The war had finally concluded. After days of grueling negotiations between the Hidden Mist and the Hidden Sand, a resolution was reached: the Sand gained sovereign control over the Kingdom of Nan, and the southern thirteen sectors of the Land of Rivers officially returned to their hands.
In exchange, the Sand returned the Six-Tails Jinchuriki to the Mist. As for the Lightning Blade, the Mist was forced to pay a staggering ransom to retrieve their legendary weapon.
With a massive influx of capital and strategic territory, the Hidden Sand emerged as the primary victor of this phase of the Great War. The windfall of resources and "war dividends" brought a rare sense of jubilation to every corner of the village.
The position of Commander of the Jonin Class—a role that had remained vacant since Rasa ascended to Kazekage—was now filled by Shiraishi. With the backing of the Council of Elders, his political influence and actual power had already eclipsed those of Rasa.
However, Shiraishi's primary interest remained focused on Training and self-improvement. Having glimpsed even a fraction of the power of the ancient Sages, Ashura and Indra, his sense of urgency had only intensified. He knew he had to keep pushing his limits.
"Maki, I've purchased a new residence in the Old Oasis Ring District..." Shiraishi said softly, a slight flush creeping onto his face as he watched Maki feed the fat orange cat some delicious homemade cat food.
"Hmm?"
"The new house in the Ring District... the environment there is quite good. I thought it would be a nice place for us to settle down after we get married. It still needs some decorating and layout work, though."
During the life-and-death struggle against the Mist, Shiraishi had finally come to terms with his feelings for Maki. He decided to stop hiding them, but his bluntness caught her completely off guard, making her face turn bright red.
Maki had grown quite beautiful. Unlike the original timeline, where she wore garish green makeup and a head wrap, in this life, she let her deep brown hair grow long. With her mature figure, standing next to Pakura, they looked like a pair of stunning sisters.
Ryoko, who happened to be walking by in the shadows, overheard Shiraishi's "proposal" and couldn't help but sneer.
Commoners will be commoners. So hasty and lackadaisical... no sense of propriety or tradition at all!
Despite her mockery, Ryoko didn't want to let the couple's public display of affection ruin her mood. She quickly turned away to leave the "danger zone."
Maki was so flustered that the cat food nearly spilled to the ground. The orange cat watched the bowl with wide, terrified eyes, deathly afraid that its gourmet meal would be wasted.
"Maki? You seem distracted."
"No... It's just... you're being too sudden!"
Ignoring Shiraishi, Maki hurried away with a crimson face, leaving him behind with the orange cat, who looked up with a judging expression. Having finished its meal while they were talking, the cat trotted over to Shiraishi and rolled on its back, shamelessly begging for more.
"Go hunt for yourself... you've had your quota for today."
At that moment, Ebizo slowly emerged from the side of the camp. "Hehe, there are certain necessary procedures for these things, Shiraishi. You're being a bit too impatient."
Being an orphan, Shiraishi was largely ignorant of romantic etiquette. He stared blankly at Maki's retreating figure, not quite grasping her reaction. Even the orange cat made a disdainful "Yikes" face at his lack of social awareness.
"I'll leave the arrangements to you, Master."
After acknowledging Shiraishi's request, Ebizo turned the conversation to the village's future. "What is your plan once we return?"
Shiraishi wasn't the Kazekage, but by controlling the Jonin Class and the Ninja Academy—combined with the Council's oversight of missions and his ties to the Daimyo—he was the linchpin of the village's elite. His influence had arguably surpassed Rasa's, making him the silent hand guiding the Sand.
"The battle with the Mist was fruitful. I've secured several corpses from the Kaguya and Yuki clans."
The Dead Bone Pulse (Shikotsumyaku) was of immense value. As a rare genetic mutation of the skeletal system, its research potential was limitless.
Now that the Sand was entering a period of peaceful development, Shiraishi had a grander vision: to link the Land of Rivers, the West Coast, and the Kingdom of Nan into a "Suno-Trinity"—a unified, prosperous economic zone.
This region was perfectly situated for large-scale maritime trade. Shiraishi's explosive tag business, mineral extraction, and specialized agriculture all required this coastal development.
Ebizo looked at the map and quickly deduced Shiraishi's intent. "You want to strengthen trade with the Leaf, Mist, and everyone else?"
"The Kingdom of Nan sits at a crossroads. It faces the Leaf to the north, the Mist to the east, and us to the west. Its shipping lanes connect to the Lands of Bears, Artisans, and Steam, even reaching the Land of Lightning. Its reach is massive."
In the past, the Sand didn't care much for maritime trade, but Shiraishi was different. Changing the environment of the entire Land of Wind was too difficult, but developing the eastern coastal region was a much more manageable goal.
The Land of Rivers, having betrayed the Sand-Leaf alliance, was facing severe repercussions. Their high-ranking officials had been purged by the Hyuga clan, and the original lease on the thirteen southern sectors had been converted into a "perpetual lease" held by the Sand.
Konoha, seeing the Sand's newfound strength, tacitly accepted this change. They knew that if they pushed too hard, the Sand might just negotiate a deal with the Mist to pincer-attack the Leaf instead.
Rasa had actually considered such a strategy, but the idea was shot down by Shiraishi and the Council of Elders. The Sand's resources and manpower were at their limit; they needed time to digest their new territories. Two years of war had left the village weary.
The Sand's regular shinobi forces had been halved during the war. Continuing the conflict wouldn't yield better results now that they already held the rich lands of the southern Land of Rivers. Secret envoys from the Council had even been sent to the Land of Earth to discuss a truce with Onoki.
The brutality of the Battle of Kanabi Bridge had exceeded the Stones' expectations. Konoha's ferocity had left Onoki mentally drained. Furthermore, the Cloud Village had yet to fully commit its forces.
As the second-strongest military power behind the Leaf, their ultimate target—Leaf or Stone—remained unclear. Continuing a blood-feud with a "poor desert nation" like the Sand made no sense for the Stone.
Regarding Rasa's position, Shiraishi shook his head. "Rasa really has become quite... muddled."
"It's not so much that he's muddled," Ebizo replied, "as it is that he wants to keep the war going to muddy the waters and regain control. Unfortunately for him, it is now nearly impossible for the Kazekage to pass any resolution."
Rasa was now a "Crippled Kazekage"—his influence within the village gutted. His role in the future would likely be reduced to that of a village mascot and a high-end mining tool.
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