Naruto: I, who fooled the ninja world, was hailed as a savior.

Chapter 108 We Need a Victory

The sky over the Land of Wind is a dark yellow.

The vast expanse of yellow sand connects the sky and the earth. The wind blows the sand grains, turning them into dunes that flow like ocean waves, making an endless "shasha" sound.

The enormous setting sun hung at the edge of the sea of ​​sand, as if placing the whole world in a desert.

The air was filled with scorching heat, and the intense heat caused the objects to sway and twist violently, making distant scenery appear as if it were shimmering in water, creating an illusion like a mirage.

The capital of the Wind Kingdom is located on the only vast oasis.

From a distance, it looks like a giant about to die, half of its body buried in the yellow earth, with only its arm sticking out of the ground covered in green algae.

Sunagakure is located next to the oasis, serving as a wall protecting the capital of the Land of Wind while resisting sandstorms.

Inside the meeting room of the Kazekage Building in Sunagakure.

The dry air, unique to the Land of Wind, carried a rough, gritty quality that could still be faintly felt even in this well-sealed room.

A mere twelve people sat around the huge round stone table.

The thick stone walls blocked out the sounds of the outside world, but they could not block out the pervasive anxiety and oppression.

"Gentlemen, you have all seen the proclamation from Daming Prefecture, haven't you?"

Sitting in the main seat, Luo Sha leaned back slightly, his voice low and slightly hoarse.

His gaze was deep, sweeping over everyone present, finally settling on the scroll in front of him bearing the emblem of the Daimyo of the Land of Wind. His cold, hard face betrayed his weariness.

“The Daimyo’s attitude is very clear,” Rasa said in a deep voice. “As expected, he has decided to continue to reduce military funding and supplies to Sunagakure.”

A suffocating silence ensued, before the impatient one broke it, his voice filled with worry and anger: "Lord Kazekage, this is practically driving us to our doom!"

What does continued cuts mean?
This means they have to cut more genin slots, the stipends for chunin and jonin will be reduced, and their already meager reserves of ninja tools will be depleted!
Without money or resources, how will the village survive? With sand and the northwest wind?

"Does Lord Daimyo not see the current state of the ninja world? The Hidden Cloud Village and the Hidden Leaf Village are locked in a fierce battle, and the balance of power among the Five Great Nations is beginning to crumble!"

An old man frowned and said, "This is the prelude to the Fourth Shinobi World War, a crucial moment for redistributing interests and even changing the overall situation!"

"And what are we doing? We're being slowly bled dry from within, and we can only watch our opportunity slip away!"

Upon hearing this, Chiyo, who had remained silent, raised her eyes and said in a calm, objective voice, "The Daimyo has simply lost faith in Sunagakure."

Upon hearing this, the meeting room fell silent. The expressions of the people present froze, and they opened their mouths but could not utter a word.

Sunagakure participated in all three previous Shinobi World Wars, but always ended up being forced to cease hostilities in a sorry state. It was only natural that the Daimyo would lose faith in them.

"But does knowing we'll lose mean we should do nothing?"

Suddenly someone spoke up, pointing out the window, and said in a deep voice, "Look outside, look at Sunagakure. We've been buried here for far too long. How much longer are we going to be buried in this godforsaken place!"

Everyone instinctively looked out the window in the direction he was pointing, and saw a sandy building that looked like a giant anthill.

Pedestrians on the street covered their mouths and noses with scarves to protect them from the wind, their faces etched with the weariness and grime of being weathered by the wind and sand, silently and laboriously fighting against the cruel exploitation of the natural environment.

The sand lashed violently against the exposed skin, like countless tiny blades cutting.

Desolate, lifeless, and harsh.

For Sunagakure and the Land of Wind, the sky is the aversion of the gods, the earth is a wasteland that exploits life, and survival itself is the greatest challenge.

It is said that it was precisely because of this barren living environment that the Sand Village ninjas forged their tenacious will.

But when the Sand Village ninjas heard this, they just wanted to spit out their saliva and say, "Bullshit!"
It wasn't because of any harsh environment, but because of anger and jealousy towards injustice. The neighboring Land of Fire possessed abundant and vast lands, enjoying the generous gifts of nature, with resources that were virtually inexhaustible.

The vast forests provide abundant timber, herbs, and ecological barriers; the fertile land yields plentiful crops; and the numerous rivers and lakes offer ample water and convenient transportation.

This fundamental injustice and jealousy is the reason why Sunagakure continues to participate in wars, even at great cost.

Resentment and jealousy are not emotions that will dissipate; they will only settle and ferment in the sands of time, eventually turning into a distorted desire.

This might be called the motivation to survive, but it's more like a kind of ferocity that's forced out, a willingness to take a bite out of Konoha at any cost!

Thump...thump thump...

Luo Sha's fingers tapped lightly on the table, breaking the oppressive atmosphere in the meeting room.

"Stop complaining." His voice was cold and harsh. "The reality is, we've been choked."

As he spoke, Luo Sha slowly extended his right hand, his fingertips trembling slightly, and a strand of extremely pure, shimmering gold sand flowed slowly.

“In peacetime, we could trade with other countries using gold dust to maintain the stability of the village, but that method is no longer feasible.”

"Our only way is to find a way to regain the daimyo's trust, and the most direct way is..."

He didn't continue speaking, but everyone's gaze involuntarily carried a complex and heavy feeling.

Without a doubt, it is a tailed beast.

If a Jinchuriki could master the One-Tailed Shukaku, it would greatly boost the daimyo's confidence.

but……

"Gaara, that child."

Chiyo's weathered eyes held a hint of weariness and deep helplessness: "Yesterday evening, I lost control again and killed a ninja in front of everyone."

At this point, Chiyo paused, suppressing her personal emotions, and said without any emotional coloring, "As a weapon, it is still unstable and uncontrollable."

Upon hearing this, the temperature in the meeting room seemed to drop several degrees.

As expected, that child was ultimately no match for Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki of Kumogakure. To expect him to control the One-Tail on his own was simply wishful thinking.

With a powerful figure within his ranks attempting to undermine him, and formidable enemies lurking around him from the outside, his most anticipated trump card turns out to be the most unstable powder keg...

"Then, there's only one last option left."

In the silence, Luo Sha slowly raised his head. On his face, which was as hard as a rock carving, there was no anger or sadness, only an almost indifferent determination.

We need a victory.

"An undisputed resounding victory."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone present changed their expressions slightly, but no one raised any objections.

Even without being explicitly stated, Luo Sha's cold and emotionless tone made it clear what he wanted to do.

Rejoin the battle and find a way to win.

Even if this resounding victory is something the daimyo didn't want.

(End of this chapter)