Chapter 40: The Kazekage Is Truly Hardworking
"Finally... we're here!"
Shielding his forehead with one hand, Asuka looked at the village built in the middle of the desert, and a wave of relief washed over him.
Before him stood a massive circular fortress the color of dried earth.
Beneath it spread a dreamlike cluster of yellow-brown buildings—some tall, some short, some broad, some slender.
Viewed from afar, the scene was truly magnificent.
The village built in the desert—
The Hidden Sand Village.
It was said that this place had once been nothing but barren wasteland.
Only after the First Kazekage chose to establish the village here did it gradually begin to prosper.
Asuka had actually wanted to visit all Five Great Nations for a long time.
Unfortunately...
The current shinobi world was nothing like the relatively peaceful era after the Fourth Shinobi World War.
If he casually entered another hidden village and was discovered...
At best, he'd be treated to the Great Memory Restoration Technique.
At worst...
He'd be playing mahjong with the Sage of Six Paths.
The risk was simply too great.
When the group finally reached the entrance of Sunagakure, a broad street stretched out before them.
Although there were far fewer pedestrians than in Konoha...
For a village surrounded by hundreds of miles of empty desert...
It was already enough to demonstrate Sunagakure's prosperity.
Almost every pedestrian wore long robes, with bandages or white cloth wrapped around their heads to keep the blowing sand out of their hair.
At that moment...
The people on the street noticed Ebizō and the others returning.
They immediately put down what they were doing, smiles spreading across their faces.
"It's Lord Ebizō!"
"And Lady Pakura!"
"Welcome home!"
"Lord Ninja!"
"Did the negotiations in Konoha go well?"
One after another, villagers crowded around the returning shinobi, greeting them warmly while quietly asking about the outcome of the war.
"You're really popular."
Watching Pakura become surrounded by enthusiastic villagers, Asuka stood a short distance behind her and spoke with a trace of envy.
When he had returned to Konoha after the war...
Some villagers had indeed come to welcome him.
But the moment they noticed a group of stern-faced Uchiha following behind...
They instinctively stepped aside and gave their smiles to the other shinobi instead.
"Heh..."
Hearing Asuka's voice, Pakura looked at the somewhat gaunt villagers before her.
A bitter smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.
The village regarded them as heroes.
Yet...
They had failed to live up to everyone's expectations.
The treaty signed in Konoha this time had merely been a ceasefire agreement.
And...
One that was unfavorable to Sunagakure.
"You all carry on."
"It's a little inappropriate for me to stay here."
"I'll go look around."
Asuka placed a lollipop into his mouth before leaving the group and leisurely wandering through Hidden Sand Village.
Officially...
His mission was to promote medical exchanges between the two villages.
In reality...
He was a spy.
Just one whose identity was known to both sides.
Rather like an embassy in the future.
Everyone knew you were gathering intelligence.
But aside from keeping a close eye on you...
There wasn't much anyone could openly do.
Of course...
Once another war broke out...
Being expelled would probably be the least of his worries.
He'd most likely end up imprisoned instead.
Thinking of that, Asuka stopped at a nearby steamed bun stall.
Pointing toward the bamboo steamer, he said,
"Two buns, please."
"Coming right up!"
Taking the freshly steamed buns, Asuka bit into one.
His expression immediately froze.
Then he gave the shopkeeper a thumbs-up.
"This is the first time I've ever eaten a steamed bun with sand inside."
"The flavor is great."
"It's just a little crunchy."
"Heh..."
The owner scratched his head awkwardly before taking another bun from the steamer and handing it over apologetically.
"Sandstorms are common here."
"So it's unavoidable that a little sand gets into the food."
"It's fine."
"The taste really is excellent."
Sitting down on a nearby chair, Asuka quietly watched the pedestrians passing by and couldn't help marveling.
He had originally assumed everyone in Hidden Sand Village came from the Land of Wind.
But...
Wasn't that dark-skinned muscular man who just walked past clearly from the Land of Lightning?
And that large, heavyset fellow...
He looked more like someone from the Land of Earth.
After finishing his bun, Asuka looked up at the owner curiously.
"Boss."
"Why don't I see many shinobi around here?"
"Heh."
The owner's face immediately filled with pride.
Pointing toward the Kazekage Building in the distance, he explained,
"Recently, Lord Kazekage used his incredible power to lift part of the desert outside the village into the sky."
"He found a huge amount of gold buried underneath."
"Almost all the shinobi are constantly traveling between the village and the excavation site."
"Lord Kazekage is truly an extraordinary shinobi."
"He commands countless shinobi across the world."
"They say that just by walking a few steps, he can find gold."
"When he gets tired and sits down, he accidentally discovers another gold vein."
"And if he casually kicks the ground..."
"A bag of gold dust pops right out."
"...?"
Asuka rubbed his chin.
The stubble there prickled slightly beneath his fingers.
He hadn't expected the Kazekage to already be mining gold.
A hardworking Kazekage...
Even while carrying the burden of impoverished Sunagakure...
He could support the endless desert with one hand...
And dig up gold with the other.
Sigh...
You're already this poor, Kazekage.
Why not spend some effort figuring out how to squeeze money out of the Daimyō instead?
After silently mourning for the overworked Kazekage, Asuka turned back to the shopkeeper and asked curiously,
"If so many shinobi are away from the village..."
"Aren't you worried about being attacked?"
"Hmm?"
The owner looked at Asuka suspiciously.
After realizing he was only asking out of curiosity, he answered,
"Even if Lord Kazekage is away..."
"Lady Chiyo is still in the village."
"And I heard Lord Pakura's group returned today as well."
"I almost forgot."
The moment Chiyo's name came up, Asuka stood up and dusted the sand from his clothes.
"Boss."
"The buns were delicious."
"I'll be back tomorrow."
He was suddenly curious what luosifen paired with sandy steamed buns would taste like.
---
After arriving at the Kazekage Building and presenting the credentials Ebizō had given him...
Asuka was smoothly led to Chiyo, who was currently treating patients.
"Konoha is certainly generous."
Looking at Ebizō's coded message, Chiyo raised her eyelids and glanced at Asuka sarcastically.
"Konoha's second-best doctor?"
"Not exactly."
Holding up two fingers, Asuka answered seriously,
"If we're talking purely about medical knowledge..."
"I'm actually Konoha's third."
"Tsunade is first."
"Orochimaru is second."
"I'm below those two."
"Everyone else is below me."
Hearing him casually mention the Three Legendary Sannin, Chiyo merely snorted.
She didn't dispute his ranking.
She knew very well what Tsunade was capable of.
That woman had deciphered every poison Chiyo ever created in an astonishingly short time.
As for Orochimaru...
She wasn't even certain whether he truly specialized in medical ninjutsu.
Thinking that over...
She lowered her head and continued treating the unconscious patient while speaking in her aged voice.
"Our two villages are allies now."
"Since Konoha has sent you here to exchange medical ninjutsu with this old woman..."
"Tomorrow..."
"You'll bring a group of students."
"I'll bring a group of students."
"And we'll conduct an exchange."
Hearing that, Asuka scratched his ear.
Looking at Chiyo suspiciously, he asked,
"So..."
"Our exchange program is actually me helping Sunagakure train medical shinobi?"
"Lady Chiyo..."
"Could your abacus click any louder?"
"Don't put it so bluntly."
A smile spread across Chiyo's wrinkled, toothless face.
"What is an exchange?"
"You teach your part."
"This old woman teaches hers."
"When it's over..."
"The combined result becomes an 'exchange.'"
Listening to the old woman's shameless reasoning...
Asuka's mouth twitched helplessly.
He was a spy.
A spy sent here to learn techniques and report information back to Konoha.
Not a teacher.
That old woman's calculations were painfully obvious.
Still...
Since Konoha hadn't given him any special instructions...
There wasn't really any harm in learning from Chiyo's experience while teaching Hidden Sand a few medical techniques in return.
After chatting a little longer with Asuka...
Chiyo quietly watched him leave.
The smile on her face gradually faded.
Her cloudy eyes slowly became sharp once again.
"This old woman has lived for many years."
"I've seen all kinds of things."
"I understand very well..."
"An alliance between nations is merely a formality."
"It exists only to protect Sunagakure."
"Pakura."
"I hope you understand."
"An alliance is only a formality."
"War will come again."
"Understood."
At that moment, Pakura stepped out from behind her after pushing open the door.
Chiyo quietly observed her for a long moment.
Looking into Pakura's calm eyes, she continued,
"This old woman has already retired."
"This era belongs to you young people."
"One sign of maturity..."
"Is putting aside your pride."
"Our Land of Wind is naturally barren."
"We cannot compare ourselves with the fertile Land of Fire."
"Even the rocky Land of Earth often possesses richer resources than we do."
"So..."
"As people born in the Land of Wind..."
"We must devote ourselves to developing Sunagakure."
"This old woman does."
"Rasa does."
"And so must you."
"When you catch a sheep..."
"Shear it thoroughly."
As she finished speaking...
Chiyo slowly clenched her aged hand into a fist.
She already had a premonition.
The future awaiting Sunagakure would be difficult.
Every additional resource gathered today...
Would make tomorrow just a little less painful.
What a pity...
Sunagakure couldn't attract the shinobi world's fattest sheep...
Tsunade.
Those fortunate people who could keep shearing Tsunade over and over...
Were truly enviable.
Looking at the exhausted, impoverished Chiyo before her...
Pakura subconsciously frowned.
Since she hadn't personally participated in the negotiations...
She didn't know the exact terms of the treaty.
She only knew...
That Sunagakure had paid an enormous amount of money.
Seeing Granny Chiyo's weary and desperate expression...
Pakura silently sighed.
It seemed...
The village had made an enormous sacrifice this time.