Shamen's Worries

The majority of the Land of Wind is an arid desert, with only a few oases providing habitable zones for its residents. Those who live in this harsh environment are bound to the oases, and even trained shinobi struggle with the difficulties of surviving in the desert. As such, the regular army of the Land of Wind and the shinobi forces of Sunagakure are stationed near these oases.

In a tent at the Sunagakure camp, a tall, imposing figure stood quietly by a table, his face cold and serious. The man wore a mask with a dragon motif, exuding an air of authority and control. This was Shamen, the Second Kazekage of Sunagakure.

As he reviewed the recent intelligence reports, Shamen's face showed a flicker of worry. He hadn't anticipated that the always combative Kumogakure would be the first to withdraw from the war. Though a civil conflict had prevented them from continuing the fight, their exit allowed Konohagakure to focus its strength on the Land of Wind.

As the leader of Sunagakure, Shamen was dedicated to improving the power of his village and expanding his nation's territory. With his ingenuity, he introduced many novel ideas, including the development of puppet techniques and the secret art of manipulating sand. Under his leadership, Sunagakure became the first village to successfully weaponize a tailed beast. After the First Hokage, Hashirama, distributed the tailed beasts, Shamen began militarizing the One-Tail, and his efforts had already borne fruit.

During the reign of the First Kazekage, Shamen served as the second-in-command, and many of his policies were implemented under the First's rule. After becoming the Second Kazekage, Shamen continued to push these policies forward, quickly expanding Sunagakure's power.

While administering his village, Shamen also kept a close eye on the broader political landscape of the ninja world. Sensing that tensions between the great nations were rising, he predicted a major war and prepared to take advantage of the situation. When the Land of Lightning and the Land of Fire came into conflict, Shamen saw an opportunity for the Land of Wind to seize territory from the Land of Fire.

Though the Land of Wind had been granted some land after the Five Kage Summit, in exchange for relinquishing a second tailed beast, it wasn't enough. For a nation plagued by barren land, the desire for fertile territory was as strong as the thirst of a person lost in the desert.

As Shamen had expected, Kumogakure launched a surprise attack, achieving initial success and forcing Konohagakure to divert its attention. However, Shamen remained patient, waiting until Iwagakure and the Kirigakure also entered the fray. Then, under orders from the Wind Daimyō, Shamen led the Sunagakure forces in a bold invasion of the Land of Fire.

The campaign went well at first. The Land of Wind's army, hardened by the desert, proved formidable, capturing many towns in the Land of Fire. Shamen was eager to press the advantage and expand their gains. But the logistics of the Land of Lightning soon failed, forcing them to withdraw from the war, allowing Konoha to redirect part of its forces toward the Land of Wind.

Though the number of Konoha troops was limited, Shamen didn't take them lightly. The force was led by the Uchiha clan, a name synonymous with power. Any shinobi who had lived through the Warring States period knew better than to underestimate the Uchiha. It was said that the commander of the Konoha forces was an heir who had trained under Uchiha Madara himself, making him a particularly formidable opponent.

Indeed, the strength of the Uchiha clan quickly became apparent. With their Sharingan and mastery of Fire Release, which was particularly effective against Wind Release users, they stalled Sunagakure's advance. Though the  samurai army of the Land of Wind was powerful, the Land of Fire's army was no pushover. The individual combat prowess of the Sunagakure shinobi was neutralized once Konoha's forces entered the fray, and the war soon reached a stalemate.

Shamen had particular concerns about the Uchiha. Though Sunagakure's shinobi were elite, their numbers were limited, and the Sharingan was notoriously effective in one-on-one combat. It was common knowledge in the shinobi world: unless you were very familiar with the Sharingan's abilities, a duel with an Uchiha was highly dangerous. Unfortunately, Sunagakure's shinobi, even when using puppet techniques, were easily drawn into such duels.

The Sharingan's genjutsu was nearly impossible to dispel alone, and the intricate mechanisms of the puppet techniques were no match for the Uchiha's keen eyes. Fire Release techniques further compounded the problem, damaging the fragile bodies of the puppets. The Uchiha's active presence on the battlefield made Sunagakure's forces suffer greatly.

To counter this, Shamen devised a strategy to deal a decisive blow to the Uchiha. After careful planning, Sunagakure's forces feigned a retreat, luring the Uchiha clan into the deserts of the Land of Wind. There, Shamen planned to use his sand-based techniques, which could manipulate the environment to devastating effect, to crush the Uchiha forces.

However, luck—or perhaps intuition—favored the Uchiha. Their commander, Uchiha Kagami, sensed that something was amiss and managed to prevent a full advance, minimizing losses. After the ambush, the Uchiha clan became even more cautious, following Kagami's orders strictly and refusing to act recklessly.

With Uchiha Kagami in full control of his forces, they adopted a defensive stance, frustrating Shamen's attempts to turn the tide of the war. Though Sunagakure hadn't suffered a crushing defeat, they were no longer gaining any meaningful victories. The Land of Wind continued to nibble away at the Land of Fire's territory, but it wasn't enough to truly weaken the enemy.

Shamen organized several raids against Konoha's forces, but none of them yielded significant results. Konoha's defense lines, though appearing fragile, held strong. Just as Shamen was preparing to escalate his efforts, he received troubling news: Kumogakure had withdrawn from the war, and Konoha's forces were now moving westward.

"It's becoming more and more difficult," Shamen muttered with a sigh. He no longer expected to conquer vast swaths of the Land of Fire, at this point, he was simply hoping to hold onto the land they had already seized. But knowing the character of Senju Tobirama, the Second Hokage, Shamen doubted that Konohagakure would allow Sunagakure to keep its gains. Tobirama would force them to relinquish everything.

In the end, the war would likely end with peace talks, but Shamen was determined to avoid negotiations under the shadow of defeat. Kumogakure had managed to escape harsh terms, but only because Konohagakure had other enemies to contend with. If the Konoha managed to defeat Suna, would they show the same leniency?

"Dream on," Shamen muttered to himself, his expression dark.

He turned his attention to another intelligence scroll. This one reported that a Konoha ninja squad had been spotted behind Sunagakure's lines, attacking supply depots and relay stations. Shamen quickly deduced that these ninjas had likely infiltrated from the Land of Rain, taking advantage of the so-called "just war" declaration by the Land of Fire. While Sunagakure had helped the Ame in the past, Shamen noted that they would need to settle accounts with Amegakure when the time came.

For now, though, the priority was dealing with the Konoha squad. According to the report, these shinobi were highly skilled, moving too swiftly for the defenders to respond effectively. Supply stations were left in ruins, and those who tried to stop them were killed with ease.

Shamen estimated that the squad likely included one or more elite jōnin, given their level of combat power. In response, Shamen needed to send someone with equal strength to eliminate them.

Initially, Shamen considered sending one of his prized students, a talented young shinobi who had not only mastered his sand techniques but had also developed a new secret technique called Magnetic Release. This student was already approaching Shamen's own level of power, and Shamen intended for him to be the next Kazekage.

However, with Konoha's army applying pressure on the frontlines, such a valuable asset couldn't be spared. After some thought, Shamen decided to send the siblings, Chiyo and Ebizō. Ideally, he would also send their teacher, Monzaemon, but Monzaemon's experience was still needed on the frontlines.

"Summon Chiyo and Ebizō," Shamen ordered the guard at the door.

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Chiyo OC sensei

Monzaemon is a character from the "Ninja Scroll" Japanese series

Monzaemon is known for his samurai-like appearance and is typically portrayed as a formidable opponent with a deep sense of honor, which sometimes conflicts with his ruthless tactics. His character embodies themes of loyalty and betrayal, making him a complex figure.

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I'll take a break for few days. Thank you all for your comments, reviews, and powerstones. I still have final exams. So it's not possible to update. I will submit 2 or 3 chapters at once when I get back. Have a nice day. Ciao