Rasa didn't waste any time. The very same day he absorbed the Dragon Vein Chakra, he decided to take Sēramu back to Sunagakure.
Although Sēramu could harness the power of the Dragon Vein Chakra, she wasn't a ninja. So, Rasa opted to use his Gold Dust to fly back, which saved them a considerable amount of time.
By the time nightfall arrived, Rasa and Sēramu had made it back to Sunagakure. They walked side by side, traveling through the narrow, winding passageways.
As Rasa had already arranged for Baki and the others to be prepared in advance, Baki was waiting at the village entrance with his subordinates.
This was Sēramu's first time stepping into the outside world, especially in a place as famous as Sunagakure, one of the Five Great Shinobi Countries.
To put it simply, her first impression was one of sheer magnitude.
Sunagakure was sprawling, with towering buildings and a bustling population—several times larger than Rōran.
Her second impression was one of desolation. The harsh environment of Sunagakure took Sēramu by surprise, even as the queen of Rōran.
Her third impression, however, was one of oppressive dread. Sēramu could almost feel the spirits of countless warriors who had passed away, lingering in the air above the village.
Especially from the ninjas guarding the entrance, she sensed a chilling bloodlust—an aura of individuals who had endured unimaginable carnage.
In that instant, Sēramu finally understood why Sunagakure had earned its place among the Five Great Shinobi Countries. In stark contrast to the paradise-like Rōran, Sunagakure was a land soaked in death and war.
For a fleeting moment, Sēramu questioned her decision to bring Rōran into Sunagakure.
Just then, a ninja approached—his appearance terrifying, and his gaze filled with an intensity that made Sēramu flinch.
"Kazekage-sama!"
The ninja greeted to which Rasa responded, his tone distant.
"Hmm. Has anything happened in the village during my absence?"
Perhaps influenced by the chilling atmosphere around them, Sēramu couldn't help but feel that Rasa seemed colder than usual.
Baki nodded, giving Sēramu a brief look before turning his attention back to Rasa. After noticing that Rasa showed no particular reaction, he continued.
"The Raikage of Kumogakure and the Tsuchikage of Iwakagure have jointly sent us a diplomatic letter."
"Ah, interesting~!"
Rasa murmured, his eyes narrowing with thought.
"Have the two elders, along with Pakura and Michikawa, go to the Kazekage Tower to wait for me. I'll be there shortly."
"Understood!"
Baki responded before leaving to carry out the orders.
Once Baki was gone, Sēramu finally exhaled, her shoulders relaxing as the weight of the tense atmosphere lifted for a moment.
Noticing that Sēramu appeared a bit tense, Rasa softened his demeanor slightly and spoke, trying to ease the mood.
"It feels very different, doesn't it? Sunagakure, compared to your Rōran."
Sēramu was briefly taken aback but quickly nodded, not bothering to hide her thoughts.
"Everyone here feels… terrifying."
"Of course~!"
Rasa responded with a calm smile.
"This is the entrance to Sunagakure. The ninjas guarding it are the elite of the village, the pillars that support everything here. They are the protectors of everyone in this village."
His words made Sēramu glance at the ninjas again. They didn't seem quite as intimidating as before.
"Come with me."
Rasa continued, motioning with his hand.
"I'll take you to my home. You can stay there tonight, and my wife will take care of you."
Without waiting for her reply, Rasa used his Sand Gold Technique to carry Sēramu effortlessly to his home. Sēramu was a little surprised but didn't refuse. In fact, Rasa's warm and welcoming attitude put her at ease.
However, curiosity tugged at her. For someone as powerful as Rasa, his wife had to be just as exceptional—she wondered if they'd get along.
When they arrived at Rasa's home, Sēramu was taken aback to see Rasa's wife, Karura, standing at the door. Her cheerful, loving expression, like a young wife waiting for her husband's return, left Sēramu momentarily stunned.
Karura was equally surprised.
Any woman would be startled if her husband suddenly brought an unfamiliar woman into their home. Fortunately, Rasa wasn't the type to make things awkward.
He walked over to Karura, casually pointing to Sēramu and making the introduction.
"Karura, this is the Queen of Rōran, Sēramu. You can call her Sēramu. Soon, she'll be leading the people of Rōran to join Sunagakure and become part of our village. But for now, she's unfamiliar with everything here, so I brought her here to help her get accustomed to our village. From now on, you'll accompany her to help her learn more about Sunagakure."
After speaking, Rasa gently rubbed his wife's surprised face, speaking in a soft, reassuring tone.
"Don't overthink it, Karura. Sēramu's child is already more than ten years old."
The warmth of this scene caught Sēramu off guard. She realized that Rasa wasn't the cold, distant man she had assumed from their previous interactions. Instead, he was a man with a tender heart who deeply respected his wife.
However, for some reason, Rasa's words made her feel a little flustered, and she couldn't help but retort.
"Are you calling me an old woman?!"
Rasa froze for a moment, clearly taken aback.
"I… didn't say anything."
Sēramu gritted her teeth in embarrassment, but strangely, the nervousness she had felt earlier began to dissipate.
In that moment, Karura regained her composure. Rasa's next words, however, immediately caused her to blush deeply.
"While you're at it, Karura, you can ask Sēramu for some parenting advice..."
---
Later that night, in Sunagakure
The office, filled with the sound of the desert wind, was brightly lit.
When Rasa arrived, Chiyo, Ebizo, Pakura, Michikawa, and Baki were already waiting. To Rasa's surprise, Yashamaru was also there, standing quietly behind Chiyo. It seemed that Chiyo had already understood Rasa's intentions and was grooming Yashamaru to be his successor.
Rasa didn't waste any time. He immediately took his seat at the Kazekage desk. Baki, ever the observant one, handed him the diplomatic letter that had arrived the previous day.
Rasa opened it and quickly understood the message from Iwagakure and Kumogakure. He passed the letter around to the others, a sneer forming on his face.
"This must be that old fool Ōnoki's idea. The Third Raikage, Ae, doesn't have the brains for something like this."
(AN: I will try to call Third Raikage "Ae" while Fourth will be called "Ay". Seriously, Kishimoto ran out of names? Well, it's not like it is the first time both son and father have the same name.)
The others quickly skimmed through the diplomatic letter sent jointly by Iwagakure and Kumogakure.
Ebizo, his tone as cold as ever, spoke up.
"Seems like Iwagakure and Kumogakure don't want us to grow any stronger."
Michikawa, too, grasped the intent behind the letter.
"Their message is pretty clear. If we refuse, Iwagakure and Kumogakure will unite and attack us, won't they?"
Pakura sneered, clearly unimpressed.
"Hah, they want to attack Sunagakure? Iwagakure and Kumogakure should clean up their own mess first before thinking about that."
Chiyo, who usually kept to herself, changed her tone. She became more serious, engaging fully in the matters of the village.
"But our reputation isn't spotless either. The truce between Iwagakure and Kumogakure is something Konoha would definitely support right now. If that happens, things could get more complicated. Don't forget, the Feudal Lord of the Land of Fire is already urging Konoha to attack us. If we're not careful, we might end up surrounded on all sides."
The room fell into a heavy silence at her words. All eyes turned toward Rasa.
Rasa, usually the detached leader, paused for a moment, then tapped the desk lightly as he spoke.
"My plan is simple. We can agree to the alliance between Kumogakure and Iwagakure to attack Konoha, but we cannot agree too easily."