Flowing River Region and Flying Bird Region

"Actually, I'm willing to believe in the existence of gods and Buddhas, but when a person is at their most desperate, no matter how much they beg, those gods and Buddhas still sit high and aloof on their pedestals, looking down on all living beings..."

"The divine miracles hide, watching helplessly as one vivid life after another fades away, while the survivors fall into the abyss of suffering." Souya's gaze grew distant, as if recalling something from long ago.

"Tell me, how am I supposed to have faith in gods and Buddhas like that?"

"Master, I think you're far more impressive than those gods and Buddhas. After all, if you hadn't picked me up back then, I'd probably have been dragged off by some wild wolf by now!" Souya suddenly shifted his tone, grinning as he flattered.

"You, at such a young age, can see things so clearly—I'm far inferior to you in that regard..."

"But you're so obsessed with force. Remember, even someone as strong as the God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama, couldn't stop the wars." The Old Monk's tone suggested he might have witnessed Hashirama's power firsthand in his youth.

"That's because his method was wrong..." Souya replied. "Force may not solve everything, but it's the prerequisite for everything."

"If we don't have enough strength, we can't even protect our village. If our villagers are ravaged by war, how can we talk about protecting all living beings?"

"Are we supposed to move Buddha statues onto the battlefield and expect the enemy to stop invading our country?"

"With great power comes great responsibility!"

"At least for now, protecting you, Master, is definitely no problem!" Souya said with a fawning smile.

"You... I was worried you might go astray, but it seems you've already recognized your true heart and have a firm conviction. That's rare..." the Old Monk sighed.

"Master, don't worry. How could I go astray? I wouldn't dare break any monastic rules!" Souya put on a righteous expression.

"The barbecue sauce you mixed is almost used up. Find some time to brew another batch..." the Old Monk said, squinting, his pale eyebrows perched above his eyes.

"Sure, no problem! Tell Junior Martial Uncle and the others to show some restraint. Monastics shouldn't have such heavy tastes..."

The next morning, Souya slung a sealed Gold Dust Rod diagonally across his back and started running along the river, beginning his unshakable daily training during his free time.

After all, he wasn't like those red-haired guys with their "Chakra" physique. His own Chakra required long, hard training to see any noticeable growth.

Fortunately, this body's potential hadn't been fully tapped yet. Training every day, when his cells were most active, then sitting in meditation to refine Chakra, yielded much better results.

The Gold Rod on his back now weighed over two hundred jin. It wasn't that the sealed gold dust couldn't be heavier, but any more weight and Souya's body couldn't handle it...

After all, Sunagakure had no taijutsu experts, and no methods for training taijutsu or Nintaijutsu...

So Souya could only train like Rock Lee with the Eight Gates, using weights to constantly push his body's potential.

But after these few years, Souya had realized that while it was effective, it was far from reaching Rock Lee's level during the Chunin Exams.

The key issue was that Souya lacked the Eight Gates training method...

If he wanted to enhance his physical functions, training Lightning Release was another option.

But the awkward part was that Sunagakure's shallow accumulation of jutsu couldn't even produce a decent scroll on Lightning Release nature transformation.

After all, using Lightning Release Chakra to stimulate the body's cells was a delicate task that required professional guidance. Letting Chakra transform into lightning and flow through one's body was no joke. If something went wrong and left a chronic injury, it would be a lifelong regret.

"Hah! Hah!"

Souya struggled up and down on the riverbank, sweat dripping from his chin like rain, soaking the ground.

His arms swung with increasing amplitude, but Souya kept going, his movements still precise as he pushed his body up and slowly lowered it.

"Hah!"

With a low shout, Souya's drooping body suddenly shot up. A sharp jolt seemed to strike his mind, and his body froze. A wave of intense weakness climbed into his arms. His limbs went limp, and he collapsed sideways onto the ground.

The sun was hidden by clouds, and the once glaring light softened.

"Huff! Huff!"

Souya greedily gasped for air. A sense of pleasure began to seep into his mind, and his body felt light and airy, as if he'd just done something far more exhilarating.

"This might be the threshold for opening the Eight Gates... What a shame, I don't have the Eight Gates training method..." Souya lamented again.

The Eight Gates was a technique that pushed the body's potential to its limits through intense training, then unlocked the body's natural limiters—the "Eight Gates"—to release power beyond its limits.

Souya felt that this session had let him touch the threshold of the first gate, but without the "key" to open it, he couldn't access that power.

After resting for a while, feeling his strength gradually return, Souya started training another part of his body.

A ninja needed all-around physical strength, not just arm training. Leg strength was equally important, since dodging attacks and crucial sprints relied on both legs.

Days passed peacefully. After occupying the Lands of Rivers and Birds, Sunagakure dispatched a large number of ninjas to fortify both countries.

They built various defensive structures and surveyed resources, acting as if these lands were already part of the Land of Wind.

"Souya, news from Flowing River Region (Land of Rivers) says the civilians there are dissatisfied with our rule. Go investigate and solve the problem directly!" The Third Kazekage sat behind his desk, a hint of malice flashing across his face.

He was clearly still irritated that his personal intervention hadn't captured the Land of Stone.

Unfortunately, the Third Tsuchikage's Kekkei Tōta—Dust Release—was far more powerful than the Third Kazekage's Kekkei Genkai—Magnet Release. If not for the fact that Iwagakure's ninjas clearly had other objectives, the Sunagakure forces wouldn't have withdrawn from the Land of Stone so easily.

In Sunagakure's future development plans, the Bird River Region was a strategic territory that couldn't be lost.

Besides preventing invasion from other nations, maintaining local stability was crucial.

"Teacher, have the river surveys for the Bird and River Regions been completed? How's the canal plan coming along?" Souya asked. Since only the two of them were in the office, he addressed him directly as teacher.

Hearing Souya mention this, the Third Kazekage's face finally cracked a slight smile.

"Completely feasible! Both Flowing River Region and Flying Bird Region (Land of Birds) have large rivers flowing out from the Land of Rain, with enormous water volume year-round. If we divert them, we can definitely create vast oases!"

"This is something that truly benefits our country!" The Kazekage's tone carried clear excitement.