Mufasa's Faraday Industries was well known by everyone in the village.
Every ninja in Sand Village used Faraday-brand gear. It had become a household name.
Sajō frowned slightly. "My lord, are you planning to expand sales in the Land of Wind?"
Mufasa shook his head. "Not just expand—monopolize. Every ninja tool from other countries and any competing factories in the Land of Wind will be removed."
His words carried a firm resolve.
"At the same time, we will establish sales channels in other nations and gradually take over their markets as well."
Sajō hesitated. "Kazekage-sama, while it's possible to push out competitors here in the Land of Wind, it's much harder to do so in other countries. Many of them have their own ninja tool factories and strict trade regulations."
He wasn't wrong. Unlike the Land of Wind's daimyo, who kept Sand Village at arm's length, other countries worked closely with their hidden villages.
"We might dominate the market at home, but how do we force our way into foreign nations?" another elder questioned.
Gaara, who had been silent up until now, spoke coldly. "Kill anyone who tries to stop us."
The room tensed instantly. Gaara's cold stare and eerie calm made the air feel heavy. The bloodlust in his voice sent chills down their spines.
Then, Mufasa laughed, breaking the tension. "Gaara is right. If they refuse to let our products in, then we will force their doors open—with fire and steel."
The way he casually shifted from building a thriving economy to discussing war unsettled some of the older advisors.
"Is that… really necessary?" one of them muttered.
Mufasa's gaze swept across the room. "This isn't contradictory. Our military strength ensures that trade flows smoothly. It's like a ship sailing across the sea—if a rock gets in the way, we blow it up."
The logic was clear. It was aggressive, but undeniable.
"To prepare for the future, the village structure must change. We will reorganize Sand Village to support this new path."
Everyone stiffened.
Village reforms were no small matter. Missions, commerce, and industry were one thing—but structural changes were the foundation of their way of life.
Mufasa's first decree was nothing short of shocking.
"First order of business: The Sunagakure will no longer accept any outside missions."
The room exploded with protests.
"Lord Mufasa, please reconsider!"
"Missions are our main source of income!"
"Without mission payouts, the village will collapse!"
It was understandable. Missions had always been the financial backbone of the village. Other than minor local industry, Sand Village survived solely on them.
"I already told you," Mufasa repeated, his voice unwavering. "We will no longer be a village that survives by selling blood."
"All ninjas outside the village are to be recalled. From now on, our shinobi will serve our industries and commerce. We will make money ourselves—why should we work for the daimyo?"
Sajō's brow furrowed. "But, my lord, we barely have enough funds for the next month. Without mission payouts, we will starve next month."
Mufasa smirked. "One month is enough. A million ryo a month for basic expenses? I can cover that."
The confidence in his voice made it impossible to argue.
"You only need to follow my orders. I will take responsibility for everything. No one in this village will starve."
Silence fell over the room. One by one, the high-ranking officials nodded reluctantly.
"Understood, Kazekage-sama."
Mufasa continued. "All ninjas will be reassigned based on their strengths into three new divisions."
"First, the Sand Ninja Army—responsible for defense and warfare."
"Second, the Tradeworks Division—tasked with managing business and commerce."
"Third, the Metalworks Division—focused on industrial and technological development."
The traditional ninja hierarchy was outdated. Sending a Jinchuriki to catch a cat was a laughable waste of talent. The old three-man cell system was inefficient. Mufasa envisioned Sand Village as an industrial and commercial empire—one with a powerful ninja military to protect its interests.
"The leader of the Sand Ninja Army will be Gaara."
"Temari will oversee the Tradeworks Division."
"Kankuro will lead the Metalworks Division."
Just like that, Mufasa appointed his trusted confidants to lead the three most crucial sectors of the village.
The elder council exchanged uneasy glances.
The power structure had shifted drastically, and they weren't sure if they liked it.
Mufasa smirked, noticing their expressions. "If anyone disagrees, they are welcome to challenge me. Defeat me, and I'll gladly give up my position."
"N-no, Kazekage-sama. We follow your command," they answered quickly.
After witnessing his overwhelming power, who in their right mind would dare to oppose him?
Baki spoke up. "Kazekage-sama, what about foreign affairs and intelligence?"
Mufasa nodded. "Those will remain. We will have a department dedicated to diplomatic relations with the daimyo and other hidden villages. Another will handle intelligence gathering."
"You, the experienced and wise members of this council, will oversee these operations."
That eased their worries slightly.
"Not only that," Mufasa continued, "your responsibilities will expand. There will be no shortage of work."
Indeed, that is the case.
For example, aside from the standard collection of military intelligence, the Intelligence Division has now established a commercial intelligence unit to track and analyze economic activity.
The External Affairs Department has also expanded, incorporating a business division to facilitate trade negotiations and commerce across various nations.
Rather than diminishing, the influence of high-ranking figures like the Kazekage and the council continues to grow.
The most significant change is the restructuring of leadership. Instead of a single Kazekage at the top, a three-tier hierarchy has been established, led by Mufasa, Gaara, and another trusted leader.
Mufasa chuckled, looking at his subordinates. "Everyone, I expect you to work even harder from now on. We have a long road ahead."
The gathered shinobi responded in unison, "Yes, Kazekage-sama!"
Baki stepped forward. "My lord, what are your plans regarding the Kazekage's personal guard, the Anbu, and the advisory council?"
Mufasa replied firmly, "The existing guards and Anbu are to be disbanded immediately and reintegrated into the ninja army, awaiting reassignment. I will personally select my new guards, Anbu, and advisors."
His vision was clear—these elite divisions would not just serve as protectors but would also attract unconventional and powerful individuals, such as Orochimaru and Kakuzu, individuals with talents that could reshape the village's strength.
This reformation was necessary.
Other military strategies would be discussed separately.
After all, in the original timeline, Deidara and Sasori infiltrated the village and kidnapped the Kazekage right before the entire village's eyes.
It was a blatant insult to the honor of Sunagakure.
The village's shinobi had been powerless—watching, hesitating, and launching ineffective counterattacks.
A village that relied solely on its Kazekage to fight was doomed to fail.
With such weak military structure, Sunagakure was bound to collapse if things didn't change!
Mufasa suddenly stood up.
The gathered officials instinctively followed suit, their expressions tense with anticipation.
"I will make Sunagakure the strongest village in the shinobi world!"
Mufasa's gaze burned with determination.
His voice echoed through the chamber. "I hope you will stand with me!"
"For the Kazekage! For Sunagakure!" the voices of his subordinates roared in response.
Outside, a loud cheer erupted from the village streets, carried by the cool night breeze.
The dawn of a new Sunagakure had begun.
Meanwhile, in Konoha, the power struggle following the funeral of the Third Hokage had begun.
Shimura Danzo wasted no time in stepping forward, eager to claim the Hokage title he had coveted for years.
However, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane swiftly shut him down.
"During the village's time of crisis, Shimura Danzo did nothing," Koharu stated coldly. "He failed to foresee the enemy's attack, nor did he step up to lead the village in its hour of need. He is unfit to be Hokage."
Danzo gritted his teeth in frustration.
He had been denied the position after the Fourth Hokage's death, losing out to the Third's return. Now, with the Third gone, it should have been his time.
"If not me, then who?" Danzo demanded, his patience wearing thin.
Koharu answered without hesitation. "Tsunade of the Legendary Sannin."
"She is a direct descendant of the First Hokage, a student of the Third, and an elite shinobi. In all aspects, she is the most qualified candidate."
Danzo's face twisted in anger, but there was nothing he could do. He stormed out.
"Then find her!" he snapped.
Naturally, the mission of finding Tsunade fell to Jiraiya.
The events unfolded much like the original timeline.
Orochimaru, accompanied by Kabuto, sought out Tsunade, hoping she could heal his ruined arms.
The only difference this time? Orochimaru had installed a pair of mechanical arms, capable of casting jutsu despite his injuries.
However, even that innovation was not enough to withstand Naruto's relentless determination and overwhelming power.
Orochimaru was forced to retreat.
Tsunade, after much hesitation, returned to Konoha to take on the mantle of the Fifth Hokage.
With her new position came immediate challenges. At the forefront was managing Konoha's fragile alliance with Sunagakure and securing the return of the three captured Ino-Shika-Cho members.
Seated at her desk, Tsunade let out an exhausted sigh, rubbing her temples.
"Kakashi, tell me—what kind of person is this Kazekage Mufasa?"
Standing before her were Kakashi, Jiraiya, and Naruto—three individuals who had encountered Mufasa firsthand.
Kakashi, as always, was to the point. "He's strong."
Tsunade frowned. "Obviously. I could've figured that out myself."
"No," Kakashi corrected, "I mean stronger than anyone."
Tsunade's eyes narrowed. She turned her gaze to Jiraiya.
"You're saying you couldn't beat him either?"
Jiraiya hesitated, recalling Mufasa's immense power. "I wouldn't say that for sure… but I wouldn't bet on it either."
Tsunade leaned back in her chair, deep in thought. "That's… troublesome."
She then turned to Naruto. "And what do you think?"
Naruto raised a hand enthusiastically. "Old man Mufasa's a good guy!"
Tsunade blinked. "Good guy?"
A leader with that much power wasn't simply 'good' or 'bad.'
Tsunade dismissed Naruto's childish assessment. But then again, he was still just a kid.
Kakashi, however, spoke up again. "I believe Kazekage Mufasa intends to maintain peace with Konoha."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you think that?"
"With his strength, he could have easily taken more hostages as leverage against us, but he didn't. He only took the three while ensuring the safety of their captured Sand Ninja. Then, he left."
Tsunade pondered this for a moment. "If he's genuinely interested in peace, then negotiations might be possible."
She exhaled, tapping her fingers against her desk. "But before the Hokage and Kazekage meet, I need someone to go to Sunagakure and confirm his intentions."
Jiraiya grinned. "Leave it to me."
Tsunade eyed him suspiciously. "You seem awfully eager. What kind of 'friendship' do you have with Mufasa?"
Jiraiya scratched his head sheepishly. "Ahaha… well, you see… It's not exactly 'friendship' per se… more like… a very distant acquaintance. Haha…"
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Word count: 1811
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