"Hey... Sōmi...!"
Under the dim yellow glow of dusk, two young boys walked side by side across the vast Gobi Desert. Their faces were wrapped in white headscarves to shield their eyes from the frequent gusts of sand-laden wind that obscured the path ahead.
"Sasori! What's wrong?" The boy walking ahead turned back to address his companion. His delicate features were framed by messy black hair that hung loosely across his forehead, a clear sign of recent intense exertion.
"Konoha's White Fang is dead. How are we supposed to get our revenge now?" The red-haired boy, Sasori, muttered, his eyes losing focus as if the very belief that had sustained him had suddenly crumbled to dust.
"Wasn't the Third Kazekage said to be the strongest Kazekage ever? Why couldn't he protect our parents?" Sasori stopped in his tracks, lowering his head as he spoke in a voice heavy with resentment.
During this mission outside the village, the two had stumbled upon an unexpected piece of news: Konoha's White Fang, a shinobi whose fame rivaled that of the Legendary Sannin, had taken his own life back in the Hidden Leaf Village.
After confirming the authenticity of this information multiple times, Sasori found it impossible to accept. Ever since his parents' deaths, he had been meticulously investigating the cause and had ultimately identified White Fang as the enemy he needed to avenge.
Seeking revenge against White Fang had become Sasori's all-consuming obsession...
The other boy, Sōmi, was different. His soul had been reincarnated into this war orphan of Sunagakure after an unfortunate death on a certain blue planet. He cherished this new, healthy life all the more for it.
Raised by monks, Sōmi had demonstrated extraordinary talent and determination upon entering the Ninja Academy. Though slightly younger than Sasori, he had encountered the prodigious puppeteer there, and their similar experiences as orphans, coupled with Sōmi's deliberate efforts to approach him, had forged their friendship.
After their graduation from the Ninja Academy, the Third Kazekage himself had tested Sōmi and, impressed by his potential, accepted him as a personal disciple.
Lady Chiyo, noticing the friendship between Sōmi and her grandson Sasori, had arranged for them to be placed on the same team. Since then, the two had frequently been dispatched on missions together.
Hearing Sasori's words now, Sōmi immediately understood what was happening. With White Fang dead, Sasori had lost the direct target of his vengeance, leaving him to redirect his hatred toward the Third Kazekage. This, Sōmi knew, would eventually lead to Sasori's assassination attempt and defection from the village.
Acting as Sasori's "therapist" and "life coach," Sōmi adopted a thoughtful expression before speaking. "Sasori! I understand how you feel... It's true that with White Fang's death, we can no longer personally avenge our parents. There's no denying that!"
"But think about it—what's the real reason so many of our village's shinobi have died? Was it because the Kazekage initiated the war?"
Sōmi's dark eyes locked onto Sasori's as he firmly gripped his friend's shoulders.
"The reason? It's because life is fragile, fleeting. Perhaps only puppets are truly eternal..." Sasori glanced up at Sōmi, but his eyes remained lifeless, like a stagnant pool of water.
"No, Sasori! Life may be fragile, but it's the souls of your parents, my parents, that are eternal. You've kept your parents' puppets all this time, haven't you? A master puppeteer can imbue puppets with souls. As long as those puppets and your exquisite craftsmanship are passed down, they will never fade away!" Sōmi shook Sasori's shoulders as he spoke with passionate conviction.
"The Kazekage is strong, but he's not the strongest in the shinobi world. That's why he couldn't end the war. Our parents died because of the conflict, and as long as wars exist, such losses will continue! Only by becoming the strongest can we put an end to this cycle of violence!"
"Is... that so?" Light began to rekindle in Sasori's eyes. His previous pursuit of "eternal" art, unyielding to decay, now seemed to pale in comparison to the "eternity" Sōmi described—something deeper and more profound.
"Moreover, Sasori! I once read in the Kazekage's secret archives that Konoha possesses a Forbidden Jutsu. As long as you have information about a deceased person's body, you can summon their spirit back from the Pure Land!"
"And if you can find someone with the legendary eyes, they can use another Forbidden Jutsu to fully resurrect the dead!" Sōmi spoke with calculated excitement. When someone loses their purpose and falls into despair, setting a higher goal can reignite their determination.
"Is that true, Sōmi?!" Sasori grabbed Sōmi's hands tightly, his eyes filled with shock, anticipation, and a hint of worry, fearing this might be false hope.
"Absolutely!" Sōmi declared with unwavering certainty.
Chapter 1: The Third Kazekage
In the Kazekage's office, the Third Kazekage, with his distinctive blue hair and piercing yellow eyes, dressed in a white Kazekage robe over a blue shinobi attire, was carefully reviewing the mission report submitted by Sōmi.
After thoroughly examining the document, a satisfied smile appeared on the Kazekage's face as he said, "Well done!"
"All thanks to your excellent guidance, sensei!" Sōmi stood respectfully to the side, replying with genuine humility.
"To have a disciple like you is my good fortune!" The Kazekage waved his hand dismissively and then inquired, "How is your training with the Magnet Release scroll I gave you? Are you encountering any difficulties?"
"The nature transformations for wind and earth are progressing decently, but coordinating the chakra proportions to combine the two is still not very smooth. It might take some more time before I can truly master Magnet Release," Sōmi answered honestly.
The body Sōmi now inhabited after his reincarnation was unremarkable—black hair and black eyes, with decent looks—but it lacked any Kekkei Genkai. Despite his rigorous training, his chakra reserves were only slightly above average, far inferior to those with Sage Body-like physiques or other extraordinary genetic gifts.
His sole advantage lay in the strength of his soul. Coming from a blue planet, his soul had been nourished and mended by this body, making it at least fifty percent stronger than that of an ordinary shinobi. This directly translated into Sōmi's remarkable chakra control abilities.
Thanks to this exceptional chakra control, Sōmi had excelled in learning puppet-master techniques involving chakra strings back in the Ninja Academy, earning the admiration of his instructors.
Perhaps it was this shared talent for puppetry that had made Sasori willing to interact with Sōmi. After all, the world of geniuses is often incomprehensible to ordinary people.
However, after becoming the Third Kazekage's disciple, Sōmi had ceased all studies related to puppetry. In the Kazekage's lineage, even the most powerful puppets were considered insignificant compared to Magnet Release.
Magnet Release could directly manipulate or destroy the metallic components within puppets, rendering puppet masters defenseless.
Thus, starting a few years ago, under the Kazekage's guidance, Sōmi had been diligently training in the nature transformations of wind and earth chakra, aiming to combine them and develop Magnet Release.
However, before Sōmi could succeed, another Magnet Release user had already emerged in Sunagakure—Rasa, who had also been mentored by the Third Kazekage.
Unlike the Kazekage's Iron Sand, Rasa's Magnet Release allowed him to control Gold Dust.
At Sōmi's request, his Magnet Release training was also directed toward controlling Gold Dust instead of Iron Sand.
The reason? The value of black iron versus gold was obvious to anyone.
Unleashing a dazzling storm of golden sand was undoubtedly far more impressive than manipulating dull black iron particles.
Sōmi had added another compelling reason: having an additional shinobi capable of controlling Gold Dust would bring a significant economic boost to Sunagakure.
"Not bad! To reach the threshold of Magnet Release at your age without a Kekkei Genkai is a testament to your talent!" The Kazekage nodded in satisfaction.
The Kazekage then inquired about details of Sōmi's recent mission and Sasori's current state.
After all, he had witnessed Sasori's earlier withdrawn demeanor. As one of Sunagakure's rare geniuses, the Kazekage did not want to see Sasori consumed by darkness.
"Oh? So you want to help Sasori establish a new life goal to rekindle his withered inner world?" The Kazekage looked at Sōmi with surprise. Even as the Kazekage, he often found this disciple difficult to fully comprehend.
This young man's mind seemed to overflow with creative ideas, and upon closer thought, they often made remarkable sense.
"Yes, sensei!" Sōmi replied.
"Then... how do you know that Konoha has a Forbidden Jutsu capable of summoning the dead back to the living world?" The Kazekage's expression grew serious.
"Sensei, whether or not Konoha has such a Forbidden Jutsu is irrelevant. As long as Konoha is our enemy, that's all that matters!" Sōmi said meaningfully.
Even the Kazekage found himself narrowing his eyes, reassessing this meticulous disciple.
Dressed in simple blue attire, Sōmi met his gaze without flinching, responding only with a calm smile.
The Kazekage pondered for a moment. What Sōmi said made sense. No matter how enigmatic or brilliant he might be, as long as he was a shinobi of Sunagakure, that... was enough.
And speaking of geniuses...
The Yellow Flash of Konoha, who had recently risen to fame, had mastered the most difficult space-time ninjutsu...
The Kazekage clenched his fist quietly. If the Yellow Flash was truly as formidable as the intelligence suggested, and with the addition of the "Legendary Sannin," how long would it take for Sunagakure to claim fertile lands?
After a moment of silence, the Kazekage looked at Sōmi again, thinking to himself, "Perhaps this one might become a figure like the 'Legendary Sannin' someday..."
"Your plan is excellent. Originally, I had intended to personally mentor Sasori for a while to see if I could resolve his inner struggles. But since you've proposed this approach, I'll cooperate with your efforts instead!" With that, the Kazekage turned his attention back to the documents on his desk.
"Then, sensei, I'll take my leave now!"
The Kazekage waved his hand, and Sōmi turned and left the office.
Yellow. As he stepped onto the streets, the dominant color was yellow. Only a few newly opened shops added some colorful decorations to their storefronts.
Yet, under the relentless erosion of the ever-present sandstorms, even these vibrant hues would eventually be assimilated by the desert.
The wind today was mild, and the streets were bustling with people. The sounds of vendors shouting filled the air, and a few foreign merchant caravans had set up in open spaces, loudly promoting their exotic wares.
These items, such as fine porcelain, imported clothing, and rare cosmetics, naturally attracted a large crowd of young women. After all, the merchants clearly understood the immense purchasing power of women in the marketplace.
Sōmi only glanced briefly at the goods before shifting his gaze to the gathered women.
To be fair, while Sunagakure ranked last among the Five Great Shinobi Villages in terms of military strength and resources, Sōmi believed that if there were a ranking for the average beauty of women, Sunagakure would undoubtedly claim the top spot.
These young women, with their fair skin, charming faces, and hair in shades of gold or brown, exuded a refreshing vitality with every smile and gesture.
This only made the merchants more enthusiastic in their sales pitches, their words flowing like a desert stream after rare rainfall.
After indulging his eyes for a moment, Sōmi continued walking, heading out of the village.
Although he had a modest room within the village, his destination this time was a temple outside its borders.
The temple was quite spacious, surrounded by towering earthen walls that appeared exceptionally sturdy. The walls bore the marks of time, telling the story of its unyielding passage through countless sandstorms and seasons.