Naruto: Rebuilding the Hidden Sand

A few days later, in the Kazekage’s office, Yuji was occupied approving documents when Baki entered after knocking, carrying a baby wrapped in swaddling cloth.

"Kazekage-sama, this is the child from the Hidden Stone Village. The one named Deidara."

Baki stepped forward and held the bundle out.

The recent transaction between the Sand Village and the Hidden Stone Village had concluded. Hearing this, Yuji stood up and took the baby carefully, examining him closely.

"Hmm?"

He immediately noticed something unusual about Deidara. The infant’s chest lacked the mouth-like structure that appeared in later life. Instead, his two small hands had palm surfaces with mouth-like formations already present, which was quite peculiar for someone so young.

In the original story, there had been no detailed description of how Deidara’s unique body structure had come about, only references to where his mouths were located. Even in supplementary materials, the information only mentioned that he had stolen the Hidden Stone Village’s forbidden jutsu involving chakra infusion techniques, without explaining whether the mouths themselves were a product of that forbidden jutsu or something else entirely.

Observing the mouth formations on Deidara’s palms now, they did not look like transplants or modifications. On the other hand, there was a clearly visible modification mark in the chest area. In his previous life, there had been three common theories about the origin of these mouths. One was that it was a congenital bloodline ability or special physique. Another was that it was a modification created afterward. The third was that it was a result of forbidden techniques. Each theory had its proponents.

"So that is how it is."

Now that he was examining the infant directly, the answer became immediately clear. Looking at it carefully, all three theories were partially correct and all had their place in explaining what had happened.

"The Hidden Stone Village’s forbidden jutsu involving chakra infusion clearly requires participation in the body’s internal chakra circulation. It cannot be performed as an external technique.

Furthermore, there is a processing component involved. The greater and purer the chakra infused, the more powerful the resulting technique becomes. No wonder the modification is located in the chest, specifically near the heart."

"It is essentially tied to the body’s central engine."

"Modifying the chest area itself is not particularly difficult from a surgical standpoint. But the arms are a different matter entirely. Working with living flesh and blood at that level while maintaining full mobility and function afterward, and doing so with such perfection that no flaw is visible, as though the person were simply born that way, is extraordinarily difficult."

From a pure medical perspective, what had been done to Deidara was in some ways more remarkable than even Sasori’s complete physical transformation. Sasori’s transformation, while extraordinary, involved replacing biological components with mechanical ones.

What had happened with Deidara’s hands involved transforming living biological tissue into functioning biological structures of an entirely different kind, without any visible seam or evidence of intervention.

The difference between them was the difference between replacement and true transformation.

"Originally possessing a special physique, after encountering the forbidden technique he leveraged his own innate advantage in his flesh and blood, amplifying the power and effect of the forbidden technique, thus creating the mouth structure at the heart as well."

He thought about it further.

"This is similar to Sasori in its underlying logic. A pursuit taken to its absolute limit through the medium of one’s own body."

"He did not hesitate to use his own body for this experiment," Yuji said quietly, something in his voice carrying a faint tremor of genuine acknowledgment.

He understood that anything involving modification of the heart, even when the technique itself was perfected, carried considerable danger. One error could end the person’s life entirely.

"Send him to the orphanage," Yuji instructed, handing Deidara back to Baki.

"Yes."

After Baki left, Yuji stood by the window and looked out at the village scenery that had been transformed into something genuinely beautiful over the past years, falling into quiet thought.

He did not have particularly elaborate expectations or detailed plans for Deidara at this stage. He could either use frameworks from his previous life’s knowledge to guide and train him in a specific direction, or simply allow Deidara to grow and develop in whatever new direction the Sand Village’s environment shaped him toward.

The fact that Deidara had become a member of Akatsuki in the original story was sufficient proof that his ninja aptitude and potential were extraordinary. Even without pursuing the explosive art specifically, and even just working with clay as a medium, with the right environment and guidance Deidara could reach heights that ordinary ninja could rarely match.

Sending him to the orphanage was also done with the hope that Karura could help reshape this headstrong child’s character from the ground up.

The biggest goal in bringing Deidara here was simply to prevent him from ever becoming involved with Akatsuki. That trajectory had been severed the moment he was brought to the Sand Village as an infant.

"If we are thinking about targeted training, that forbidden jutsu from the Hidden Stone Village is also very significant."

He narrowed his eyes.

After the Hidden Stone Village had begun exchanging resources for Sand Village medicinal supplies, the Sand Village had obtained a number of Earth Release jutsu scrolls and related materials over this period. Of course, none of them were particularly precious. Onoki would never give them anything of crucial importance. The old man was shrewd enough to provide only things that did not carry significant strategic value.

Even so, for a village that had limited mastery of Earth Release techniques, acquiring even ordinary Earth Release material would meaningfully improve overall combat capabilities. Forbidden techniques were a different matter entirely and would require a separate approach.

"We take it one step at a time."

"If it truly comes to it, let that old man think he has gotten a small advantage."

Having settled his thoughts, he dismissed them and returned to his work.

During this period, whenever he had free time, Yuji would make his way to the ninja temple to meet with Bunpuku, or he would study the Earth Release ninjutsu scrolls sent by the Hidden Stone Village.

He could already use some earth-burrowing techniques himself, but he had no objection to developing them further. Learning had no ceiling.

However, this relatively quiet period did not last long. A few months later, the village welcomed the first signs of what could only be called an infant tide. A large number of women had become pregnant, though their children had not yet been born. The hospital was filled with women coming for checkups every day.

Fortunately, the village’s newly expanded hospital was large enough to handle the workload. The previous small hospital would have been completely overwhelmed.

This effect was naturally far more significant in its long-term implications than any battlefield outcome. It was worth noting that the fertility enhancement medicine had been classified as a Special Grade Pharmaceutical within the Sand Village and would not be traded externally or released onto the open market in the foreseeable future.

If other villages obtained it, they could use it to boost their own populations. And the entire purpose of this Great Ninja War, from the Sand Village’s perspective, had included using the conflict to narrow the population gap with the other villages. Providing tools to help others close that same gap would be entirely self-defeating.

Meanwhile, several smaller developments occurred.

The Sand Village currently faced battlefield pressure only from Konoha, and with the dramatic decrease in Konoha’s available ninja, their frontline army had been gradually weakening. As a result, Shimizu and his companions stationed in the Land of Rivers were returning to the village for rest and recuperation more frequently than before.

Unexpectedly, Mei, whom Yuji had brought back from the Land of Water, had developed feelings for the unmarried Shimizu during one of these periods, and the two had become inseparable.

This year was when Haku was originally supposed to be born. But because of the butterfly effect Yuji had set in motion by removing Mei from her original circumstances, although she was currently pregnant, the child she would give birth to would certainly not be the Haku of the original story. Regardless of who the child turned out to be, they had decided the child would be named Haku.

Furthermore, following the Hidden Stone Village’s economic deterioration, the Hidden Mist Village’s situation had also finally reached a breaking point. Unable to withstand the ongoing financial strain, they began trading Water Release materials and scrolls in exchange for medicines.

This naturally resulted in a substantial influx of Water Release materials and scrolls into the Sand Village’s possession.

Two months later, the battle that in the original story had been known as the Kannabi Bridge campaign erupted, though in a significantly altered form. What had been a single operation was now transformed into a joint campaign with the Hidden Mist Village participating alongside the Hidden Stone Village. The two villages had clearly coordinated in secret, simultaneously launching a major offensive against Konoha, breaking through the borders of the Land of Fire and advancing to the vicinity of Konoha itself.

This was the most critical and dangerous situation Konoha had faced since the outbreak of the Great Ninja War.

But even with the combined efforts of the Hidden Stone and Hidden Mist Villages pressing simultaneously, they were still unable to break through Konoha’s defenses entirely, leaving only widespread devastation throughout the Land of Fire rather than a decisive breakthrough. Similar to what had occurred during the previous Great Ninja War, Konoha once again demonstrated its remarkable resilience and tenacious fighting spirit. The losses suffered by all three sides in this campaign were staggering.

Might Guy’s father, Maito Dai, a Konoha Genin, rose to significant prominence during this battle. Because the villages involved did not have large numbers of troops available at this stage of the war, the campaign brought Maito Dai into direct contact with hidden elite fighting forces. The Hidden Mist Village’s elite force at this time was the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

Although, due to the slight butterfly effect introduced by the altered circumstances of this war, Maito Dai did not eliminate four members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen as he had in the original story. He still took down three of them, however. Buried alongside him was a main squad from the Hidden Mist Village comprising a considerable number of strong fighters. Maito Dai’s contribution to resisting the combined assault of two great ninja villages was genuinely immense.

However, this great battle left the Hidden Mist Village in an even more dire situation than before.

And during the ongoing conflict that continued to simmer in the aftermath of this campaign, a letter arrived.

The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, wished to meet with him.

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