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At Sunagakure, the air was thick with yellow sand, resembling a fog that blanketed the village.
The Kazekage stood at the highest point, surrounded by the towering rock formations that encircled the village. Behind him were Chiyo and Ebizō.
The three were silent, the recent loss in the Land of Rivers having plunged Sunagakure into a dire situation.
After a long pause, Ebizō spoke up, breaking the silence.
"White Fang was severely wounded and lost his combat ability."
This was the intelligence that Sunagakure had received.
"I could have killed him then," the Kazekage said, filled with regret.
He realized that White Fang had been completely drained of strength at the time.
If he hadn't hesitated, he could have killed Konoha's White Fang before Tsunade arrived.
But fear had made him retreat.
Regret gnawed at his heart.
If he could have inflicted such a blow on Konoha, it would have been a significant victory.
"We were all powerless at that moment," Chiyo said, her tone laced with helplessness.
Although she had lost her family, she had not completely lost her senses. At that moment, it had seemed the perfect opportunity to kill White Fang.
But in her heart, she knew that no one had dared to make a move.
The cleaved mountain range was still visible in the distance.
Not even she, Chiyo, dared to act.
This couldn't be blamed on the Kazekage.
"The key now is our next move. Should we try to retake the Land of Rivers battlefield?"
They had already suffered heavy losses in the Land of Rivers, and losing control of it entirely might invite Konoha's aggression.
But even if they managed to reclaim the battlefield, they lacked the strength to mount an offensive against Konoha.
The Kazekage closed his eyes, deep in thought, before finally opening them again.
"Do we have any information on this 'Basic Inner Technique' that made White Fang so powerful?"
The strange words White Fang had muttered had made the Kazekage realize that this technique was crucial.
"We do," Ebizō nodded. "It was created by Konoha's Uchiha Jin. It's a peculiar sealing technique that enhances one's reflexes and physical abilities. It's divided into three levels."
"The first level restricts the user from using ninjutsu, though Konoha's Root division seems to have found a way around this limitation. The second level removes this restriction and allows the user to accumulate chakra continuously."
"The third level is unknown, but it's rumored to be recorded in Konoha's Scroll of Seals."
"Uchiha..." The Kazekage furrowed his brow deeply.
The Uchiha clan had never faded from prominence since the Warring States period.
But...
"Is he another Senju Tobirama-like figure?"
Konoha truly seemed to be favored by fate.
"The boy who stopped you was Uchiha Jin."
Chiyo and the Kazekage both widened their eyes in surprise at Ebizō's words.
"So young."
They had seen Jin clearly—he was just a child.
"Is there a chance to capture him?"
If he was still young, they might be able to send someone to capture him.
But Ebizō shook his head. He had gathered information about Uchiha Jin's battles on the Iwagakure front.
"Jin is currently under White Fang's command, and his individual strength is not to be underestimated. It would take at least five jōnin to capture him."
The Kazekage abandoned the idea.
Five jōnin could sway the course of a small-scale war.
If White Fang were out of the picture, they might take the risk.
But now...
If something went wrong, losing five jōnin would be a devastating blow to the already struggling Sunagakure.
"Pull back from the Land of Rivers and focus all our efforts on the Land of Rain."
The Kazekage had no choice but to make this decision.
White Fang was far more dangerous than Orochimaru in the Land of Rivers.
Even if Konoha sent White Fang, they would have to share the burden with Iwagakure.
As the three discussed how to allocate their forces, a small red-haired child suddenly walked out and demanded, "Kazekage-sama, where are my parents?"
"Sasori!" Chiyo quickly moved over, her expression darkening as she looked at her grandson.
His parents had been left on the battlefield.
The Kazekage remained silent, staring down at the village below. He had ultimately left a child without his parents.
Sasori looked at the somber faces of his grandmother and the Kazekage's silence.
The answer was already clear.
Sasori gazed at the Kazekage with wide eyes, filled with hope.
"Will you avenge my parents?"
Chiyo quickly grabbed Sasori, trying to calm him.
"Sasori, don't trouble Kazekage-sama."
White Fang was far too dangerous. If not for the news of his severe injury, Sunagakure might have already retreated from the battlefield.
The Kazekage walked over to Sasori, lowering himself to the child's level, revealing a deep scar on his neck.
It was the wound left by White Fang's final strike. He hadn't emerged unscathed.
"White Fang is far stronger than I am. Even if we used all our forces, I can't be sure we could kill him. I'm not strong enough to avenge your parents. I'm not worthy of being the Kazekage."
"Kazekage-sama..."
Ebizō tried to interject, wanting to remind him that the entire village relied on the Third Kazekage.
"It's true," the Kazekage interrupted, raising a hand to stop Ebizō.
He was beginning to doubt himself.
"I'm not strong enough to protect Sunagakure. So... I'm sorry, Sasori."
"I can't do it."
Sasori stared at the Kazekage, who had always seemed so mighty and wise, now appearing weary and kneeling before him.
He looked at his grandmother, who seemed ready to deny the Kazekage's words, then at his sorrowful grandmother.
"So it's because you're weak?"
Sasori's voice was laced with anger as he accused them.
Because the Kazekage was weak, his parents hadn't come back.
"Sasori!" Chiyo tried to stop Sasori from continuing, but the Kazekage raised a hand to prevent her from reprimanding him.
"I'm sorry."
This was his third apology.
Sasori fell silent, staring at the Kazekage.
He realized now that even the Kazekage had limitations.
The next moment, Sasori pulled out a kunai and placed it against the Kazekage's forehead.
"Sasori!! Stop!!" Chiyo rushed to take Sasori away.
This was tantamount to an assassination attempt on the Kazekage.
But the black iron sand blocked Chiyo and the approaching Ebizō.
The Kazekage's expression was unreadable; no one could tell what he was thinking.
"Because you're weak!"
Sasori's voice trembled with anger and sorrow.
"Because of your incompetence!"
"I've lost everything!"
"If you're so useless, give me the title of Kazekage!"
"I won't be as incompetent as you!"
"I will avenge my parents, and I will take revenge on Konoha and White Fang!"
Sasori slashed a deep cut across the Kazekage's forehead.
"I will become stronger than any of you!"
The Kazekage felt the pain in his forehead as blood trickled into his eyes, turning his world crimson. He looked at the furious and grief-stricken Sasori.
Perhaps it was time to place his hopes on the new generation.
He didn't realize that his acknowledgment of his own weakness would change the course of history.
(End of Chapter)