Uchiha orphan, so what if I'm ruthless?

Yugito Nii, standing to the side, also cast a sidelong glance. Watching the sapling grow into a towering tree in just a few short seconds, she was stunned for a moment.

The tree had now grown taller than the courtyard walls. Its canopy spread out, casting the entire yard in shadow. The dense leaves gleamed with a glossy sheen in the sunlight, rustling in the wind like a miniature forest.

She lowered her hand from the doorframe and took two steps forward. Her gaze shifted from the tree to Uchiha Taiga, then back to the tree, her lips parting slightly.

"Wood Style!?"

Her voice carried a tone of unbelievable astonishment.

As Kumogakure's Jinchuriki, she was no stranger to powerful ninjutsu. Kumogakure's Lightning Style ninjutsu was among the best in the ninja world, and the Fourth Raikage's Lightning Style Armor was hailed as the ultimate shield.

But Wood Style was different. It was a legendary Kekkei Genkai that only the God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama, could use. It was a power capable of suppressing Tailed Beasts and the very foundation upon which the peace of the ninja world was built.

How could such a thing appear on an Uchiha?

Uchiha Taiga's lips curled into a smile as he nodded.

"That's right, it's Wood Style."

Rasa had recovered his wits by now, but as he stared at the tree, he still found it somewhat hard to believe.

Wood Style.

The Wood Style of the God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama. The Wood Style that had suppressed the entire ninja world for an era, appearing right before his eyes.

And the one using it was an Uchiha.

Rasa's mind was buzzing. He knew all too well what Wood Style represented.

Throughout the history of the ninja world, there were many types of Kekkei Genkai—Ice Style, Lava Style, Scorch Style, Magnet Style—each possessing its own unique power.

But no other Kekkei Genkai possessed such comprehensive abilities as Wood Style. Offense, defense, suppressing Tailed Beasts, altering the terrain... some even said that Wood Style contained the power to create life itself.

Because of this, Senju Hashirama was able to establish Konoha during that war-torn era, single-handedly pacify the chaotic world, and make all the ninja villages bow to him.

And now, this power had appeared in a young Uchiha.

A sudden thought flashed through Rasa's mind, making him shudder.

He asked subconsciously, his voice tight, "The return gift you mentioned... could it be?"

He stared intently at Uchiha Taiga, his eyes holding an expression rarely seen on him... expectation, or rather, sheer longing.

Uchiha Taiga's smile remained unchanged.

"Yes, exactly that."

His answer was brief, but the meaning was crystal clear.

Rasa felt his heart skip a beat. He didn't speak—not because he didn't want to, but because he didn't know what to say.

To Uchiha Taiga, the matter was actually quite simple. From their very first encounter until now, Sunagakure had maintained a very humble posture.

Whether it was Maki or Rasa, both had acted the same way.

Especially Rasa. As the dignified Kazekage, representing the face of an entire ninja village, he had personally come outside the village to welcome him, speaking politely and keeping a low profile.

He could have easily hidden inside the village and let Maki continue acting as his mouthpiece, but he hadn't.

He came out himself, and his attitude was sincere.

More importantly, when it came to Tailed Beast chakra, he handed it over without hesitation.

He had handed over his own one-year-old son without a second word.

Although Rasa claimed it was out of sincerity, Uchiha Taiga knew perfectly well that there was definitely some reluctance involved.

After all, that was a Jinchuriki, representing the safety of the village. Its importance went without saying.

Perhaps Rasa had no other choice, but he still did it.

Regardless of how much helplessness or reluctance was mixed in, his actions were flawless.

Uchiha Taiga might be a bit egocentric, but that didn't mean he couldn't distinguish good from bad.

When others treated him well, he wouldn't turn a blind eye.

When others gave him face, he would return the favor.

Simply put, it was a matter of give and take, leaving no debts between them.

With Sunagakure being so cooperative, he couldn't just endlessly take without giving them a little sweetness in return. Otherwise, wouldn't he just be a pure villain?

As for Wood Style, it sounded intimidating, but to him, it really wasn't much.

With the Sage Body as a foundation, coupled with his own research into ninjutsu and Kekkei Genkai, he had naturally mastered it.

If he hadn't focused his past efforts elsewhere, he might have figured it out on his own much earlier.

Since he had mastered it now, using it to do a favor was nothing to be stingy about.

Rasa finally completely recovered from his shock. He swallowed hard, his emotions surging. The expression on his face shifted from shock to excitement, and then from excitement to a solemn seriousness.

He took a deep breath and then bowed slightly toward Uchiha Taiga.

"Then... then I thank you greatly."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was incredibly earnest.

He stuttered slightly, unbefitting of a Kazekage, but at this moment, he couldn't care less about appearances.

Wood Style.

If Sunagakure could receive the help of Wood Style, then this damned desert might truly be saved.

Uchiha Taiga simply smiled. "Alright, pick a location. I'll try using Wood Style to create an oasis for Sunagakure. Consider it my contribution to the desert's afforestation efforts."

His tone was relaxed, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

But Rasa didn't see it that way.

His expression instantly turned stern, his back straightened, and his voice became solemn.

"Yes!"

A single word, crisp and decisive, as if he were accepting an order.

Yugito Nii watched this scene from the side, her mouth twitching slightly.

But she didn't say anything, because she understood how Rasa felt.

The yearning for greenery among people who had lived in the desert their entire lives was something she, living in the Land of Lightning, could never imagine.

...

After that day, Uchiha Taiga didn't see Rasa again. For three consecutive days, he didn't show up.

Uchiha Taiga wasn't in a hurry either. He spent his days in the courtyard, researching ninjutsu and chakra, or casually strolling around the village.

Indeed, without Uchiha Taiga even having to ask, Rasa had sent over various Sunagakure ninjutsu scrolls. It was obvious he had long since learned of what Uchiha Taiga had done in Kumogakure.

Doing so didn't seem to cause him any heartache at all.

Maki visited every day, his smile as warm and friendly as ever, but he was noticeably much more relaxed than before.

Aside from that, Yashamaru brought Gaara over twice more, naturally under Rasa's orders. Uchiha Taiga didn't hold back, extracting Shukaku's chakra two more times. The amount remained small, and Gaara simply slept through it each time, waking up perfectly fine without shedding a single tear.

Everything was peaceful until this particular morning.

Footsteps echoed at the courtyard gate. Rasa had arrived.

He came alone again, without any attendants, but his condition was even worse than three days ago.

His dark circles were heavier, his eye bags sagged, and his eyes were bloodshot, looking as if he hadn't closed them for three days. Yet, his spirits were high. His eyes gleamed with an excited light, and his whole body was like a taut bowstring.

He held a rolled-up map in his hand. After entering the courtyard, he skipped the pleasantries and directly unrolled the map on the stone table in front of Uchiha Taiga.

"Sir, these are the target locations selected by the village."

His voice was a bit hoarse, but very clear.

"You may choose one yourself."

Uchiha Taiga set down his teacup and looked down at the map.

The map was drawn in great detail. Sunagakure's location was clearly marked, and the surrounding terrain, water sources, and roads were all explicitly indicated. There were several red circles on the map highlighting a few locations, with coordinates and brief descriptions noted beside them.

Some places were closer to the village, while others were farther away. Some were water sources, some were the most severely desertified areas, and some were flatlands that could be expanded into farmland in the future.

It was evident that Rasa truly hadn't been idle these past three days.

He must have mobilized all the Jonin and surveyors in the village to scout the terrain everywhere and evaluate the feasibility of each location before finally selecting these candidates.

Uchiha Taiga casually glanced over it, then reached out and tapped a spot on the map.

"Right here."

Rasa leaned in to take a look, then nodded.

It was a place less than ten miles from Sunagakure. The map showed a small lake icon, marking one of the village's few water sources.

Sunagakure's efficiency was remarkable. The decision was made in the morning, and by the afternoon, they had already arrived at the destination.

Departing from the village, it took less than an hour to get there.

This was an open expanse of desert with relatively flat terrain. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but endless yellow sand.

The wind was strong, blowing so hard it was difficult to keep one's eyes open.

The only difference was the presence of a small lake.

Calling it a lake was generous; it was more like a large pond. The water wasn't deep, and the bottom was visible. The surface had a faint green tint, and sparse reeds and weeds grew around the edges.

A few crooked Euphrates poplar trees stood by the shore, their trunks polished bare by the wind and sand, with only a few wilted leaves clinging to the tops.

This was one of Sunagakure's few water sources.

In the desert, any place with water was a treasure trove. This small lake sustained all life within dozens of miles, but that was the extent of it.

Hoping to rely on it to change the entire environment of Sunagakure was nothing but a pipe dream.

Rasa stood by the lake, followed by a group of Sunagakure shinobi. Chiyo and Ebizo were there, as was Maki, along with several others—all core figures of Sunagakure.

Everyone was looking at Uchiha Taiga, their eyes filled with both anticipation and nervousness.

Clearly, they had already been fully informed about the Wood Style.

Uchiha Taiga walked a few steps forward and stood in an open area next to the lake. He surveyed the surroundings, then turned back and waved his hand at Rasa.

"Have your people step back."

Rasa immediately complied.

"Everyone, fall back!"

The Sunagakure shinobi retreated one after another, moving dozens of meters away before stopping on a sand dune, craning their necks to watch.

Yugito Nii also stepped back, though she stood slightly ahead of the others.

Seeing that everyone had retreated to a safe distance, Uchiha Taiga turned back to face the empty desert.

He took a deep breath and clapped his hands together.

*Clap.* The sound was crisp and clear.

His chakra erupted in that instant. The surrounding air grew heavy, and even the wind seemed to stop for a moment.

"Wood Style: Million Deep Forest Emergence Array!"

The next moment, countless tree saplings burst forth from the sandy ground.