The era of the Second Kazekage's reign was arguably the most prosperous period in Sunagakure's history.
During this time, the village boasted a powerhouse of ninjas: the Second Kazekage himself, Chiyo, Ebizō, and Bunpuku were all in their prime, while the younger generation, including the future Third Kazekage and Sasori's parents, had also grown into formidable warriors. Furthermore, Sunagakure made significant strides in research on Shukaku, which led to the development of various secret techniques. For the first time, the village felt confident enough to challenge Konoha.
However, the Second Kazekage's health gradually deteriorated due to years of exposure to Shukaku's chakra. Sasori's parents were killed by Sakumo Hatake, and the Second Great Ninja War ended in a crushing defeat for Sunagakure. As a result, the village plummeted from its prosperous heights into a period of despair.
Because of these events, many in the present-day village still look back fondly on the era of the Second Kazekage. Many of the current jōnin had risen to prominence during that time.
Upon hearing Rasa's words, a few of them couldn't help but show nostalgic expressions. Their eyes turned toward him, filled with a glimmer of hope. Could Sunagakure really return to the glory days of the Second Kazekage?
Rasa didn't linger on his words, having already shared his thoughts. Now, the responsibility fell on everyone else to take action.
With that, Rasa had covered all the main issues concerning the village's affairs. The other jōnin no longer needed to stay.
"Alright, Chiyo-sama, Ebizō-sama, Pakura, Michikawa, and Baki, please remain. The rest can disperse."
"Yes!"
The others responded as they began to leave, and soon, the Kazekage's office was quiet again.
Now, only a handful of people remained, and their expressions were complicated. On one hand, they deeply hoped that everything Rasa had discussed could come to fruition. But on the other hand, a sense of uncertainty lingered in their hearts.
Sunagakure was still far too weak at this moment. It stood near the bottom among the five great ninja villages, which left little room for confidence.
However, Rasa appeared undeterred by these doubts so he asked for their opinions.
"Do any of you have any issues with my arrangements?"
Chiyo, Pakura, and Michikawa remained silent. Only Ebizō spoke up, offering his approval.
"Kazekage-sama, your arrangements are excellent. I have no objections!"
"Mm," Rasa acknowledged. Since no one else voiced any concerns, he took it as a silent agreement from everyone.
"Baki, now you can share the details of the funds we've acquired from this operation with the two elders, Pakura, and Michikawa."
Baki, visibly excited, quickly recited the numbers he had memorized.
"Report, Kazekage-sama. According to the Anbu's statistics, the funds we've gained from this operation, just in terms of currency alone, total 7.9 billion ryo. This amount exceeds Sunagakure's military budget for the past ten years. Additionally, we've acquired 179 million pounds of grain, which is enough to feed 100,000 people in Sunagakure for five years. We also have cloth, salt, iron, sugar, and medicine that will meet our needs for the next decade. As for silver, gold, jewels, and antiques, the amount is incalculable."
The four people present were left speechless as they processed the staggering figures.
Although they had anticipated a significant harvest, the actual outcome was far beyond what they had imagined.
Rasa, already aware of the figures, didn't show much surprise. Instead, he calmly issued further instructions.
"Jewels and antiques hold little value for us. Quickly convert them into items the village needs. I'm sure the nobility of the Land of Wind would be quite interested in these treasures from the Land of Fire."
He paused for a moment, then added.
"Gold and silver, however, remain valuable currency in this world."
"Understood, Kazekage-sama!"
Baki responded immediately, his eyes gleaming with inspiration as he nodded enthusiastically.
Rasa then scanned the faces of those present, his gaze sharp and commanding.
"I intend for the Anbu to manage these items and funds. Does anyone have any objections?"
Chiyo and Ebizō remained silent, but Pakura and Michikawa both raised their heads, frowning slightly. As ninjas, they were indifferent about who controlled the funds. After all, in positions like theirs, money was never an issue. However, they represented not only themselves but also the elder factions within the commoners and nobility behind them.
Before they could voice their concerns, Chiyo, who had been lost in thought earlier, suddenly asked.
"Did the Third Kazekage truly die at the hands of Konoha's Danzo?"
The unexpected shift in conversation left everyone momentarily stunned. Baki and Ebizō, both more aware of the situation, subtly shifted their expressions.
Rasa responded simply but firmly, his sharp eyes scanning the room.
"The Third Kazekage could only have been killed by Konoha's Danzo, and it must have been him."
The intelligence of the people present was evident. Moreover, they understood the importance of this statement. For the sake of the village's unity and stability, the villain behind the Third Kazekage's death had to be Danzo of Konoha.
Chiyo, understanding Rasa's meaning, felt a sense of relief in her heart. She gazed at him and nodded.
"I understand. I have no objections to your arrangements, Kazekage-sama. As for the Puppet Brigade, I am getting old, so please find someone else to take over for me."
Her words sent a ripple of shock through the room. She was essentially stepping down, handing over her power to Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage. This was a clear transition of authority, marking the solidification of Rasa's position as Kazekage.
Rasa was momentarily taken aback. While he had planned to take control of the Puppet Brigade, after reflecting on the matter, he decided to decline for now.
"No… Chiyo-sama, we currently lack anyone in the village who can manage the Puppet Brigade effectively, so I kindly ask that you continue to lead it for the time being. Also, given the large sum of funds we've acquired, I believe it's important to ensure transparency in their use. Therefore, I would like to invite two elders to oversee the process."
Chiyo met Rasa's gaze and saw the seriousness in his eyes. After a brief moment of silence, she nodded in agreement, her decision resolute. She had no intention of refusing, knowing that everything she did now was for her grandson, Sasori, to atone for his past actions.
Rasa had shown his sincerity, doing everything he could to cover for Sasori's transgressions. With her consent, Ebizō, as her younger brother, naturally had no objections.
At this point, Pakura and Michikawa, realizing the weight of Chiyo and Ebizō's authority, had no choice but to remain silent. The two of them held far too much influence within the village. In comparison, the elites likes Pakura and Michikawa seemed almost insignificant.
However, Rasa wasn't being overly harsh. He broke the silence with a clear, practical solution.
"Baki, take five hundred million ryo from the funds we've gained and give it to Pakura and Michikawa as a reward for their involvement in this operation."
How the money would be divided between them was left to Pakura and Michikawa. The two of them exchanged looks, relieved to know they wouldn't be empty-handed. This sum was generous. For context, the annual military budget from the Daimyō for Sunagakure was only six hundred million ryo, so this reward would be enough to appease the old factions behind them.
With the money issue resolved, the next pressing matter was brought up by Rasa, who continued without hesitation.
"Now that the financial matter is handled, we need to address the problem of manpower. The reason Konoha is so much stronger than us is because they possess numerous Bloodline Limits and secret techniques. But what do we have in Sunagakure? Apart from Magnet Release and Pakura's Scorch Release, I can't think of anything else noteworthy. And while we have summoning beasts, these are not enough. These are the problems we need to resolve."
The others exchanged concerned looks, their brows furrowed. Pakura, ever the experienced one, spoke first.
"This won't be easy. Developing secret techniques is no simple feat."
Rasa nodded in agreement.
"That's true in theory, but this world doesn't always follow reason."
Pakura raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Rasa didn't hesitate to reveal his thoughts.
"I've received intelligence that the Third Mizukage of Kirigakure is displeased with the clans possessing Bloodline Limits in his village, and he may take action against them. This presents an opportunity for us in Sunagakure."
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