The Kingdom of Wind.
The howling wind swept through the endless desert, kicking up yellow sand that danced and whirled violently across the vast landscape. The air was dry, the sun blinding, and the sky seemed as if it, too, had been stained by sand.
In this harsh, almost inhospitable environment, a lone figure slowly made his way through a desolate valley.
The man's windbreaker and robe were caked in dust, their original colors long lost to the unforgiving elements. His face was weathered, roughened by years of exposure to wind and sand. Yet despite the fatigue in his posture, his eyes gleamed with excitement and purpose.
This man was none other than Fourth Kazekage Rasa, leader of the Sand Shinobi Village.
He stood silently at the valley's base, his gaze fixed on the cliff wall before him. Beneath his rough exterior, anticipation swelled.
Behind that cliff, according to his chakra perception and countless subtle signs, lay something incredible: a gold mine. Not just any mine—but one of unimaginable scale.
Rasa's eyes lit up with fervent hope, and his breath quickened.
This... this was what he had been searching for.
For weeks, Rasa had combed the deserts of the Wind Country, risking storms and starvation, seeking hidden traces of mineral wealth buried beneath the sand. Days turned into nights, and nights into weeks—but at last, all his tireless effort had paid off.
Here it was.
A massive gold vein. Larger than anything he had ever discovered or even heard about.
"Heaven helps those who work hard!" he cried joyfully, laughing into the open air. His voice echoed off the stone walls around him. "I found it! Hahaha! Finally!"
His heart swelled with joy. This wasn't just a personal victory—it was a turning point for Sunagakure, the Village Hidden in the Sand.
For years, his people had suffered due to the Wind Country's cruel terrain and limited resources. Despite being one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, the Wind Kingdom's economy lagged behind. Its soil was dry and barren, its rivers few and far between. Trade was limited, agriculture almost impossible.
Sand Shinobi Village had survived through grit and battle prowess, but it was constantly at the edge of poverty.
That was about to change.
Rasa stepped forward slowly, reverently placing a hand on the stone wall. His fingers trembled. He moved his hand from one end of the wall to the other, feeling the smooth texture where golden flecks shimmered beneath layers of rock.
He could feel it in his very bones—the entire mountain ridge was a gold deposit.
Excitement, pride, and a deep sense of relief surged through him like a rising tide.
He could already imagine it: the joy of his people when he brought back the news. The cheers in the village square. The children laughing. Merchants smiling again. Sand Shinobi Village would no longer be mocked as the "poorest" of the great villages. Trade routes would reopen. Alliances could be forged.
And most importantly, the villagers—his people—could finally live decent lives.
This mine could sustain the village for decades. It could fund education, infrastructure, medical care, and most critically, a stronger defense force.
"No more begging the Daimyō for scraps," Rasa muttered under his breath. "No more swallowing our pride. We will stand tall."
He clenched his fists tightly, his eyes blazing with determination.
"This gold mine... it's the key to everything. The future of Sand Shinobi Village depends on it!"
As the wind howled louder, he turned away from the cliff with renewed strength in his step, ready to return to the village and report his discovery.
But just as he reached the narrow exit of the valley, his entire body froze.
Three silhouettes stood ahead, completely blocking the path.
Rasa's pupils shrank in disbelief.
"Who...?"
The three stood silently, their cloaks fluttering in the wind.
Obito.
Shisui.
Kakashi.
The three shinobi had arrived without a sound, and their sudden appearance filled Rasa's chest with an uneasy weight. Beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead. His instincts screamed that something was wrong.
How did they get here so quickly? Did they... follow me? Could they know about the gold mine?
But after a moment, he calmed himself. No—he had only just discovered the mine himself. There was no way anyone else could've known about it so fast.
Maybe... maybe this was just a coincidence.
Rasa forced a stiff smile and tried to keep his tone neutral. "Haha... What brings you three here all of a sudden? Passing by, perhaps?"
He kept his hands still, though they trembled slightly.
Even if it was just a coincidence, the pressure from these three was undeniable. Their aura... their presence... they were elite shinobi. And they had managed to approach without triggering a single alarm in his chakra perception.
If it had been just one of them, Rasa would've been confident. As Kazekage, he was no slouch. He could fight toe to toe with most elite jōnin and even kill an enemy if caught alone.
But with all three of them present?
He was in trouble.
Please, he prayed silently, let them just be passing by...
Yet instead of answering, the three glanced at one another and burst out laughing.
Their laughter echoed through the narrow valley, strangely carefree.
Rasa's heart dropped even further. His hands tightened into fists under his robe. He didn't know what they were laughing about, but he didn't like it. Not one bit.
Obito grinned. "Shisui here was just asking what we're gonna do with you. Why don't you tell him, Rasa?"
Shisui stepped forward with a smirk and said, "This tree was planted by me. This road was built by me. If you want to pass through... you gotta pay the toll."
Rasa blinked.
For a moment, he was confused—and then, strangely, relieved.
"Oh... a robbery? That's all? Hah..." He let out a breath. "I thought it was something serious."
He actually smiled.
Obito, annoyed, smacked Shisui on the back of the head. "What the hell are you saying? Let me handle this!"
Then, with mock politeness, he stepped forward. "So, Fourth Kazekage, I hear you discovered a gold mine?"
Rasa's face paled.
So they do know...!
He had been discovered—before he'd even had a chance to leave the valley. When? How?
His mind raced, trying to recall anything that might have given him away. Had he left traces? Had someone followed him unknowingly?
Still, he kept a straight face and feigned ignorance.
"Gold mine? What are you talking about? There's no gold mine here."
Obito chuckled darkly.
Without another word, he pulled a detonation tag from his sleeve and tossed it toward the cliff wall.
BOOM!
The explosion rocked the valley. Dust filled the air, and the echo rumbled through the stone walls like thunder.
As the smoke cleared, a massive crater was revealed in the cliffside.
Inside the crater, glittering gold shone brightly under the desert sunlight. The dazzling reflection lit up the faces of all present.
There was no more hiding.
The truth had been exposed.
The silence that followed was heavy.
Rasa didn't speak.
Shisui grinned again. "Guess that answers the question, doesn't it?"
Obito cracked his knuckles, taking a few slow steps forward. "This belongs to us now, Kazekage."
Kakashi, who hadn't said a word the entire time, finally opened one eye. "You should've left while you had the chance."
Rasa clenched his teeth. His chakra surged.
He was ready to fight.
But he also knew...
This battle wasn't just about survival.
It was about the future of his people.
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