"Today, our wise and courageous leader, Kawashima Tsumugi, has nearly unified the Black Prince Desert, commanding a territory spanning over 3,000 li and leading more than 5,000 battle-hardened warriors. Though we may not yet rival the Five Great Nations, we are not far behind! I believe it is time for us to establish a nation and crown Kawashima Tsumugi as our daimyo. What do you all think?"
Mr. Kuang, with his high-pitched, raspy voice, shouted passionately to the 4,000-strong desert bandits gathered before him.
"Yes!" "Yes!" "Yes!"
The crowd of bandits raised their weapons and roared in agreement, their collective voices reverberating powerfully.
The sight filled Kawashima Tsumugi with uncontrollable joy. His heart raced as he thought, This is it! The army is loyal, the people are united—this is destiny!
Of course, Mr. Kuang's speech was not without exaggeration. The claim of a 3,000-li territory was technically accurate, though most of it consisted of barren desert and wasteland. If one were to combine all the oases under the bandits' control, the total area might barely exceed 100 square li. It was just enough to qualify as a "small nation" on the shinobi continent.
As for the 5,000 warriors, that number likely included the yet-to-be-conquered forces of the northern "Golden Whirlwind" faction. However, with the Third Commander, Jing Guanzhao, leading the charge, it was only a matter of time before they were subdued. Once that was accomplished, the total number of fighters could indeed reach 5,000. With such military strength, Kawashima Tsumugi could almost rival the daimyo of the Five Great Nations—certainly more so than the current daimyo of the Land of Wind.
However, there was one glaring issue that Mr. Kuang conveniently omitted: Kawashima Tsumugi's domain consisted solely of these 4,000 bandits. Not a single civilian lived under his rule. Even the smallest nations, like the Land of Rain, boasted a population of at least 60,000. In contrast, Kawashima Tsumugi's new nation was essentially a "military state" where everyone was a soldier. Well, not entirely—there were about a hundred "hostesses" either hired from the Land of Rain or captured from rival bandit factions. But even they couldn't be considered "law-abiding citizens."
Still, none of this mattered. Mr. Kuang had proposed it, Kawashima Tsumugi wanted it, and the brothers all found the idea exciting. With no objections, the plan moved forward. After all, what harm was there in celebrating among themselves?
History has never lacked for ambitious individuals proclaiming themselves kings or emperors. Even as recently as the early 1980s, there were tales of a farmer in Sichuan named Zhang Qing'an who gathered a few dozen followers to declare himself emperor in the mountains. Now that was audacious—he even took six concubines and attempted to "militarily" seize a county seat!
Compared to that, Kawashima Tsumugi, with his 4,000-strong bandit army, seemed downright modest. Establishing a small nation and declaring himself daimyo hardly seemed excessive.
At first, Kawashima Tsumugi feigned reluctance, pretending to decline the honor. But faced with the people's overwhelming support and his subordinates' tearful pleas—some even threatening to commit seppuku if he refused—he finally "reluctantly" accepted the role.
Mr. Kuang, who had been eagerly awaiting this moment for years, saw his dream of becoming a daimyo's retainer finally realized. He immediately set about organizing the event, leading the bandits in cleaning and renovating Black Wind Fortress. Every surface was scrubbed, repainted, or repaired, and the entire fortress was transformed.
A six-story platform was erected in the oasis's center, and Kawashima Tsumugi was dressed in the daimyo's ceremonial attire that Mr. Kuang had prepared long in advance. The next day, the grand coronation ceremony began.
The bandits, unfamiliar with formal rituals, relied entirely on Mr. Kuang, whose noble upbringing made him an expert in such matters. Thus, Kawashima Tsumugi ascended the platform with great pomp, performing the rites of offering sacrifices to the heavens and burning proclamations. The bandits knelt and bowed nine times, officially establishing their nation.
The nation's name: Land of Sand.
The official color: a dung-like yellow.
The national anthem: Song of the Bandits.
The national flag: designed by Mr. Kuang himself—a black background with a pile of yellow sand in the center (which unfortunately resembled a heap of runny excrement).
With all the formalities complete, Kawashima Tsumugi became the first daimyo of the Land of Sand.
Next came the celebratory feast, during which Kawashima Tsumugi distributed official titles and rewards to his subordinates.
That night, Black Wind Fortress was ablaze with light. Mr. Kuang, sparing no expense, used every drop of stored lamp oil to light 999 massive lanterns around the fortress. The glow was so bright that it could be seen from dozens of li away, illuminating the dark desert.
The sight left the warehouse manager distraught.
"Second Commander, you've used up all the lamp oil in one go. What will we do for light from now on?"
Enraged, Mr. Kuang slapped the manager across the face.
"Watch your mouth! Do you know what day it is? Today is the founding day of the Land of Sand! Do you think we can afford to skimp on grandeur? This isn't like the old days, where we lit a few dim lamps in this massive fortress and looked like we were guarding a graveyard. Tonight, we burn as much as we need! If we run out of lamp oil, we'll burn pig fat!"
"And remember, we're no longer bandits. We're retainers of the daimyo of the Land of Sand. Stop calling me 'Second Commander.' From now on, address me as ka'rou (chief retainer), understood?"
The feast began, featuring the usual bandit fare of whole roasted pigs, lambs, large bowls of wine, and chunks of meat. The fortress's cooks knew no other recipes, so replicating the refined dishes of a daimyo's banquet was out of the question. But this did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of Kawashima Tsumugi and his men.
During the banquet, Kawashima Tsumugi raised his wine bowl and began distributing official titles as promised.
Mr. Kuang was appointed ka'rou, overseeing all state affairs of the Land of Sand.
The absent Third Commander, Jing Guanzhao, was posthumously appointed grand general, in charge of military affairs.
Other leaders were given various ranks, from ashigaru captains to generals of the guard. Wealth from the treasury was also distributed, prompting cheers of "Long live the daimyo!" from all present.
However, the festive atmosphere was interrupted by an unfamiliar voice.
"And what position will the daimyo bestow upon me?"
All eyes turned toward the speaker, their cheerful expressions giving way to confusion. Was someone dissatisfied with their rank? Had they been overlooked? Even Kawashima Tsumugi, half-drunk, squinted to make out the figure.
At the far end of the table sat three strangers.
One was a young man with blue hair, dressed like a shinobi. He sat on the table with one leg crossed over the other, holding a wine bowl and smirking.
The second was a middle-aged man with long hair draped over his shoulders, carrying a katana on his back. His stoic face and sharp features gave him the air of a seasoned warrior.
The third was a red-haired boy, barely a teenager, who looked adorably innocent as he gnawed on a roasted lamb leg.
"Oh, did we miss someone? Which group are you from, brother?"
With so many factions recently absorbed, Kawashima Tsumugi couldn't possibly know everyone. Besides, the distance and his drunken haze made it hard to see clearly.
"Heh, no problem at all."
The blue-haired youth chuckled coldly before raising his voice.
"From Sunagakure. I am the Third Kazekage, Jinghang!"
Indeed, the newcomers were Jinghang, Yamashita Tetsu, and Sasori.
Seven days earlier, the Second Division of the regular army, numbering over 4,000, had completed their training and set out for Black Wind Fortress.
That very night, they arrived near the fortress. The 999 lanterns lit by Mr. Kuang served as a beacon, guiding them straight to their target.
"What are these bandits up to? Throwing a birthday party?"
The Second Division Commander, Akasuna Kigi, asked in confusion.
Due to his exceptional abilities, Akasuna Kigi had been promoted from Intelligence Department Operative Chief to Second Division Commander—a position equivalent to a cabinet minister.
"I don't know. Let's go find out. Everyone disembark and approach quietly. Have the reconnaissance unit eliminate the sentries first. Move carefully; we don't want to alert them."
Jinghang gave the order in a low voice.
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