First-person POV
Several hours later
I walked out of the village, the harsh desert wind whipping against my face. The sun was, well hot like always, but I was getting used to it. As the First Kazekage, this desert was my domain now, and I had to master it. Today wasn't about paperwork, village meetings, or listening to reports from ninja scouts—it was about testing my abilities, the new powers that this system had gifted me.
I didn't want anyone watching, so I made sure to slip out quietly. This was something I needed to do alone. The sand crunched beneath my feet as I walked farther from the village, the dunes stretching endless around me. Once I felt far enough, I stopped, a bit of nervous excitement bubbling up inside me.
"Alright," I muttered to myself, reaching for one of the items from the starter pack. I summoned the Enchanted Golden Apple from Minecraft.
The apple materialized in my hand—a shiny, golden fruit that practically glowed under the desert sun. I turned it over, inspecting it, and felt the faint pulse of energy radiating from it. The system said it would boost my chakra and longevity, but now that I was actually holding it, I realized it was more than that. This thing was packed with something…. Like my coc-
"Fuck it," I whispered. Without any more hesitation, I took a bite.
As soon as the juice hit my tongue, a surge of energy rushed through me. My entire body tingled like I'd just been hit with a jolt of electricity. It was warm, almost overwhelming, and I could feel it spreading through my limbs, my chakra pathways lighting up like a firestorm. My senses sharpened—I could hear the wind howling, the grains of sand shifting against each other, even the distant sounds of snakes shiting in the sands.
I took another bite, feeling the power flood my system. My mind was clearer than it had ever been. The exhaustion from the stress of the village, the burden of responsibilities—it all melted away in an instant. I finished the apple quickly, and by the time I swallowed the last bite, I could feel my chakra reserves had nearly doubled. The rush was almost intoxicating.
"Holy shit…" I muttered, staring at my hands. My chakra felt dense, like it was vibrating just beneath my skin, begging to be unleashed.
Time to see what I can do with this.
First, I focused on the Druid Bloodline ability. I didn't know exactly what it would feel like, but as soon as I channeled chakra through my hands and into the ground, I felt a deep connection with the earth beneath me. The sand was dry, barren, but I could feel life in it, waiting to be awakened. I knelt down, pressing my hands into the sand, and willed it to respond.
Green tendrils burst out of the ground, weaving through the sand. Plants—actual fucking plants—sprouted out of the desert like they didn't give a damn about the scorching sun or the dry soil. Trees shot up, their roots deepening into the earth, and flowers bloomed in seconds. It was like watching life fast-forward.
I stepped back, amazed. "No way…" I said under my breath. The desert wasn't supposed to support life like this, but with this power, I could make it happen. I could turn the wasteland around Suna into something fertile, something useful.
Next, I turned my attention to the Gold/Metal Dust Release. This one was going to be fun.
I stretched my arms out and focused on the metal particles in the sand. At first, it felt like trying to find a needle in a haystack, but then I felt them—tiny flecks of metal buried beneath the surface. I commanded them to rise, and suddenly, the sand around me shifted, shimmering as gold and metallic dust swirled up from the earth.
The metal dust swirled around me like a living thing, responding to my every thought. It felt natural, like it had always been there, waiting for me to control it. I shaped it into different forms—shields, spikes, floating streams of gold. The power was insane, and I couldn't help but think back to the Third Kazekage and Rasa, both able to manipulate metal and gold dust. They used these abilities to defend the village, but they also missed a huge fucking opportunity.
They could've done so much more. This wasn't just a weapon. This was a resource.
As the realization hit me, I stared at the gold dust floating around me. This could change everything for Suna. Our economy had always been weak, struggling in the harsh desert with limited resources. But with this? With the ability to collect gold and metal dust? I could boost the village's wealth, strengthen its infrastructure, make sure everyone was taken care of. We could build stronger defenses, trade for better supplies. The possibilities were endless.
I clenched my fist, and the gold dust swirled into a dense ball. "I'm not going to let this go to waste," I muttered. The village would never struggle again.
For the entire night, I stayed out there in the desert, using my powers to gather more and more gold and metal dust. I didn't stop. I could feel the strain on my chakra after a while, but I ignored it, pushing myself to keep going. I wasn't just doing this for myself—I was doing it For the future.
By dawn, I had collected a massive amount of gold and metal dust, enough to make a real difference in Suna. As I stood there, looking over the shimmering piles, a grin crept across my face.
I also started to think about the elixirs. The Elixir Book I got from the starter pack held recipes for powerful potions that could heal, boost chakra, even extend life. If I started preparing those now, I could arm the village with tools that would give us an edge when the inevitable conflicts came. Because let's face it—the world was going to shit. I knew it. It was only a matter of time before the peace shattered, and when it did, I wanted Suna to be ready.
With the gold dust, the elixirs, and my newfound powers, I wasn't just going to keep the village alive. I was going to make it thrive.
I took a deep breath, the night's work finally catching up with me, but I felt good. Strong. Ready for whatever came next.
This is my third life, and I'll be damned if I let it slip away.
Suna's future was in my hands now, and I wasn't about to fuck it up.
As dawn broke over the horizon, painting the desert in hues of orange and gold, I stood surrounded by the shimmering piles of metal and gold dust I had collected. I felt a surge of pride looking at the wealth I had amassed in just one night. This wasn't just currency or resources—this was power. And Suna was going to need every ounce of it.
My chakra was drained, my muscles aching from the constant use of my abilities, but it was worth it. The village was weak now, hanging on by a thread, but with this, we could finally start building something stronger, something real. I'd stockpile the gold and metal dust, use it to fortify the village's defenses, to trade with other nations, and more importantly, to invest in the people.
I reached into my pack and pulled out the Elixir Book. As I flipped through the pages, I saw the potential in the various recipes—potions that could heal, enhance chakra, or even extend life. The old me would've dismissed something like this as fantasy, but now, with everything that had happened, I was ready to believe. These elixirs could be the edge Suna needed to survive the coming storm.
I had to start preparing. Even with all this new power, I couldn't get cocky. The world of shinobi wasn't kind, and history had shown that peace never lasted. The other villages—Konoha, Iwa, Kiri—they all had their strengths, and I wasn't naive enough to think they wouldn't come for us eventually. Whether it was out of jealousy for our resources or out of fear of our growing power, conflict was inevitable.
I flipped to a page describing an elixir that increased chakra reserves temporarily and noted the ingredients I would need. This was going to be one of the first ones I produced, and it would give our ninja the extra boost they'd need in battle. If I could get these elixirs out to our elite jonin, we'd have a serious advantage in any conflict. And if I could mass-produce them for the whole village? We'd be untouchable.
But that was still a long way off. First, I needed to gather the ingredients, find a way to refine the potions, and set up a production system that didn't rely entirely on me. I'd have to train others to help, and I'd need to make sure the formulas were kept secret. If word got out about what we were creating, it would paint a target on Suna's back bigger than the gold dust ever could.
"Shit," I muttered, running a hand through my hair as the reality of the task ahead hit me. This wasn't going to be easy. But when had my life ever been easy?
I glanced up at the rising sun, squinting as it bathed the desert in blinding light. The village was waking up now, unaware of what I had just done, unaware of the future I was already shaping. I had work to do, but I couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the calm before the storm.
The wind picked up again, scattering grains of sand across the dunes, and I took one last look at the piles of gold and metal dust before me. This was just the beginning. I'd gather more, refine the elixirs, and make sure Suna was prepared for whatever the hell was coming.
I clenched my fists, feeling the remnants of chakra still swirling inside me, and I knew one thing for certain.
Time to get to work.