Dear readers,
As 2025 comes to a close, I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and patience throughout every chapter.
You are not just readers… You are part of this journey.
I hope the coming year brings stronger chapters, deeper worlds, and dreams closer to becoming reality.
A new year, an ongoing story… and we write it together. 🌙✨
Happy New Year to you all.
— BlackStar_BH
Enjoy the new chapter!
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Sunagakure was not a village that welcomed outsiders. There was no place for caravans here; the prevailing trade system relied on shinobi accepting missions as commercial intermediaries, escorting goods to and from the village under protection.
This economic structure had long become the norm.
The caravan system was something ancient, a relic of a distant era that no longer existed. And yet today, the first true caravan appeared at the gates of Sunagakure.
It was not only the Kazekage who was surprised—so were the shinobi of the Sand Village.
Why were shinobi forced to handle trade missions instead of ordinary merchants?
The towering dunes and rocky mountains surrounding the village formed a natural barrier, making the organization of trade caravans nearly impossible.
...
When the caravan finally passed through the village gates, the silence that accompanied it was not peaceful… but cautious.
The wagons moved slowly through the sandy passages, followed by countless gazes from rooftops, behind windows, and from the narrow corners of alleyways. The villagers did not approach too closely, yet they did not retreat either. Curiosity outweighed fear.
Inside the first wagon, Rob leaned back comfortably, as if this were nothing more than an ordinary journey—though inwardly he remained fully alert. Sitting across from him was the Third Kazekage, his back straight, eyes carefully observing every detail that passed outside the window.
They had not exchanged a single word for several minutes. The women had already left after Rob instructed them to do so.
After witnessing Rob's power, those who had joined the caravan felt both awe and fear. Their respect for Rob had risen to the level of reverence. Anyone who once harbored malicious thoughts toward the caravan had long since abandoned them.
After all, Rob's display of strength was not directed solely at the Kazekage and the Sand shinobi. He was well aware that among his caravan were a few carefully concealed bandits, waiting for the chance to strike in troubled waters.
Although Rob used the caravan as a cover to enter Sunagakure, he had invested a considerable sum of Art Coins to assemble it. He would not tolerate any greed directed toward his property.
The silence inside the luxurious wagon was not awkward—it was heavy with thought.
...
Several hours later, the caravan settled at the center of the village.
Under the careful supervision of Sunagakure's shinobi, the crowds were organized, and a bustling market quickly took shape—one unlike anything the village had ever seen.
At the top of the Kazekage building, in a side chamber hidden from public eyes, several of the village's most important figures gathered.
It was not an officially announced meeting nor a formal council, but a shadow gathering meant for matters not meant to be heard. Still, the Third Kazekage had made sure to invite the most influential figures of Sunagakure at this point in history.
The highly respected medical ninja, Chiyo, sat on a simple wooden chair, her back straight, eyes half-closed.
She appeared gentle at first glance, yet a sharpness could be seen whenever she opened her eyes. Beside her sat her younger brother, Ebizō, arms crossed, his expression rigid—as if weighing every word before it could even form in his mind.
Together, they were known as the Honored Siblings, ruling the village council as its elders.
"What happened at the gate…" Ebizō said in a low voice, "It was not merely a display of power."
"It was a message," Chiyo replied calmly, without raising her voice.
Silence filled the room for several seconds.
"A message to whom?" Shazan finally asked. The Third Kazekage wanted to understand the nature of the threat posed by a Kage-level presence within his village.
Chiyo lifted her gaze slightly, as though looking beyond the sand-covered walls.
"To all of us. He was capable of killing… yet he chose not to."
"And that is what troubles me," the Kazekage said coldly. "An enemy who does not strike when he can… is not easily understood."
"Should we surround him? The best defense is offense," Ebizō said. He appeared as a black-haired man in his middle years.
"With my abilities and my elder sister's as puppet masters, his ice powers would not truly affect us. We could drain his chakra while you engage him, Lord Kazekage. Inside the village, he would be doomed to fail…"
Ebizō was known for his military rigidity and calculated strategies. If he claimed they could eliminate an enemy, it was likely true.
Shazan calmly looked outside, where the newly formed market was operating at full capacity. He thought for a moment before speaking.
"We will do nothing before investigating his identity. I have already ordered ANBU to begin inquiries. I have sources in Konoha—if he is connected to them, we will know soon…"
"And if he is not, why would we sever bridges of peace with a shinobi of such strength? Failing to make use of him would be foolish." Shazan was clear in his stance.
It was evident that the meeting would not reach an immediate conclusion, but what Rob needed had already been achieved.
...
Outside, at the edge of the inner market, the caravan had begun unloading part of its goods under temporary permission. It was not yet official trade, but the scene alone was enough to stir whispers throughout the village.
Fabrics in unfamiliar colors, finely polished metal tools, and strange materials whose uses were unknown to the common folk. Children gathered first, followed by adults who kept a cautious distance.
Among the children stood a twelve-year-old boy with dark crimson hair and eyes devoid of surprise. He was not looking at the merchandise, but at how it had been made.
"It's inefficient," he muttered quietly while examining a ceramic puppet with a few strings. With a slight tug, the puppet's limbs moved.
Chiyo turned toward him, having coincidentally passed behind him.
"Inefficient?" she asked with a faint smile.
The boy slowly raised his head.
"It could be improved… but it wastes materials. The substance is solid, but it's nothing more than a child's toy."
Chiyo observed him for a moment longer than necessary.
'Sasori…' she thought, saying nothing.
...
On the other side of the market, two youths of similar age passed by. The boy walked with confident strides, his back straight, eyes fixed intently on Rob.
Rob stood in a carefully chosen open square. The Kazekage believed Rob had rented the space for the caravan's central shop—unaware that the store to be built here would change the village's fate entirely.
'Hmm… an excellent location,' Rob thought, unaware of the eyes upon him.
Beside the fifteen-year-old red-haired boy stood a girl of the same age, wearing a genin headband of Sunagakure. Her gaze was different; she did not look at Rob, the caravan master, but at the people around him—their faces, their hesitant smiles.
"He's strong," the boy finally said.
He too wore a Sunagakure headband, his attire hinting at his rank as a chūnin—indeed, a chūnin at fifteen.
"But he doesn't seem frightening," the girl replied hesitantly.
"…" The boy did not respond.
At that moment, Rob laughed softly as he handed one child a small carved wooden piece, then gave another a piece of candy. Soon, many of Sunagakure's children gathered around him as he freely distributed toys, food, and sweets with genuine delight.
The pair did not miss the scene. Karura, fiancée of the boy beside her—Rasa—felt a rush of emotions, foremost among them happiness, as she watched Rob lovingly interact with the children and give without asking for anything in return.
Rasa, however, paid little attention to that. He was far more focused on the cold aura emanating from Rob. No matter how well it was concealed, Rasa could still sense it.
He truly wanted to step forward and challenge this man—but Karura quickly stopped him.
"Don't. The Kazekage-sama warned us not to approach him," she said.
"Hmph," Rasa snorted irritably.
He had wanted to fight this powerful man, but it seemed he would not escape the consequences if he did. Thus, the desire to become Kazekage himself grew stronger in his heart—so that one day, no one would tell him what he could or could not do.
Karura sensed his frustration, but there was nothing she could do.
...
"Mom… Dad… look, I want to buy that puppet. Please, don't let someone else take it."
Sasori pointed toward a human-sized puppet resembling a dragon-man beast, so lifelike it looked like the corpse of a creature from another world.
He had been wandering the caravan market when he ran into his parents. He had no money—but they did.
Kuren, Sasori's father, and Shiori, his mother, exchanged helpless smiles at their son's desire.
(Author's Note: Since Sasori's parents were never given official names by the original author, I have the freedom to name them as I see fit.)
Their son was a newly graduated genin, desperately searching for a powerful puppet to serve as his first weapon, yet he had found nothing that suited his combat taste—until this caravan arrived at an almost suspiciously perfect time.
Kuren, himself a puppet master, found the dragon-man puppet breathtaking by every measure, yet he dared not consider buying it.
'The price would be astronomical…' he thought.
"That's fine. You may take a closer look if you like."
At that moment, a voice came from behind them.
It was Rob who had approached with a smile.
Since he had come here, the items he most carefully selected from the system were combat puppets. A high-quality battle puppet was bound to draw the attention of key figures in this village.
'And that's exactly what happened,' Rob thought with a smile as he looked at Sasori and his family…
Behind them, Chiyo watched Rob with cautious eyes.
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Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
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Chapter 50: Art Store – Sunagakure.
Chapter 51: Naruto - Volume 2!
Chapter 52: You Want to Spread Konoha Nonsense in My Village?
Chapter 53: Overcoming Obstacles — The New Volume on the Shelves!
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BlackStar_BH:
The chapters currently available on Patreon are up to Chapter 73.
There are 24 advanced chapters available now:
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In the coming days, chapters will be made available for all tiers, reaching up to 50 advanced chapters… Enjoy!