"Hokage, are you here to retrieve the equipment?"
Only about ten people from Sunagakure remained untransformed, while all Konoha Ninja had completed their transformation.
This meant Konoha could pack up and go home, which was why Rasa asked this question.
Rasa, with excitement clearly written on his face, was still on the edge of agitation; otherwise, he wouldn't have asked such a foolish question.
Tomoki still smiled at Rasa, causing his rationality to gradually return.
Rasa, knowing that if the equipment were to be retrieved, it wouldn't be just two people, felt a little embarrassed.
"Lord Hokage, what can I do for you?"
In a good mood and slightly embarrassed, Rasa uncharacteristically used honorifics as he asked Tomoki.
"Go over there."
Tomoki glanced towards a corner, motioned to Rasa, and then walked in that direction with Orochimaru.
"Kazekage, it's best to bring a trustworthy and capable researcher."
Tomoki's voice rang in Rasa's ears, and Rasa looked around in surprise at the unresponsive crowd.
He knew this was the much-rumored Mangekyo Sharingan genjutsu.
After a moment of thought, Rasa pulled the head researcher from Sunagakure and walked towards Tomoki, who was already waiting in the corner.
"Lord Kazekage, what are you doing? I still need to record data!"
The Sunagakure researcher asked, puzzled.
Rasa didn't explain and continued forward.
Like Konoha, the researchers chose to be the last to undergo the transformation; at this point, the remaining ten or so people from Sunagakure adjusted the equipment themselves and lay down inside.
The researcher kept looking back, wanting to return and continue his observations.
"Alright, you'll get to experience the power of the Dragon Veins separately later!"
Seeing the researcher still longing to go back, Rasa tried to reassure him.
Rasa didn't know how to evaluate these guys; on one hand, they were incredibly diligent, working harder than anyone.
On the other hand, after fiddling for several days, they still hadn't figured anything out.
With Konoha's excellent example, Rasa had no choice but to take these less powerful researchers seriously.
Once Rasa and his person met up with Tomoki.
Tomoki didn't speak directly but instead manifested black marks in his palm, which began to expand into the void.
"Don't worry, Kazekage, it's just a simple sound-proofing barrier."
He briefly explained to prevent Rasa from having an adverse reaction.
After the barrier formed, sensing the faint Chakra reactions around him, Rasa didn't immediately believe it.
Instead, he touched the barrier slightly, and only after confirming he could easily break through it with force did Rasa largely believe Tomoki's words.
Complete trust was impossible; otherwise, Rasa wouldn't have lived to this day.
At this moment, Rasa's expression also became exceptionally serious; this posture didn't seem to indicate anything simple.
Rasa naturally had an impression of Orochimaru, who was beside Tomoki, one of Konoha's researchers, and a high-ranking one at that.
Without speaking, Rasa showed a slight look of confusion towards Tomoki.
Tomoki paid no mind to Rasa's reaction and spoke with an air of ease.
"No need to be nervous, Kazekage, Sunagakure and Konoha have completely become companions."
Tomoki's confident and assured demeanor made Rasa instantly tense up, wanting to escape but then seeming to remember something.
His figure then became somewhat timid, as if he had completely given up.
What seemed like only a moment was, in fact, a whole drama that had played out in Rasa's mind.
There's a problem, Konoha's technology has a problem!
This was Rasa's almost instinctive thought: Konoha had controlled Sunagakure through this method.
He wanted to resist, wanted to escape, but then he thought of the majority of Sunagakure's elite, himself as the Kazekage, and many other high-ranking officials, all of whom had been transformed by Konoha's technology.
Rasa chose to give up.
Tomoki, who had been observing Rasa, saw his series of unusual reactions and largely guessed his thoughts.
He found it slightly amusing, but this wasn't the time for mischief; Tomoki didn't intend to play along with Rasa's thoughts and drag things out.
"Kazekage seems to have misunderstood something. Let the person beside me explain."
Orochimaru didn't refuse and began his explanation, most of which was directed at the researcher beside Rasa.
However, Rasa could also understand some of the simpler parts.
A long while later, as Orochimaru's explanation concluded.
"Impossible, impossible!"
The researcher experienced psychological issues similar to those Konoha's people had encountered earlier.
"But it is the truth. I believe you have the data, and it's not difficult to verify it."
As if clutching at a lifeline, the Sunagakure researcher pulled out paper and pen and began to calculate according to Orochimaru's explanation.
It was as if he wanted to prove Orochimaru was wrong, but the more he calculated, the more his hands trembled.
Rasa was not much better.
Six Paths Sage, Chakra, True Essence—these words floated in his mind one by one.
Like Tomoki, Rasa didn't believe the Six Paths Sage would go to such great lengths just for fun.
If he had remained an ignorant Ninja, continuing to use Chakra, perhaps nothing would have happened; after all, Ninja had existed for over a thousand years.
But now, everything was irreversible!
Rasa also understood what Tomoki meant by "companions."
As a Kage, Rasa's mental fortitude was much stronger than others; he didn't immediately deny it, because his subordinate's reaction clearly indicated that Konoha was not lying.
But Rasa didn't fully believe it either, because there was one thing he couldn't understand: if Konoha knew all this, why would they choose to continue?
Wouldn't it be better to continue living peacefully as a fool, as before?
Perhaps there would be some resentment, but at least it would be safe!
Rasa's gaze towards Tomoki was filled with complexity; no one wanted to be kept in the dark, and for that, Rasa should thank Tomoki.
But the price of knowing the truth was to stand completely against that mythical figure, and perhaps Sunagakure would be utterly doomed, which filled Rasa with resentment towards Tomoki.
Extremely complex emotions flashed in Rasa's eyes, and then he asked Tomoki.
"Why?"
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