010 Reborn as the Third Kazekage

A caravan trudged through the vast desert, struggling against the relentless sandstorm. From their attire, it was clear they were shinobi from Konoha. The wagons carried essential supplies—water and provisions—meant for the frontlines. (As a side note, when considering the Naruto universe, you'll notice its technology is oddly inconsistent. While it surpasses Earth's in areas like Orochimaru's lab experiments, the basics often lag behind—communication is mostly by shouting, and travel is largely on foot. Though the anime doesn't dive deeply into its worldbuilding, hints of industrialization are present. So for now, let's base the technology on the manga. Boruto's futuristic elements are an outlier and won't be considered here. For instance, since we don't see camels in Sunagakure, these wagons are assumed to be human-powered.)

"Something's up!" A vigilant Konoha shinobi at the front of the caravan spoke sharply. His eyes bulged as veins around his temples pulsated—the hallmark of the Hyūga clan.

The caravan came to an immediate halt, every shinobi assuming a defensive stance.

Not long after, a squad appeared through the swirling sand, heading directly toward them. The harsh wind carried a strange sound, reminiscent of a well's pulley creaking.

Many Konoha shinobi decided to strike first, launching kunai and shuriken into the cloud of dust. Yet, no screams of pain followed—only the sound of blades striking solid objects, like knives against chopping boards. As the dust settled, what appeared before them left everyone stunned.

Ten intricately designed puppets, clad in white, stood at the forefront. Behind them, hundreds of Sunagakure shinobi wielding various weapons surged forward like a storm, crashing into the caravan.

"How many times has Sunagakure ambushed our supply lines?"

"This is the fourth time!"

"Who's leading them?"

"It's Elder Chiyo of Sunagakure!"

"Good!" Danzō rose abruptly, a glint of excitement in his eyes, as if hearing something that pleased him.

"Jiraiya, Orochimaru, Tsunade—you three will escort the supply convoy from now on. My only demand is this: deal a devastating blow to Sunagakure's ambushers!" Danzō commanded the Sannin with authority.

Having received their orders, the Sannin left promptly. Danzō then turned to the shinobi who had delivered the report.

"Why are you still here?"

"I haven't reported the casualties yet. This ambush cost us 82 shinobi, 15 wagons of water, and provisions—"

"Enough. I'm not interested in the details. Inform Matsumoto to ration the remaining supplies. This situation will soon be resolved." Danzō cut him off impatiently.

"The food is manageable, but the water…"

"Then organize the Water Release users to gather water. Let them make sacrifices as needed."

"The climate here is so arid that there's barely any moisture in the air. Water Release techniques won't be very effective."

Water Release relies on chakra manipulation to condense moisture from the air into liquid water. In the desert, where humidity is scarce, these techniques naturally lose their effectiveness.

"Did you not understand my order?" Danzō's tone turned sharp.

"A shinobi's duty often requires sacrifices."

"Understood," the shinobi replied reluctantly before exiting the tent.

"Fools," Danzō muttered with frustration. He steadied his emotions and spoke to a shadowy figure in the corner.

"You should prepare as well."

...

The tide of the war was progressing just as Arashi had predicted. Danzō's forces couldn't breach his defenses, while Arashi's guerrilla squads continued harassing Konoha's supply lines. By his calculations, Konoha's provisions would last no more than ten days—perhaps even less. When that time came, Danzō would either retreat, leaving Arashi to pursue, or stay and perish from thirst. The scales of victory were slowly tipping in Sunagakure's favor.

"Lord Kazekage, our guerrilla unit failed to destroy Konoha's supply convoy." Karuke, bloodied and with a kunai lodged in his shoulder, delivered the grim news.

"Hmm? Didn't I instruct you to prioritize destroying the water wagons if heavily guarded convoys were encountered?"

"Their guards weren't numerous, but the leaders were formidable."

"Who were they?"

"Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade."

"All three?"

"Yes."

"Then this failure isn't your fault. Go rest and have your injuries treated." Arashi waved him off.

So, Danzō was willing to deploy such powerful forces to protect his supply lines. Arashi smirked.

"Elder Chiyo, Jonin Shokusa, I'll need you to guard the camp. Hokuto, take 300 men and follow me. We're intercepting Konoha's convoy." Arashi began donning his cloak.

"No! As Kazekage, you shouldn't move recklessly!" Chiyo tried to stop him.

"Elder Chiyo, there's no need to worry. Once we disrupt this convoy, Konoha will have no choice but to retreat. With the Sannin guarding the supplies, this mission requires my direct involvement. Rest assured, I'll only target the water wagons and leave immediately." Arashi smiled faintly, adjusting his sand mask before disappearing from the tent.

...

'Fools who ignore the advice of their elders always pay the price,' Arashi muttered as he faced the middle-aged man before him, whose hair was tied in a high ponytail.

"Shadow Imitation Technique! You must be from the Nara clan," Arashi said.

"Nara Shikachō," the man gritted out, struggling to maintain his technique as sweat poured down his face.

"So, you've cornered me?"

"Based on my calculations, there's a 70% chance you'll die here."

"Is that so? Your jutsu won't hold me for much longer."

"A little time is all we need," Orochimaru said coldly, flanked by Jiraiya—smirking smugly—and Tsunade, whose expression remained neutral.

"You think you three can stop me? I might not be able to take your heads today, but if I choose to escape, none of you can catch me!" Arashi commanded his iron sand tendrils to release more iron sand from a scroll.

"Don't speak too soon," Jiraiya quipped, tossing a wooden kunai that struck the ground. Instantly, five massive iron towers rose around Arashi, converging on him rapidly. Leather ropes sprang from hidden mechanisms, binding Arashi tightly. The released iron sand was pulled toward the towers.

"Phew! You're strong," Shikachō said, collapsing to the ground, his Shadow Imitation Technique at its limit.

"Wow, where did you get all these magnets? I'm impressed. Danzō must've scoured every corner to collect them," Arashi remarked sarcastically, surveying the scene for an escape.

"Not just a few corners—we gathered magnets from all of the Land of Rain. We spent two months setting this trap. Shouldn't you applaud our effort?" Jiraiya grinned broadly.

A flash of realization struck Arashi. He finally understood the extent of their plan.

"Danzō Shimura! You're relentless. To catch one bird, you've scattered half the granary," Arashi muttered, bitterness creeping into his voice.