THE EVIL OF UCHIHA BYAKUYA

The Sand Village, nestled within the scorching expanse of the Land of Wind, has always suffered from a critical issue — a lack of water. The desert's harsh conditions made it nearly impossible to support a stable water supply, and over the years, even successive Kazekage administrations had failed to resolve the problem.

That's why Pakura was stunned when she heard Byakuya claim he could solve the water crisis.

In response to Pakura's disbelief, Byakuya calmly began forming hand seals.

"Earth Style: Ground Splitting Technique."

With a forceful slam of his palms against the ground, a deep rumble echoed as the desert floor split apart, cracking open a wide ravine. This wasn't just a display of brute force — it was strategic. Byakuya was using his Earth Style to expose the subterranean strata beneath the desert, probing for groundwater sources.

He closed his eyes for a moment, activating his chakra perception. A moment later, he opened them and smiled faintly.

"Found it… Water Style: Waterfall Technique."

Channeling his chakra, Byakuya manipulated the moisture in the earth, drawing up the underground water. Suddenly, powerful streams burst forth like geysers, gushing from the cracked earth and cascading down into the village.

"Water…? Is it raining?"

"No! It's Lord Byakuya's ninjutsu! He's summoned the water!"

The astonished villagers didn't hesitate. Containers were brought out, buckets, jars, anything they could use. Even though Byakuya was technically an invader, water was too precious to ignore.

The gushing streams soon filled the massive ravine, forming a lake in the heart of the village. But Byakuya wasn't done yet.

Raising both hands, he cast a protective seal.

"Barrier Technique."

A dome of chakra enveloped the lake, shielding it from evaporation under the relentless desert sun. The lake would remain — fed by the groundwater and protected by jutsu.

"Now your Sand Village won't lack water again," Byakuya said, looking at the lake with a satisfied smile.

Pakura stood stunned.

"This... this is incredible... You've created a freshwater lake... something even the previous Kazekage couldn't do."

Indeed, past Kazekage — even the famed Third Kazekage — had proposed similar solutions, but the village lacked someone with Byakuya's sheer power and chakra control. The combined might of the entire village's Water Release users could never have matched this feat.

For the first time, Pakura truly considered that perhaps aligning with Byakuya wasn't submission — it might be survival.

Time passed, and Sand Village began to recover rapidly under Pakura's leadership and Byakuya's influence. The villagers, finally freed from their generational suffering, began to reframe their views.

One morning, Pakura approached Byakuya.

"Lord Byakuya, the village has stabilized… I must ask — what of Chiyo and Rasa?"

Byakuya's expression turned cold.

"They fled when the village needed them most. They are traitors."

"You don't need me to tell you how traitors are treated, do you?"

Pakura nodded grimly.

"Understood. I will declare them rogues."

It wasn't just Pakura who felt this way. Among the Sand Shinobi who remained, resentment brewed toward those who fled. Chiyo, Rasa — once revered figures — had turned their backs on the village in its hour of crisis.

At that moment, far from the village, a ragged group of Sand Ninjas trudged across the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Rivers. Their faces were marked with exhaustion and shame.

"Lady Chiyo, we're out of Wind Country borders… Should we rest now?"

"B-Byakuya shouldn't be able to follow us this far…" Rasa muttered, panting heavily.

Chiyo hesitated, scanning the empty plains.

"Alright… Let's rest."

The entire group collapsed onto the dusty ground, breathing hard. Their retreat had been desperate — more flight than strategy — and none dared look back toward the homeland they had abandoned.

They had been fleeing non-stop. The pressure Uchiha Byakuya had placed on them was overwhelming.

Only after they crossed the border of the Land of Wind did they dare to stop and catch their breath.

"Maki, Yashamaru... head to the nearest town and gather intel on the situation in the Sand Village," Chiyo ordered calmly, though fatigue lined her face.

"Yes, ma'am," the two replied before disappearing into the distance.

A short while later, they returned, expressions tense and eyes dark with worry.

"Maki, Yashamaru—what's happened?"

"How is the Sand Village?" Chiyo and Rasa asked, stepping forward.

"...Lady Chiyo, Lord Rasa," Maki began grimly, "the Sand Village... has been completely taken over by Uchiha Byakuya."

"Tch… Damn that man!"

"The Sand Village is gone? Our home…"

"We can't just sit by—we have to strike back!"

"Revenge! For the Sand Village!"

The surviving Sand Shinobi erupted into anger and disbelief, their emotions boiling over. In their minds, the occupation surely meant the annihilation of their village.

However, Yashamaru raised his hand. "The Sand Village wasn't destroyed," he said carefully.

"...What?"

The angry voices fell silent.

"The buildings are intact, the civilians are unharmed. But..." Maki paused, his face still grim.

"There's something worse."

"Worse than total destruction?" one of the jōnin muttered.

Yashamaru's jaw tightened. "...Pakura has been appointed as the new Kazekage."

"And that's not all," Maki added. "She's issued a decree branding all of us—Chiyo, Rasa, and everyone who escaped—as traitors."

There was a stunned silence.

"Traitors?!"

"How can that be!?"

"We fought for the village!"

"We retreated to preserve our strength, not abandon it!"

The outcry was instant. These were shinobi who had dedicated their lives to the Sand Village. They had fought in the Third Great Ninja War, obeyed orders, and bled for their homeland. Now, overnight, they had become nukenin—rogue ninja.

Even Chiyo and Rasa stood in frozen disbelief.

"...So, the traitors are us," Chiyo murmured bitterly, her eyes narrowing.

The village they had tried to protect now viewed them as enemies.

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