Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 176 Yellow Sand

"This mission will take a long time and will require us to travel through two countries, so everyone should be prepared." Kakashi-sensei, whom we haven't seen in a long time, finally appeared. It's quite rare to see the village's biggest earners grouped together.

Naruto's special status means that his overseas missions are always accompanied by a large entourage. Last time, Jiraiya personally accompanied him, but this time Jiraiya sent word that he was investigating very important information and wouldn't be able to return, so Kakashi had to fill in. Of course, with Kakashi coming, Team 7 finally made a near-complete appearance after many years.

"What should I bring to the desert?" Sakura was already imagining the devastating impact the high temperature and sun exposure would have on her skin. Perhaps she should dig out her best long-sleeved shirts and pants from the bottom of her closet.

A certain divine being, who had traversed the vast desert alone, said cheerfully, "Actually, we only need to cross a small section of desert. There's a river to the north of the Land of Wind, and that's an oasis."

Sakura has gotten used to Naruto occasionally throwing in some geographical tidbits, as if he's really been all over the world.

"But we still have to leave the desert! What's wrong with taking precautions?"

"The first thing to prepare should be breathable and airtight tall boots, because sand rubbing against your feet is very annoying."

Kakashi, as always, held his little yellow book and said unhurriedly, "Because Team 7 is short one person, and this is an S-rank mission, the Hokage specially approved a team to act as an external aid."

This is why, an hour later, Class 7 and Class 10 were staring at each other in bewilderment at the gate.

"Does an S-rank escort mission really require so many people?" Sasuke has completed dozens of S-rank missions single-handedly, while Naruto is Sasuke's equal in combat strength. Missions that require so many people to cooperate with him are usually world-destroying, meaning that if they lose, the world will be finished.

"I'm very important!" The middle-aged man, carrying a lot of luggage, said with his head held high and chest out, "I bear the important mission of ensuring that the Bird Kingdom will no longer go hungry."

If it were Jinlun standing opposite him, he would certainly admire such confidence. However, it was Naruto standing there, and he felt a little ashamed, yet he had to pretend to be a customer-centric, accommodating person rather than truly believing, so his expression was somewhat distorted.

“Okay, Mr. Ayihan, according to what you’ve said, could you elaborate on the enemies that might attack us along the way?” The reliable Captain Kakashi interjected at the right moment, steer the conversation back on track.

"The friction between the Kingdom of Owls and us has been constant for the past year. The Kingdom of Earth occasionally comes to cause trouble, but the Kingdom of Wind is a little better." Every word Ayihan said was true, but it was all in the past. "The desert people are saying that the Kingdom of Birds has the ability to grow food in the desert, and I am an agricultural expert in the Kingdom of Birds. Once they find out my whereabouts, they will try to assassinate me."

Being targeted by two countries was relatively fortunate, even though it included one of the five great powers. The team's original plan was to pass through the Land of Rivers and the Land of Wind, minimizing the number of countries they would cross. The Land of Wind was also an ally of the Land of Fire, so passing through wouldn't attract much attention or repercussions. After learning about the specific situation in the Land of Birds, they felt this choice was absolutely correct; a buffer zone between great powers was certainly not as safe as the domestic security of those great powers.

"Speaking of which, you seem to have entered the Land of Fire from the southern part of the Land of Rivers. Why didn't you just go to the Sand Village ninjas for bodyguards? They could send their best ninjas for the same price." Shikamaru's face was full of genuine curiosity, but he was actually trying to extract information.

Ayhan, an old man who had lived through the darkest period, sighed and said, "Young man, if you had also tasted the bitterness of being controlled by the Land of Wind for a long time, you wouldn't ask such a question. Even if the Land of Wind has been relatively peaceful in recent years, I would never approach them. In fact, I don't trust the Land of Fire either; it's only because you are a third party and have a better reputation."

Shikamaru was speechless after being rebuked. He was still young and felt guilty after reopening old wounds.

Kakashi, however, had no such idea. He pressed on, focusing on the key point, "I'm afraid there's another reason, Mr. Aihan. Konoha and Sunagakure have formed an alliance. You want to use Konoha's name to avoid Sunagakure. Does this mean that the Land of Wind is also taking action against your country?"

Ayihan remained calm and said, "I've only prepared for the worst, which doesn't mean it's already happened. I do hope that the Kingdom of Wind will never covet my homeland."

"Mr. Kakashi, do all the Konoha ninjas like to pry into things so much?"

“I’m just responsible for my students. Nobody wants casualties on a mission, right? Mr. Aihan, I’m sorry to make you feel uncomfortable, but it’s for your safety.” Kakashi deflected the client’s challenge with a polite smile, trying to ease the tension in the group. However, Aihan still seemed unhappy and didn’t say anything more after giving directions.

At this moment, Naruto, who always acts as the life of the party, stepped in.

He was originally assigned to Ayihan's side because his Flying Thunder God Technique could at least allow him to evacuate with his men immediately. After walking for a while, Naruto asked cautiously, "Uncle, can you really grow food in the desert?"

The answer to this question is uncertain. If "desert" includes oases within a desert, then it is possible. But if it is only a "desert" in a physical sense, then no one can overcome the physiological needs of organisms and grow food directly from the sand.

Ayihan was indeed interested in talking. He has always been passionate about his career, which is why he was able to get the opportunity to study in Beichen in just one year.

"That statement is not accurate. We are growing crops on land that has been stabilized by sand." Ayihan enthusiastically explained the knowledge about desert oases and what they are doing now.

"For thousands of years, desert dwellers could only watch as the yellow sand gradually swallowed up the oases on which we depended for survival. When I was young, I thought that if we could conquer the yellow sand, would we no longer have to rob food from all over the place and people would no longer starve to death? I put a lot of effort into looking for cases of yellow sand turning into fertile land, but I never found anything until one day I accidentally discovered an oasis that no one had set foot in."

Ayhan's eyes burned with fiery passion as he said, "Back then, I was forced to flee my fields, chased by mercenaries to the desert to fend for myself. In my despair, I found that paradise. I was overjoyed, but dared not tell anyone about it, fearing that the spring would not withstand the plundering by humans. Many years later, when I returned there, I found that the oasis had expanded! Even if it was only a few meters, it was a historic discovery! So, I collected all the plant samples there, verifying them one by one, and finally discovered two plants that could improve the soil quality while growing."