The Daimyo of the Land of Wind was in a foul mood. His palatial estate—and indeed his entire seat of government—had been leveled by a "mysterious and catastrophic sandstorm."
Before he could even process the destruction, a massive force of Sand Shinobi appeared under the guise of "rescue operations" and "invited" him to the Hidden Sand Village.
In the months leading up to this, the Daimyo had been secretly communicating with foreign envoys and even hosting Jonin from other hidden villages to serve as his private security detail.
However, as the sandstorm descended, the Sand's elite Jonin squads struck. Using the pretext that "foreign hostiles were kidnapping the Daimyo," they launched a full-scale assault on the external envoys and bodyguards.
Within the borders of the Land of Wind, these foreign ninja held no advantage; they were either executed or taken prisoner, leaving the Daimyo's court entirely under the control of the Kazekage's faction.
It was an invitation in name, but an imprisonment in reality. The Daimyo was escorted toward the New Hidden Sand Village in a state of utter disarray.
Initially, he was livid, but after realizing that no amount of cursing could change the fact of Shiraishi's audacity, he began to fear for his own survival.
As a national leader, he was no fool; seeing the Northern Island family and his numerous retainers being moved alongside him, it was clear the Kazekage intended to keep the entire administrative heart of the country under his direct watch.
This tactic—"Taking the Daimyo to command the Land of Wind"—sent shivers down his spine. He had never encountered a Kazekage who held so little regard for his sovereign status.
How did the Sand produce such a monster... such a madman?
Accepting his new reality, the Daimyo grew quiet. He even began making demands, requesting that his living quarters and diet maintain the same standards as his former palace.
Seeing his cooperation, the Sand treated him with the utmost "hospitality," providing him with every luxury.
"Your Excellency, this is your new residence."
Using the Sand's latest architectural and construction technologies, the new Daimyo Palace was even more magnificent than the old one.
Surrounded by the splendor of gilded halls, the Daimyo momentarily forgot his grievances as he and his entourage entered.
The moat alone was far superior to his previous home. As he stepped inside, he noted how the architecture utilized shifting forms and varying heights to create a cohesive, imposing whole.
The design perfectly reflected the social hierarchy he held dear while achieving a balance of symmetry and dynamic aesthetics.
"Just how many halls are there...?"
"The estate is comprised of approximately twenty main halls," the Sand attendant explained calmly.
"The layout follows the four traditional principles of Ancestral Shrine to the left, Altar of State to the right, Court in the front, and Market in the rear.
It should more than satisfy your needs, Lord Daimyo."
"Heh, the Lord Kazekage certainly is... thoughtful."
While the Daimyo was busy touring his gilded cage, the Sand began issuing decrees in his name. In the early hours of October 11, Konoha Year 48, sixteen Sand combat battalions flooded into the Land of Rivers.
The Sand had already mapped every inch of the Land of Rivers; after all, this was their second time occupying the entire territory.
Unlike the first time, where Konoha offered some resistance, the Leaf now seemed slow to react. Upon discovering the Sand's invasion, Konoha forces chose to actively withdraw from the region rather than engage.
Simultaneously, the maritime fleet led by Morimoto Ryoji struck the Land of Artisans. The Four Celestial Symbols Men, the few remaining powerhouses of the Takumi Village, engaged the Sand in a fierce struggle.
However, before Ryoji—who had mastered the Eight Heavens Breathing—their advantages vanished. Using only the Fourth Activation, Ryoji easily crushed the Four Celestial Symbols Men and seized the entire Land of Artisans.
Historically, the Takumi Village was founded by the legendary craftsman Seimei and specialized in manufacturing ninja tools for the world.
But since the rise of the Sand's own industry, their orders had plummeted, and their national strength had withered.
Still, their unique weapons—such as the Chakra-Sucking Armor, the Ryugan Ryuushinki (Ganimede) sword, and the Peacock Twin Blades—were valuable spoils of war.
The Political Vacuum
The timing of the Sand's maneuver was impeccable. Even Obito, watching from the shadows, was startled by Shiraishi's decisiveness. He hadn't expected the Sand to be so prepared, completing the total control of both the Land of Rivers and the Land of Artisans in less than a day.
The Hidden Mist issued a formal protest regarding the Land of Artisans but took no further action; their internal chaos left them with no strength for foreign intervention.
As for Konoha? The entire village was holding the funeral for the Fourth Hokage. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had come out of retirement to stabilize the situation.
Hiruzen was devastated by Minato's death, and the Sand's aggressive expansion was a clear sign that Shiraishi intended to bully a Konoha that now consisted of the old and the young.
But Konoha had to endure. The new generation had not yet matured; Hiruzen had to use his remaining years to shield the Leaf's future.
Faced with the Sand's provocation, Konoha sent envoys to negotiate.
However, acting on Shiraishi's instructions, the Sand representatives continuously delayed the meeting until their control over the new territories was absolute. Only then did they sit down with the Leaf.
The Land of Rivers could no longer be saved. Seeing their southern buffer annexed, Hiruzen felt a mix of rage and helplessness.
Furthermore, the suspicion and ostracization of the Uchiha clan reached a fever pitch following the Nine-Tails incident.
Fugaku's decision to keep the Police Force in reserve during the attack—failing to support the village's defense—became the greatest blunder of his life.
Regardless of his intent, the Uchiha were now the primary suspects for orchestrating the catastrophe.
Danzo pressured Hiruzen relentlessly, accusing him of incompetence for allowing the Sand to bully them and the Uchiha to act with impunity.
The Hidden Cloud also looked at Konoha's weakness with predatory eyes, but the Sand's deployment of even more Mechanical Dragons in the Land of Fangs acted as a bitter deterrent.
Shiraishi was reinforcing the North to keep pressure on Konoha and stall the Cloud's expansion. He still harbored a deep grudge against Raikage Ai's betrayal at the Five Kage Summit.
The Crimson Messenger
Outside the gates of Konoha, amidst the somber atmosphere of Minato Namikaze's funeral, a messenger from the Sand stepped forward. He had vibrant red hair and wore a Sand forehead protector.
"I am Uzumaki Tomoki," the young man announced calmly. "I am a disciple of the Fifth Kazekage, and I have come on behalf of the Hidden Sand to pay respects to the Fourth Hokage."
The Uzumaki clan?
The Konoha mourners were stunned. Since when had the Uzumaki become part of the Sand? And more importantly, how had one become the disciple of Aoki Shiraishi?
The pure, unique chakra signature radiating from Tomoki was unmistakable, leaving the Konoha leadership completely caught off guard.
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