Shigaraki Tanuki was once the chief scientist of the "Root" organization, responsible for weapon development using experimental ninja technology.
Now, he found himself walking a very different path.
How did it come to this?
It all started with Danzo Shimura.
The old war hawk had commissioned Tanuki to create ninja tools that would surpass anything the Sand Village had developed.
But the project was a complete failure.
The costs were astronomical—ten, maybe twenty times higher than the competition—and the results couldn't even match the Sand Village's existing technology.
In the end, the plan was scrapped.
Then Tsunade came back from her diplomatic mission to the Sand Village.
She wasted no time dismantling the corrupt inner circle of Konoha's leadership, removing the advisors and elders from power.
Danzo, humiliated and stripped of influence, seethed with hatred.
To him, it was obvious—Mufasa had poisoned Tsunade's mind against him.
He wanted revenge.
And if he couldn't attack Mufasa directly, he'd target Sand Village itself.
Danzo's voice was cold as he gave his orders.
"Tanuki, the Sand Village is recruiting researchers, correct?" His single eye gleamed in the dim light.
"You will infiltrate their ranks. Gain their trust. Learn everything about their weapons and their weaknesses. Then, report back to me."
Tanuki had no choice but to obey.
Alongside him, Sai was assigned as his assistant—another Root agent to ensure the mission's success.
Back in the Sand Village, Mufasa sat across from Orochimaru, listening as he reported the latest developments.
"What do you think?" Mufasa asked, tapping his fingers on the table.
Orochimaru's golden, slit-pupiled eyes gleamed with amusement.
"Danzo's desperate," he mused. "Sending an undercover agent into our ranks... predictable."
His tongue flicked out briefly, a habit of his.
"Shigaraki Tanuki is skilled in cell research, one of the best. If he works for us, it could be a great benefit."
Mufasa smirked. "And if he tries to steal our secrets?"
Orochimaru chuckled darkly. "Then he will never leave the Sand Village alive."
Mufasa nodded. "Fine. I'll leave this to you."
Orochimaru's fingers delicately traced over a collection of Sharingan resting in a glass case.
"As you wish, my lord."
After the battle with Iwagakure, Mufasa had pulled back from any major military actions.
Now, the focus was on infrastructure—building roads between the forty-six towns of the Land of Wind, expanding trade, and developing industry.
The Hidden Sand Village's weapons market was growing fast, spreading through the Land of Wind and creeping into the Land of Fire.
Once the treaty with Iwagakure was finalized, Mufasa had his sights set on expansion into the Land of Earth.
Then, there was the matter of the small yet vital Land of Rain.
But there was a problem— manpower. The Sunagakure had only 70,000 people.
That might be a decent-sized business in his past life, but for an entire nation's industrial development, it wasn't enough.
Production was struggling to meet demand.
He needed a solution.
Mufasa's gaze flickered to a map spread across his desk.
A thought crossed his mind—maybe the puppet master, Sasori, could be convinced to develop automated puppet factories to boost production.
His fingers traced the map, following the trade routes.
"We should connect the Land of Wind's highways to the Land of Fire," he mused.
"Maybe even build a railway... a train connecting Konoha and Iwagakure. A direct route through the Land of Rivers, or an alternate path skirting the Land of Rain..."
He paused, deep in thought.
Just then, Temari entered the room. "Boss, Konoha's delegation has arrived."
Mufasa rolled up the map. "Alright, let's go meet them."
Tsunade had finally agreed to a long-term partnership with the Sand Village.
Business was business, after all, and Sand Village paid well.
Mufasa had two major contracts lined up for Konoha:
A large-scale greening project—since the discovery of underground water sources, Sand Village had enough water to sustain plant life.
He wanted to bring more greenery to the desert, to improve the quality of life.
Endless rolling dunes of yellow sand weren't just harsh; they weighed on the spirit.
Medical collaboration—Konoha's medical ninjutsu was the best in the world, with a highly advanced system.
Sand Village needed their expertise to train its own medics and expand its healthcare system.
These were long-term, high-paying projects—enough to ease the trade imbalance between the two villages.
Leading the Konoha delegation was Yamato, assigned to oversee the greening project.
The medical team was led by Konoha's medical squad captain, Han. In total, about a dozen shinobi had arrived.
Among them, Mufasa also spotted Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura.
Naruto, as energetic as ever, grinned widely.
"Hey, Old man Mufasa! Can I see Sasuke?!"
He had been fascinated by everything on the journey—new technologies, unfamiliar sights—but none of it compared to his eagerness to reunite with Sasuke.
Before Mufasa could answer, Kakashi thumped Naruto on the head.
"Behave."
Sakura, walking beside them, was lost in thought.
She hadn't seen Sasuke in so long.
What was his life like now?
Had he changed?
How was he handling his... 'rehabilitation?'
She had so many questions but no answers.
Mufasa chuckled.
"Don't worry. We've already arranged accommodations for all of you. Once you're registered and authorized, you'll have free access to most areas. Temari will guide you through the process."
He grinned.
"The Sand treats its allies well."
Later that evening, Mufasa personally hosted a banquet to welcome the Konoha team.
It was a night of laughter, good food, and friendly conversation.
After the meal, Temari led the guests to their quarters, handling the final registration details.
And so, the first official collaboration between Konoha and the Sand Village began.
A few days after Konoha's delegation arrived, representatives from Iwagakure also made their way to the Sunagakure.
This time, the delegation was led by Kitsuchi. To Mufasa's surprise, Kurotsuchi had accompanied him.
After rounds of friendly yet intense discussions, Iwagakure found no objections to the proposed agreements.
Kitsuchi, acting as the official representative of the Tsuchikage, signed the bilateral trade agreement with Mufasa.
The deal solidified the "One Country, One Village" policy and included a formal exchange of hostages.
Once the contract was signed and the sealing scroll containing materials was handed over, Mufasa returned the slightly disgruntled Roshi to Iwagakure.
With the signing concluded, Mufasa raised a toast.
"From now on, the Sand and Stone will be like family."
"Let's work together to build a brighter future for the shinobi world."
The room erupted in applause.
At that moment, Kurotsuchi stepped forward.
"Kazekage-sama, you're an impressive leader. Please allow me to stay in the Sand Village for a while and study under your guidance."
Mufasa blinked, caught off guard. "Huh?"
She continued with a determined look.
"After our last exchange, we Iwa-nin realized the gap between us and the Sand Village. We want to improve, and I want to learn directly from you."
She met his gaze, unwavering. "Since you said we're as close as family, please grant my request."
Mufasa turned to Kitsuchi with a questioning look.
What's going on with your daughter?
Kitsuchi gave a small nod.
"Kurotsuchi is an ambitious child. The Tsuchikage has already approved her decision."
So that's how it is.
Mufasa studied Kurotsuchi for a moment.
She stood tall and confident, her posture straight as a blade.
He sighed internally.
Onoki, that old dog, is surprisingly open-minded about this.
Is this really just an innocent exchange?
Or are they trying to get an inside look at my village?
His research here is highly classified.
How should he handle this?
Kurotsuchi bowed slightly.
"Kazekage-sama, please accept me."
Mufasa thought for a moment.
"Our shinobi work hard. Can you keep up?"
Kurotsuchi smirked. "I can handle it."
Mufasa exhaled. "Fine, then. You can work as my secretary for now."
That would give him time to observe her.
The Sand Village had gained a lot of attention lately, and with fame came spies.
It wouldn't be surprising if Iwa had other agents lurking around.
Mufasa now had a new secretary.
Meanwhile, Konoha's medical team had begun working at the Hidden Sand Village hospital, helping to train medics and provide treatments.
Yamato had set out on his mission to cultivate greenery in the desert, a massive project that required delicate chakra control.
Naruto, on the other hand, was deep in training under Kakashi's guidance.
Konoha intelligence had reported an increase in activity targeting jinchūriki. Naruto needed to prepare for what was coming.
After a long day of training, Kakashi stretched.
"Alright, let's go get some ramen."
The living conditions in the Hidden Sand Village were surprisingly good.
Each shinobi had been assigned a comfortable apartment, complete with air-conditioning, utilities, transportation passes, and meal vouchers.
Life here was stress-free… aside from the restricted areas they weren't allowed to access.
After dinner, Kakashi leaned back on the couch, flipping through TV channels.
"Naruto, heading back?"
Naruto hesitated. "Actually… I want to check out the subway."
He had recently learned that Sasuke worked in the Hidden Sand Village's industrial district and commuted daily via subway.
Sakura had also found out.
The two of them planned to take the subway and see if they could run into him.
Kakashi knew about the situation.
The Hokage and Kazekage had already discussed it—Sasuke was sentenced to reform through labor in the Sand Village.
There was no way Naruto could just take him back to Konoha.
But Kakashi figured it wouldn't hurt to let them see him.
He waved lazily. "Alright, just don't stay out too late."
At the subway station, Naruto spotted Sakura waiting for him.
"Hurry up, Naruto!" she called.
Naruto grinned and ran up to her.
Together, they swiped their passes and entered the platform, waiting for the next train to the industrial district.
As a subway pulled up, a familiar figure stepped off.
"Sasuke!"
Naruto and Sakura called out simultaneously.
In the midst of the crowd, Sasuke turned his head at the sound of their voices.
For a brief moment, their eyes met.
Then, without a word, Sasuke turned and walked away.
Naruto and Sakura froze.
They hadn't expected him to be so indifferent.
Quickly, they chased after him.
"Sasuke!" Naruto reached out, but before he could get close, a voice snapped at them.
"Don't bother Sasuke."
A red-haired girl stepped in their way—Karin.
"Our Sasuke is busy."
Sakura's eye twitched.
Our Sasuke?
Somewhere deep inside her, an alternate version of herself was already throwing hands with Karin.
Ever since she had received the Kazekage's approval, Karin had declared herself Sasuke's girlfriend.
She clung to him after work, cooked for him, and took care of him.
And Sasuke… let her.
Kazekage-sama was right.
The Uchiha clan needed to rebuild.
Sasuke couldn't let the family line die out.
So, he had started accepting Karin's presence.
Naruto refused to give up.
He grabbed Sasuke's sleeve. "Sasuke, come back with us!"
Sasuke didn't even glance back.
He simply said, "Let go."
Naruto clenched his teeth, his voice thick with emotion.
"Sasuke, have you forgotten everything? All the time we spent together?"
Memories flooded Sasuke's mind.
Team 7. Their training. Their struggles. Fighting side by side. Almost dying for each other.
The bonds they had shared.
Naruto's voice broke. "Sasuke, Konoha is your home."
But Sasuke's eyes hardened.
Konoha… his home?
His family was slaughtered.
His clan erased.
The village had turned a blind eye to it all.
His voice was cold. "Konoha was never my home."
"The moment my clan was wiped out… I lost everything."
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Word count: 1911
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