Rasa, a man as stubborn as his gold sand!
With Sunagakure's repeated losses in war, the Land of Wind continued cutting its funding. The village's harsh environment, rising rogue ninja numbers, and declining shinobi population further weakened its strength.
Now, Sunagakure's forces were so limited that the number of jōnin could barely reach double digits. Without Rasa and Chiyo holding the line, the village's status as one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations would be in question.
Meanwhile, Konoha thrived, its deep resources and many ninja clans bolstered by recent peace. Sunagakure felt the pressure.
Rasa, fearing the widening gap in power, decided on a desperate plan: attack Konoha.
Unable to muster enough strength or resources to unite with other villages, Rasa found an opportunity when Orochimaru sent a letter offering an alliance. Although other villages dismissed Orochimaru, Rasa agreed.
"This operation will take place during the Chūnin Exams. Gaara will participate," Rasa declared.
Hearing this, the council was shocked. Were they going to unleash a tailed beast?
Chiyo protested: "Kazekage-sama, Gaara can't fully control the beast yet. He could go berserk at any moment—"
"Hmph. That failure won't be a problem. I'll be there to suppress Shukaku myself," Rasa replied coldly.
Ebizō voiced concern: "Can Orochimaru really be trusted?"
Rasa reassured them, explaining that Orochimaru had offered forbidden techniques and experimental data as proof of his sincerity—an irresistible temptation for Rasa, who was obsessed with jutsu.
Bang! Suddenly, the doors to the meeting room flew open!
"I object!" Pakura shouted, gasping for breath.
As a civilian-born ninja, she understood the village's dire situation and knew they couldn't afford another war. However, as a mere jōnin, her interruption was a breach of protocol.
Her outburst was met with disapproval from the elders, while Rasa's expression darkened. Pakura's repeated defiance had long irritated him.
Pakura dropped to her knees and pleaded, "Kazekage-sama, please reconsider! Aren't we allied with Konoha?"
Though Sunagakure and Konoha had signed a treaty after the Third Shinobi War, everyone knew such agreements were flimsy at best.
"Magnet Release: Gold Sand Hand!"
A massive golden hand formed in the room and wrapped around Pakura's neck, lifting her into the air.
The room grew tense as everyone realized Rasa had attacked.
Pakura struggled to breathe, choking out, "Kazekage... please—reconsider—"
"Enough!" Rasa slammed the table, his chakra radiating killing intent.
Just as Pakura's strength faded, a shout echoed: "Sea King Sword!"
A sword made of water sliced through the golden hand, severing it at the wrist. The remaining claw holding Pakura crumbled into sand.
Pakura fell, caught by a tall figure—Qi Hai.
Qi Hai smiled brightly, holding a sword formed from seawater, its blade coated with black Armament Haki. With this power, he had effortlessly cut through Rasa's gold sand, known for its incredible hardness.
Grinning, Qi Hai introduced himself, "Kazekage-sama, since you asked so sincerely, let me tell you! I'm Qi Hai, a humble farmer from 50 miles away and Pakura's friend!"
Maintaining his façade as a naive country bumpkin, Qi Hai hoped to avoid conflict if things escalated.
Rasa, unconvinced, narrowed his eyes. A farmer? Who could believe a farmer could slice through his gold sand?
Placing the unconscious Pakura on a chair, Qi Hai stretched his shoulders and cracked his fingers.
Rasa growled, "You've gone too far! Do you plan to kill me?"
The rest of the Sunagakure council prepared for battle.
Qi Hai, unfazed, pointed at Rasa and declared with a laugh, "Kazekage-sama, I'm here to challenge you!"
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