[Bonus chapter for the 10 reviews! Enjoy!]
Jiraiya and Naruto rode on a sleek maglev scooter, following Onpu toward Hidden Sand Village. Compared to trudging through the desert, this mode of travel was a luxury.
"Pervy Sage, look! Another one of those big trucks!" Naruto exclaimed, brimming with energy even after nightfall.
Jiraiya turned his head, following Naruto's excited gaze. Sure enough, a massive maglev truck hovered over the sand, its wheels barely touching the surface. It was different from the crude sandworm-riding transport they had seen before. This was an actual vehicle—equipped with a cockpit, an engine, a cargo compartment, and wheels designed to transition seamlessly between desert travel and paved roads.
"This is the fourth one we've come across," Jiraiya muttered, narrowing his eyes. "Just what the heck are they carrying?"
Onpu chuckled. "Daily necessities—bowls, chopsticks, cups, kitchen knives, you name it."
Jiraiya and Naruto stared at him in disbelief.
"That huge thing is just for transporting household goods?" Naruto asked, stunned.
Onpu grinned. "The village needs to make money somehow. Manufacturing and selling everyday products is the easiest way."
Naruto furrowed his brow. "But, Uncle Onpu, shouldn't ninjas be protecting the village instead?" He had noticed that the drivers of the trucks were all trained shinobi.
Onpu smiled knowingly. "We are protecting the village, Naruto."
He then echoed the words Mufasa had once told them all: "No matter how strong a ninja is, no matter how many enemies they defeat, it means nothing if their family and neighbors are starving. A true ninja must do more than just fight—they must create, build, and support their village. Wealth and stability are just as important as jutsu and missions. This is the new way of the Sand Ninja. This is real protection."
When Mufasa reformed the village's shinobi system, he had stood before all the ninjas and declared, "I hope that someone will take the initiative to become a business ninja, a worker ninja, and help build a better future for the Hidden Sand Village!"
Inspired by those words, Onpu had volunteered to lead the Third Jonin Squad, ensuring that both commerce and defense thrived.
Naruto, however, still looked confused. Having grown up in the relatively comfortable Hidden Leaf Village, he had never experienced the harsh struggles that the Hidden Sand Ninja had faced. He couldn't fully grasp the desperation that had driven them to change so drastically.
Jiraiya, on the other hand, had traveled far and wide. He had seen hardship and knew the realities of the world. He understood.
"But if all your energy goes into business and production, won't the village become weaker? What about missions? What about protecting the people?" Jiraiya asked.
Onpu laughed. "We don't take missions anymore."
Naruto's jaw nearly hit the floor. "Whaaaat?! No ninja village refuses missions!"
Even Jiraiya, who had seen his fair share of oddities, was caught off guard. "Then how do you handle security?"
Onpu smirked. "Let's just say... I wouldn't wander around carelessly once we get there."
Naruto and Jiraiya exchanged glances. Their curiosity about the Village Hidden in the Sand skyrocketed. They were eager to see just what had changed.
The next afternoon, they finally saw it.
Standing atop their sandworm transport, Naruto and Jiraiya gazed at the skyline in awe. Before them stretched a massive industrial complex, surrounded by towering walls. The first thing they noticed were four gleaming metal towers at each corner, their crystalline surfaces reflecting the desert sun like mirrors.
"Whoa! We made it! Sand Ninja Village!" Naruto cheered, jumping up excitedly.
But Jiraiya frowned. Something was off. This didn't match the Hidden Sand Village he remembered. "Wait... this isn't the village, is it?"
Onpu laughed. "Nope! The village is still thirty miles ahead. This is Faraday Industrial Park."
Naruto blinked. "Industrial what now?"
Onpu guided their vehicle toward the park's entrance, stopping 200 meters from a massive steel gate. He pulled out a small box-shaped communicator and pressed a button.
"Captain of the Third Jonin Squad, requesting entry."
A voice crackled through the device. "Verification code?"
Onpu replied without hesitation. "How many cups of sake?"
"Response?"
"One hundred cups."
A metallic click echoed as the steel gates rumbled open. Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Long-range communicators? Interesting."
"Kazekage Mufasa's invention," Onpu explained. "For now, it's limited to a one-kilometer range, using sensory ninjas as terminals. But we're working on improving it."
Naruto and Jiraiya stepped off the vehicle as Onpu and his team escorted the sandworm inside. Before the gates closed, they got a glimpse inside the industrial park.
Massive, multi-story factories lined the streets, with vehicles of all sizes moving goods in and out. Chimneys towered over the buildings, releasing controlled bursts of steam. The air buzzed with energy and movement—it was unlike anything they had ever seen in a shinobi village.
Naruto's eyes darted around in fascination. "Whoa! Look at that!"
He pointed toward the walls, where several odd-looking devices were mounted—some shaped like long tubes, others like gun barrels. They moved subtly, adjusting their positions from time to time.
Jiraiya studied them carefully. "Those are defense weapons... automatic, from the looks of it."
His guess was correct. Mounted along the perimeter were auto-firing kunai launchers, explosive tag turrets, and other advanced defenses.
This was Sand Ninja Village's first line of defense—the world's first fully automated shinobi security system.
The door to the outpost was slightly ajar.
Naruto noticed movement. A figure emerged, stepping into the dim light.
Naruto squinted, then his face lit up with recognition. "Wait, isn't that... that..."
The figure pulled down the scarf covering the lower half of his face, revealing a composed expression. "Hello. I am Baki, chief of the Sand Ninja Diplomacy Section, and you must be the messengers from Konoha."
Jiraiya stepped forward with an easygoing smile. "That's right. I'm Jiraiya of the Hidden Leaf, here on behalf of the Hokage to meet with the Kazekage."
Baki raised an eyebrow, clearly recognizing the name. "Ah, one of the Legendary Sannin. I see."
He pulled out a small file, flipping through the pages briefly before nodding. "Everything seems in order. Follow me. I'll make the necessary arrangements."
Jiraiya and Naruto were about to step forward when Baki suddenly stopped in place.
Before they could question him, the door behind him slid open again, revealing a long passenger vehicle. Unlike the maglevs they had seen earlier, this was a standard fuel-powered bus.
The vehicle came to a halt, its doors hissing open.
"Please, get in," Baki gestured for them to board.
The two exchanged glances but followed his lead. Stepping inside, they took in their surroundings with curiosity.
The driver, dressed in plain civilian clothes, showed no obvious signs of being a ninja. The long, spacious interior of the bus had rows of identical metal seats on either side of a central aisle. At the front and back were exit doors, and scattered throughout the seats were about ten other passengers, a mix of shinobi and civilians.
"Sit wherever you like," Baki said as he moved further inside.
Jiraiya and Naruto took their seats. Almost immediately, Naruto's curiosity flared up again. "Hey, Uncle Baki, what's this for?"
Baki chuckled. "This is the shuttle bus between the village and the industrial park. It runs on a fixed schedule, picking up and dropping off workers and shinobi alike."
Naruto's eyes widened. "Whoa! That's so cool! We don't have anything like this back in Konoha!"
A hint of pride flickered in Baki's expression. "This is just a simple system. We're currently building something much more advanced—a subway beneath Sand Ninja Village."
Naruto gasped, completely fascinated. "No way! That sounds awesome!"
Jiraiya, who had traveled extensively, still found himself impressed. The desert village had changed far beyond his expectations. "Even coming from a well-developed village like Konoha, I feel like a country bumpkin here," he muttered, taking in everything around him.
The bus traveled another three hundred meters before stopping in front of Sand Ninja Village's outer gates. There was another brief security check via a password exchange, and the massive doors slowly opened.
Jiraiya peered out the window. What he saw left him speechless.
Just like the industrial park, the village's walls were lined with strange, complex defensive mechanisms. Towering crystal structures dotted the perimeter—ten of them, by his count.
Once inside the village, another surprising sight greeted them.
Construction. Everywhere.
Old buildings had been torn down on either side of the road. Workers busied themselves clearing debris, digging trenches, and erecting new structures. The entire area was a massive construction site, buzzing with activity.
Despite the afternoon heat, the workers showed no signs of slowing down.
Baki glanced at them and explained, "Kazekage-sama believed the village's previous layout was inefficient. He decided to completely redesign it, which is why everything is under construction. Your visit may be affected by some of the changes."
Jiraiya waved a hand dismissively. "No worries. I didn't come here for sightseeing."
With a small click, the bus came to a stop.
The driver called out, "Saburo Street."
"Follow me," Baki instructed as he stepped off.
He led them to a hotel along the street and made the necessary arrangements for their stay.
"I've already informed Kazekage-sama of your arrival. He will meet with you when he has time," Baki said before turning to leave. "Until then, you may wait here."
Naruto perked up. "Are we allowed to leave the hotel?"
Baki nodded. "Of course. You are honored guests, not prisoners. But don't wander too far. There are still restricted areas."
"Thanks, Uncle!" Naruto grinned.
Jiraiya, however, had another question. "By the way, my fellow Konoha shinobi—Akimichi Choza, Nara Shikaku, and Yamanaka Inoichi—where are they? I'd like to meet them."
Baki smirked. "They're staying in the same hotel as you. Given the time of day, I'd bet they're drinking at some restaurant nearby."
Jiraiya sighed, already imagining the scene.
Naruto frowned. "Wait… if we're not prisoners, why are they still here?"
Baki's expression turned serious. "Kazekage-sama is a man of vision. He gave them freedom of movement within the village, but leaving Sand Ninja territory is not an option. Any attempt to escape would result in their deaths."
Naruto gulped. "Yikes. They're really sticking to their rules."
"Exactly," Baki confirmed. "I hope you'll also respect our boundaries."
Jiraiya nodded. "We understand. No need to worry."
With that, Baki bid them farewell.
Inside the hotel room, Naruto excitedly fiddled with the air conditioning controls, following Baki's earlier instructions. Cool air flowed into the room, and he let out a delighted sigh. "This is amazing!"
Jiraiya stretched out on the bed. "Air conditioning in the desert... I've gotta admit, it makes life a lot easier around here."
Naruto turned to him. "So, should we go find the others?"
Jiraiya waved a hand lazily. "What's the rush? Let's rest first. After four days of travel, I could use a proper bath."
Naruto snickered. "Pfft! Where are you gonna get enough water for a bath? It's the desert! Water's gotta be crazy expensive!"
But when he turned on the tap, he was stunned. A steady stream of water flowed effortlessly.
"Wha—? Where is all this water coming from?!"
Jiraiya sat up, intrigued.
The answer, of course, lay in Sand Ninja Village's careful planning. Mufasa had ensured that a reliable water supply was established alongside industrial advancements. They had located underground reservoirs, installed pumps, and built water plants and pipelines to sustain both the village and its growing industries. Plans were even in motion to secure additional sources for future expansion.
Naruto, still staring at the running water, let out an awed whisper. "Man… Hidden Sand Village really is something else."
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Word count: 1943
BTW, I posted a new translation. "With a System in the Wizarding World". It's an HP fanfic. Read it for if you're interested. It's quite good! Has the same potential as this one, if I'd say.
Also, if you're interested in reading some advanced chapters, you can support me on my patreon.
patreon.com/Rai_jin
Thanks for reading guys.