That rare glimpse of raw emotion made Danzo pause. A flicker of something—regret?—passed through him.
"…The members of Root must feel the same way," he murmured. For once, his voice was uncharacteristically gentle. "I'm sorry."
Nonō's eyes widened slightly.
Danzo swept his gaze across Konoha's bustling streets, his expression hardening once more.
"Konoha's war may be ending, but for Root, it is far from over."
"Yes," Nonō answered. She didn't know what had changed, but she could sense it—something about Danzo was different.
And for the first time, in the depths of his otherwise cold voice, she heard a trace of warmth.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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