Hyuga Ayane let out a soft sigh as she watched the ninjas coming and going through the village. Their expressions revealed a suppressed fighting spirit.
"These ninjas really have hard lives. They either depend on funding from the Feudal Lord or can only make a living by carrying out high-risk missions. And their leader, the Third Kazekage, actually has to mine ore himself to subsidize the village's finances. It's simply unimaginable."
Uchiha Ying Yue's gaze settled on a mine in the distance that was being excavated. It was a symbol of Sunagakure's desperate struggle for survival.
"The Feudal Lord of the Land of Wind is clearly deeply wary of ninjas," he said. "If the ninjas controlled economic resources, they would no longer need the Feudal Lord's funding. Then the value of the Feudal Lord's existence would be greatly diminished."
Uchiha Ying Yue thought of Konoha's livable environment and relatively abundant resources. Comparing it to the Sunagakure before him only made his feelings more complicated.
Although Konoha was economically prosperous with the Feudal Lord's support, hidden behind that prosperity were power struggles unknown to most.
Sunagakure's circumstances, meanwhile, were even more tragic. Struggling to survive in a harsh natural environment, the ninjas' lives and battles were both filled with hardship.
"Ying Yue," Ayane called softly, "do you think Sunagakure has a future?"
Uchiha Ying Yue fell silent for a moment before slowly replying, "As long as the Feudal Lord of the Land of Wind remains this harsh, Sunagakure's future will be very difficult. They need more resources and more support to break free from this predicament. But changing the situation is far beyond the strength of the ninjas alone. To solve the problem at its root, the political structure of the Land of Wind must change, so that ninjas are no