At this moment, Kankuro sat in the side seats.
He was completely immersed in his own world.
The "mechanical puppets" idea he'd raised earlier had been accepted by Teizawa…
Even if it was just a simple, "We can research it."
To Kankuro, that was more than enough.
Mechanical puppets…
In his head, designs exploded into existence.
Replacing wood with metal. Replacing chakra threads with mechanisms.
Maybe even adding some basic mechanical principles…
"Kankuro."
Kankuro snapped back to reality.
He saw his sister looking at him with a weird expression.
"Your eyes… are glowing."
Kankuro froze, then scratched the back of his head, embarrassed.
"A-are they?"
But the corner of his mouth kept rising anyway.
Gaara sat at the far edge, silently watching everything.
His gaze swept over the representatives' excited faces, over Ebizo's thoughtful look.
Finally, it settled on the figure at the center of the podium.
Teizawa was listening to a civilian representative.
His head slightly tilted, his expression serious and focused.
Sunlight poured in through the windows, plating him in a pale golden halo.
This man.
Gaara thought quietly.
He could always steer the entire atmosphere of Sand Village.
He could always make everyone move to his rhythm.
Gaara lowered his head and looked at his own hands.
Hands that had once been soaked in blood.
Now, it had been a long time since he'd killed anyone.
He'd thought he'd learned "love," learned how to "fight for the village."
But only now did he realize…
True protection wasn't standing above them and shielding them.
It was making them stand up.
So they could protect themselves.
You really do it better than I ever did.
He said it to Teizawa in his heart.
Temari sat beside Gaara.
But her attention wasn't on any of this.
An unhealthy flush spread across her cheeks.
Her heart was beating so fast it felt like it might leap out of her chest.
Her gaze stayed glued to the figure at the center of the podium, unwilling to leave him for even a second.
So this is… she thought quietly.
This is the man I chose.
Not because he's strong, even though he is.
Not because he's handsome, even though he is.
But because…
He can make everyone better.
He can make the whole village run in the same direction.
Temari pressed a hand lightly to her chest.
Feeling that frantic heartbeat.
Her cheeks grew even hotter.
He isn't just the strongest in Sand Village.
She added silently, unable to stop her lips from curling upward.
He can conquer me, too…
She remembered those ridiculous, blush-inducing scenes.
The red on her face deepened.
But her eyes, full of love, shone brighter than ever.
The heat in the hall kept rising.
More and more ideas were raised, discussed, recorded.
Some argued. Some agreed. Some got so excited they tripped over their own words.
Of course, some watched coldly from the sidelines.
Teizawa stood at the podium.
Always keeping the posture of someone listening.
His gaze swept over faces flushed with excitement, over people who were beginning to seriously think about the future…
The curve of his mouth deepened slightly.
Now this is more like it.
He told himself.
This is what a "Representative Assembly" is supposed to look like.
Inside the hall, the enthusiastic discussion continued.
A civilian representative had just proposed building a public reservoir in the West District.
Teizawa was about to nod in approval…
Boom…
A violent explosion roared from outside, shaking the windows until they buzzed.
Everyone froze.
"What happened?!"
Chiyo shot to her feet, eyes wide as if they might pop from their sockets.
Shock filled her wrinkled face.
A rarely seen vigilance flashed through her cloudy eyes.
That explosion…
That didn't sound like an ordinary explosive tag!
The hall erupted into instant commotion.
Some people stood up. Some instinctively reached for their ninja tools. Some panicked and looked around…
"Enemy attack…"
"Protect Kazekage-sama!"
"Everyone, don't panic!"
Voices tangled together.
The hall that had been so lively a moment ago plunged into chaos.
Chiyo's eyes snapped to the figure at the center of the podium.
Then she saw something that made her heart sink.
Teizawa stood there, unshaken.
No panic, no anger.
Not even surprise.
His lips curved slightly, forming a… cold smile.
"Finally."
He said it.
His voice was soft, only the nearest few could hear.
But his tone carried something unmistakable…
Anticipation?
Chiyo's pupils tightened.
He…
Before she could make sense of it, an arrogant shout rang out from above.
"Art is… ex. plo. sion! Hah!"
The voice was young and wild.
Thrumming with a near-mad excitement, like an artist who couldn't wait to unveil his masterpiece.
Everyone looked up on instinct.
Then…
Boom!
The dome of the hall exploded.
A fierce shockwave slammed down from above, rubble, tiles, and dust pouring like a waterfall!
Orange-red fire flashed at the torn opening and vanished.
A scalding wave of heat swept the entire hall in an instant!
"Ah…"
"Protect the civilians!"
"Enemy attack…"
Screams, roars, gasps, all crashing together.
Some shielded the people beside them, trying to dodge falling debris. Some tried to stabilize the situation…
The entire hall plunged into total chaos.
And in the middle of that chaos…
Teizawa still stood in place.
His robe snapped and billowed in the blast wind.
Stones whipped past him, yet not a single piece struck him.
He tilted his head up slightly.
Staring at the shattered dome, and the figure in the sky laughing arrogantly…
The curve of his mouth deepened, slowly.
Good.
I was afraid you wouldn't come.
…
Elsewhere.
When the explosion sounded.
The Konoha group was in the second-floor lounge of their inn.
They were idly chatting about the assembly they'd just attended.
"So what do you think they'll talk about in that assembly?"
Choji asked, his mouth stuffed with chips, words muffled.
Shikamaru leaned by the window and answered lazily.
"Who knows. It's a pain…"
He didn't get to finish.
Boom!
The violent explosion rolled in from the distance, shaking the window glass until it buzzed.
Shikamaru's words cut off.
In the next second, everyone rose.
Instantly shifting into combat readiness.
Kakashi was the first to rush to the window, his exposed right eye locked on the towering building in the distance…
The roof of the Kazekage Tower was pouring black smoke.
Flashes of fire flickered inside it.
"Something happened!"
Guy followed close behind, frowning in confusion.
"Someone dares to attack the Kazekage Tower?"
Disbelief colored his voice.
What was the Kazekage Tower?
It was Sand Village's political center, the place the Kazekage sat.
Attacking it…
Was a direct declaration of war on all of Sand Village.
Who was that bold?
Asuma strolled to the window, looking at the chaos in the distance, and sneered.
"Heh…"
He crossed his arms, and the schadenfreude in his tone was obvious.
"Looks like that Kazekage doesn't have as much public support as we thought."
Shikamaru's brow twitched.
He glanced at him, but didn't speak.
"According to intel," Asuma continued, voice carrying a faint, vicious satisfaction, "this Teizawa rose through a coup."
"He dragged Gaara off the seat and took the Kazekage position himself."
"With that kind of rise, internal instability is normal."
He paused, staring at the panic-stricken crowds in the distance, his smile sharpening.
"Maybe this is Sand Village's internal resistance making a move."
Serves him right.
He added the words silently.
The moment he remembered Kurenai's blank, dazed silence…
A fire burned in Asuma's chest.
Now it was fine.
Someone was delivering justice for him.
He watched the chaos.
And the sound of the explosion almost seemed… pleasant.
Kakashi didn't speak.
But his brow furrowed slightly.
Asuma's reaction… was off.
But this wasn't the time to dig into it.
"No matter the reason…"
Kakashi spoke, voice steady.
"As Konoha's delegation, at a time like this…"
He didn't finish.
Behind them, several sharp whooshes tore through the air.
Two figures appeared at the doorway.
Animal masks. Standard Sand Village ANBU uniforms.
Their presence was steady, restrained.
Sand ANBU.
(End of Chapter)
[Get +30 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Zaelum"]
[Every 300 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]