Kazekage Ninja: The Rise of the Hidden Sand

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Standing atop a towering sand dune, Jinghang gazed at the crimson sunset, distorted by the scorching sands on the horizon. Below him, the village's outline stretched into long, exaggerated shadows. A few tumbleweeds rolled aimlessly in the wind, adding to the scene's inexplicable desolation and grandeur.

"Sigh!" Jinghang exhaled deeply.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" came a voice from behind him.

Without turning, Jinghang immediately dropped to one knee in a semi-kneeling posture.

"Yes, Kazekage-sama, breathtakingly so."

Indeed, Jinghang was the protagonist of this story—a man who, in his original life, was an 80s-born community worker battling on the frontlines of epidemic prevention. With few hobbies, his only pastime was reading manga. One day, after an all-nighter due to pandemic control work, he returned to his dorm but found himself unable to sleep. He opened his laptop to rewatch Naruto. As he watched, drowsiness overtook him, and when he woke up, he had somehow arrived in the world of Naruto—more specifically, the world of the Kazekage. Surrounded by endless yellow sand and barren land, there was no mistaking it—this was Sunagakure, the Hidden Sand Village. And he was nothing more than an orphan of the First Shinobi World War.

But heaven seemed to have taken pity on him. Slowly, Jinghang discovered that he was, in fact, the one known as the "Strongest Kazekage in History"—the Third Kazekage. Unfortunately, he was also the unluckiest Kazekage, who, as depicted in the manga, was turned into a human puppet by Sasori of the Red Sand upon his debut. As a transmigrator, he could not accept such a tragic fate. With his Magnet Release (Jiton) bloodline limit and mastery of the Iron Sand technique, coupled with his deep understanding of the manga and relentless effort, he began to shine in the ninja academy. After graduating, he led his team to complete countless missions, earning the rank of jōnin at just 16 years old. His exceptional performance caught the eye of the Second Kazekage, Shamon, who appointed him as a personal guard. Over the years, Jinghang fought on numerous battlefields, earning the nickname "Blue Sandstorm" (due to his blue hair). He was seen as the heir apparent to the Kazekage by both Shamon and the village elders.

"You still believe we shouldn't invade the Land of Rain?" the Second Kazekage asked.

"Yes, Kazekage-sama."

"Why? Is it because of that poison-loving brat, Hanzō of the Salamander?"

"Hanzō is of little concern; Elder Chiyo is more than capable of handling him. My concern is that if the battle drags on, other great nations will inevitably intervene. Neither Konoha nor Iwagakure will tolerate the rise of a powerful—"

"Enough!" Shamon interrupted sternly.

"Do you think I'm unaware of the risks of this war? Look carefully," he said, pointing to the village below.

"Water scarcity! Poverty! Hunger! This is the life we endure. Do you want our children to continue living like this? If we don't fight, where will our space for survival come from? If we don't fight, how will we develop our village? You're short-sighted! You've disappointed me." Shamon's emotions flared, and the dragon tattoo on his face appeared even more menacing.

Jinghang remained kneeling, his head bowed, silent.

"If you refuse to fight this war, then you won't be going. Go to the Abyss and watch over that monk, Bunpuku."

When Jinghang looked up again, the Second Kazekage had already disappeared.

The next day, the Second Kazekage personally led Elder Chiyo and a group of elite jōnin on an expedition to the Land of Rain. Elder Ebizō was left to manage village affairs, while Jinghang, the heir apparent, was demoted to guard the Abyss prison, tasked with watching over the One-Tail Jinchūriki (Ichibi no Jinchūriki), Bunpuku.

As someone who had thoroughly studied Naruto and actively participated in various forums, Jinghang knew that the upcoming war was the Second Shinobi World War. It was a conflict sparked by the growing economic disparity among nations following the First Shinobi World War. Under the guise of seeking greater equality, militant factions in various countries rose to power, advocating territorial expansion through force. The war began with Sunagakure's invasion of Amegakure, the Hidden Rain Village. What followed was a chaotic struggle involving the five great nations, with Konoha ultimately emerging victorious due to its deep reserves and fertile lands. Sunagakure, however, suffered significant losses, including many elite ninja. Subsequent tragedies, including the deaths of the Third and Fourth Kazekage, relegated the village to a secondary role among the great nations. Even their alliance with Orochimaru during the Konoha Crush Plan yielded little more than the death of an aging Hiruzen Sarutobi. By the time of the Fifth Kazekage, Gaara, Sunagakure had essentially become Konoha's subordinate. In Jinghang's view, the decline of Sunagakure could be traced back to the Second Kazekage's decision to initiate this war. As the "crown prince" of the village, he naturally wanted to curb Sunagakure's aggression, but his repeated attempts to dissuade the Second Kazekage only earned him the leader's ire, leading to his reassignment to guard the Jinchūriki.

The Abyss was a semi-enclosed canyon repurposed as a prison. Vast yet desolate, it housed only one inmate. Its deep, winding paths and oppressive silence were suffocating, like a descent into hell.

"Sigh, boss, why did you have to argue with the Kazekage? Now we're stuck guarding this miserable place instead of being on the frontlines," Rasa complained.

"Just shut up. The boss has never been wrong in his judgment. Just follow his lead," Pakura said, using her Scorch Release (Shakuton) fireballs to light the way.

As an elite jōnin, Jinghang naturally had his own ninja squad. Before Tsunade proposed the theory that equipping a combat squad with a medical ninja significantly increased survival rates, most squads consisted of three members. Having risen early into Sunagakure's leadership, Jinghang had the privilege of handpicking his team, assigning the future Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, and the powerful yet tragic elite jōnin, Pakura, to his squad. This made it one of the strongest teams in Sunagakure. However, perhaps due to the Second Kazekage's deliberate intent, the entire team was reassigned to the Abyss following Jinghang's dissent.

Rasa, far from the stoic and composed demeanor he would later exhibit as the Fourth Kazekage, grumbled incessantly like a disgruntled housewife. Pakura, on the other hand, was Jinghang's loyal admirer, treating every word from her captain as gospel.

The Abyss was deep and winding. After what felt like an eternity, they finally spotted a faint light ahead. A tall, slender shadow stretched even longer under the dim illumination.

"Master Bunpuku, your meal is here," Jinghang said respectfully, handing a food box into the cell.

A middle-aged monk slowly opened his eyes. Recognizing the visitor, he smiled faintly.

"Thank you, Jinghang-dono," Bunpuku said, bowing with his hands pressed together.

As Sunagakure's strategic weapon and someone Jinghang was familiar with, Bunpuku was no stranger to him. In fact, they were well-acquainted. Jinghang, aware of the secrets of the Tailed Beasts, often visited Bunpuku to chat. He knew this monk was extraordinary—arguably the first perfect Jinchūriki since the Sage of Six Paths. Bunpuku's pure heart had even earned the praise of the One-Tail, Shukaku, who likened his character to that of the Sage. Unfortunately, the village, viewing the Tailed Beasts as catastrophic threats, chose to imprison Bunpuku in the Abyss rather than study and utilize his potential.

"Jinghang-dono, my gratitude is not for the effort you've taken to bring me food, but for your courage in advising the Second Kazekage against invading the Land of Rain," Bunpuku said as he opened the food box and began eating.

"Unfortunately, the Kazekage-sama did not heed my advice and insisted on proceeding. By now, the vanguard is likely at the border of the Land of Rain. A great war is inevitable," Jinghang sighed. Though their motivations differed—one for the nation, the other for all living beings—they shared the same desire to prevent the war.

"You have done your best, and your conscience is clear. There is no need for guilt. Alas, the world will once again be plunged into suffering. I shall chant sutras to guide the souls of the departed."

"Very well," Jinghang replied, glancing at Bunpuku's face under the dim light. The monk's gaunt features were accentuated by two large dark circles under his eyes.

"Master, how long has it been since you last slept?"

"By my count, 55 days."

"Ah, that's terrible. Perhaps I should take you outside to rest for a while?"

Bunpuku's eyes crinkled with a smile. Pressing his hands together, he said, "If so, I must trouble you, Jinghang-dono."