Yamato had no choice but to follow Naruto's instructions. Together with Gaara and Naruto, he arrived at the designated afforestation zone.
For the first time in a long while, Yamato felt an overwhelming sense of warmth and positivity radiating from the people moving around him.
Thousands of individuals gathered around the Oasis—shinobi mixed with ordinary civilians. That unusual blend made Yamato pause in surprise.
Not far away, several shinobi used Earth Release to form pits, then manipulated the ground again to plant saplings, finishing by dripping a small amount of some unknown liquid on them.
Meanwhile, many ordinary villagers clutched simple shovels, planting saplings with clumsy yet determined effort. They weren't as fast as the shinobi, but every action carried sincerity.
These were residents of the Land of Wind. After learning about Gaara's afforestation initiative, they had come voluntarily.
They understood better than anyone what an Oasis meant to the people of the desert.
It meant survival.
It meant hope.
For generations, the Oases had sustained countless Wind Country villagers. Yet no one had ever attempted a large-scale expansion of them. Even when someone had vaguely imagined such a plan, lack of manpower and the near-impossible task of keeping saplings alive in the harsh desert made it unfeasible.
But now everything was different.
A new type of sapling had appeared.
The Kazekage himself had organized the project.
News spread like wildfire—and villagers willingly came to support Gaara's vision.
Originally, the plan involved only shinobi. But shinobi were ultimately a minority, and the number of Oases was not small. Once distributed, the manpower simply couldn't keep up.
After listening to Naruto's explanation, Yamato finally stepped forward, activating his most unique power—Wood Release.
With a single technique, Yamato created a towering tree from the barren ground.
But something was off.
The tree looked… lifeless.
Naruto immediately pointed it out.
"Yamato, this isn't a combat mission. We're building a full ecological forest."
He continued, "Try altering the structure of your jutsu. Reduce its raw power and instead focus on vitality—adaptability—traits that let the trees survive the desert."
Naruto's words struck Yamato like a revelation. He had already realized that this wasn't a battlefield, but out of habit he still produced trees meant for durability, not long-term growth.
In a desert, they'd wither away.
Success meant cultivating drought-resistant trees—species that could thrive in the sands.
Weakening Wood Release was not impossible. In fact, Yamato realized he could do it with careful control.
"Also," Naruto added casually, "with your ability, you can help ripen the saplings."
Yamato was speechless for a moment. A dignified Wood Release user… assigned to farm duty?
But deep down, he knew this was important.
He wasn't from the Land of Wind—he couldn't feel the same attachment or desperation the locals felt for their Oases. But he understood the significance. This was work that saved lives, not ended them.
Compared to killing, this felt… cleaner. Better.
Once Yamato joined in, the productivity exploded. With his unique abilities, he could create trees instantly and nurture saplings at a pace no ordinary villager could match.
With a single sweep of his hand, dozens of saplings took root.
Naruto, watching from the side, nodded in satisfaction. Yamato alone could replace dozens—maybe hundreds—of people.
—
Meanwhile…
Far away, the Akatsuki—who had long been observing the Umbrella Organization—had dispatched Hidan and Kakuzu. Their destination: Snow Country.
Kakuzu had absolutely no desire to go. Facing the Umbrella Organization felt troublesome enough, but facing the pain of disobeying the leader was even worse. He had witnessed Pain's power firsthand. The man wasn't on Senju Hashirama's level, but he was still the strongest individual Kakuzu had encountered since that era.
Hidan and Kakuzu were stunned the moment they stepped into Snow Country.
Trains roared across the land. Tall buildings pierced the sky.
Technology was reshaping the entire nation.
In a strange way, it felt similar to the Land of Rain—but without perpetual gloom.
The Land of Rain was eternally shrouded in drizzle and melancholy. Even on clear days, a heaviness lingered.
But here, the air felt alive.
The two infiltrated Snow Country quietly, or so they believed. In truth, Shisui had detected them instantly.
Snow Country had long since developed devices that could pinpoint large chakra signatures.
Any shinobi with Kage-level chakra entering the country was immediately registered.
Currently, Kakuzu and Hidan sat in a small, dim hotel, quietly eating their meal—completely unaware that they were already being watched.
However, neither of them noticed the small device hanging in the corner of the hotel room.
A surveillance camera.
Only the Umbrella Organization possessed such technology. Hidan and Kakuzu were completely unaware; even if they had seen it directly, they likely would have dismissed it as some kind of simple ornament.
Hidan ate noisily, thoroughly enjoying the cuisine Snow Country had to offer. Kakuzu, however, felt a tightening unease in his chest.
"…Let's hope I'm wrong."
He let out a quiet exhale.
Meanwhile, at the Umbrella Base, Shisui, Zabuza, and the others were already watching the live surveillance feed.
Ever since the Umbrella revealed itself publicly, they expected constant attempts at infiltration.
Kakuzu and Hidan were far from the first. Spies from all Five Great Nations had attempted to sneak into Snow Country—every single one had been caught. The Akatsuki arriving now was actually later than Naruto had predicted.
"Should we inform Naruto?"
Zabuza asked, standing beside Shisui.
The Shisui of today was very different from the man he once was. With Naruto away, he carried the full weight of Umbrella's authority. The confidence and calm in his eyes reflected that responsibility.
Shisui shook his head.
"Naruto already gave us detailed intelligence on them. If we can't handle this much, we'd be embarrassing ourselves."
He stood up.
"Let's go. We should give our guests a proper welcome."
Zabuza and Uchiha Izumi followed behind him.
After they left, a gust of wind brushed across the desk, flipping over several documents. One sheet drifted into view, revealing a sketch of a masked man.
The report read:
Kakuzu — A shinobi from the distant past, able to prolong his life by acquiring hearts using the forbidden technique Earth Grudge Fear.
One heart equaled one life.
He currently possessed five hearts: Wind, Lightning, Water, Fire, and Earth.
…
Back in the hotel, Kakuzu's unease intensified. Hidan, however, continued shouting between mouthfuls of food.
Kakuzu finally spoke.
"Hidan, we need to leave. Now. I don't like this feeling."
His longevity was built not only on his abilities, but on the countless times his instincts had saved him. This sense of impending danger had never failed him before.
"Relax, Kakuzu! The food here is incredible. Shame you're not trying any!"
Hidan said with a grin. "Once I'm done eating, I'll offer everyone here to Lord Jashin!"
Hidan's carefree attitude—bolstered by his immortal body—made him almost incapable of fear.
Then—
"Oh? Leaving already? Unfortunately… you won't be going anywhere."
A voice echoed across the room.
Kakuzu exhaled quietly.
His premonition had come true.
...
TN:
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