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"Enough!"
Chiyo suddenly stood up, her wrinkled face displaying intense anger as her body began to tremble uncontrollably.
"This is outrageous!"
"Truly outrageous!"
"Is Konoha Village trying to bully us, as if Sunagakure has no one left?"
"I'm furious!"
"I will never reconcile with Konoha for the rest of my life!"
Chiyo's fury erupted in full force at that moment, her dissatisfaction evident on her face.
The people in the conference room, seeing Chiyo's expression, wisely fell silent; no one wanted to provoke her further at this tense moment.
"Konoha Village was originally an ally of Sunagakure!"
"During the Second Shinobi World War, Konoha's White Fang killed my child!"
"I strongly suspect that the disappearance of the Third Kazekage is directly related to Konoha Village!"
"Even the Fourth Kazekage was killed by the rogue ninja Orochimaru from Konoha!"
"Now, the Fifth Kazekage, Gaara, has disappeared after attending just one Five Kage Summit!"
"And Konoha Village has the audacity to tell us to find a new Kazekage ourselves."
"Can you believe this?"
"Is this what you call fairness?"
Chiyo's anger had reached a peak, her body shaking uncontrollably.
"Older sister, please calm down," Kankuro quickly interjected, worried that his elder sister might become too agitated.
"How can I not be agitated? Konoha Village is clearly taking advantage of the fact that Sunagakure has no one left!"
Chiyo swayed slightly, then sat back down, propping her forehead with one hand, feeling a wave of dizziness.
"But..."
Kankuro's lips moved slightly as he forced a bitter smile and said, "The fact is, Sunagakure really does have no one left."
"Be quiet! Whose side are you on? If you can't speak properly, then don't say anything!"
Chiyo sprang to her feet again, glaring fiercely at Kankuro with her drooping eyes.
"Alright."
Kankuro immediately wilted and sat back down, remaining silent.
"Ha!"
Chiyo took a deep breath, slowly exhaling, then took another deep breath and exhaled again. After repeating this several times, she managed to calm her emotions.
"At this point..."
"We must consider the bigger picture."
"Temari."
"Now you are the acting Kazekage of Sunagakure, temporarily assuming the role of Kazekage."
"If Gaara is found, the position will be returned to him. If Gaara does not return or is confirmed dead, you will become the Sixth Kazekage of Sunagakure."
Chiyo looked directly at Temari.
There was no other choice.
They simply had no one else.
Currently, the only viable candidates were Temari and Kankuro.
However,
In every aspect,
Kankuro was no match for Temari.
As Gaara's sister, Temari had shown considerable understanding and capability under Gaara's guidance over the years.
Originally, Temari was meant to assist Gaara.
Now, there was no other option.
Temari would have to be the candidate for Kazekage.
"Me?!"
Temari pointed at herself in disbelief, her eyes wide and mouth agape, completely taken aback.
She had never considered herself as a candidate for Kazekage.
She never thought she could become Kazekage.
Now, being pushed into this position, even Temari was deeply surprised.
"My younger brother may have a foul mouth and can't say anything pleasant, but he wasn't wrong about one thing," Chiyo said, pressing her lips together and hesitating slightly as if she had made a firm decision.
"Sunagakure is out of options."
Chiyo's gaze was fixed on Temari, her eyes reflecting a complex mix of expectations and resignation.
"I understand. I will do my best as Kazekage."
Temari's expression grew serious, and she nodded firmly. At that moment, she seemed to mature significantly, shouldering a heavier burden.
In reality,
Temari knew deep down that Gaara's chances were slim.
She just didn't know the full extent of what had happened.
"As the daughter of the Fourth Kazekage and the sister of the Fifth Kazekage, I will not let the deaths of the previous Kazekages be in vain!"
Temari voiced her determination and then gazed toward Konoha.
In an instant,
A lazy young face appeared in her mind.
That young man's expression seemed to convey the burden of his troubles.
A touch of tenderness flickered in Temari's eyes, which then turned to nostalgia, and finally became an icy coldness.
The emotions she felt for that young man,
Had ended before they even began.
In Sunagakure, any woman could have a romantic relationship with a man from Konoha, even marry and have children.
But she could not.
She was Kazekage.
She carried the grudge of two generations of Kazekages.
This starkly different position had built an insurmountable chasm between them, making their paths forever unable to converge.
...
Hashirama moved through the forest, resembling the Fourth Raikage. With each leap, he seemed like a rough man trampling through the branches.
Soon,
Hashirama arrived in the Land of Rain.
At the same location as before, he faced a river that divided two pieces of land, with light rain drizzling over it.
His visits to this place were close in time,
And once again, it was for an S-rank mission.
Yet, his mindset had changed considerably.
Now, Hashirama had a clearer understanding of his own strength and was very aware of his future intentions.
"Cross the river!"
Hashirama's foot landed heavily on the river, his footpads covered in intricate chakra, causing ripples to spread across the surface with even a gentle step.
In the Land of Rain,
On top of a tall building,
Deva Path Pain's expression changed instantly as he sensed a powerful presence approaching.
"There's an intruder!"
Deva Path Pain whispered to Konan beside him and immediately summoned the new Pain Six Paths.
In the past,
Nagato would have investigated the intruder's intentions.
But now, there was no need for such considerations.
Given the level of chakra involved, it was clear that the intruder was not here for a casual visit.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
In an instant,
The other five Pains appeared behind Deva Path Pain. They did not take the initiative to attack, as they sensed that the intruder was rapidly heading straight toward their position.
It was extremely precise.
The intruder was coming directly for them.
The six Pains quickly spread out, using their Rinnegan to observe the surroundings with heightened vigilance.
Whoosh!
Moments later,
A rugged figure shot toward them at incredible speed, leaping off the ground and darting around before appearing directly in front of the Six Paths of Pain.
"Who are you?"
The Six Paths of Pain stood in formation, each speaking in unison. Not far behind them stood Konan, with her violet hair visible.
(End of Chapter)