Foundations Of The Stone

The Tsuchikage's office was still and silent, lit only by the pale morning sun filtering through paper-paneled windows. Arano Haishōri sat behind his polished stone desk, hands clasped beneath his chin as his golden eyes narrowed in thought.

It had been one week since his rise to power.

And yet, even in such a short time, the burden of leadership pressed heavily on his shoulders.

Change was necessary.

Without it, Iwagakure would rot—crumbling under its outdated systems, worn infrastructure, and internal divisions. The Second Great Ninja War had exposed all of the village's cracks.

But Arano would not let the Stone break.

He brought his fist down twice against the desk—firm, deliberate.

At once, an Anbu shinobi materialized beside him from the shadows, kneeling in silence. His mask bore the symbol of the AB Division.

Arano reached into his desk drawer and withdrew a sealed scroll marked with the Tsuchikage's sigil.

"Deliver this scroll to the commander of every AB squad," Arano commanded, his voice like steel wrapped in calm.

The Anbu took the scroll and bowed. "It will be done, Lord Tsuchikage."

With a flicker of chakra, the figure vanished.

Moments later, Arano summoned the principal of the Ninja Academy to his office. The man arrived swiftly, bowing with respect. Without delay, Arano launched into the topic that had been circling his mind for days.

"We must ensure the future of Iwagakure by preparing the next generation," Arano began. "War will come again. I want our Academy to produce warriors—not just survivors."

The principal nodded solemnly. "I understand, Lord Tsuchikage. In fact, I've already begun reviewing the curriculum. I propose we increase the frequency of training sessions and incorporate more advanced ninjutsu."

Arano leaned forward.

"Good. And I want a mentorship system—seasoned shinobi guiding the younger ones. Not only will this accelerate their development, it will forge stronger loyalty to the village itself."

"A brilliant idea, Lord Tsuchikage," the principal said, visibly impressed. "But our facilities are outdated, and we lack enough scrolls to offer meaningful training to all students—particularly the civilian-born."

"I will see to it that the facilities are upgraded," Arano said. "As for the scrolls, we'll acquire more. Even if the clans resist."

The principal's expression tensed. "Some clans may object to that. Sharing their scrolls might weaken their position."

Arano's eyes sharpened.

"That is why we don't ask," he said coldly. "We declare. If any clan speaks against it, let rumors spread. Let whispers emerge that they conspire with foreign powers to weaken Iwagakure from within."

The principal swallowed hard, bowing again. "Understood, Lord Tsuchikage."

He left soon after, his heart beating fast—but a fire kindled in his chest. This was how reform would happen: one decree at a time, enforced not only by law, but by fear.

The Price of Metal, the Cost of Grain

Arano turned his attention next to Iwagakure's broken economy. The war had devastated trade. Many mines had collapsed, and the surrounding lands were too barren for proper farming. Hunger lingered in the air, a quiet enemy that crippled morale.

But Arano had a solution.

The rocky terrain that plagued them also hid opportunity. Within the mountains were veins of rare metals—steel, tungsten, even chakra-reactive ore.

His plan was simple: extract and refine these minerals, then flood the market at lower prices than the other Great Nations. They would become the primary exporter of ninja-grade metal.

Every shinobi across the Elemental Nations needed weapons. Kunai. Shuriken. Katana. And Iwagakure would supply them.

Of course, they wouldn't sell everything.

A large portion would be retained, used to arm Iwagakure's forces in preparation for the next war. Only surplus would be exported—and only to allies or to the Daimyō himself, should he need it.

But the village still had one unsolved weakness: agriculture.

The Land of Earth had little arable land. In wartime, they would face famine.

To counter this, Arano had already begun a controversial project: an underground agricultural facility beneath Iwagakure, where vast plots of soil—infused and manipulated by Earth-Style users—could sustain crop growth even during siege.

If successful, it could feed the entire village for a week.

But such a project would take time.

Until then, Arano had begun purchasing food—at a premium—from minor hidden villages.

Why pay extra?

Because it hurt them.

Buying their food supplies at higher prices worsened their post-war famine, weakening their population and slowly eroding their ability to recover.

Two steps ahead. Always.

[ARANO – POV]

It's been only a week since I assumed the position of Tsuchikage.

Onoki and my clan leader stand behind me, and already the first phase of reform has begun. The Academy is changing. The economy is shifting. The AB Division is active.

But time moves fast. And the Kage Summit in Konoha draws near.

I don't know whether the other Kage will attend. But I can't afford to skip it. If decisions are made in my absence, Iwa's voice will be silenced.

My plan is simple.

First: delegate full command to Onoki during my absence.

Second: take two or three AB squads with me for protection.

I trust no one else.

[END – ARANO POV]

[ONOKI – POV]

We did it.

We seized the seat of Tsuchikage—not through brute force, but through planning, influence, and patience. Now, the reforms are underway, and Arano is leading as I had hoped.

But he will soon leave for Konoha to meet the other Kage.

Peace? Hmph. Hiruzen Sarutobi still clings to that foolish dream. But he'll see—peace is a lie told to grieving mothers so their sons will keep marching to war.

Still, the summit might serve us. We listen. We calculate. Then we act.

While Arano is gone, I will govern the village. I have full authority over the Anbu until his return. And I will make sure the clans remember their place.

[END – ONOKI POV]

Academy Hopes – Sakaze's Path

The sun rose high, warm light spilling across Iwagakure's streets. Sakaze's heart raced as he approached the Ninja Academy gates for the first time.

This was it.

The beginning of his path.

Despite the hardship—despite being shunned as the son of a deserter—he had made it this far. Now, he would train. He would grow. He would prove them all wrong.

He stood straighter, chin high.

Inside, the Academy was buzzing with activity. Teachers shouted instructions, kunai clashed in the training yard, and distant explosions echoed from the jutsu field.

In the hall, Sakaze joined a small group of new students—five in total.

A professor arrived shortly, clipboard in hand.

"You've all entered mid-year, so your aptitude exams will be held later," he said. "For now, you're all assigned to Class C-1."

Sakaze nodded, determination in his eyes.

Meanwhile – In Konoha

The air in the Hokage's office was thick with tension.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, stood behind his desk. Before him stood the three Legendary Sannin—Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya—as well as the full village council: Danzo Shimura, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado.

"I've summoned you all," Hiruzen began, "because in three weeks, Konoha will host a summit of the Five Kage."

The room stirred.

"That is why I want each of you to focus on village security," the Hokage continued. "Jiraiya. Tsunade. Orochimaru—you'll be responsible for monitoring foreign presence during the meeting. Danzo—your Anbu won't be needed."

Danzo's eye twitched. He turned away silently, lips tight with restrained fury.

Hiruzen turned back to the Sannin.

"I've heard that the new Tsuchikage is someone you encountered during the war. What can you tell me?"

Orochimaru stepped forward, arms folded.

"Yes. We fought him more than once. Arano Haishōri. A terrifying opponent. His Dust Release is lethal—but what's more dangerous is his unique Earth Control technique. He can manipulate solid matter to a disturbing degree—each finger controlling a different flow of chakra. He reshapes the battlefield to his will."

Jiraiya nodded grimly. "We didn't get to know him. He barely spoke during combat. But one thing's clear—he's not someone you want as an enemy."

Hiruzen exhaled, his brow furrowing.

So the summit draws near—and the shadows grow darker.