WebNovels

Chapter 134 - Rebuilding the Hidden Sand Village [133]

To meet the village's rising electricity needs, Sunagakure had recently expanded its wind power generators just outside the village perimeter. Simultaneously, thermal power generation had entered the experimental phase. With a bit more time, Sunagakure would soon enter a new age of wind and thermal energy.

Rasa and Danzō walked the streets without guards. Only the two of them.

Well, strictly speaking, a few sneaky shadows trailed behind them.

Most likely, they were Root shinobi.

After all, Danzō was a cautious and calculating old fox. No matter how friendly the setting, this was still Sunagakure's territory—there was no way he'd truly show up alone, unguarded.

"I must admit… I didn't expect Sunagakure to be this bustling now."

Danzō glanced at the surroundings, a flicker of guarded wariness flashing in his eyes before he sighed. "You're quite something, Fourth Kazekage."

From roping him into joint ventures to organizing this so-called Shinobi Mini 4WD Grand Prix, everything this man had done was clearly aimed at advancing Sunagakure's prosperity.

Of course…

If a village lacks strength, no amount of prosperity means anything.

In the end, the shinobi world respects power above all.

"So, what exactly did you want me to see?"

"No rush. Let's walk a bit first."

Rasa smiled, shaking his head casually.

"You came all this way—it'd be a shame not to enjoy some of Sunagakure's sights."

He wasn't just here to pitch products today—he also intended to give Konoha a bit of a headache on the side.

"I've invested enormous manpower, materials, and funding to get Sunagakure to where it is today."

Rasa let out a sigh and adopted a wistful expression.

"These past few years, every coin we've earned has gone straight into rebuilding this village. Look—flattening roads across desert terrain isn't simple. And these buildings? They require massive amounts of labor, resources, and capital. Not to mention the educational subsidies and school expansions… all of that costs money. But of course, it hasn't been without benefits."

His expression brightened as he nodded in return to a few villagers who greeted him in passing.

"I've earned quite a bit of recognition. The people really trust me as their Kazekage."

"…"

Recognition?

Danzō narrowed his eyes slightly, scanning the villagers that had begun to gather around.

Indeed—this Kazekage's popularity was absurdly high.

Even Sarutobi Hiruzen, who'd served as Hokage for decades, never commanded this kind of public adoration. People were flocking to Rasa—and some even handed him food without asking for payment.

Meanwhile, back in Konoha, even the Hokage had to pay for his meals.

"Money, you see…"

Rasa handed Danzō a grilled sausage.

Nothing unusual about this kind of street food in the shinobi world, but if they were going to have a "heart-to-heart," they might as well commit to the act.

"Hoarding wealth is meaningless. Better to use it for the people—for the village. If you want to be a great leader, truly loved and respected, that takes more than strength alone."

"…"

Danzō said nothing. He gave Rasa a glance but kept his thoughts to himself.

Yes… the Kazekage made sense.

But Konoha was different.

In the end, power is what truly matters. The rest… can wait.

They continued walking for a while longer. Danzō still found himself a little surprised by how genuinely revered this Kazekage seemed to be…

"But where's this 'goods' you mentioned?"

Why haven't I seen it yet?

"Just ahead," Rasa said with a grin, pointing toward a storefront with a large sign reading:

[Sunagakure Local Specialties]

"Come, let's take a look. You should know—"

But before he could finish his sentence—

Rasa abruptly stopped in his tracks.

He stared straight ahead, eyes locked onto two kids standing in the street.

One had red hair and was hugging a black cauldron. The other had golden-blond hair, three whisker marks on each cheek, and was leaning lazily on his side with crossed arms.

Why are these two brats here?!

At that moment—

A sultry, honeyed voice rang out nearby.

"Hey there, handsome~ Come give it a try!"

...

A little earlier…

"So lively!"

Young Naruto walked through the streets with wide, curious eyes.

"This place is even more fun than Konoha~"

With the war just recently ended, Konoha's economy hadn't yet recovered. In contrast, Sunagakure had made special preparations for the upcoming Shinobi Mini 4WD Grand Prix, making the village feel especially festive.

"There's even a 4WD specialty store here!"

Naruto's face lit up as he looked around excitedly—especially when he saw the racing track outside the shop.

"The track's longer and more complex than Konoha's—and there's so many people racing!"

As for Kakashi…

"…"

Hands in his pockets, eye half-lidded as always, he wore his usual look of complete disinterest.

This mission was all about escorting Naruto for the race. That's it.

He wasn't nearly as hyped as Naruto—he was just along for the ride.

Of course…

He sniffed slightly, tugged at his nose.

Huh… Sunagakure's street food smells pretty good.

Sure, he was surprised by how much the village had changed—but that wasn't his problem.

No doubt the hidden Root operatives would be busy investigating that.

All Kakashi needed to do was keep an eye on Naruto.

There were still two days until the tournament. Might as well relax a bit.

He shuffled forward lazily, scanning the food stalls along the street.

Should I try some?

This was Naruto's first time outside the village. The kid was probably ecstatic.

Just thinking about it made Kakashi's mouth—hidden beneath his mask—tug upward ever so slightly.

But then he paused, frowning slightly. He turned his head to glance at Naruto, who had suddenly stopped and was staring at something intently.

What's he looking at…?

Kakashi followed his gaze and saw it:

A small, rainbow-colored kiddie ride shaped like a car, wobbling back and forth.

And a cheerful, singsong voice echoed from it:

"Daddy's daddy is Grandpa! Daddy's mommy is Grandma~"

What… the hell is this thing?

Kakashi blinked, dumbfounded.

Meanwhile, drawn by the ride's jingle, Naruto ran over curiously. He looked at the dazed child sitting atop the rocking car.

"What's this thing?"

"A kiddie ride," replied the red-haired boy, looking up at him.

He frowned slightly. He didn't recognize this blonde kid—but recalling the Leaf shinobi that arrived that morning, he figured this boy was probably from outside the village.

He looked into those bright blue eyes, brimming with curiosity, and hesitated.

"…Wanna try it?"

"Can I?" Naruto's eyes lit up. This was the first time someone had ever invited him to play.

Just as he was about to eagerly nod and say "yes"—

A strange voice interrupted:

"You brat from the Kazekage's family! Aren't you forgetting someone? Doesn't anyone care if I'm done playing yet?"

The voice had come from the red-haired boy's chest—from the black cauldron he was hugging.

"I, the mighty One-Tail, am not done enjoying myself! Put in another coin—NOW!"

"…Also, I don't like this blond brat."

There was a scent about him…

One that made Shukaku deeply uncomfortable.

More Chapters