Land of Wind, Sagara Village.
Once merely a quiet fishing settlement near the sea, this place had undergone a dramatic transformation in just two months.
Ever since the River of the Flowing Sand was confirmed and its course connected to the ocean through Sagara, the village had rapidly expanded, evolving from a humble outpost into a burgeoning trade port. Because it had remained obscure and underdeveloped for so long, Sunagakure had no trouble securing absolute control over the area without opposition.
Now, from a bird's-eye view, the once silent harbor that used to dock only a few fishing boats had become crowded with vessels of all kinds. Lining the coast were rows of shops, inns, gambling dens, and pleasure houses, all hastily built to cater to the wave of merchants flooding into the village.
They came chasing fortune along the new trade route of the River of the Flowing Sand. The trial operation of the river had ended successfully, and full-scale development was now underway. Over a hundred ships sailed daily toward Sunagakure, each hoping to ride this new tide of opportunity.
The village had become an insatiable beast, devouring goods from across the shinobi world. In truth, this boom also highlighted just how low the world's overall productivity remained, nearly all goods were still crafted manually.
Even the ships reflected that. Wooden sailboats, reliant entirely on wind and manpower, crawled across the sea, slow and limited in cargo capacity. Still, despite this primitive infrastructure, Sunagakure had quickly become the economic nucleus of the entire world.
But today, the mouth of the river was sealed.
Not because of any trouble with the river, but because two days from now, the Five Great Nations Conference would be held in Sunagakure. Each of the five great daimyō would be arriving by ship, escorted by the leaders of their respective shinobi villages, traveling together along the River of the Flowing Sand. The announcement sent ripples of excitement through the merchant fleets.
Everyone knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance.
For the next month, Sunagakure would be the center of power and wealth in the shinobi world. If one could gain even a sliver of opportunity during this time, their future could change overnight.
As dawn broke, those aboard merchant vessels anchored near the port spotted an awe-inspiring sight. Across the vast expanse of water, a grand formation of ships approached. At the head were five majestic vessels, each constructed in the unique architectural style of its homeland. Their opulence radiated power and wealth. Surrounding them were slightly smaller but still extravagant ships, likely bearing guards and retainers.
The contrast with the merchant ships was stark. The traders' boats looked pitiful, humble scraps of wood floating beside castles of the sea.
"So these are the daimyō's ships?"
"Incredible... just look at that size."
"Quit gawking! This is our moment!"
"Yeah! Wake up everyone. Once they pass through the port, we follow right behind. We've got to beat the crowd inland!"
"Right!"
---
Glittering sunlight danced on the sea's surface as a crimson ship sailed at the head of the convoy. Upon its mast fluttered a flag bearing the kanji for "Fire," and the sail bore an image of roaring flames. This was the ship of the Land of Fire.
Standing on its polished deck was Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage. At his side stood Shikaku Nara and Choza Akimichi. The three shinobi remained respectfully behind the daimyō of the Land of Fire, a man whose frail appearance belied the authority he wielded.
The daimyō gazed ahead at the sweeping man-made river and tapped his folding fan softly against his palm. His voice came out slow, yet heavy with meaning.
"Incredible... I never imagined the Land of Wind would give rise to such a formidable Kazekage."
Minato said nothing. He was equally awestruck.
Though he had read countless intelligence reports detailing the River of the Flowing Sand, nothing had prepared him for seeing it in person. The colossal river stretched endlessly before them, lined with cargo ships and bustling piers, a monumental project that defied belief. It was more than a feat of engineering; it was a revolution.
The scale, the ambition, the impact, it all left Minato with a single conclusion. This wasn't merely an achievement for Sunagakure. It was something that would uplift the entire Land of Wind.
But beneath that surface appreciation, something deeper stirred within him.
What struck Minato most wasn't the size of the river or the wealth it would bring. It was the realization that while most shinobi, himself included, continued to harness chakra as a weapon for destruction, Rasa had chosen another path, one that used chakra not to break the world, but to heal it.
In that moment, Minato felt as if a new horizon had opened before his eyes, a different vision of what chakra, leadership, and ambition could achieve. But before he could dwell further on the thought, the daimyō of the Land of Fire suddenly turned to him with a question.
"Hokage, do you think such a grand river could be built in the Land of Fire?"
"That..."
Minato was momentarily taken aback and found himself unable to respond. Thankfully, Shikaku stepped in calmly to answer.
"With all due respect, Daimyō-sama, while it is technically possible, it may not be necessary. The Land of Fire has a far more favorable natural geography than the Land of Wind. Unlike their harsh deserts, our terrain is rich and varied, and we benefit from many existing waterways. More importantly, our population density is significantly higher. There are numerous villages along the coasts. Constructing a river of this scale could cause massive disruption to people's lives and livelihoods."
"I see..."
The daimyō paused to consider, then let out a sigh tinged with frustration.
"What a pity. If the Land of Fire had a river like this, the daimyō of the Land of Wind wouldn't have the chance to boast in front of me."
The Konoha shinobi exchanged glances, and once again, Shikaku answered.
"I understand, Daimyō-sama. Once the conference concludes, please allow us from Konoha to perform a preliminary survey. If the project proves feasible, we can consider moving forward with a plan that minimizes disruption."
"Excellent. I look forward to your efforts!"
---
Elsewhere, aboard the ships of the other three great nations, excluding the Land of Water, similar discussions were taking place. The daimyō of both the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth had posed nearly identical questions to their respective Kage.
"My apologies, Daimyō-sama."
Darui, a close aide to the Third Raikage said.
"When the Raikage first heard about Sunagakure's river construction, he also explored whether a similar project could work in the Land of Lightning. However, after extensive evaluation, we determined it was unworkable."
"Oh? And why is that?"
Darui offered a resigned smile.
"The terrain of the Land of Lightning is overwhelmingly mountainous. While we do have rivers and lakes, the land is heavily segmented. Unlike the flat deserts of the Land of Wind, our geography poses constant structural challenges. In a way, it's precisely because the Land of Wind is so barren and open that such a grand-scale river was even possible."
"I see. Then it's not worth pursuing."
The Land of Earth, on the other hand, shared certain geographic similarities with the Land of Wind, large flatlands and wide open spaces. Theoretically, this meant a large-scale river system could be constructed there too. They also had the advantage of a strong corps of Earth Release shinobi who could ease the construction burden significantly.
But one overwhelming issue quashed any ambition from both the Earth Daimyō and the Tsuchikage: money.
The most recent war had been brutal on the Land of Earth. The conflict with Konoha alone had drained a considerable portion of their military budget. And now, they were scrambling to raise a ransom to retrieve their Four-Tails Jinchūriki. The nation simply did not have the financial capacity to fund a project of such immense scale.
---
Meanwhile, aboard the flagship of the Land of Wind...
The fat pig of a daimyo of the Land of Wind, was in a jubilant mood, far more animated than usual.
"Impressive, Kazekage. I had heard you were digging a river, but I assumed it would be a modest stream to water crops. I never imagined such grandeur. You've helped me save face in front of the other four daimyō."
Since all the other Kage were accompanying their respective lords, Rasa was naturally doing the same for his. Positioned nearby were familiar figures: the samurai Oden and his loyal retainer, Aoki Yasunao.
Rasa responded humbly.
"You flatter me. I merely sought to repair the damage caused by the Tailed Beast incident. At the same time, the project was aimed at resolving Sunagakure's long-standing water shortage."
Oden, true to form, remained silent and imposing. Aoki Yasunao, however, wasn't one to let matters rest.
"Kazekage-dono, while the Daimyō did grant permission for the construction of the River of the Flowing Sand, he did not grant exclusive rights to its profits, correct? So why have we yet to see any of the river's income reported to the Daimyō's office?"