"Gaara, what should we do?" Kankuro knew that when it came to making important decisions, he couldn't compare to Gaara, and he was aware of it. So, he decided to ask for guidance.
"Take it step by step; there will be someone to guide us," Gaara replied.
"Gaara, Temari, though saying this might upset you both, we are siblings, and I don't want to keep anything from you. Compared to the two of you, I may seem more ordinary. But this time, cooperating with Ryoha in this way will lead to the complete disappearance of Sunagakure. You heard it; Ryoha intends to rule the entire ninja world."
On their way back to Sunagakure, Kankuro couldn't hold back his words anymore. To his surprise, Gaara and Temari didn't react angrily, but instead, they seemed to be smiling as if they had anticipated Kankuro's words.
"Temari, you guessed right, Kankuro did ask like this," Gaara said with a smile.
"If he didn't ask that way, he wouldn't be Kankuro," Temari replied. The conversation between them left Kankuro utterly puzzled; he couldn't make sense of it.
"Kankuro, let me ask you: do you think Sunagakure is more important, or are the people who live in Sunagakure more important?" Gaara inquired.
"Of course, it's the people. Even without Sunagakure, we can rebuild it from scratch. There's nothing in the desert except sand, and our village's structures are all made of sand," Kankuro answered honestly, even though he didn't quite understand.
"Then, do you think that if we lose the title of Sunagakure but ensure that the people of Sunagakure have a living environment as good as or better than that in Konoha, would it be worth it?" Gaara asked once more.
"I get it now." Kankuro's face lit up with unprecedented excitement. He had finally understood what Gaara meant. For Ryoha, ruling the ninja world was just a game. His real objective was to hand the ninja world over to someone for management, and Gaara, being Ryoha's brother-in-law, was in a prime position for that role. Kankuro knew that Ryoha had no interest in governing the ninja world himself because with his power, there was nothing he couldn't do. Governing the ninja world would be an unnecessary task for him.
In the end, the person who would assist Ryoha in managing the ninja world would be chosen based on who contributed the most and had the best relationship with Ryoha. Gaara was a strong candidate. Losing the title of Sunagakure could bring benefits several times or even tens of times greater. Even if Kankuro were an idiot, he understood that.
"You understand it now. Sacrifices must be made for gains. With the ninja world divided into so many countries and villages for so many years, it's time to reunite as one. If there's unity, there will be fewer unnecessary conflicts and even smaller-scale battles," Gaara said with a look of anticipation on his face. He wanted to see the ninja world united. However, whether he would become a manager was irrelevant to him. He only wished for peace and a good life for the people of Sunagakure.
In the end, when it became one unified world, would there even be a distinction between the people of different villages? Perhaps true mutual understanding and genuine peace could only be achieved through integration and suppression with an iron hand. And for that purpose, someone who transcended the ninja world needed to exist for unification, and that person was Ryoha.
"Ha, in that case, aren't we being disloyal?" Kankuro suddenly realized that they were part of the Five Great Ninja Villages too. Their actions seemed to lack moral integrity.
"Everyone only remembers the victors, and unification is the inevitable outcome. It's like the inexorable wheel of history, grinding everything that hinders its progress into dust. If the Five Great Ninja Villages voluntarily surrender and give up their power completely, they will merely hasten the end of the Five Great Ninja Villages and transition into a unified ninja world. But sacrifices must be made, and not everyone can make them."
Temari expressed this with a hint of disdain. The three of them were not particularly fond of power. They had a deep understanding of the world's true nature, recognizing that power was nothing more than a fleeting illusion. True mastery was achieved through strength.
Looking at Ryoha was proof of that. He was originally a rogue ninja, but with his strength, he made the Five Great Ninja Villages join forces, and they were still no match for him. It could be said that the true ruler of the ninja world was not the one with the most power; it was the one with the greatest strength. The person with the greatest strength had the privilege to rule with power.
"Oh," Kankuro exclaimed, displaying a look of sudden enlightenment. He seemed to have figured it out.
On the other side, after Ryoha disclosed everything that had happened at the Five Kage Summit upon returning to the Land of Snow, he was unexpectedly blocked by a somewhat rare guest. That person was Guren. She could be considered a rare guest because ever since she arrived in the Land of Snow, she spent her time not only training but also sleeping, eating, and bathing on the training grounds. Her sole purpose was to rapidly boost her strength within a short period. Guren was determined to avenge Yukimaru by herself and didn't want anyone to help her. She wanted to take revenge herself. That's why she sought out Ryoha. She had prepared herself for this, willing to give everything she had, including her body, if it meant achieving her goal. Moreover, she didn't have a strong aversion to Ryoha. After all, Ryoha had helped her, and he was the only person capable of fulfilling her wish.
Guren's upbringing, environment, experiences, and personality all combined to make her the type of person who would only submit to someone much, much stronger than her, the so-called 'scarlet horse.' She was the intense version of it. In Ryoha, she found nothing to criticize, whether in terms of age, strength, looks, or any other aspect; he was someone she actually liked. She had made a vow long ago that she would belong to Ryoha in this lifetime and be his subordinate. Since she was already his in every way, she didn't mind giving him her body as well. So, after much contemplation, Guren made this decision.