Wind Country — Hidden Sand Village
Inside the Kazekage Building, the long conference room was filled with the highest-ranking officials of the Hidden Sand Village. Both sides of the table were lined with serious faces, all focused on the scroll placed at the center — a letter stamped with the official seal of the Wind Daimyō.
It was an official letter of accountability from the Daimyō himself.
At the head of the table sat an elderly woman with half-white hair and a face marked by time. Despite her wrinkled appearance, her sharp eyes commanded undeniable authority. No one dared to meet her gaze directly.
"Hmph," she let out a cold, bitter laugh. "We are supposed to be one of the five great ninja villages. Yet not only has the Kazekage disappeared without a trace, but even the Cloud Shinobi have managed to invade our territory with a force of ten thousand — and we didn't even realize until the Daimyō came demanding answers. It's laughable… no, it's shameful."
Though her voice was calm, it carried a cutting edge of fury that made the already tense air in the room feel like an icy cavern.
Ever since the disappearance of the Third Kazekage, the Hidden Sand Village had mobilized every available resource in the search for him. But despite months of effort, their Kazekage was still missing — and now, the Cloud Shinobi had taken advantage of the turmoil to launch a full-scale invasion.
The village was on the brink of crisis.
One misstep could lead to complete collapse.
At this critical moment, the person who stood at the center of it all was Chiyo — a legendary kunoichi, famed for countering the demigod Hanzo's poison in the Second Great Ninja War and forcing him into retreat. Her heroics had once saved the village, and now, she naturally assumed the position of leadership once again.
Although the room was full of high-ranking officials, none dared to speak back when Chiyo reprimanded them. They simply lowered their heads, accepting her scolding in silence.
"Sister," a gentle voice broke the silence. Sitting directly across from Chiyo was an elderly man with a calm demeanor.
"We must calm ourselves. The village cannot remain leaderless forever. Instead of arguing about accountability, we should focus on selecting a new Kazekage."
This man was Ebizō, Chiyo's younger brother. He was the only one who could speak to her so openly, even in her anger.
Chiyo exhaled deeply. She knew he was right. With no sign of the Third Kazekage, it was likely he had met a grim fate. There was no use in continuing a futile search. The only way forward was to stabilize the village — and for that, they needed a new Kazekage to unite and lead them.
"You're right. That's exactly why I've gathered everyone here," Chiyo said at last, her voice much calmer now. "Given the current situation, there's only one person in the village qualified to become the Fourth Kazekage… and that's Rasa."
All eyes turned toward the young man seated further down the table.
Though waves of emotion rippled through Rasa's heart, he remained outwardly composed under the gaze of the entire room.
After hearing about the Cloud Shinobi's invasion, he had already guessed this moment might come.
He possessed a unique bloodline ability — Magnet Release — just like the Third Kazekage, and he had become well known throughout the village as a rare prodigy among the younger generation.
From a young age, Rasa had dreamed of becoming Kazekage. When he discovered he could manipulate gold sand, he used that power to mine deep into the desert, retrieving gold to exchange for supplies. He then distributed those supplies to the poorer families of the village — all free of charge.
This act of generosity earned him deep respect among the villagers. Even the Third Kazekage had praised him more than once, stating that he had the wisdom and heart of a true Kage.
Naturally, the elders and officials at the table began nodding in agreement.
Chiyo continued, "After this meeting, the village elders and I will submit a joint recommendation to the Daimyō, naming Rasa as the Fourth Kazekage."
With that settled, Chiyo's expression softened — but only slightly.
"Now, onto the next issue — dealing with the Cloud Shinobi invasion. Rasa, as the new Kazekage, this battle will be led by you. Let's hear your thoughts."
A Kage is the pillar of a village.
In times of war, they must stand at the front.
Like a lion leading a flock of sheep — even the weakest soldiers can defeat a stronger enemy with the right leader.
Rasa rose to his feet calmly and respectfully.
"I am still young and inexperienced," he began. "All of you here are my seniors. If I say anything improper, I ask for your correction."
His humility was sincere, but his voice was firm.
"The truth is, in terms of raw power alone, we cannot match the Cloud Shinobi."
His words caused a stir. Some elders began murmuring. A few hot-headed ones even glared at him — did he plan to admit defeat so easily?
"But!" Rasa raised his voice just before they could interrupt. "I still believe — we will win this war!"
The room quieted. The chief of the Intelligence Department finally asked, "What do you mean?"
"Because behind us are our families, our friends, our lovers, our comrades!"
"We have no path of retreat. Even if every last one of us must fall, we must fight to the death!"
Rasa's voice rang out, striking straight at their hearts.
The tension in the room shifted. The atmosphere grew heavier — but no longer with despair. It was now filled with grim resolve.
Yes… the enemy was already at their doorstep. If they didn't resist with everything they had, would they really surrender without a fight?
"Well said!" one of the hot-tempered elders shouted approvingly.
Chiyo nodded silently, deeply satisfied.
When armies clash, morale is key.
With just a few words, Rasa had roused their spirits and united the room. She had chosen well.
As for the specifics of battle plans and troop movements — the village's veterans would assist. The burden wouldn't fall on Rasa alone.
Soon, orders were being drafted and issued. The entire village entered a state of Level One combat readiness. Soldiers mobilized. Supplies were gathered. Hidden Sand was preparing for war.
---
Meanwhile, far across the desert, a small team of shinobi trudged through the shifting sands. After a full day of travel, they had finally reached the outskirts of the Wind Country's territory.
"Stop! Who goes there?" a voice barked.
From the rocky outcrops of a narrow canyon, three Sand Shinobi emerged, surrounding the small party. Their eyes were sharp, their weapons ready.
"We are messengers from the Hidden Leaf Village," said a young man at the front. His tone was steady, polite. "After learning that your village is under attack, we have been sent by the Hokage to form an alliance and assist you in overcoming this crisis."
The Sand Shinobi guards stared at him in disbelief.
Konoha? Offering aid?
During the last war, they had been bitter enemies. Now, with the Cloud Shinobi attacking, would Konoha really come to help?
Still, the lead guard remained composed. "This is a serious matter. May I ask your name, sir? I will need to report to the village first. We are under martial law — no outsiders may enter without authorization."
The man replied with a smile, "Namikaze Minato. I understand your caution."
The moment the name was spoken, the Sand Shinobi's eyes widened in shock.
The Yellow Flash of Konoha?!
This wasn't just any shinobi. This was a living legend. His tone instantly became more respectful. He gave quick instructions to his comrades and dashed off into the distance to relay the news.
—
Gulp gulp gulp—!
Obito let out a loud sigh of relief, finishing off the last of his water. "Finally… made it..."
He wiped his mouth, looking satisfied.
Kakashi merely shook his head.
They hadn't even been granted entry yet, and Obito was already letting his guard down.
In truth, it wasn't until after Rin's death in the original timeline that Obito became more cautious and sharp-minded. For now, this version of Obito still had much growing to do.
"I'm not thirsty. You take mine," Rin said kindly, handing her canteen to Obito.
Obito quickly waved her off. "No, Rin, you need it more than I do. The trip's been hard on you."
Before Rin could insist, one of the remaining Sand Shinobi interrupted them.
"Please, guests, no need to be modest. This is our own water supply. We guarantee it's clean and safe."
He handed over two water bottles courteously.
"Thank you," Rin said. But before drinking, she dropped a small blue pill into one of the bottles.
After a moment of observation and no visible reaction, she smiled, apologized politely, and passed the water to her teammates.
The Sand Shinobi were not offended.
Such caution was basic protocol among ninjas — and medical ninjas in particular.
One of the guards gave her a curious glance. "Are you a medical-nin?"
Rin nodded modestly. "A little bit, yes."
"Very impressive," the Sand Shinobi replied, sounding genuinely envious.
Among the Five Great Nations, only Konoha had a robust and advanced system for training medical ninja. In resource-strapped Sand Village, such skills were rare and treasured.
In fact, due to shortages, the villagers had developed… unusual methods. For instance, it was common to use stronger poisons to suppress symptoms before administering antidotes.
Sounded scientific in theory… but in practice? Questionable, at best.
Though most illnesses weren't cured, the villagers did develop impressive resistance to toxins over time.
---
Soon, the guard captain returned, bearing new orders.
"The Fourth Kazekage has issued a directive. You are to be escorted into the village immediately!"
Minato nodded, his eyes steady.
Finally, the alliance talks could begin — and the winds of war were about to shift.