Chapter 25: Strategic Judgment
The Land of Rōran.
Much like the Land of Waves, calling it a "country" might be a stretch—it's more accurately described as a city-state. The so-called "capital" is its only real settlement; the rest of its population is scattered across tiny tribal outposts that barely even qualify as villages.
In a world like this, such micro-nations are hardly rare.
Even though countless small countries have vanished from the pages of history since the advent of shinobi a thousand years ago, many still endure. Some have survived for centuries, with histories long enough to rival even the Five Great Nations.
The reasons these small countries persist vary—some due to historical legacy, but most because of geography. The majority remain as buffer zones, left intact by the Great Nations for strategic purposes.
Countries like the Land of Rivers, Land of Fields, Land of Hot Water, and Land of Birds serve this purpose.
There are also exceptions—special nations like the Land of Iron, the Land of Craftsmen, and the Land of Demons. These aren't strategically located buffers, but they possess abundant natural resources and unique abilities. They've managed to avoid conquest either because:
It's diplomatically or politically risky for the Great Nations to act (like the Land of Demons).
Any one nation making a move would provoke a collective response from the others (as with the Land of Craftsmen).
Most surviving small nations fall into one of these two categories.
But Rōran is different.
It seems to fit both molds—and yet, neither. Especially now, amid the Mist Village's movements against the Sand Village, Rōran's position has become... conspicuous.
When Kakashi pointed at Rōran on the map, the rest of the team—Black Hawk, Phosphor, and Foxhound—immediately froze, turning their eyes toward him in unison.
"What's your reasoning, Shadow?" Black Hawk asked solemnly.
Kakashi's tone was steady:
"Because it's situated exactly at the crossroads between three great nations—Fire, Wind, and Rivers. It's a critical transportation hub in the south. And more importantly, there have long been rumors that Rōran houses a mysterious power source known as the Dragon Vein. Even if those stories are exaggerated, its potential would still attract interest."
In the original timeline, Kakashi vaguely remembered Rōran being involved in a storyline around the time of the Third Shinobi World War. While the anime never made it clear whether Rōran's fall was due to the Dragon Vein or other factors, one thing was certain:
Rōran eventually disappeared, absorbed entirely into the Land of Wind.
Now, watching the Mist ninja head straight north—toward the tri-border area where Rōran lies—Kakashi's instincts screamed it wasn't a coincidence. They couldn't possibly be making a long detour just to strike deeper into the desolate core of the Wind Country, could they?
That would make no sense.
After all, the Land of Wind wasn't like the Land of Fire. It was mostly barren—vast deserts and empty badlands made up more than 70% of its landmass. Even the Sand ninja themselves couldn't be bothered to station troops in those regions. Out of the entire country, there were only three areas of actual value:
1. The East – closest to the Land of Fire. This area featured plains, oases, and sparse greenery—though it made up only about 4–5% of the country's total area, it was home to its largest cities and served as the main population and economic center.
2. The North – a mountainous region near the Sand Village's northern fortress. Rich in rare minerals and metals, this area was of high strategic value. It's where most ninja tools like kunai and shuriken were forged. The Stone Village had spent decades trying to seize it, not for its desert, but for its resources.
3. The Southern Coast – bordering the sea, this region had a drastically different climate and ecology. It was the only part of the Land of Wind that was truly livable by conventional standards and served as the main route for international trade.
This southern coastline was dotted with small but prosperous nations like the Land of Spring, Land of Tea, and Land of Rainbows. Historically, whenever the Mist Village invaded the Sand Village, their goal was always this region. If the Mist could dominate the southern seas, they could monopolize mission contracts and trade across the whole region.
Even more critically, the Land of Craftsmen would fall under their sphere of influence.
While each Great Nation had its own blacksmiths, none could match the elite ninja tools crafted in the Land of Craftsmen.
Even Kakashi's father's iconic White Chakra Blade, which had cut down countless foes, was forged there.
To any nation vying for dominance, controlling the Land of Craftsmen was a strategic priority.
And among all the Hidden Villages, Kirigakure held the greatest geographical advantage to make that a reality. Many of their past wars had subtly aimed at this goal.
Now, with Mist ninja showing up en masse along the southern shores—and another unit advancing north—if this northern force captured Rōran, they could essentially cut off the southeastern corridor that linked the Sand Village and the Leaf Village to the southern coast.
Sure, there were other routes—but none as direct or well-traveled as this one.
Not to mention, if Rōran did house the Dragon Vein, that added yet another layer of motivation.
The Hidden Villages never shied away from stockpiling more power. Take the Cloud Village, for example—they'd practically tried to collect every bloodline limit they could get their hands on.
So, when Kakashi made his proposal, the other three fell silent, their gazes fixed on the map, thoughts churning.
There, at the very heart of the southern crossroads, lay Rōran—a strategic chokepoint, hiding an unknown power, poised on the edge of conflict.
"…Captain," Phosphor finally said, nodding with grave clarity. "I think Shadow's theory makes sense. Based on their movement patterns, it really does look like the Mist's true target is Rōran. If they seize it, they'll sever the Sand's southeastern access. That'll force them to maneuver through the western deserts instead—a far less efficient route."