Under the blazing sun, amidst the endless yellow dunes, a golden sand cloud floated swiftly through the air, heading deeper into the vast desert.
Standing atop the sand cloud, Bunpuku and Baki flanked the Black Teapot, their expressions a mix of unease and puzzlement. The scorching heat didn't bother them as much as the mystery of why Rasa had brought them to this treacherous part of the desert. Carrying the sealing tool for Shukaku—the Black Teapot—only heightened their anxiety.
Even for seasoned ninjas, the overwhelming expanse of the desert could evoke a rare sense of helplessness. This was no ordinary wasteland; this was the infamous Demon Desert, feared for its deadly terrain and unpredictable dangers.
After nearly fifty kilometers of flight, Rasa sensed that they were close and commanded the sand cloud to descend.
The three landed on the soft, shifting sands. Without a word, Rasa crouched down and pressed his hand against the ground, channeling his chakra into the layers of sand beneath.
The terrain beneath the surface revealed itself to him through the sand's unique sensory properties, as though the desert were whispering its secrets directly into his mind. After a moment of silence, Rasa straightened and nodded with certainty.
"Hmm. This is it."
Bunpuku and Baki exchanged confused glances. All around them stretched an endless sea of sand. Nothing about the area seemed out of the ordinary.
Before their growing confusion could turn into questions, Rasa spoke.
"This is the convergence point of all the underground rivers that flow beneath Sunagakure."
Both men stiffened in shock.
The seemingly ordinary desert beneath their feet was, in fact, a critical location. Yet, they couldn't fathom why Rasa had brought them here, of all places.
Baki chose to remain silent, but Bunpuku, more forthright, clasped his hands together and asked calmly.
"Kazekage-sama, is the treasure you wish us to protect with our and Shukaku's powers hidden here?"
Rasa shook his head, his golden eyes glinting with determination.
"The treasure has been with me all along. But instead of keeping it for myself, I've decided its true value lies in sharing its power with everyone in the village."
Reaching into his cloak, Rasa retrieved a sealing scroll. In one fluid motion, he unsealed it with a single hand, and a delicate jade box materialized in his grasp.
Even before the box was opened, the intense chakra radiating from it filled the air. Both Bunpuku and Baki felt their breathing hitch under the oppressive energy. The overwhelming power caused even Shukaku, sealed within Bunpuku, to stir restlessly, as if agitated by the presence of a rival.
The chakra was no less imposing than the tailed beast's own, and the tension in the air was palpable.
Rasa noticed their expressions of curiosity but chose not to elaborate on the jade box's contents. Instead, he continued in a steady voice.
"If we wish to make Sunagakure strong, we must strengthen both our people and our environment. We don't have the inherited secret techniques passed down through generations, like Konoha. Nor do we have the fertile lands of the Land of Fire. If we want to survive and thrive, we have to forge our own path."
Baki stood frozen, his gaze fixed on the jade box in Rasa's hands. Memories of the star-dust chakra Rasa had gifted him once before resurfaced, sparking both curiosity and apprehension.
Bunpuku, observing the scene, seemed to grasp Rasa's intentions. With a thoughtful expression, he inquired again.
"I see now. Kazekage-sama plans to use this chakra, channel it through the underground rivers, and gradually transform both the villagers' physical constitutions and the environment around the village. But... Kazekage-sama, are you certain this chakra won't bring any negative effects?"
Rasa's reply deepened Bunpuku's concern.
"No... I'm not sure."
The honest admission made Bunpuku scratch his forehead. While the people of Rōran had lived in the presence of the Dragon Vein chakra for generations without incident, Rasa's inherently cautious nature prevented him from taking unnecessary risks.
"That's precisely why I brought the Black Teapot here."
Clutching the jade box firmly, Rasa approached the Black Teapot, the small yet powerful artifact capable of sealing Shukaku. Though unassuming in size, its interior concealed a vast, hidden space.
"Open!"
With a deft motion, Rasa unlocked the intricate sealing mechanism on the Black Teapot. The lid lifted, revealing the dark, hollow interior. Guided by his control over the surrounding sand, Rasa carefully placed the jade box inside the teapot.
Next, he formed a series of intricate hand seals, the movements fluid and precise. His palms slammed into the desert floor with a resounding boom.
The ground trembled as four colossal sand statues erupted from the dunes around them, each towering at an imposing height of fifteen meters. These massive constructs, molded with immense precision and chakra, loomed over the group like ancient sentinels.
From the palms of the statues, countless seals began to unfurl, intricate and glowing. The seals stretched outward, weaving together to form a complex network of binding runes that enveloped the entire area.
"Dragon Vein Seal: Destruction!"
The initial command caused the sealing formation to ripple, carving a blank space at its center.
"Dragon Vein Seal: Release!"
With the second command, the sand within the blank space began to collapse inward, forming a massive pit at the core of the formation.
Rasa straightened, momentarily observing the results of his work before turning to address Bunpuku and Baki.
"For safety, I will perform a double-layered seal on the chakra within the jade box. The first layer is the Black Teapot, which will act as the primary containment for the chakra. The second layer is the Dragon Vein Seal you see here, designed to temper the violent nature of the chakra inside."
Rasa's eyes locked onto Bunpuku as he continued, his voice calm but firm.
"While I can't guarantee there will be no adverse effects, the people of Rōran have thrived for decades under the influence of the Dragon Vein chakra without incident. With these two layers of safeguards in place, even if side effects arise, we'll have time to address and rectify them."
He paused, allowing his words to settle before delivering the crux of his plan.
"All of this is to ensure the chakra within this jade box can be shared with every villager in Sunagakure. It's a gift of strength, a chance to uplift everyone, just as your name suggests, Bunpuku—'distributing blessings.'"
Bunpuku's cloudy eyes suddenly gleamed with clarity as realisation dawned upon him. Bowing solemnly, he nodded.
"I understand, Kazekage-sama. Leave it to me. For the future of Sunagakure, I, along with Shukaku, will protect this place."
Rasa acknowledged Bunpuku's resolve with a slight nod before turning to Baki.
"Baki, from this moment forward, the existence of this place must remain known only to you. You'll also be responsible for ensuring Bunpuku has everything she needs to live comfortably here."
"Understood, Kazekage-sama!" Baki replied firmly.
With all arrangements in place, Rasa wasted no time. Harnessing his mastery over sand, he guided the lid of the Black Teapot into position above the pit.
As Rasa had outlined earlier, the Black Teapot, which had once imprisoned Shukaku, would now serve as the vessel for the Dragon Vein chakra. By leaving a calculated gap in the sealing mechanism, the Dragon Vein chakra from the Chakra Fruit would be released in controlled amounts. The Dragon Vein Seal from Rōran would then temper and diffuse the chakra, sending it into Sunagakure's underground rivers to nourish both the land and its people.
However, when Rasa buried the Black Teapot within the intricate Dragon Vein Seal and removed the Shukaku seal from the jade box, the anticipated overflow of chakra didn't occur. Instead, the Chakra Fruit remained suspended within the Black Teapot's hidden space, motionless.
Rasa frowned in confusion.
He had not foreseen this outcome. His understanding of the Chakra Fruit was incomplete, and the silent, inert fruit left him momentarily perplexed.
Behind him, Bunpuku and Baki exchanged uncertain glances. They could sense something was amiss, but the solemnity of the moment kept them silent.
Minutes stretched into an uneasy stillness. Then, after what felt like an eternity, Rasa stirred, breaking his immobility. With a swift motion, he manipulated the surrounding sand to pour into the Black Teapot's hidden space.
Just as Baki and Bunpuku began to wonder what Rasa was attempting, an unexpected flash of green shimmered from within the teapot.
They stared wide-eyed as a small sapling slowly emerged from the teapot's depths. Its tender branches stretched outward, unfurling vibrant green leaves. As the sapling grew, the transformation of the surrounding desert began.
Patches of soft grass and colorful flowers sprang to life from the once-barren sands. The stark, arid landscape gradually softened into an oasis of vitality, as if the land itself were awakening.
Both Bunpuku and Baki stood in stunned silence, struggling to process the miraculous sight before them.
But no one was more surprised than Rasa himself.
He had not expected his improvised solution to bear fruit—literally.
When his initial plan had failed, a wild idea had crossed his mind. If it's a fruit, like a seed, maybe it can be planted. Perhaps it will function differently if treated as such.
He had acted on a hunch, driven by the logic of a world where god trees and chakra could defy conventional understanding.
Now, as he watched the sapling take root and begin to reshape the unforgiving desert, his mind raced.
"So... is this also a God Tree?"