Strength Is the Foundation of Peace

Land of Rivers.

This long, narrow country wedged between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire had a climate entirely different from its neighboring nations.

Sōji stood at a mountain pass on the border, feeling the wind blowing toward him.

The air here was crisper than in the Land of Fire, carrying the distinctive scent of mountain grass and trees.

In the distance, endless mountain ranges vanished into the clouds and mist, layer upon layer like an ink-wash landscape painting.

He took out a map, his gaze settling on the Land of Rivers.

The Land of Rivers bordered the Land of Fire to the northeast and the Land of Wind to the southwest. Though its territory was not small, most of it was mountainous, with usable plains making up less than a tenth.

It was precisely this complex terrain that formed a natural barrier between the two great nations of Fire and Wind.

In times of war, small countries like this often had it the hardest.

The neighboring Land of Grass lay amid plains and dense forests and should have been a prosperous land.

But because it was caught between two great nations and had no natural defenses to rely on, it could only survive by playing both sides diplomatically.

During the Third Shinobi World War, the Land of Grass was nearly torn apart by the ninja armies of the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind.

Sōji recalled what he had seen while traveling through the Land of Grass: villages that had yet to be fully rebuilt, people who had lost their land and been displaced, and children with numbness in their eyes.

When great nations fought, small nations suffered.

That was the eternal rule of the shinobi world.

If not for Hanzo of the Salamander, the demigod of the shinobi world, holding the Land of Rain at the border of the three great nations of Wind, Fire, and Earth, it would likely have long since been erased from the map.

That small nation of perpetual rain had produced an expert standing at the pinnacle of the shinobi world, earning itself the right to survive.

The Land of Rivers, however, had taken another path.

Sōji put away the map and continued along the mountain road.

During the Third Shinobi World War, the Land of Rivers had chosen a side and clung tightly to the Land of Fire.

At the time, that choice had undoubtedly been a gamble. The Land of Fire had been the target of all, with nearly all three inland great nations wanting to bite off a piece of it. But the outcome proved that the Land of Rivers had bet right.

The Land of Fire won the final victory, and as a victorious nation alongside it, the Land of Rivers naturally received its share of the spoils.

After the war, the Land of Rivers' economy developed rapidly.

The mineral resources in its mountains were extracted on a large scale. High-quality ores were shipped to the Land of Fire in exchange for vast amounts of capital and technology.

At the same time, those mountains shrouded in mist year-round became a paradise in travelers' eyes.

Hot springs, seas of clouds, red autumn leaves, snowy vistas—the distinct scenery of all four seasons drew tourists from every nation, and tourism became another major pillar of the Land of Rivers.

Militarily, the Land of Rivers' ninja village also received support from the Land of Fire. Though it was not large, it was well-equipped and well-trained, enough to deal with ordinary conflicts, bandits, and marauders.

But hidden dangers existed as well.

Though the country was vast, too little of it could be used. Its mineral resources would eventually run dry, while tourism was constrained by weather and seasons.

More critically, the Land of Wind, one of the Five Great Nations, had never abandoned its ambitions for this land.

The Sunagakure ninja who lived in the harsh desert environment would cross the border from time to time to patrol, testing the reactions of the Land of Rivers and the Land of Fire.

Thus, the development of the Land of Rivers had always been inseparable from the Land of Fire's assistance.

It was like a blade of grass dependent on a great tree. It received shelter, but lost its independence.

As Sōji walked along the mountain road, this information passed through his mind.

It was a habit he had developed over the past year. Whenever he arrived somewhere new, he first learned about its geography, politics, economy, and people's livelihoods.

Tsunade had once mocked him for being like an old man, spending all day pondering useless things. But he knew that those useless things would someday prove very useful.

If he truly wanted to become Mizukage, if he truly wanted to change this cruel world, then he had to understand it deeply.

Only by fully understanding its rules could he find its loopholes.

Three days later.

Cloudview, a mountain city in northwestern Land of Rivers.

It was one of the largest cities in the Land of Rivers, situated in a mountain basin two thousand meters above sea level. Mountains surrounded it on all sides, and mist curled around it, making it seem like a paradise amid the clouds.

Sōji stood at the city gate and looked up.

The gate was built from local bluestone, tall and solid, bearing the traces of time. Above it were carved two ancient, simple characters: Cloudview.

The city gate stood wide open, with a constant stream of people entering and leaving. There were travelers carrying packs, merchants leading packhorses, peddlers carrying shoulder poles, and finely dressed tourists.

Sōji entered the city with the crowd.

The streets were broad and clean, with shops lining both sides: taverns, inns, general stores, herbal medicine shops, weapon shops, and more.

Besides the local writing of the Land of Rivers, most signs also bore the writing of the Land of Fire, making them easier for tourists to recognize.

The people on the streets wore all kinds of clothing.

The locals of the Land of Rivers favored thick, brightly colored clothes to ward off the cold mountain air.

There were also merchants from the Land of Fire, dressed in comparatively light kimono or haori. Occasionally, visitors from the Land of Wind could be seen, wrapped in heavy cloaks that covered half their faces as they hurried past.

All kinds of scents drifted through the air: the charred aroma of grilled fish, the steam from boiling noodles, the bitterness of medicinal herbs, and the freshness unique to the mountains.

Sōji strolled down the street, taking it all in.

This was his first true journey alone. He and Tsunade had traveled to many places before.

But back then, his attention had been entirely on training and protecting her. He had rarely observed his surroundings so leisurely.

Now, though, he had plenty of time. He could slow down.

As he passed a tavern, lively finger-guessing calls rang out from inside.

As he passed an inn, the attendant at the entrance was warmly soliciting guests.

As he passed a general store, the proprietress was haggling with a customer until both were red in the face.

He also saw several children chasing and playing in an alley, their laughter clear and bright.

He saw an elderly couple sitting in the doorway basking in the sun, satisfied smiles on their faces.

And he saw a young mother holding her infant, softly humming a song.

This was peaceful life!

Sōji withdrew his gaze and continued forward.

After turning a street corner, he saw a shop ahead. The sign hanging outside read, "Yamada Trading Company · Grain Specialists."

He stopped.

The shop was not large, but its location was excellent, directly facing the intersection where people constantly passed by.

Several sacks of sample grain sat at the entrance, their kernels plump and golden. One look was enough to tell they were premium goods.

The shelf beside them also displayed Soldier Pills in various sizes, with exquisite packaging and clear labels.

Inside, a clerk was attending to customers with enthusiasm, giving detailed introductions.

Sōji did not enter. He only stood outside for a while before continuing onward.

He had complete faith in the manager Achun had chosen.

Evening.

Sōji settled into an inn.

The room was small but clean and tidy. Opening the window revealed the distant mountains.

As the sun set, the clouds and mist were dyed a brilliant orange-red. Layer upon layer of mountains shifted colors amid the light and shadows.

Ugly Treasure crawled down from his shoulder and lay on the windowsill, curiously watching the scenery outside.

Its soft body spread out like a puddle of purple jelly, with only its big eyes blinking now and then.

Sōji sat beside the window, took out dried rations and water, and ate slowly. As he watched the view outside, everything he had seen that day surfaced in his mind.

Cloudview was prosperous, but what was that prosperity built upon?

The support of the Land of Fire.

That support was fragile. A shift in political winds could cut it off at any time.

If the Land of Fire's support vanished one day, what would become of this beautiful city?

Sōji thought of those villages in the Land of Grass.

Those ruined houses, those displaced people, those children with numb eyes.

The Land of Rivers was doing well now, but who could guarantee it would remain that way forever?

The Land of Wind was right next door.

That arid, barren country had always been watching this fertile land. Given the chance, they would surely pounce, bite, and devour.

When that time came, would the Land of Fire still protect the Land of Rivers as it did now? Or would it choose to trade the Land of Rivers' territory for a temporary peace?

Sōji did not know the answer, but he knew this was the sorrow of small nations. Without sufficient strength, they could only depend on the strong.

And dependence was forever the most unstable way to survive.

He suddenly thought of Kirigakure, of the place where he had never truly set foot yet which carried his bloodline.

The Land of Water was also one of the Five Great Nations.

But was the Land of Water truly strong?

Blood Mist Village had caused how many powerful bloodline clans to decline? How many talented ninja had died? It had gravely damaged the entire village's vitality, and it had yet to recover.

If the Land of Fire or the Land of Lightning attacked the Land of Water one day, could Kirigakure withstand it?

Sōji's fingers curled slightly. This was also why he wanted to become Mizukage. He did not crave power; he simply wanted to use his strength to protect a hard-won peace.

He needed to grow stronger—strong enough to protect everything he wanted to protect, strong enough for Tsunade and Shizune to live peacefully in the peace he created.