The Wind Shadow, Rasa, was completely stunned.
At first, he thought Uchiha Akira had come regarding the Five Kage Summit, or perhaps to discuss how the Five Great Ninja Villages could cooperate against the Akatsuki Organization.
After all, the last time Konoha sent a messenger, he had flatly refused. And now Uchiha Akira was here in person. Could this visit be about the same topic?
The appearance of the Rinnegan, said to be the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths himself, had already shaken the entire shinobi world. Even someone as powerful as Uchiha Akira, capable of casting the Deep Forest Emergence, had been pushed back, leaving the world reeling from the power of these eyes.
But what did Akira just say? He wasn't here for the Five Kage Summit but rather to save his life?
"What do you mean by that? Why would my life be in danger?" Rasa asked in confusion after being frozen in place for a moment. He was, after all, the Kazekage of the Sand Village, one of the Five Great Nations. Why would his life suddenly be at risk? Was the Sand Village on the verge of destruction?
"If it weren't for my influence altering events, you'd have been dead for years, with grass already growing tall over your grave," Akira thought to himself. But of course, he didn't say this out loud.
"We've received credible intelligence that the Akatsuki will attack your village in a few days," Akira explained. "Their target is Shukaku, the One-Tailed Beast. As the Kazekage, you're strong, but against the Akatsuki, the odds are grim. It's a life-or-death situation."
Hearing that the Akatsuki were after Shukaku, Rasa's face grew serious. The fact that the Akatsuki would target the One-Tail and, by extension, his village, was no small matter.
While Akira's words were just his personal account, Rasa couldn't afford to underestimate the threat. After all, the Akatsuki's recent assault on Konoha had shown their overwhelming strength.
Not only did the Akatsuki's leader wield the power of the Rinnegan, but each of its members was also a force to be reckoned with.
For example, Deidara, the explosive expert, was a genius of Iwagakure and even considered a strong contender for the next Tsuchikage.
Then there was Sasori of the Red Sand, a genius puppeteer of Sunagakure, who could easily have been the next Kazekage if things had gone differently.
Or Kisame, a member of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, who was similarly a candidate for Mizukage.
And let's not forget Uchiha Itachi, who not only possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan but was also the eldest son of the Hokage. He, too, could have been a contender for the Hokage's title.
When you looked at it that way, nearly all of the Akatsuki members had the qualifications to lead one of the Five Great Nations. The thought of such powerful individuals banding together was nothing short of terrifying.
And then there was that mysterious masked man with the spiral-patterned wooden mask, capable of manipulating space-time jutsu—an ability that instantly marked him as a top-tier shinobi.
Throughout the history of the shinobi world, very few people who could wield space-time jutsu had been weak. Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage, and Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, were both legendary figures.
"The Akatsuki have a plan, something that could change the entire shinobi world," Akira continued. "And to execute it, they need immense power. Their goal is to capture all nine Tailed Beasts."
"We don't know the full extent of their plan, but considering the power they've displayed, it's certainly not for the benefit of the shinobi world," Akira added.
He didn't go into specifics about the Moon's Eye Plan. Still, even without explaining it, the Akatsuki's goal of capturing all the Tailed Beasts was alarming enough.
Hearing this, Rasa's expression darkened further. The sheer magnitude of the threat was becoming clear, and the danger felt very real.
"If that's the case, then I must ask you both to stay in the village for a few days," Rasa said after a moment of contemplation. Even though Akira's information was unconfirmed, it wasn't something he could afford to ignore. Better to be safe than sorry.
"Of course, we'll be staying in Sunagakure for the next few days," Akira nodded, agreeing to Rasa's request. He had said everything he needed to say, so he politely took his leave.
As Akira and Naruto stepped outside, Naruto, ever the straightforward one, suggested, "Hey, now that we've wrapped up the talks, let's grab some food! We've been on the road for days, and I'm starving!"
"Oh? Are you offering to treat me?" Akira teased, seizing the opportunity to make it clear that Naruto would be footing the bill.
Having learned his lesson seven years ago, when treating Naruto to a meal left his wallet aching, Akira had no intention of making the same mistake again. Especially now, since Naruto was no longer poor—he had inherited a portion of the Uzumaki clan's wealth, making him a certified rich kid.
"Sure, my treat!" Naruto cheerfully replied without a second thought.
Akira nodded to himself in approval. Traveling with Naruto had its perks—like saving money on meals. After all, even if he ate ten or twenty meals on Naruto's tab, it still wouldn't match the amount Naruto could put away in one sitting.
As they wandered the streets of Sunagakure looking for a restaurant, Naruto quickly grew frustrated. "Man, Sunagakure's nowhere near as great as Konoha! The food here isn't nearly as good, and there's hardly anything worth buying!"
Eventually, they settled for a ramen shop that looked decent enough.
"This ramen is nowhere near as good as Ichiraku's in Konoha," Naruto grumbled after downing seven or eight bowls. "And the prices here are outrageous! It's at least two or three times more expensive than back home!"
Akira chuckled. "And that's exactly why the other villages are always eyeing Konoha."
"Wait, is it because the food is better and cheaper in Konoha?" Naruto asked, genuinely puzzled. Politics had never been his strong suit, and he had never really thought about why other villages might envy Konoha.
"Well, part of the reason is that the Land of Fire has the most fertile land in the shinobi world," Akira explained. "So naturally, the resources are more abundant, and good things are more affordable. Now, imagine living in a place like Sunagakure, where food and supplies are scarce. Wouldn't you be tempted to take advantage if Konoha ever showed any weakness?"
Naruto thought about the barren, sandy landscape they had passed through on their way to the village. "I guess that makes sense," he muttered. "But even if things are tough here, they shouldn't try to take what isn't theirs!"
Naruto's innate belief in the goodness of people came through in his words, and Akira could only shake his head in amusement.
"Well, that's the world we live in," Akira said. Before he could explain further, a voice suddenly interrupted them.
"Isn't it obvious why Konoha is so prosperous? You think it's fair that your village gets to sit on the best land, thanks to the strength of the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara?"
Naruto turned toward the source of the voice and saw a man with a puppet on his back, his face painted with distinct markings.
"Hey! You're that puppet guy! The one Hinata beat up during the Chunin Exams, right?" Naruto exclaimed.
The man, Kankuro, scowled at the remark. Couldn't Naruto just ask for his name instead of reminding him of his defeat?
"And what brings you two to Sunagakure?" Kankuro asked, his tone less than friendly.
"Oh, we're here to save your Kazekage!" Naruto answered without hesitation.
Kankuro's face darkened even more. Akira, noticing the tension, smiled and extended an olive branch.
"Kankuro, right? Come sit with us," Akira invited.
Kankuro's mood instantly lifted. It was much easier to take when someone as respected as Akira remembered his name. Compared to Naruto, Akira was much easier to get along with.
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Bonus chapter for 300 powerstone
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Note: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 255+ at patreon.com/Emik01.