Land of Wind, Sunagakure.
More than a month had passed in a flash, and Sunagakure had fully recovered. Centered around the former village site, the plains that had once been ravaged by Tailed Beast Bombs now stood transformed, filled with newly constructed buildings, courtyards, parks, and towers of various architectural styles, all meticulously arranged across the landscape.
In the distance, the hum of ongoing construction persisted with more structures rising rapidly.
Throughout the streets and alleys of Sunagakure, the expressions of the villagers radiated excitement and contentment. These weren't just native residents. Merchants and laborers from far beyond the village had also made their way here. The merchants, in particular, were thrilled. Beyond the hefty profits earned through construction contracts, they had made a killing by selling goods imported from outside.
These items were eagerly bought up in the village and converted into hard currency with astonishing ease. For them, it felt as if money was lying all over the ground waiting to be picked up. Never before had they imagined that making money could be so effortless.
For the laborers, many of whom were ordinary civilians struggling to survive in a turbulent world, the chance to hold a stable job that provided enough to avoid starvation and even save a little was like a gift from heaven. A significant number had already decided to settle permanently in Sunagakure, leading to a rapid surge in population.
The original residents of Sunagakure had their own reasons to rejoice. It wasn't just the influx of newcomers bringing prosperity but also an unexpected windfall. The village leadership had declared that the original Sunagakure area would be transformed into the new city center, which meant all those who had lived there would be relocated to newly constructed residential districts outside the former village boundaries.
Normally, in a militarized village like Sunagakure, such an order would be carried out without question, but what caught everyone by surprise was the Kazekage's offer of compensation. Every family was given two brand new houses that matched the size of their original residence, along with a generous cash settlement.
This sudden abundance sparked a wave of affluence among the people. Years of war had instilled a sense of caution in the villagers, so they didn't immediately rush into reckless spending. Still, the local economy began to thrive.
The effect became even more pronounced when the village government officially lifted the nightly curfew. For over a month now, Sunagakure had remained vibrant even at night, brightly illuminated and full of life. Countless shops stayed open well past midnight, some even until one or two in the morning.
Most of these shops were opened by local villagers, while outside merchants and newly arrived immigrants filled in the gaps. Together, they created a sustainable and thriving economic cycle.
The village's reconstruction efforts attracted a wave of outsiders whose presence sparked commercial activity. That economic boom, in turn, lured more people to settle, and as the population grew, so did the village's momentum.
Of course, someone had to bear the financial burden of this growth. That responsibility fell on the village's treasury. Sunagakure had poured an enormous amount of real funds into jumpstarting and sustaining this rapid development.
The savings that had taken over a year to accumulate, meant to last a decade for military and logistical needs, were now evaporating like snow under the desert sun. Even Rasa, the Kazekage, was forced to rely on his Gold Dust techniques, extracting raw gold from the desert to replenish the dwindling reserves.
This was despite the fact that Rasa had already anticipated this situation and taken measures to address it. He had sold portions of village land to raise funds and handed over numerous construction and development projects to the factions behind Pakura and Michikawa in order to ease some of the pressure on the village's coffers.
Even so, Rasa was confident that the financial strain would soon be alleviated. After all, the Flowing Sand River had finally been completed just this month.
Sunagakure.
As the first light of dawn stretched over the horizon, the village was already alive with activity. From above, the view revealed tightly packed crowds filling the streets and alleys, all moving steadily in the same direction.
That destination was the very edge of what used to be Sunagakure, now transformed into a new landmark at the site of the massive crater left behind by a Tailed Beast Bomb. The village had reshaped the ruin into a place of honor, naming it after the First Kazekage, Lake Reto.
Unlike a month ago, Sunagakure had evolved into a genuine oasis. Lush greenery, once a rare and isolated miracle, had now spread to every corner of the village, wrapping its streets and structures in vibrant life and turning the entire area into a living sanctuary. This transformation even attracted desert wildlife, and the presence of these animals brought a sense of vitality that had long been absent.
In the eyes of most villagers and outsiders, all of this was the result of the Kazekage's powerful jutsu. But only a handful knew the truth: the miraculous energy radiating from the mysterious Dragon's Oasis was the true source of the village's rebirth.
As for the land around Lake Reto, since it was unsuitable for residential development, it had been converted into a public park. Now, the entire park was filled with a dense crowd. People of all kinds had come, all waiting for another miracle to unfold before their eyes.
Even though the sudden explosion of plant life had already swept away the dryness and sterility that had defined Sunagakure for generations, the village still faced one critical issue: its chronic water shortage. But after today, that long-standing problem would finally come to an end.
While seawater itself couldn't be directly consumed, the vast climatic shift surrounding Sunagakure meant that the increased evaporation from the ocean would bring more rain, indirectly addressing the water crisis. On top of that, the newly built segment of the Flowing Sand River connecting the Land of Demons to Sunagakure would soon begin supplying an endless flow of fresh water.
Today was the day the gates of the Flowing Sand River would be opened.
From the skies above, one could see the long river channel already filled with seawater transported from the distant ocean. Crowds of people lined both banks of the river, standing beneath shade trees specially planted for comfort, all waiting with bated breath for the opening ceremony to begin.
At the place where the Flowing Sand River met Lake Reto, the wide river split into five separate channels. Each of these had a towering floodgate looming above, designed to control the water's release.
A series of buildings stood alongside the riverbank. These belonged to a newly founded department within Sunagakure, the Sunagakure Maritime Administration. The villagers all knew this was the new agency responsible for managing the Flowing Sand River. There were two main administrative hubs.
One was at the river's mouth where it met the sea. Any ship wishing to enter had to undergo inspection by Sunagakure's authorities before sailing inland. The second was located here, at the junction between the river and the village. Ships arriving with goods would be taxed ten percent of the total value of their cargo before they were permitted to enter Sunagakure's territory.
Though that ten percent tax made many merchants uneasy, none dared to protest. The savings in transport costs brought by the Flowing Sand River far outweighed the tariff. It was an unavoidable trade-off and one they had all accepted.
Just then, under the collective gaze of the assembled crowd, the man responsible for all these sweeping changes stepped forward, the one whose presence inspired both awe and reverence.
The Kazekage of Sunagakure, Rasa.
He didn't say anything unnecessary. He stood tall, his gaze fixed ahead, and calmly spoke two words.
"Open it."