Naruto: The new beginning

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"Funds and such... maybe they're all hidden in the shadows~," White Zetsu rambled incoherently.

Obito ignored him and said, "Didn't you say there's a suitable candidate in the Land of Earth?"

Black Zetsu replied, "Konan has already gone to investigate. It's said to be someone with a penchant for explosions."

White Zetsu chuckled. "That guy and Konan must get along. Hey, do you think they'll blow up Iwagakure? Maybe they will~"

"Shut up," Black Zetsu snapped, closing the two large leaves of his Venus flytrap-like structure as he slowly sank into the ground.

Obito touched his mask and muttered, "Just a little longer. We're almost there."

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"Just a little longer. We're almost there," Kakashi reassured Naruto and Sakura, who were beginning to show signs of irritation.

It was the fourth day of their journey. The desert was truly inhospitable freezing at night and unbearably hot during the day.

If it weren't for Jiraiya's prior instructions that he should only use the Flying Thunder God Jutsu in emergencies, Naruto would have already teleported to Gaara using the kunai he had sent ahead.

Throughout the journey, Naruto had been using chakra to create water for cooling down, but even that wasn't enough to ease the oppressive heat.

He panted, "It's amazing how Gaara manages to run around in this kind of environment for missions. His armour isn't for sun protection, is it?"

Sakura, equally frustrated with the harsh conditions, added, "Even sunscreen can't hold up here. When I get back, I'll need a proper skincare routine. Thankfully, we study medicine, so I'm not too worried." She looked at Naruto. "Naruto, can you make more water for me?"

Sasuke silently followed, occasionally taking water from Naruto without saying much.

While he disliked the desert as much as the others, he refused to voice his complaints he wouldn't let Naruto outshine him in endurance.

If it weren't for Naruto's water, though, he might have been in a worse state.

Naruto grumbled, "I swear, when I see Gaara, I'm going to tell him: 'If you want prosperity, start with infrastructure build roads and plant more trees!'"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Naruto, where did you even hear that? And by the way, the shinobi world generally encourages having more children, not fewer."

Naruto paused, pondering this, before shaking his head. "Whatever. The point is, planting trees will improve the environment!"

"It's extremely difficult to grow trees in the desert," Kakashi said, recalling a certain figure. "Unless someone here has the First Hokage's abilities, any greenery project would be exhausting."

Naruto sighed, still amazed by the Sand Siblings' unique abilities. "Temari's fan could destroy an entire forest talk about deforestation! Kankuro picks through the wood for his puppets, wasting resources. And Gaara? He can turn even the most fertile soil into sand with his jutsu! If anything, they're contributors to desertification!"

The group chuckled, their conversation a welcome distraction from the gruelling journey. Eventually, they arrived at the gates of Sunagakure.

The towering walls of Sunagakure loomed above them, with only a narrow entrance to the so-called "Line of Heaven."

Naruto activated his sensory abilities, detecting numerous shinobi stationed along the walls.

He also sensed that the gatekeeper's chakra was much weaker than Izumo and Kotetsu's, not to mention Iruka's.

"I'm sorry for the wait. Please follow me," the gatekeeper said after verifying their identities. The four followed the man into the village.

"Captain Yūra, these four are Konoha shinobi here to deliver a message to the Kazekage," the gatekeeper reported.

"I understand. Leave them to me," Yūra replied, nodding. He turned to Team 7. "Thank you for coming all this way. I'll take you to see Lord Kazekage."

Yūra wore a white turban, with a moustache and side-swept bangs covering one eye.

Naruto mused that if Yūra dyed his hair blond and drew curly eyebrows, he could pass for a Sanji impersonator.

However, Naruto also remembered that Yūra was a sleeper agent planted by Sasori of the Red Sand. With his memory currently sealed, Yūra was oblivious to his role as a spy.

As they walked through the village, Naruto mentally vowed to warn Gaara. If they weren't careful, Yūra might unwittingly lead the Akatsuki here in the future.

The Kazekage's office was an orb-shaped building with the kanji for "Wind" written on its exterior, a fitting design for Gaara, whose techniques often involved spheres of sand.

"Lord Kazekage, the Konoha shinobi have arrived," Yūra announced, stepping aside to let Team 7 enter before leaving.

Inside, Gaara was flanked by Temari and Baki, who seemed to be assisting him with paperwork.

"Welcome to Sunagakure," Gaara greeted, standing up.

Naruto stifled a laugh. At thirteen, Gaara still hadn't grown into his Kazekage robes, giving the impression of a child playing dress-up. It was oddly endearing.

Kakashi approached respectfully, handing a scroll to Baki. Regardless of Gaara's age, he was a Kage and deserved proper deference.

After reviewing the scroll, Gaara nodded. "Thank you. I'll prepare a reply shortly. In the meantime, feel free to explore the village."

"Really?" Sakura brightened. Though tired from the journey, the idea of exploring the village lifted her spirits.

Temari offered, "I'll guide you and arrange a place for you to rest."

The streets of Sunagakure were far less bustling than Konoha's, and the buildings were all a uniform shade of beige. Naruto found the environment exotic but couldn't quite articulate why.

Temari began her tour. "Sunagakure may not be as lively as Konoha, but we have our unique specialities. For instance, that toy shop uses basic puppet techniques to create toys even non-shinobi children can control."

Naruto eagerly bought a few for Konohamaru and his friends.

Seeing Sakura's lack of interest, Temari added, "Over there is a cosmetics store. We sell excellent sunscreen and moisturizers that are highly popular among the women here."

Sakura perked up immediately. "Really? That's just what I need!"

Naruto also made a few purchases—gifts for Hinata, his mother, and Karin.

"And finally, there's this stand with Sunagakure's signature snacks—"

Naruto instinctively clutched his frog-shaped wallet.

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