First Step to Getting Rich

First Step to Getting Rich

An indescribable rage burned in Danzō's chest.

Danzō was not the only one enraged. Every ninja fighting Sunagakure alongside Konoha was furious.

Just minutes earlier, they had arrived at Sunagakure's former encampment.

Since Sunagakure had retreated, they naturally chose to follow.

By all rights, they should have been happy. They had finally driven Sunagakure out of the Land of Fire.

But before they could fully celebrate, Sunagakure dealt them a brutal blow.

With Sunagakure's camp as the center, everything within a one-kilometer radius had been cleared away.

Not even a blade of grass had been left behind. Anything that could be taken was taken, and everything else was burned.

It was countless times worse than a locust swarm. Under the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan, it was clear that this stretch of forest had been shaved down by several feet.

Viewed from the sky, it looked like an irregular basin.

Even now, Danzō remembered how he had felt upon seeing those flames soaring into the heavens.

"Chase them! Chase them down! We must kill those Sunagakure bastards! We must take it all back!"

Danzō's entire face twisted.

This was a stain on his life.

The moment Danzō finished speaking, the surrounding ninjas swiftly departed. Led by Hyuga Clan ninjas, they raced after Suke and the others in the direction of their retreat.

Compared to Konoha's side, Sunagakure's side was far too excited.

"Overjoyed" was not enough to describe them.

"Lord Suke, we struck it rich this time! Konoha is just too wealthy!"

Rasa, his red hair blazing, said excitedly to Suke.

"Heh heh, it's mainly because Lord Kazekage is so capable. Otherwise, we wouldn't have gotten so many good things."

Suke said with a smile.

Excited? How could they not be? Using the technique Yunqing had given them, they had gotten an entire plot of land for free.

It was genuine land, with plenty of young seedlings growing on it.

This was the capital Sunagakure needed to rise.

What was more, with his Magnetic Sand Iron and Rasa's Magnetic Sand Gold, they had hollowed out several major mines.

"Enough excitement. We need to hurry. Monk Bunpuku is waiting for us at the border. If they dare pursue us, we'll give them a grand gift."

A cruel smile appeared on Suke's lips.

Monk Bunpuku did not enjoy killing, but that did not mean he could not kill.

On Konoha's territory, their combat strength would be diminished. In the Land of Wind, it would grow exponentially—especially Monk Bunpuku's.

A sandstorm—an endless sandstorm—stood before Shimura Danzō and the others.

Danzō's expression at that moment was just like the assessment countless netizens would later give him: black. Bottomless black. Black that could never be washed clean.

"Lord Danzō, we can't get through. I tried sending snakes in just now, but it was impossible. This sandstorm is blocking us."

Orochimaru said helplessly, his tongue flicking out.

"Where are the Hyuga Clan? Have them take a look."

Danzō growled.

"We can't see through it, Lord Danzō. This sandstorm was created by someone. A violent Chakra fills the entire storm."

The Hyuga Clan members were equally speechless.

"It's Shukaku's power. That monk Bunpuku is the One-Tail Jinchuriki. In the desert, the One-Tail is practically immortal." Mitokado Homura adjusted his glasses and said helplessly, "Danzō, prepare to withdraw. The war with Sunagakure should end. They've made their position clear, and there's nothing we can do."

With a sigh, Shimura Danzō was no fool. He knew what they were facing.

Shukaku already bore the title of the Demon of the Sand. In an endless desert, what kind of power would he possess?

Behind the sandstorm, Bunpuku and Suke stood side by side, each covering one eye.

"It's over. We can consider ourselves withdrawn from this Ninja World War."

Bunpuku dispelled his ninjutsu and relaxed.

"Yes. We lost, but we also won. From here on, there is only the matter of our own country."

Suke also let out a sigh of relief.

"Our own country... That is what matters most now."

Bunpuku murmured blankly. Then his gaze hardened as he spoke to Suke.

"You should go back. Shukaku and I are enough here. Lord Kazekage needs you."

On the rock wall surrounding Sunagakure, Yunqing stood alongside a group of Sand Shinobi. Countless ninjas stared in astonishment at the technique being maintained by the Sand Shinobi outside—mainly at the vast stretch of land within it, and the seedlings growing upon it.

"What miraculous power." Ebizo stared at the scene in shock. Though he had long known of Yunqing's plans, seeing them with his own eyes still left him stunned.

But can we really sustain this?

The many ninjas looked at the red-haired young man before them in confusion.

Yunqing did not share the Sand Shinobi's concerns. In Fairy Tail, Irene could melt an entire snow-covered mountain range and bring the earth back to life. He could do the same.

If he were not worried about going too far and provoking the other Ninja Villages of the Ninja World into besieging him, Yunqing would have even wanted to show the world what it meant to create something from nothing.

He could have a magical world descend upon them.

Do not doubt whether Yunqing could do it. So long as there was a need, he could make it happen.

Irene Belserion was a mage who had lived for four hundred years and had even evolved into a dragon. Her reserves of magic power and spells were comparable to those of a black mage.

With Yunqing possessing the power of her template, what could he not accomplish?

Over the following period, Yunqing showed the ninjas of Sunagakure what a one-man show truly looked like.

With a large-scale solidification spell, he fused the soil with the desert. Then, with a large-scale growth spell, he made the trees rapidly take root and grow.

To the ninjas and ordinary people of Sunagakure, it felt as though a miracle had descended.

Sensing that the trees' roots had already sunk deep enough to reach the underground river, Yunqing finally smiled.

It had not been easy for him either. To improve Sunagakure's conditions, he had secretly made many preparations.

Whenever the night was quiet and everyone was asleep, he would secretly infiltrate beneath Sunagakure and improve the environment underground.

All of it had been in preparation for this very moment.

Mr. Zhou Shuren had once said that there were no miracles in this world. If you saw one, then, child, congratulations—you had been set up.

"Heh heh, I may not be able to plant trees everywhere like Hashirama Senju, but I can transplant them. With these trees, we've taken the first step toward transforming the Desert."

Yunqing spoke with pride and satisfaction.

Yunqing knew clearly that after this move, no one in all of Sunagakure would be able to stop him any longer.

"Elder Ebizo, make the arrangements. Have those ninjas who can use Water Release water the trees every day. Water the area around that land. We'll take it bit by bit. One day, we'll create an even larger forest."

Spreading his arms wide, Yunqing declared arrogantly.

Yet no one thought Yunqing arrogant. They believed him.

The reason was simple. In the past, Sunagakure did not even have any greenery. Now, they had it in abundance—and they were towering trees.