"Finally, we're here!" Karin wiped the sweat from her forehead, her exhausted face brightening slightly.
This was her first time in the Land of Wind, and she could truly feel what it meant to be hot.
The relentless sun combined with constant sandstorms made her want to turn around and leave.
All of this was brutalizing her skin.
Karin shot a glance at Shinho Aburame, who looked unfazed. She thought silently, Will Shinho-nii like it If I get tanned?
Sasuke exhaled deeply.
Though he wasn't as vocal about it as Karin, he was feeling the discomfort too. No wonder the Sand Village always seemed to have its eyes on Konoha—living here would be a struggle.
"Welcome to the Village hidden in the sand," Temari said, smiling.
"When do we get started?" Kakashi asked, his lazy eyes half-closed.
Even for a shinobi, the sand and wind weren't pleasant, especially with him bundled up as he was. The heat layered on more heat.
"You're all new here," Temari replied after a moment's thought. "Rest for the night. We'll start tomorrow morning. The Sand Village needs some time to prepare as well."
"Sounds good," Kakashi said, glancing at his three students to confirm they were on board.
"Please follow me," Temari said, raising her hand in a gesture.
Gaara and Kankuro had already gone ahead to the Kazekage building. Shinho glanced around.
Just like in the original story, the buildings here were constructed from packed sand, their exteriors rounded or barrel-shaped. Not exactly ugly, but far from elegant.
"This is the place." Temari stopped outside a large building. "I've arranged everything with the owner here. If you need anything, just let him know."
"Thank you." Kakashi opened the door.
It was a restaurant and inn in one. The dining area was full of tables, though there were no other patrons since Temari had rented out the space.
"Honored guests, the second floor has empty rooms. You may choose any of them," the owner explained, approaching them.
Kakashi nodded, and each of the four went to pick out a room. Shinho took the fourth room, with Karin right next door.
But less than a minute later, she came over, rushing into his room.
"Aren't you going to rest?" Shinho asked, giving her a side glance.
"Shinho-nii, I need your help with something," Karin said, stopping in front of him.
"What is it?" Shinho asked.
"Do you think I've tanned?" Karin leaned forward, nearly face-to-face with him.
A faint, fresh fragrance drifted to him.
Shinho looked at her delicate, porcelain face up close, then reached out and brushed his fingers over her forehead.
"It's just dust." Shinho nudged her back a bit. "Go take a shower, then get some rest."
"I don't feel safe in my room," Karin said, her eyes darting around mischievously. She clutched his wrist, adding, "Can I use your bathroom, Shinho-nii?"
"…"
Shinho stared at her for a moment. Karin's face flushed slightly, but she didn't break eye contact.
"Go ahead," he said, unable to refuse her.
"Thank you, Shinho-nii!" She beamed with excitement, lunging forward to give him a quick hug before dashing into the bathroom.
Shinho felt something soft press against him briefly. He shook his head.
This girl's getting bolder by the day. Who's been teaching her? Chisori, maybe?
He settled on the sofa, closed his eyes, and rested for a while. Before long, a delicate scent caught his attention, and he opened his eyes to see Karin standing before him.
She had just bathed, and tiny water droplets clung to her pale skin. Her long red hair, damp and clinging together, gave her an ethereal look.
"Shinho-nii," Karin said, taking a half-step back, "the hot water's ready."
She had changed into a nightgown that barely reached past her hips, leaving her smooth, ivory legs exposed.
"Thank you," Shinho replied, nodding.
He went into the bathroom and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
Karin's clothes lay in a pile, left out in the open without a second thought. Shinho tossed them into the washing machine before heading back to the living room after his shower.
When he returned, Karin was already asleep on the sofa.
Her legs were stretched out, her fair skin luminous against the dim light, and her toes curled slightly upward, accentuating her dainty feet.
Shinho smiled slightly, choosing not to disturb her. He sat on the bed and began his evening training.
….
Hours later, under the cover of night, Shinho glanced over at Karin.
She was still asleep but had shifted positions, her head leaning off the sofa's edge, her legs slightly bent and crossed.
Her nightgown tried it's best to keep her modesty intact.
"How can she sleep this much?" Shinho chuckled to himself.
He left the room and headed downstairs, where he found Kakashi and Sasuke already eating breakfast.
Shinho greeted them with a nod and asked the owner to prepare two bento boxes.
"Shinho's always prepared," Kakashi said with a sigh, taking note of his thoughtfulness.
Karin's affection for Shinho was unmistakable, something Kakashi couldn't ignore, but he wasn't surprised.
Strong and good-looking, Shinho was bound to attract admirers. Kakashi reminisced about his own youth when he too had his share of admirers.
"So, what do you think of Sakura?" Kakashi asked Sasuke, who was silently eating beside him.
"She's too weak," Sasuke replied without even looking up.
"..."
Kakashi was left speechless. Typical Uchiha response, he thought.
Returning to his room with the bento, Shinho found Karin awake, though still bleary-eyed and sprawled across the sofa. Her expression brightened when she saw him.
"Time to eat." Shinho handed her a bento.
"It's so different from Konoha," Karin said, eyeing the bento with mild surprise.
The Land of Fire had an abundant variety of foods. The Sand Village's cuisine, however, was limited to flatbreads and fruits, at least what the local cuisine offered.
Shinho was about to respond when he felt a strange presence nearby.
Someone's here, he thought, surprised. Who'd dare make a move on me?
These must be the so-called "extreme shinobi" Tsunade had mentioned, the fanatical nationalists of the Sand Village.
They'd rather sacrifice everything than show allegiance to Konoha.
"What's going on?" Karin had noticed his sudden shift in focus. Her expression turned serious as she activated her sensory jutsu.
Aside from their aptitude for sealing techniques, members of the Uzumaki clan were also skilled in sensory techniques.
Karin's Kagura Mind's Eye was among the most powerful of such techniques in the original series.
"Just keep eating," Shinho said with a calm smile.
He had grown used to using his kikaichū insects as scouts. In any unfamiliar environment, he would always deploy them to patrol the perimeter.
Now, thanks to his kikaichū, he could tell there were two Sand Village shinobi stationed on the rooftop.
Karin blinked. He's not going to do anything?
But Shinho's calm demeanor reassured her, so she set her worries aside and resumed her meal, taking her time to savor the Sand Village's unique flavors.
"Tastes pretty… normal," Karin muttered, putting down her chopsticks and frowning. "Nothing compared to Shinho-nii's cooking."
"I'll cook for you when we get back," Shinho replied, closing his bento box.
Suddenly, a surge of chakra flared on the rooftop above.
"Gaara! You've betrayed the Sand Village!"
"You attacked your own comrades! You don't deserve to be Kazekage!"
There were a few anguished screams, and then silence.
Moments later, there was a knock at the door.
"I'll get it." Karin started to stand up, but Shinho reached out and held her back.
"Change into something else first," he advised, noting her nightwear that was more of a short dress, leaving her legs bare—a bit too attention-grabbing.
"Hmm?" Karin tilted her head, looking at him quizzically, but then caught on and blinked in surprise.
"Shinho-nii," she murmured, her cheeks tinged with a blush. "I'll wear whatever you want me to."
Blushing, she quickly darted off to the bathroom and reemerged shortly, wearing her usual attire.
Karin opened the door to find Gaara and Temari waiting outside.
They exchanged a quick glance, looking a bit puzzled. Did we get the wrong room?
"You're here to see Shinho-nii, right?" Karin asked, quickly piecing things together. With Gaara and Temari arriving so soon, they must have been alerted by Shinho.
"Is he inside?" Temari's gaze lingered on Karin, clearly fresh out of the shower, and Temari's mind began racing with all kinds of conclusions.
"Yes, come on in," Karin replied, stepping aside to let them in.
Inside, Temari walked up to Shinho and took a deep breath before bowing slightly.
"I'm sorry," she said, her tone both sincere and a bit humbled—a rare show of deference for the Sand Village's own "princess."
She knew too well what could happen if Shinho were truly provoked. Although the rogue shinobi outside hadn't acted under her orders, she knew they would bear responsibility.
"It's not your fault," Shinho replied casually. "Is this Fugi's doing?"
"Yes." Temari sighed, nodding. "We didn't expect him to use such crude tactics."
You have no idea, Shinho thought to himself. He's even plotting to kill Gaara.
"Have you decided on your response?" he asked.
Temari glanced at Gaara, who remained silent, and answered, "We'll proceed as Lady Tsunade suggested."
At this point, there was no more room for sentimental appeals.
Fugi's attempt on Shinho's life had pushed the Sand Village to the edge of a cliff. If they didn't take action, they'd be stepping into ruin.
"If you need any assistance, just let me know." Shinho offered a reassuring smile.
The negotiation was progressing smoothly—thanks to Fugi's interference.
In the original story, how Gaara managed to become Kazekage wasn't explained in much detail, but Shinho suspected a lot had happened behind the scenes to secure his position.
"We appreciate the offer, but we'll handle it ourselves." Temari spoke with resolve.
A leadership change was ultimately an internal matter for the Sand Village, and she wanted to avoid Konoha's direct involvement.
"Keep an eye on Hoichi," Shinho cautioned.
"Hoichi?" Temari blinked in surprise. "You know Hoichi?"
Hoichi was the disciple of Bunpuku, a former Jinchuriki monk, and had been living a reclusive life in a temple. Very few in the Sand even knew he existed.
"I've heard of him," Shinho said calmly. "If Fugi's prepared to go against you, he likely has some plan for dealing with Gaara."
"That's certainly possible." Temari's face grew serious. "Thank you for the warning."
"Not a problem." Shinho smiled again.
Temari felt a chill run down her spine. How does Konoha know so much about Sand's secrets? she wondered. It's no wonder we can't compete with them.
"Thank you again. We'll let you rest and see you in the morning." Temari bowed once more before she and Gaara, who remained silent the entire time, took their leave.
As the door closed, Shinho couldn't help but chuckle slightly. It seemed Temari had misunderstood.
"Go back to your room," Shinho said, glancing at the culprit, Karin.
"But… there still might be danger." Karin fidgeted, eyes wide. "I'd better stay and protect you."
"Protect yourself," he replied.
Standing up, he pulled her into a brief hug. But before she could bask in her happiness, he nudged her gently out the door and closed it.
Outside, Karin pouted at the closed door. Guess I'll just have to keep trying.
With determination, she turned and headed back to her room.
….
As the moon climbed higher into the night sky, Shinho was suddenly awakened from his sleep. Two lines of text appearing before him.
[Achievement Unlocked: "Turn the Tide," Reward: Snow Wash Gu.]
[Snow Wash Gu: A Rank 4 Gu, healing type. Formed from the snowy white leaves of a snow willow, it possesses exceptional detoxifying abilities.]
"Turn the Tide?" Shinho's brow raised. What's this about, system? I'm still a kid here.
But then he thought back to Gaara and Fugi.
Even with just a few words, he had changed the course of the Sand Village's power structure. Perhaps that was why he'd earned the achievement referencing to "turning the tide" in their leadership.
This was his first Rank 4 Gu, which was a pleasant surprise.
Its detoxifying ability might not have frequent use, but it would be invaluable against puppet masters like Sasori, who were known for their deadly poisons.
….
By dawn, when the Sand Village's residents were still deep in slumber, a council of jonin had already convened in the Kazekage building.
With Fugi's death, opposition to Gaara's appointment as Kazekage was silenced. No one wanted to risk their lives resisting any further.
Thus, Gaara was officially appointed as the Fifth Kazekage—two years earlier than in the original timeline.
As honored guests, Shinho and the others attended Gaara's inauguration.
Compared to Konoha's grand ceremonies, the Sand Village's was noticeably austere—reflecting the region's harsh living conditions and the financial strain of their reparations to Konoha.
Shinho didn't mind; he knew that this was the natural order. Victory and defeat have always been measured this way.
Kakashi handled the diplomatic and logistical matters with the Sand, while Shinho focused on his training and enlisted Gaara's help in locating Mukade.
….
Elsewhere, in the Hidden Sound Village, Orochimaru stared darkly at his hands.
He had hoped that by changing hosts, his hands would be restored, but to no avail—many of his jutsu were still unusable.
"So, this is the cost of losing a part of my soul?" Orochimaru sneered. "Impressive, sensei. A truly unforgettable last lesson."
"Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto entered, interrupting his thoughts. "We've confirmed that Kimimaro and the others were indeed captured by Konoha."
"Forget them for now." Orochimaru dismissed the matter coldly. "The priority is finding a way to restore my hands."
Moreover, he had just performed the Living Corpse Reincarnation technique, which required at least three years to cool down before he could use it again. [tl/n: didn't know there was a cooldown period]
"Understood." Kabuto adjusted his glasses, his gaze calculating. "I've already sent people to locate skilled medical ninjas."
[tl/n: I found the plotline with Fugi and Hoichi, it was around when the second chunin exams were held in the sand village, admittedly, it was one of the arcs I've skipped to follow the plotline better. For anyone interested, you can find a summery on that in the naruto wiki or, it's from episode 394-413 in naruto shippuden. Have a great day/night!]
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