As Rasa's figure stepped through the door, the once noisy conference room instantly fell silent. All eyes turned to him, not out of respect, but due to the hierarchy that dictated their obedience. The dissatisfaction in their gazes made their true feelings clear.
After all, the meeting had been scheduled for nine in the morning, yet it was now close to noon.
Rasa, however, showed no sign of shame. Having fully integrated with the Fourth Kazekage, he was unfazed by their stares.
Though his rise to the position was far from legitimate, he was still the Kazekage. As long as he sat in this seat, no one would dare openly oppose or disobey him.
With a cold glance at the room, Rasa strode forward and took his place at the head of the table—the Kazekage's seat, symbolizing the highest authority in the village.
Looking down, he could clearly see the intricate political landscape within Sunagakure.
The room was packed with over thirty people, the weakest among them still holding the rank of Jōnin. These were the high-ranking officials of Sunagakure, individuals who influenced the village's policies.
Yet, only five truly mattered in Rasa's eyes.
First were the two elders seated on either side of him: the aged yet formidable Chiyo and her brother, Ebizō.
Then came Chiyo's closest ally, a sharp-eyed and coldly beautiful kunoichi with a slender figure, dressed in revealing yet deadly attire—Pakura, the wielder of Scorch Release.
The infamous "Beautiful Back Kunoichi"—Pakura.
On Ebizō's side sat a tall, broad-shouldered man clad in long robes, his square face and stern expression revealing a no-nonsense demeanor—Mikawa, the user of Magnet Release.
Lastly, there was Rasa's sole loyal supporter, the head of Sunagakure's Anbu, and a formidable Jōnin in his own right—Baki.
As for the others, though they held influence, they were merely subordinates to these five.
Unfortunately, aside from Baki, the remaining four either harbored their own agendas or simply did not acknowledge Rasa's authority.
The root of this conflict stemmed from the sudden disappearance of the Third Kazekage.
Unlike Konoha, Sunagakure's power dynamics were relatively straightforward. The village lacked large clans, and its political forces were divided into two factions: the aristocracy, represented by the "Clan of Sand," and the civilian faction.
Historically, each Kazekage was appointed by their predecessor. However, to maintain legitimacy and appease the civilian faction, the support of both groups was crucial.
The Second and Third Kazekage had ascended this way.
But with the sudden disappearance of the Third Kazekage and no designated successor, a power struggle ensued.
The civilian faction saw this as an opportunity to push one of their own into the position, and among the candidates, the most favored was not Rasa—but the woman before him, Pakura, hailed as the "Hero of Sunagakure."
The civilian shinobi desperately supported Pakura, viewing her potential leadership as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for their faction. Their backing was so strong that at one point, she overshadowed Rasa entirely. However, the Clan of Sand, unwilling to relinquish power, refused to concede.
Then, six months ago, a twist of fate occurred.
Iwagakure launched a surprise attack on the Land of Wind, and Rasa, using his Gold Dust Magnet Release, repelled the invasion, earning immense prestige. The Clan of Sand seized the moment to install Rasa as the Fourth Kazekage.
Thus, Rasa rose to power—but without the support of the civilian faction.
Even within the aristocracy, his backing was only partial.
The other half, led by Mikawa, remained unconvinced.
Logically, the aristocracy should have united under Rasa. After all, he had already assumed the title of Kazekage.
However, the problem lay in the nature of the Third Kazekage's disappearance—it was just that: a disappearance, not confirmed death.
The Third Kazekage was widely regarded as the strongest in history. The idea that he could simply vanish without a trace was implausible. To this day, many still believed he was alive, merely missing.
Mikawa had been one of the Third Kazekage's closest confidants and firmly held this belief.
To Mikawa and his faction, Rasa was nothing more than a stopgap, a temporary substitute forced into power under dire circumstances. Unless the Third Kazekage was confirmed dead, they would never fully acknowledge Rasa's authority.
As for Chiyo and Ebizō, these two relics from the First Kazekage's era had long distanced themselves from Sunagakure's political struggles. Holding dominion over the Puppet Corps, the Sealing Unit, and the village's Tailed Beast, their status was untouchable. Recognizing Rasa as their superior was out of the question.
Having ruled for less than three months, Rasa had yet to establish his own stronghold within the village. Other than promoting Baki to lead the Anbu, granting him control over its forces, Rasa faced internal strife at every turn.
But that was in the past…
———
Rasa swept his gaze across the gathered shinobi but did not rush to speak.
Despite his limited support, he was still the Kazekage. His mere presence, coupled with a silent, piercing stare, exerted a heavy pressure—especially on those who had spoken ill of him earlier. However, the five key figures remained unfazed.
Chiyo and Ebizō, ancient and indifferent, rested with their eyes closed as if Rasa didn't exist.
Pakura, brow slightly furrowed, met his gaze without fear.
Mikawa sat rigid and expressionless, his posture unwavering.
Only Baki, visibly uneasy, glanced around nervously. Though Rasa had elevated him to Anbu Commander, his strength and experience paled in comparison to the others. Even so, he remained composed.
The oppressive silence stretched on for three to four minutes.
Just as someone finally worked up the courage to break it, Rasa spoke first.
"Chiyo-dono, Ebizō-dono, Pakura, Mikawa, Baki—you five will stay. The rest may leave."
The room fell into stunned silence.
They had waited for hours, only to be dismissed without discussion? This was blatant disrespect.
A few bristled with indignation, preparing to voice their protests.
But before a single word could be uttered, Rasa's icy gaze swept over them. The sheer weight of his presence bore down like an unshakable mountain, and in an instant, their voices died in their throats. One by one, they filed out, silent and unwilling.
Without sparing them a glance, Rasa waited until only the five remained.
Then, without preamble, he said:
"I listened from outside for quite some time. The discussion was quite… passionate. And yet, none of you spoke."
His golden eyes gleamed coldly.
"I would like to hear your thoughts."