The morning sun rose higher into the sky, its late autumn rays gentle rather than scorching. Coupled with the cool breeze blowing through the mountains, it should have been a pleasant experience.
However, the civilians of the Land of Rivers were hiding inside their humble homes. News of the invasion by the Land of Wind had already spread far and wide, thanks to those who were privy to the situation.
With the borders entirely occupied and controlled by Sunagakure shinobi, even the more resourceful merchants found it impossible to leave the country.
Villages near Hidden Valley Village felt the intensity of the war most directly. Smoke billowed continuously from the elevated terrain of the village, rising into the sky.
Explosions, faint screams...
All of these were unmistakable signs that the battle had reached its boiling point.
A particularly brave civilian stepped out of his shelter and looked toward the highlands. What he saw was a vast cascade of golden sand, pouring down like a terrifying golden waterfall from the heavens, engulfing everything in its path.
Hidden Valley Village had transformed into a golden lake, its surface covered in glittering sand particles.
Above it floated a massive golden cloud, on which stood dozens of Sunagakure shinobi. Most of them were staring at the scene below in stunned silence.
At the forefront of the golden cloud, a young man raised his hands. The golden sand below began to flow, but instead of obeying gravity and falling, it defied all logic, rising into the air.
Soon, the sky was filled with a mesmerizing display of golden sand swirling and dancing. Under the sunlight, the sand reflected dazzling and surreal golden rays, leaving onlookers awestruck.
The golden sand gathered more and more in the air. The young man then formed hand seals, causing the sand to spin rapidly, intertwining and overlapping like a golden hurricane.
Gradually, the sand solidified further. With another shift in his hand seals, dense black markings appeared out of nowhere, wrapping around the now elongated mass of golden sand.
In the blink of an eye, the golden sand vanished completely, replaced by a golden rod covered in black runes.
"Clean up the battlefield and assess our losses," the young man said calmly, grabbing the flying golden rod with one hand and slinging it diagonally across his back.
"Yes, Lord Sōmi!" A young Sunagakure shinobi immediately knelt on one knee, responding with utmost respect.
Having only heard of Sōmi's genius reputation before, witnessing his terrifying Magnet Release abilities firsthand had left the young shinobi thoroughly convinced.
This method of solidifying and sealing large quantities of golden sand to carry as a weapon was something Sōmi had spent a considerable amount of time perfecting.
After all, one major drawback of Magnet Release users was the need to prepare before combat—injecting chakra into the ground to extract and assemble the necessary minerals for their techniques.
This pre-combat preparation could be fatal in the face of surprise attacks!
For instance, without an adequate supply of golden sand, Sōmi's Magnet Release techniques wouldn't be nearly as powerful as high-level elemental ninjutsu.
The shinobi on the golden cloud quickly jumped down to the highlands, surveying the devastation below: large areas of homes had been reduced to rubble, trees lay uprooted and half-buried in soil.
Only the dark red bloodstains seeping into the earth hinted at the despair of those buried beneath.
The Sunagakure shinobi worked swiftly. Before long, the young shinobi from earlier approached Sōmi again, his tone filled with admiration. "Lord Sōmi, all 369 shinobi of Hidden Valley Village have been eliminated. Our forces suffered only five casualties!"
"We are currently searching the hidden chambers and inventorying the assets!"
Sōmi stood at the edge of the highlands, narrowing his eyes as he gazed toward the Land of Fire in the distance.
Below the highlands lay a lush forest, occasionally interrupted by earthy brown hills and ravines that added contrast to the green expanse.
Two wide rivers flowed beneath the highlands, their crystal-clear waters shimmering in the sunlight. Occasionally, fish would leap joyfully out of the water, as if adorning the highlands with silver scarves embroidered with red koi.
A gentle breeze carried the fresh scent of grass and trees. Sōmi took a deep breath and, with a tone of admiration, remarked, "Shin'in... This is the kind of environment that suits us."
"Indeed, Lord Sōmi!" The young shinobi beside him replied with excitement. Compared to the harsh environment of the Land of Wind, this place was worlds apart.
Here, they could breathe deeply without worrying about sand and dust invading their mouths and noses.
"Summon the logistics units!"
"Once we confirm that Hidden Valley Village has no hidden traps or ambushes, begin constructing new fortifications."
"That tower is a good location. Until the Barrier Team sets up a warning barrier, assign personnel to guard it day and night, keeping a constant watch on Konohagakure's movements!"
"As for the civilians of the Land of Rivers: those willing to stay should be registered, provided with one year's worth of food for comfort, and exempted from taxes for three years. Their land will remain theirs for three generations."
"Seal the borders for three days. After that, civilians who wish to leave may do so freely."
"Those who cause trouble or refuse to comply—kill them!"
"Send a team to survey the mineral resources, mark the locations, and prepare a report for Lord Kazekage!"
Sōmi allowed his thoughts to wander for a moment before quickly issuing command after command.
Shin'in responded with a solemn tone before disappearing in a flash.
The wind grew stronger, rustling the trees below the highlands and causing their branches to sway.
Sōmi stood in place for a while longer before turning back toward the "ruins" of Hidden Valley Village.
Boxes filled with valuable treasures and currency were sorted and placed in the center. Many of these had been retrieved from hidden chambers, with two shinobi standing guard.
Upon seeing Sōmi, they greeted him respectfully, "Lord Sōmi!"
Sōmi nodded lightly, and the two shinobi resumed their posts, standing even straighter.
Sōmi opened the boxes one by one, reviewing their contents. He silently marveled at the sheer wealth amassed by such a small village.
No wonder the civilians of this country lived such meager lives...
In the war-torn shinobi world, strength was the ultimate foundation. Possessing wealth without the power to defend it was akin to being a fat sheep awaiting slaughter.
"Lord Sōmi!"
A wounded, pale-faced Sunagakure shinobi approached from a distance, shouting hoarsely with urgency. Two other shinobi supported him as he walked.
"What happened?" Sōmi turned and asked.
"Kirigakure has launched a surprise attack on our borders. Lady Pakura sent me to request reinforcements!"
"Kirigakure has deployed the Seven Ninja Swordsmen!" The injured shinobi forced himself to reveal the information before breaking into a fit of violent coughing.
Upon hearing this, the Sunagakure shinobi present displayed expressions of shock mixed with fear.
After all, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were infamous for their blood-soaked reputation—powerful, elusive, and brutal.
Mentioning the Seven Ninja Swordsmen instinctively brought these chilling descriptors to mind.
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