"If you want to get rich, build roads first."
It was an age-old proverb—and a truth Rasa deeply understood.
If Sunagakure wanted to strengthen its ties with the outside world and attract more visitors, if they wanted to develop a true third industry sector, they needed more than just things people wanted to visit for—they also needed infrastructure.
Because otherwise, why would anyone go out of their way to enter a lifeless, GPRS-less desert? Unless someone was actively looking to suffer through a month-long desert survival challenge, it just wasn't happening.
Even during the 4WD Grand Prix, most civilians had only made it because local shinobi had escorted them safely through the desert.
Standing over a large map of the Land of Wind, Rasa stared with helpless resignation.
Compared to the detailed maps of other shinobi villages, Sunagakure's map was laughably simple—an enormous expanse of yellow, with a few sparse circles marking out "green zones" and settlements. A few explanatory notes, and that was it.
Frankly, the map was more decorative than practical.
He gave it a cursory glance before tossing it aside.
That thing? Might as well use it for toilet paper. Try following it and you'd be lost in a heartbeat.
Still, it was time to convene a meeting soon. They had to start laying out a proper road-building strategy.
Even within the village, roads were needed.
Rasa's current development plan started with roads, then moved to housing improvements. His dream was to turn Sunagakure into a kind of "desert Dubai"—a true oasis in the sands.
But laying roads in the desert? That was no small task. Just solidifying the sand or mixing it with cement was a massive technical and financial hurdle.
The costs were staggering.
But Rasa knew not to push things too fast. Overextending would just backfire.
For now, the best approach was to take things one step at a time.
Ever since Elder Ebizo had helped implement concrete housing and electrical grid infrastructure, they'd begun laying concrete roads across the village. Most of the village was now paved.
The next step…
"Once the internal roads are finished, we'll begin construction of a road connecting to the Land of Rain."
Given Sunagakure's current budget and its commitment to internal development and the ambitious water pipeline project bringing water from the north, a single inter-country road was all they could afford for now.
Stretching his back with a groan, Rasa walked out of his office.
The toy factory had sent news earlier—apparently, a new toy had been successfully developed.
Since its founding, the factory had mainly exported just a few products: talking dolls (both cloth and glass models), 4WD cars, and remote-controlled vehicles derived from the 4WD concept.
Not a huge product line.
Projects like singing and dancing dolls, remote-controlled airplanes, battling tops, and yo-yos were still in development. While not technically difficult, the hard part was making the tops and yo-yos responsive to the user's chakra and able to produce flashy visual effects during battle.
Still, now that chakra control via rings had been achieved with the 4WD cars, the research was already halfway done. Only the visual effects remained to be perfected.
Which meant the new toy the factory had teased was likely one of these.
Although overall technological development in the shinobi world hadn't yet reached the bizarre levels seen around the 60th year of Konoha, Sunagakure did have one particular advantage:
A low-key genius.
With Sasori—a brilliant, boundary-pushing engineering mind—on their side, crafting toys was a breeze.
They weren't asking him to build a Gundam, after all.
Just a while ago, he'd already developed a simple washing machine with spin-dry functionality.
Sure, washing machine tech wasn't particularly advanced. Other villages would likely catch up with refrigerators and washers soon. But being first still meant profits—and brand recognition.
That's why Sunagakure was already laying the groundwork for its own brand image.
Currently, their exported home appliances included washing machines and induction cooktops. Refrigerators and air conditioners were still in the works.
The only disappointment?
The Shinobi King arcade machine project was still dead in the water.
But at least the "Shinobi King 52" home console was about to enter mass production. Once sales revenue came in, they'd finally have the funding to properly refine the arcade machine.
The toy factory was located outside the main village.
Last year, Rasa had proposed an "Industrial Zone Initiative," and since then, the factories had been undergoing renovation and expansion. At this point, it had grown into a sizable industrial sector.
Who knows? Maybe one day, Sunagakure will host the Shinobi World's first real industrial district.
Upon arriving, staff immediately ushered him into the toy lab.
"Lord Kazekage!"
At the testing area, a researcher handed him what looked like…
"…A top?"
Rasa blinked.
He stared at the strange, somewhat ugly object—a mix of black material and metal—then looked back at the researcher.
"Is it finished?"
Because what he wanted definitely wasn't some regular spinning top. And this… looked anything but marketable. Uncool. Unstylish. Not gonna sell.
"Yes, Kazekage-sama," the researcher said with a knowing smile. "Though compared to the 4WD cars, these battling tops require far more chakra. They're controlled via a special chakra ring. With chakra input, it projects whatever form the user imagines. This version is just a prototype. In the future, we can customize color and design based on demand."
Rasa frowned slightly.
"So… still controlled by a ring? Can the 4WD control rings be used?"
"They can—but the original rings will need modification."
"I see…"
In that case, they could develop an entire product line around it.
A Sunagakure-exclusive toy series. And if the rings were someday upgraded to include communication functions…
They could double as personal player accounts.
Of course, that was still a long way off. The ring was still limited to ninja use. For now, it was best to let the shinobi world gradually adapt to the idea.
Once everyone got used to the "Sunagakure Ring," the rest would follow naturally.
Rasa nodded approvingly and handed the prototype back.
"Run a test right now. Get a second one ready too. I want to see how they perform in actual battle."
Meanwhile, in Konoha—
"I refuse!"
Nono stood firm, her eyes locked on the shadowed figure before her—Danzo Shimura.
"No matter how much money you offer, I will not let those children work for you!"
Her voice shifted to pleading.
"They're just kids, Danzo-sama! I won't let them be turned into spies living in the shadows! Please… if you need someone…"
She drew a breath, making up her mind.
"Then I'll return to Root myself."
But—
Danzo simply stared at her. Silent. Unblinking.
Did I ever say I wanted those orphans to be spies?
No, he hadn't.
He gave the desk a calm tap with his fingers, then raised his voice.
"Silence."
His expression, as always, was grave—deep-set from years in the dark.
"I never said I wanted those brats to be turned into spies."
What nonsense.
He was Konoha's unseen blade—its silent shadow. A protector of the village.
Why would he ever harm its flowers?
His voice dropped again.
"Now shut up and listen. What I need you and the orphans to do is…"