Summer, Year 42 of the Hidden Leaf Calendar.
That spring, the Land of Wind had seen a few rare showers—enough to ease some of the tension among the shinobi of Sunagakure. But now summer had arrived...
The climate had shifted, dry and blisteringly hot. The sun hanging overhead scorched everything beneath it, driving the mood of most Suna shinobi into quiet frustration.
To protect themselves from the abrasive sand and direct sunlight, many of them wrapped scarves around their heads and faces, covering as much skin as possible. But it was a delicate balance—warding off the desert's wrath without overheating and collapsing from heatstroke.
Life in the desert... was hell.
And to make matters worse—
Because sand doesn't retain heat, daytime temperatures soared to 50°C–60°C, only to plummet at night. You could roast in the sun by day and freeze under the stars by night.
So warmth was essential after sundown, too.
These days, unless absolutely necessary, shinobi stayed indoors. They'd cluster together in large tents, sharing shade and the rare luxury of a breeze—courtesy of the few Suna shinobi who could use Wind Release.
As a result—
Wind users were in high demand.
Of course, there was someone else equally popular right now…
"Lord Rasa!"
"Good afternoon, Lord Rasa!"
As soon as Rasa stepped into the shinobi rest tent, expression serious, the lounging Suna-nin immediately shot to their feet and saluted with respect.
His reputation wasn't just hearsay anymore—it had been earned on the battlefield. He'd annihilated the Iwa scouting force. He'd stormed the Kusagakure forward camp and dealt them devastating losses. And then…
Someone—he still didn't know who—started spreading a rumor that he'd "snatched a woman from Kusagakure."
Utter slander.
Was he that kind of person?!
Of course not! What if Karura misunderstood?
Still, even with the misunderstanding, his achievements and authority remained intact. Surely by now, word of his triumphant return had reached Advisor Chiyo.
News in the shinobi world traveled slowly—usually by ninja themselves or messenger animals. Chakra signals were faster, and reverse summoning could work too, but that required a strong bond between contractor and summoning beast.
He glanced sideways at the quiet, gentle presence beside him: Uzumaki Kana. Always calm, always composed. Then he looked at the Suna-nin around them, acting like goofballs as they cooled off in the tent.
Rasa sighed. "You guys really have too much time on your hands."
After all, Kana was the only Water Release user in the entire unit.
And honestly? Her water jutsu was even more beloved than her healing skills.
In this scorching desert, just having cool drinking water was a blessing. The heat was unbearable, and in recent years, the village's only freshwater lake had been shrinking. Water rations per household were being cut more and more.
So to be able to drink freely on the battlefield?
Yeah. People were thrilled.
He had tried those TV-show-style tricks—collecting water using cloth and the day-night temperature difference. The result?
A drop. A joke.
Nowhere near what Kana could do with a single jutsu.
Rasa shook his head and looked over at Kana. "You need to be more careful. Water is precious. Make sure you store enough each day and save your chakra in case of emergencies."
"I understand, Lord Rasa," Kana replied softly, smiling as always.
Since waking up that day, she'd been timid at first. Who wouldn't be, after the abuse she suffered in Kusagakure—and being dragged away by a scary Sunagakure shinobi?
But gradually…
She realized that with Rasa here, and with the others deliberately hiding her true lineage, this may have been the happiest stretch of her life since she started wandering the shinobi world.
Still... how long would it last?
Kana stole a glance at Rasa, eyes dimming with unease.
"???"
Rasa noticed the sudden shift in her expression and was momentarily confused.
But one thing he did understand: if any shinobi needed help, Kana would always be the first to step in.
Even though the Uzumaki clan was known for their immense chakra reserves, Rasa had taken too much from her during their first encounter. Her body still hadn't fully recovered, so he tried to keep her from overexerting herself.
He shot a glare at the grinning Suna-nin lounging nearby. "Hey! You guys can't just go around overworking your comrades."
"Lord Rasa… we weren't trying to take advantage, we swear!" One of the shinobi, his face rough but honest, scratched his head awkwardly. "I just wanted Kana-sama to help us with a little water to wash up. Yesterday, I saw you asking her to—uh—"
He trailed off mid-sentence under Rasa's sharp glare.
"I didn't see anything!"
"Watch your mouth," Rasa grumbled, side-eying the slightly embarrassed Kana. "I only asked her to release some water, that's all."
It's a nightmare just trying to bathe in the Land of Wind.
Still…
"Ohhh~" The other Suna-nin nodded in exaggerated understanding, now looking at him like, So even Lord Rasa wastes water.
He had no idea what to say to that.
I mean… come on!
He was out there every day, mining gold in the desert to feed the village. What was wrong with wanting to rinse the sand off his body?
Was it really so scandalous?
Was he a shameless man?
Was this shameful?
Absolutely not.
Every day he returned filthy and exhausted. A quick wash was a basic human right!
Rasa cleared his throat awkwardly and glanced at the green orb Kana wore carefully on a string around her neck.
[Healing Orb: Boosts natural healing rate by 50%.]
He'd pulled that from a gacha draw recently. Seeing how badly her vitality had been drained, he'd decided to give it to her.
And it was working—her color had improved noticeably.
Turning to the other shinobi, now smiling like fools, Rasa narrowed his eyes. "Listen up. Even if Iwa and Kusa have eased their attacks, this is still a battlefield. Stay alert!"
Lately, Kusa had grown quiet after suffering heavy losses. Iwa seemed to be scheming something, but they hadn't made any major moves.
The three sides were locked in a tense stalemate now, with far fewer casualties than before.
If nothing unexpected happened, this might just drag on until the war ended.
Which, frankly, gave Rasa more time to mine gold… and sneak in the occasional bath.
"Understood!"
The Suna-nin all straightened up the moment Rasa finished speaking.
He's right. The war isn't over yet.
Their eyes grew serious.
But inside, they couldn't help but feel a little at ease.
With Lord Rasa here… even on the battlefield, we've somehow relaxed.
They hadn't been spared entirely—there were casualties among Suna's forces too. But Rasa's strength and leadership gave them hope.
And truth be told—
He'd won over every shinobi here.
"Alright, then… Kana," Rasa dusted off his robe and turned to the red-haired woman beside him. "I've got something else to trouble you with."
"…"
The Suna-nin who had just been inspired a moment ago stared at him in silent disbelief.
Truly… Lord Rasa never changes.
But before any more banter could begin—
"Lord Rasa!" a Suna-nin on patrol burst into the tent, breathing hard. "Kusa and Iwa are launching another attack!"