013 Reborn as the Third Kazekage

"With humility and sincerity, I hereby swear to devote my life to upholding the indomitable spirit of our predecessors, to honor the foundation they built through great hardship. Let this oath be witnessed by both man and the heavens."

Arashi drew blood from his finger and pressed it to his lips. Standing in the grand hall of the Kazekage Tower, under the solemn gaze of the giant statues of the First Kazekage Reto and the Second Kazekage Shamon, and in the presence of Sunagakure's family representatives and elders, Arashi bowed deeply to the Daimyō of the Land of Wind—a pudgy man with small eyes and a thin mustache. The Daimyō smiled as he placed a green conical hat emblazoned with the kanji for "Wind" on Arashi's head and shook his hand warmly. With that, the succession ceremony concluded amidst thunderous applause.

The past few weeks had been exhausting for Arashi. Between organizing the funeral for the Second Kazekage, meeting with the Daimyō, negotiating with various clan leaders, and comforting war orphans, he had been stretched thin. Even with the use of Shadow Clones, it was only today that he could catch his breath.

"Hokuto, make arrangements for Yashamaru and Watanabe to lead a team to the Ishi Fortress to bring back Rasa, Pakura, and the Akasuna couple. They've been delayed long enough, and without them, the ANBU and Ninja Academy can't function properly."

"Yes, Kazekage-sama. However, in a few days, you'll be leaving for a diplomatic visit to Konohagakure. You'll pass by the Ishi Fortress on the way..."

"Ah, I nearly forgot. Have Rasa and Pakura wait for me at the Ishi Fortress. We can travel together from there. Also, prepare official escort appointments for the two of them."

"Understood, Kazekage-sama. By the way, the Daimyō will be returning later. Shouldn't you see him off?"

"See him off? Hell no! Don't even mention that stingy bastard to me. He's like a damn miser come to life! Send Elder Ebizō to deal with him. I don't have time to babysit that guy." Arashi couldn't hold back his frustration.

The relationship between Daimyō and ninja villages in the world of Naruto was complicated. The Daimyō, as feudal lords, predated the ninja era. Even Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths, preached his teachings on lands controlled by these lords. Over time, however, their influence waned. The Daimyō remained figureheads, controlling vast land, wealth, and tax revenues, yet wielded almost no military power. The true strength lay with the Kage and their ninja villages. Despite funding the villages, the Daimyō were effectively hiring elite bodyguards, leaving the decision to wage wars in the hands of the Kage.

On the eve of the succession ceremony, Arashi, accompanied by Chiyo and Ebizō, met with the Daimyō. The primary goal was to secure funding for Sunagakure, especially after the Second Kazekage's defeat in the Land of Rain, largely due to a lack of resources. Sunagakure had been pushed to the brink of annihilation, only receiving a meager 15 million ryō in its most desperate hour. In contrast, Konohagakure's Daimyō had once granted them 200 million ryō for war expenses.

The new Daimyō wasted no time in stating his intentions: since Sunagakure had formed a peace treaty with Konohagakure, there was no need for such a large budget. He slashed the annual funding from 30 million ryō to 15 million ryō. No amount of reasoning or persuasion could change his mind.

Frustrated, Arashi finally demanded the land rights to the Lake Tsuki region in exchange for accepting the reduced funding. The Daimyō, seeing little value in the land, quickly agreed, even signing a transfer document and offering two years of advance funding.

As soon as the Daimyō left, Arashi handed the green Kazekage hat to Hokuto, muttering, "I hate this hat. I'll wear it as little as possible."

Then, with a serious tone, Arashi addressed Hokuto: "I'm giving you a mission. From our remaining budget, I'll allocate 15 million ryō for you to use."

"What's the task, Kazekage-sama?"

"A great war is coming. Refugees will be displaced across the nations. Your job is to guide them to Lake Tsuki. Increase the population and build the region's infrastructure."

"Yes, sir."

"Our losses during the war were severe. Many talented ninja and clans with kekkei genkai perished. We must recruit talented individuals, even missing-nin, at any cost. Sunagakure needs fresh blood."

"That's... quite the undertaking," Hokuto said hesitantly.

"Of course, you won't be doing this alone. Elder Chiyo will assist you in removing internal obstacles. I'll also establish a new department, the Immigration Bureau, with you as its first director. The initial 15 million is just startup funding. If you need more resources, just ask. I'll do everything I can to support you."

Hokuto stood stunned. The scale of this responsibility was immense.

Arashi smiled and patted his shoulder.

"The future of this village depends on you. Recruiting and settling people, ensuring security, building infrastructure—you and Karuke need to make Lake Tsuki the most vibrant place in the ninja world. I'm entrusting half of the village's future to you."

"And the other half?" Hokuto asked, dumbfounded.

"Education." Arashi gestured toward the Ninja Academy.

Later, Ebizō found himself holding two documents:

Sunagakure's Education Reform Plan and The Will of the Wind.

"Arashi is truly ambitious," he murmured.

Education was vital for every nation, especially a ninja village. Without proper guidance, young ninja could easily go astray, causing tragic outcomes. Even Konohagakure, with its Will of Fire, struggled with rogue ninja.

The Will of the Wind was a motivational book detailing the harsh survival of desert people, their struggles against nature, and the founding of Sunagakure by the First Kazekage, Reto. It was intended to inspire young minds.

The reform plan proposed splitting the Ninja Academy into two branches: one for training ninja and another for teaching technical skills to children without ninja talent. It also included plans for exchange programs with Konohagakure.

Reading the documents, Ebizō couldn't help but laugh through tears.

"There's hope for Sunagakure yet."