Naruto: Rebuilding the Hidden Sand Village

Mid‑July, Year 46 of the Hidden Leaf Calendar

Rasa welcomed his first child into the world.

As he had hoped, the baby born to Rasa and Karura was a daughter.

"Temari!"

Inside a humble delivery room in Sunagakure's clinic, Rasa watched with relief and pride. The sleeping infant still sucked on his father's thumb in her dreams.

"We'll name her Temari!"

As the war wound down and shinobi returned to their villages, new births surged—even in Sunagakure. The clinic had seen many expectant mothers, some just beginning to show, others clearly pregnant.

The war had taken a heavy toll. Many shinobi were killed, and many more came back with life-changing injuries. In the wealthier villages, even those forced to retire could rely on decent compensation—enough to support themselves and raise their children.

But in Sunagakure, things were different. Poverty was constant. For injured shinobi, losing the ability to work often meant their entire family would fall into hardship. The village could offer only minimal support, and most mission pay vanished into deductions and fees.

Survival here wasn't guaranteed. It depended on sacrifice, resilience… and the will of the people to carry each other through.

Many disabled ninja quietly departed—or never returned from the front. Sunagakure's fearlessness in battle stemmed from this desperate reality.

Still, the village did its best. Orphaned children of heroes received aid so that they could grow up, attend the academy, and eventually support themselves as shinobi.

Yes, it was harsh. But in the unforgiving desert, tough decisions were necessary.

Now, with his daughter finally in his arms, Rasa found himself reflecting on the legacy of Sunagakure—its light and its shadows. His own parents, both warriors, had given their lives so that he and Karura could grow up safely and build a future of their own. It was that kind of sacrifice that had driven the First Kazekage to forge a hidden village from the chaos of the desert.

Temari's birth wasn't just the next chapter in that legacy—it was a vow to carry it forward.

Rasa bowed his head to Karura, who lay exhausted but smiling maternally, and whispered softly, "You've done well."

While Sunagakure's birthrate wasn't especially low compared to the other Great Villages, its basic medical facilities and inexperienced team of medical-nin led to a tragically high infant mortality rate. Every newborn was treated with intense care and vigilance—because in this unforgiving desert, simply growing up healthy was a battle. And if they survived, they would one day enter the academy… and become the village's next generation of shinobi.

Sunagakure had never had a large shinobi force, and by Rasa's generation, a serious talent gap had emerged. If that weren't the case, then why would his own child—still so young—one day become the Fifth Kazekage? Why would that same child, even before taking the title, begin mentoring a student barely younger than himself?

The declining quality and strength of their shinobi was one of the most pressing issues the village now faced.

Once new shinobi graduated, the available Sand-nin would begin taking on apprentices. With the village's limited teaching capacity, it was the only viable solution for the time being. Having slightly older genin—those who had already completed a few missions—mentor younger students wasn't ideal, but it was still a method. And in a village stretched thin, it was better than leaving the next generation unguided.

Rasa gently helped Karura rest, then carefully handed the infant to a waiting medical-nin. The child would be monitored in the nursery until she was stable enough to return home.

Outside the delivery room, Rasa turned to Kana, who had walked out with him. She looked exhausted—her eyes heavy, blinking slowly.

"Thank you," he said softly. "Karura's health has always been fragile. I'm sorry to trouble you with this."

He couldn't help but glance at the clear bite marks on her arm—a sign of her effort. Despite his position as Kazekage, he had always sworn never to push others too hard. But this time…

"If there's anything I can do for you, say the word."

He had originally planned to give Karura one of the red potions—used for blood loss—but he wasn't sure how they'd affect a pregnant woman. So instead, he had turned to the village's walking medical kit: Kana.

"No need," Kana said with a gentle smile, shaking her head. She didn't seem to mind the bite. "I'm happy I could help, Lord Rasa. And… Temari is such a beautiful baby. I'm truly honored I got to deliver her."

Rasa met her gaze and sighed inwardly. He knew she meant it. The village had done its best to offer her a safe home, despite her past as a wandering ninja. Still… he couldn't take her kindness for granted. If he did, he'd become the kind of cold leader he never wanted to be.

But if he kept thanking her, she'd probably get embarrassed.

So instead, he smiled.

"In that case…"

He glanced at her fatigued expression.

"As Kazekage, I'm giving you a few days' leave. Rest up. Don't worry about the clinic or the lake. Seriously—don't say you're fine. You're falling asleep standing up. Just take it easy."

He smiled again, wryly.

"Otherwise, if Karura finds out I've been overworking you, she'll have my head."

Without giving her a chance to argue, he turned and left.

Down the corridor, a silver-haired boy approached, carrying a bento box.

"Kabuto, is that dinner for Kana?"

"Yes, Lord Kazekage."

Kabuto, looking like a miniature adult, bowed after Rasa playfully ruffled his hair. He then watched Rasa's retreating figure, turned his head, and continued walking towards Auntie Kana, who was smiling at him.

"Eat, it's dinner time."

"Thank you, Kabuto." Kana accepted the box and gently fixed his hair. "You really didn't have to bring this every day. I could've eaten at home."

"It's fine," Kabuto said with a faint smile. Then, more softly, "You look happy today."

"Yes! Kabuto is going to have a very cute little sister. You'll definitely like her, you…" Kana looked at Kabuto, who was slightly frowning. "What's wrong? Is something troubling you?"

"No… nothing!"

Mid-July, Year 46 of the Hidden Leaf Calendar.

Perhaps Sunagakure's recent mission had exposed problems within the village. To force Sunagakure into submission, Kirigakure launched a fierce assault, intending to capitalize on the war and Sunagakure's internal issues to secure… a victory in the war!.