Chapter 4- time(changed 1)

First-person POV of a Ninja

It was another quiet day in the village, or at least, as quiet as Suna could get. The dry wind ran through the streets, carrying dust and sand as I made my rounds. The village had seen better days, no doubt. The people were struggling. We all were. I heard whispers from the villagers when I passed them. Most of them were about the state of the village—complaints, mostly. Resources were scarce, and morale was even scarcer.

"Sunagakure… falling apart bit by bit," I muttered under my breath, my hand brushing against the worn hilt of my kunai as I continued my patrol. I couldn't help but wonder how much longer we could hold out. Kazekage-sama had been doing his best, but even I could see the strain in the faces of the people. How long before we broke?

I glanced up at the sun, squinting as it beat down mercilessly on the cracked earth beneath my feet. But something felt… different today. The wind picked up, not the usual dry gusts, but something heavier, thicker. My gaze turned skyward, and for a moment, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.

"What the hell…" I muttered, narrowing my eyes as the sky began to darken, casting the village in shadow. But it wasn't the sun setting—no, this shadow was unnatural. I could see it, swirling above the village. Floating there. It looked like sand, but there was something more to it.

I wasn't the only one who noticed. The villagers around me stopped in their tracks, staring at the sky. Some of them murmured in confusion, others in fear. "What's going on?" one of the shopkeepers nearby whispered, her eyes wide with worry.

"Is that… sand?" another ninja said, stepping up beside me, looking just as bewildered as I felt.

Third-person POV

Within minutes, the entire village of Sunagakure gathered in the center, their eyes glued to the sky where an enormous mass of floating sand hovered ominously. Whispers rippled through the crowd as they tried to make sense of what was happening.

"Kazekage-sama… what's he doing?" an elderly man asked, shielding his eyes from the sun.

"Is this some kind of new jutsu? I've never seen anything like this," a younger woman muttered, holding her child close as she watched the spectacle unfold.

The tension was palpable, but there was an underlying sense of awe as well. The villagers, both shinobi and civilians alike, couldn't tear their eyes away from the massive shadow looming above them.

And then, there he was—their Kazekage, standing tall in the center of the crowd, a figure of calm and authority amidst the confusion.

"Kazekage-sama!" a group of ninjas called out, rushing forward with concern.

First-person POV (Shiba)

I took a deep breath, looking over the gathered crowd. The entire village had come out to see what was happening, and I could feel their eyes on me, waiting, uncertain. I almost smirked to myself—this was the perfect moment to show off.

"Time to spread some propaganda," I muttered under my breath before raising my voice. "People of Suna!" I called out, my voice cutting through the murmurs of the crowd. All eyes were on me now, just as I wanted.

"The Will of the Wind is what has guided us for generations," I began, pacing slowly as I spoke, letting the words sink in. "It is what has carried us through hardships, through war, through famine. The wind is relentless. It does not stop. It does not bend to the will of others. And neither will we!"

A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd, their expressions starting to shift from confusion to understanding.

"Just as the wind shapes the desert, so too will we shape our destiny!" I continued, my voice rising. "We are Suna! We will not be broken, we will not be defeated, and we will not fall behind the other nations!"

I gestured toward the floating sand above us. "What you see above is not just sand. This is wealth. This is power. I have gathered the gold and metal dust from the desert, and with it, we will rebuild Suna stronger than ever before! The economy, the wellbeing of our people, the strength of our ninja force—it all starts here."

The crowd erupted into cheers. I could see the fire returning to their eyes. They needed this. They needed hope, and I was going to give it to them. They would follow me, they would believe in me, and together, we would make Suna a force to be reckoned with.

As the cheers subsided, I turned back to the floating sand, letting them bask in the spectacle for a moment longer. "But this is only the beginning," I said, my voice quieter now but still commanding. "There is much work to be done. We will create a new Suna—one where every child has the chance to become a ninja, where we will train the best shinobi in the world. We will have schools, we will have special forces, we will have power and security like never before."

I could see the determination in their faces now. They believed me, they believed in Suna. And that was all I needed.

Later that evening, I sat in my office, poring over plans. The ideas from Tobirama were flowing faster than I could write them down. A ninja academy, much like what Tobirama had created in Konoha, to ensure every child had the opportunity to train. An Anbu force—elite operatives who would carry out the most dangerous and covert missions. The Chunin Exams—I'd implement those too, to build alliances with other villages, to show off our strength.

And then… the Root. I smirked at the thought. Danzo's methods were brutal, but there was a certain practicality to them. I'd need a covert force that was loyal only to me, one that would protect Suna from the shadows.

Seven swordsmen? Why not. Kiri future would be secured by their power, but I could do it first. I'd find and train my legendary fighters. Suna needed to be feared, respected, and untouchable.

For the civilians, I was planning out an entirely new system—logical, and efficient. Proper resource distribution, new trade routes, and improvements to farming and irrigation. If I could create a system that made life better for them, they'd be more loyal than any shinobi.

As I worked, the system dinged in my head, drawing my attention.

[Mission: Plant the Modified Adam Tree in the Center of Suna]

I blinked at the notification. The Adam Tree? Wasn't that from one piece? I scanned the details and it quickly became clear that this was no ordinary tree.

Without hesitation, I grabbed my cloak(like minatos) and headed out into the sun. The sun cast a glow over the village as I made my way to the center. The villagers were still celebrating, but they quieted as they saw me approach, their eyes filled with reverence.

I took the seed from the system's inventory and placed it in the center of the village. With a sharp motion, I bit my thumb, letting the blood drip onto the seed. I summoned my druid bloodline abilities, channeling chakra into the earth. The ground began to tremble as the Adam Tree rose from the soil, its branches spreading wide, casting the entire village in its shadow.

The villagers gasped in awe as the massive tree towered above us, its roots spreading deep into the earth, its leaves glowing faintly with power.

And then it began—the effects of the Adam Tree. I could feel it, the energy it gave off. The village was… healing. The soil became more fertile and green plants began to grow an exponential amount around the village.

As the Adam Tree finished rising, towering over the center of the village, its branches stretched out like protective arms, casting a shadow that covered all of Sunagakure. The villagers stood in awe, some kneeling, others raising their hands as if in prayer. The tree pulsed with life, and with each breath, I could feel the change it brought. The dry, cracked earth beneath us began to soften, almost imperceptibly at first.

[A few hours later]

As I entered the Kazekage building, my mind was already racing with ideas of how to refine the gold and metal sand I'd collected throughout the night. The sheer volume of it was almost unbelievable. I wasn't just sitting on a few nuggets or grains—this was enough to reshape the entire economy of Sunagakure. I'd estimate it was around 2,500 tons of sand, and half of it was pure gold. The rest was rich with high-quality metals, perfect for weapon crafting.

I settled into the refining process, using specialized techniques with my bloodline to condense the gold sand into perfectly crafted bars, each shimmering with the weight of untapped wealth. The metal sand was just as useful—I molded it into weapons, tools, and equipment. Swords, kunai, shuriken, and even armor pieces, are all forged with efficiency. By the time I was finished, the storerooms of the Kazekage building were nearly overflowing.

In the end, I had over 1,200 tons of pure gold bars stacked neatly, alongside an impressive arsenal of weapons and tools forged from the remaining metal. This alone could secure Suna's future for decades. The village wouldn't just survive—we be swimming in Ryo, which is this world currency.

As I finished the last refinement, a familiar ding echoed in my mind. I pulled up the system notification.

[Mission Complete: Refine the Gold and Metal Sand]

[Reward Claimed: Modified Adam Tree Seed & Medium Bag of Elixir Seeds]

I examined the rewards. The Adam Tree Seed would be invaluable in another location—perhaps in one of our outposts. As for the bag of seeds, it contained everything from common plants to rare and super-rare species used in elixirs. This would give me the tools to start producing potions, poisons, and healing remedies, crucial for both trade and survival in the coming times.

But there was more work to be done. I couldn't let Sunagakure's newfound wealth sit idle. The Wind Daimyo had turned his back on the village in recent years, but that was about to change. I sat at my desk and began drafting a letter. No need to reveal the extent of our riches just yet, but a promise of significant gold to grease the political wheels would work wonders.

[To the honorable Wind Daimyo,

I hope this letter finds you well. As you know, Sunagakure has faced considerable challenges in recent times, but I am pleased to inform you that we have uncovered substantial resources within our territory. We are prepared to offer a significant amount of gold in exchange for renewed support and cooperation from the Land of Wind.

This would not only benefit the village but the entire nation, strengthening our position against external threats. I trust that you will see the value in maintaining a strong Sunagakure, both militarily and economically.

Yours faithfully,

Mahoraga Shiba, the First Kazekage of Sunagakure]

Satisfied with the letter, I sealed it and set it aside to be delivered. The Daimyo might be a greedy bastard, but he wasn't stupid. A little gold would get him on our side again, and with the vast amounts I had stockpiled, I wouldn't miss what I gave him.

I leaned back in my chair, feeling the weight of the day start to lift. Reaching into the drawer, I pulled out a bottle of sake. I poured myself a small cup, taking a sip.

"Not bad… Pretty good," I muttered, though it wasn't my first choice. "But I'd prefer if it was whiskey." A smirk crossed my face as I took another sip, feeling the warmth spread through my chest.

All I needed now was time. Time to turn this village into the powerhouse it was meant to be. The system had given me tools, and I was going to use every single one of them to improve the livelihoods of my people. Sunagakure was on the verge of greatness, and I wouldn't let anything stand in the way.

But the world wasn't going to stay calm for long. I leaned forward, the familiar memories of the Naruto plot flooding back into my mind. The First Ninja War was fast approaching. Tensions between the villages were rising and of course, was Madaras's fault, and it wouldn't be long before the world was engulfed in conflict. Then there was the Hokage Summit, where Hashirama would sell off the tailed beasts like livestock.

Two of those beasts were particularly interesting to me, but that was a future concern. Right now, I have time to prepare. Time to strengthen Suna. Time to lay the groundwork for our dominance. But I couldn't be complacent. The world was shifting, and if we weren't ready, we'd be swept aside.

I stood up, staring out the window of the Kazekage building, the Adam Tree still towering over the village, casting its protective shadow. The people of Suna were going to rely on me to lead them through what was coming. And I wasn't about to let them down.

"Let them come," I whispered, the weight of responsibility settling on my shoulders. "I'll be ready."

AN: Which two-tailed beats should you get in this story? Leave a comment

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