Rasa had returned to Sunagakure the day after Roshi and his team arrived, though he made no announcement of it.
Rather than intervening directly, he preferred to let Ebizo handle the negotiations with Konoha's envoy. The agreement Ebizo had secured the last time had genuinely pulled the Hidden Sand Village back from the brink—if only temporarily.
But this time, the situation had taken an unexpected turn.
Ōnoki, after suffering heavy losses on Konoha's western front, had abruptly shifted his focus to the western territories—those same barren, wind-scoured lands that Sunagakure had been struggling to secure.
It was a cruel twist of fate.
The Sand's shinobi, experts in desert warfare, were now forced into Iwagakure's mountainous terrain—terrain that consumed stamina, shattered formation strategy, and turned their agility into a liability.
The long, grinding stalemate bled the Hidden Sand Village of what little it still possessed. Supplies dwindled, casualties rose, and all that awaited them at the end of such sacrifice was a handful of insignificant border outposts and mission quotas too small to sustain them.
Rasa understood exactly what that meant.
Their future income would shrink even further. The Village's finances—already paper-thin—would collapse completely within a few years.
He had met with the Land of Wind's Daimyo not long ago to discuss yet again the issue of military expenditure.
This time, the Daimyo didn't even pretend to listen.
He simply ordered his attendants to unroll the kingdom's ledgers in front of Rasa.
"Fourth Kazekage," the Daimyo said, his voice cool and practiced, "these are the Land of Wind's tax records from the last twenty years."
"My predecessors already emptied the treasury to fund the Sunagakure's endless wars of expansion."
"Our lands are barren—sand and stone as far as the eye can see. The few fertile plains we have are eroded by storms. Trade routes shattered during the great wars have never fully recovered, and our tax base grows weaker by the year."
"I can offer no more."
The Daimyo's gaze hardened.
"Forgive my bluntness, but with the Hidden Sand's current strength, surely it is more than enough to defend the Land of Wind's borders… is it not?"
Rasa said nothing.
Killing this Daimyo would change nothing. The problem wasn't leadership—it was reality. Even if he took the throne himself, there would be no sudden windfall of wealth, no miracle resource buried beneath the dunes.
All he would achieve was chaos.
And chaos cost money too.
The current negotiations with Konoha had yielded far less than before. No resources, no supplies—only a promise.
He didn't blame Ebizo for that. The old advisor had done his best, but the times had changed. Konoha had recovered. Its situation was no longer as desperate as last year's, and it was no longer inclined to hand out aid disguised as diplomacy.
Even so, Rasa couldn't suppress the frustration burning in his chest.
Was this truly all they could do?
Was Sunagakure doomed to bleed out slowly, locked in a meaningless tug-of-war with Iwagakure over worthless desert hills?
The thought that rose in his mind next was dangerous.
And yet, it gleamed like gold in the darkness.
If war is inevitable… then why not turn it toward richer soil?
The Land of Rivers—fertile, resource-rich, unguarded by any major Shinobi Village.
If Sunagakure could strike swiftly, eliminate Konoha's stationed forces, and seize the Land of Rivers' tribute and mission rights, they could revive their economy in one decisive move.
For a moment, the idea filled his mind—brilliant, ruthless, and intoxicating.
Then he exhaled slowly, forcing it down.
No. Not now.
Sunagakure didn't have the strength for such a campaign. Not with Iwagakure watching, not with Konoha still standing strong.
Unless… Konoha were suddenly weakened.
Distracted. Consumed by chaos.
That would change everything.
But that kind of opportunity required a weapon of immense, uncontrollable power.
Rasa's thoughts darkened. His eyes drifted toward the sealed documents on his desk—the reports concerning Shukaku, the One-Tail.
The boy was strong, but unstable. The seal was deteriorating.
Before he could think further, the sound hit him—
A thunderous boom, followed by the shattering of stone and the roar of collapsing walls.
Then came the screaming.
And the unmistakable, guttural bellow that made the very air tremble.
Rasa's hand clenched around his desk.
"…Lost control again?"
His brows furrowed, and he rose swiftly, the golden dust swirling faintly around his feet as he turned toward the window.
Outside, the night sky burned with streaks of sand and chakra.
Shukaku had awakened.
Inside the inn, Anko, Izumo, and Kotetsu were already in combat stance, weapons drawn.
Roshi, however, didn't move. He simply stood by the window, hands behind his back, watching the enormous beast wreak havoc on the streets below.
Playfully, almost.
Compared to the devastation of the Nine-Tails' rampage years ago, Shukaku's destruction seemed almost… casual. It wasn't hurling Tailed Beast Balls or firing Vacuum Bullets. It was just raging for the sake of it.
And yet, what struck Roshi wasn't the monster. It was the people.
Outside, the villagers of Sunagakure were running—but not screaming. Not panicking. Their faces were eerily calm, eyes dull with resignation. They moved like people who had seen this too many times before.
Even the two Sunagakure guards stationed outside the inn hadn't left their posts.
One of them opened the door and said, almost apologetically,
"Please remain indoors, guests of Konoha. It's just a minor disturbance. It'll be over soon."
Anko blinked. "Minor disturbance? Are you kidding me?"
Izumo swallowed hard. "That's… a Tailed Beast, right? Right?"
Konoha's shinobi, it seemed, were still a little too naïve.
Yes, it was only One-Tail—but when it came to seal instability, Shukaku ranked near the top. The only time it had truly behaved was under its previous Jinchūriki, the monk Bunpuku.
Every other host, though… had been another tragedy.
And now, if the young Jinchūriki—Gaara—so much as fell asleep, the seal would loosen enough for the beast to emerge.
A low, rumbling roar shook the air as the ground beneath Shukaku began to shimmer.
Then, suddenly—golden sand erupted upward, spiraling around the beast's enormous frame like liquid sunlight.
"Gold Dust…" Roshi murmured.
Shukaku thrashed and howled, but the golden sand was heavier, denser than ordinary sand. No matter how the Tailed Beast struggled, the bindings only grew tighter, coiling and hardening until they forced the massive creature back to the ground.
The beast's roars faded into guttural growls, then to silence.
Moments later, the golden sand retreated as quietly as it had come, dissolving into the desert air.
Only the ruined streets and shattered homes remained—a testament to what had just occurred.
"…That's it?" Kotetsu muttered in disbelief. "Just like that? The Sand really does have a few tricks up its sleeve."
"That wasn't just any technique," Roshi said softly, eyes narrowing. "That was the Fourth Kazekage's work."
So—Rasa had returned.
He'd been back all along, it seemed, watching from the shadows and letting Ebizo handle the diplomacy just like before.
Then tomorrow… they might finally meet.
Roshi exhaled quietly, motioning for his team to stand down. "Rest. We leave early."
But the next morning came and went—and Rasa never appeared.
Even when they met with Ebizo for their official farewell, there was no mention of the Kazekage at all. The matter of Shukaku was politely ignored, as if it had never happened.
The envoy's mission concluded without further incident.
Still, Roshi knew better.
What had happened in the desert that night was not an isolated event—it was a symptom.
Iwagakure's sudden strategic pivot had triggered a chain reaction, and the pressure on the Hidden Sand Village was mounting faster than anyone in Konoha had yet realized.
He would need to report everything—Rasa's movements, Shukaku's instability, and the state of Sunagakure—directly to Lady Tsunade.
The team crossed the border out of the Land of Wind without issue. Their next stop was the Grass Village.
Normally, the fastest route was through the Land of Rain.
But that also meant passing too close to Hidden Rain Village—the heart of the Akatsuki.
After a moment's thought, Roshi decided on a detour.
They would pass through the Land of Rivers instead, then re-enter the Land of Fire before heading north to the Grass Country.
As the captain, he didn't need to justify it.
"We'll return to Konoha first," Roshi announced. "The situation with Sunagakure—and Shukaku—must be reported immediately. A day or two's delay with the Grass Village won't matter."
Anko nodded without question, and the team set off once again through the desert winds.
Hidden Cloud Village—Raikage's Office
"Joint Chunin Selection Exams?"
The Fourth Raikage's voice was dismissive. His arms were crossed, the muscles in them tense like iron cables. "Cloud shinobi don't need to go to another nation just to be evaluated."
Still, he wasn't rude. The woman before him was Shizune—Tsunade's aide and the medic who had once treated his subordinate.
"Lady Tsunade sends her regards," Shizune replied with a polite bow. "She extends an invitation for Cloud's participation."
A's eyes softened slightly. "Tsunade, huh? How is she? I heard she's back in the Village."
"She's doing well," Shizune replied with a small smile.
"That's good. Her… condition was no small thing." The Raikage grunted thoughtfully. Then, after a pause, his gaze sharpened. "Konoha's Hokage is still the Third, right?"
"Yes, currently—"
"Then it won't be for long, will it?" A's tone was knowing. "Tsunade's return… that means she'll take the hat next."
Shizune froze for half a heartbeat, her practiced smile faltering. She didn't confirm—but she didn't deny it either.
The Raikage smirked slightly. "I see."
He leaned back in his chair, eyes half-lidded in thought.
His war with Konoha had been his first large-scale campaign as Raikage. It had taught him two harsh truths: the Cloud's geographic isolation was both its shield and its prison—and prolonged conflict with Konoha was never worth the cost.
The Land of Fire's economy, its agricultural wealth, its trade routes… it was an empire of stability.
The Land of Lightning thrived on commerce, not endless war.
And Tsunade… she was not like her predecessors. She was rational. Principled. The kind of leader who could keep her word.
"If she's the next Hokage," he said finally, "then maybe things can be different."
A moment later, he nodded, decision made. "Very well. Hidden Cloud will participate in the Chunin Exams."
Shizune's eyes widened slightly with relief. "Raikage-sama, that's—"
He raised a hand to stop her. "But on one condition."
His gaze locked onto hers, sharp as lightning.
"The next joint Chunin Exams will be held in the Hidden Cloud Village. And Konoha will attend."
--------------------
Next Chapter : Two Uzumaki in the Grass
--------------------------------
AN: Check out my P@treon For +50 extra chapters.
Thank You For your Support!!
[email protected]/noviceauthor777