The news of Dojari Souji joining the Land of Valleys' Ninja School as an instructor sent shockwaves throughout the small island nation.
To become an instructor in a Sand-affiliated school, one must be part of the Hidden Sand's official roster. Ryoji Morimoto, having obtained special authorization from Shiraishi, appointed Souji as both a Jonin and a lead instructor.
The symbolic weight of the island's greatest prodigy becoming a Sand shinobi was immense; rumors immediately began to spread that the Daoshou clan was preparing to fully integrate into the Hidden Sand's hierarchy.
"Soji, do you realize what you've done?"
Within the Dojari clan's ancestral grounds, the elders confronted him with sharp questions. Soji remained stoic.
After their fruitless attempts at persuasion, he slowly rose and walked toward the clan's high platform. With a subtle flick of his blade, a massive surge of wind-blades erupted in all directions.
The clan fell silent, gazing up at him in awe.
"The rise of the Sand is unstoppable," Souji said calmly. "The Land of Valleys is a vital bridgehead for the Sand's future overseas expansion. If we continue to resist, our end will be no different from that of the Arakawa clan."
Anyone with eyes understood the fate of the Arakawa. While Maru Arakawa was still alive and the name technically existed, they had been stripped of everything, existing now only as a hollow shell to save the village's face.
Rumors said Maru had fallen terminally ill from the stress—a cautionary tale that haunted the other noble families.
The silence grew heavy. The elders had assumed Souji was a mere youth swayed by sweet words, but his analysis proved he had acted with cold, calculated foresight. By joining the Sand, he had provided a dignified "exit strategy" for his people.
"The internal strife within the Hidden Mist is becoming more obvious by the day," Souji added. "Going down with that sinking ship is suicide."
The Daoshou clan, having been ruled by the Mist for years, had many pro-Mist factions. However, Souji's judgment prevailed: joining Shiraishi's system was the only path to survival.
By becoming a pillar of the Ninja School, the clan could actually strengthen its local influence under a new, more powerful banner.
With his status rising, Souji took over the clan's de facto leadership. The Dojariclan eventually decided to support his move, even sending several of their own youths to enroll in the school.
With the local crisis resolved peacefully, Ryoji Morimoto's reputation grew, and the Land of Valleys began to flourish.
The Sea Predators Gather
As the timeline shifted from the end of Year 47 to the beginning of Year 48 of the Konoha calendar, the Universal Food Assembly officially began. Luxury liners began to pour into the Land of Wind's waters.
"So this is the Land of Valleys..."
A middle-aged man wearing dark sunglasses looked out at the scenery before turning to the Sand envoys with a sycophantic smile.
"The Land of Wind is truly the strongest nation; even a single island shows such magnificent national power."
This was Gato, the president of Gato Transport and one of the world's wealthiest men. Behind the scenes, he used gangs and rogue ninjas to smuggle drugs and contraband, gradually cannibalizing small nations like the Land of Waves.
To the Five Great Villages, he was a minor pest, but Shiraishi saw his value as a core node in the global maritime network.
Gato wasn't alone. The cruise ship carried shipping magnates from every corner of the globe—the "coachmen of the sea." While some looked down on Gato's groveling, they all maintained absolute respect for the Sand.
They had previously worked with the Mist, Leaf, and Cloud, and the Arakawa clan's arms trade had relied on their routes.
Now, as the Sand extended its reach toward the ocean, these businessmen feared Shiraishi's intervention while simultaneously salivating at the prospect of trading the Sand's rare minerals, sweet tree-fruits, and superior explosive tags.
The Food Assembly's main venue was in the New Hidden Sand Village; the Land of Valleys was merely the first stop.
To transport these tycoons to the mainland, Shiraishi unveiled his latest achievement: a fleet of massive steel warships.
"These ships..."
As Gato and the others stepped onto the specialized alloy decks, they were struck with horror and awe. These vessels were light-years ahead of the Hidden Mist's naval technology.
By consolidating the shipyards of the Land of Valleys and the Land of Rivers, Shiraishi had centralized the best shipwrights and introduced a modular manufacturing process.
Combined with the Sand's unique mineral alloys, he had produced an "Iron Shark" that dominated the waves. As the giant warships set sail for the mainland, the merchants realized that a new era of maritime trade—one dictated by the Fifth Kazekage—had begun.
A New Summit
"Lord Kazekage, the merchants will arrive shortly."
"Settle them in well," Shiraishi replied. "Send our specialized delegates to begin negotiations."
While the Food Festival was the primary focus for the Sand, another major event was looming. In the Hidden Leaf Village, the inauguration ceremony for the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, was about to begin. As an ally, the Sand had received a formal invitation.
Konoha requested that the Fifth Kazekage, Aoki Shiraishi, personally lead a delegation to observe the ceremony. Invitations had also been sent to the Raikage, Tsuchikage, and Mizukage.
Minato's inauguration was set to be more than just a ceremony—it was the stage for a new Five Kage Summit.