Although Rasa's presence as the Kazekage exerted immense pressure on ordinary shinobi, it had no effect on the five individuals who remained.
In terms of personal strength, aside from Baki, the other four weren't necessarily stronger than Rasa, but defeating them easily was not an option for him either.
So when Rasa posed his question, the five simply sat in their seats, each maintaining their own posture, yet none responded. Eventually, Baki broke the silence.
"Kazekage-sama, the Anbu forces are ready. We are only awaiting your command."
"Hmm. Baki, ensure that the Anbu remain prepared. They will be crucial in what's to come. As for the rest of you?"
Rasa gave Baki a look of approval before turning his gaze toward the remaining four.
However, none of them spoke, silently standing their ground against Rasa.
Rasa, unfazed, simply waited. He knew he held the authority of the Kazekage, and despite the chaotic nature of the shinobi world, it still adhered to tradition. In a militarized village like Sunagakure, hierarchy and discipline were deeply ingrained.
He continued to stare at them coldly, and the room fell into a strange silence.
Perhaps unable to endure the oppressive quiet, or perhaps out of respect for Rasa as the Fourth Kazekage, the elder Ebizō finally spoke in his hoarse voice.
"Kazekage-sama, this isn't something Sunagakure can decide alone. The Daimyō has also expressed interest in our involvement."
"Hmph! Sunagakure is Sunagakure. The Daimyō is the Daimyō. Since when do they have the authority to command us?"
Pakura's voice rang out, cold and proud.
"That may be true, but Sunagakure's land is barren. If we want funds for development, we need the Daimyō's support."
Mikawa sighed as he spoke.
Pakura understood this as well, though she still let out a displeased huff.
Sunagakure's current predicament was dire—without financial support from the Daimyō, even securing enough food for the village was a challenge. Money alone wasn't enough; someone had to be willing to sell them the necessary supplies.
With four of them now having spoken, only Chiyo remained silent. Rasa turned his gaze toward her but said nothing, simply watching.
At this point, continuing to resist was meaningless. With a chuckle, Chiyo finally relented.
"Kazekage-sama seems to have already made up his mind. Whether I speak or not, does it really make a difference?"
With Chiyo's remark, all eyes turned to Rasa. He was satisfied—at least they still acknowledged his authority as Kazekage. There was no need to prolong this any further.
"I do have a plan. However, before I share it, I need to confirm one thing."
Rasa swept his gaze across the room before asking:
"Do any of you truly believe we can defeat Konoha?"
The room fell silent. But this time, it was not the eerie silence from before—it was heavy, filled with unspoken resignation.
Unlike the previous heated debates, those who remained in the room were the village's elite, individuals with the greatest strength and keenest insight. They had seen too much to deny the reality of the situation.
As much as it pained them to admit it, Sunagakure was not on Konoha's level. Were it not for the actions of Kumogakure and Iwagakure, Sunagakure wouldn't have even considered attacking Konoha in the first place.
Rasa didn't press them for an answer. He already knew.
"It seems you all understand. Since the founding of Sunagakure, we have fought countless battles against other nations and shinobi villages. Many of our comrades have died. But what have we gained? Look at our country—look at our village. After all these decades, nothing has changed. We are still confined to this barren desert."
His words made everyone fall into deep thought.
They all understood this truth. Despite being raised as shinobi, trained to kill, none of them actually desired war. After all, war meant death.
Every person in the room had lost loved ones to war. They were all too familiar with that pain.
"Then… are you saying we should not participate in this war? What about the Daimyō?"
Ebizō asked. His tone had softened, seemingly swayed by Rasa's words.
But that was not Rasa's intention.
"No, we will fight."
His voice was firm. He needed this war—not just for the village, but to solidify his position as Kazekage.
"If we refuse, neither the Daimyō nor our own shinobi will accept it. Thanks to the actions of the Third Kazekage, the village harbors deep resentment toward Konoha. However, we cannot approach this war as we have in the past. Before we fight, we must determine our true objective."
This question had many possible answers. Everyone had their own thoughts, but before they could respond, someone grew impatient.
"Kazekage-sama, if you have a plan, just say it outright. No need to beat around the bush. I'm getting old—sit here much longer, and I might just fall asleep."
Chiyo's voice carried a teasing tone.
Rasa shot her a displeased look but chose to ignore her, getting straight to the point.
"Very well, then I won't waste time. As Elder Ebizō mentioned, Sunagakure lacks the necessary funds to sustain long-term development. While my Magnet Release allows me to extract gold dust from the sand, it's not a sustainable solution.
Therefore, unlike previous wars, our goal this time will not be to seize Fire Country's land. Instead, we have one clear objective—plundering as much wealth and resources as possible."
Hearing this, the others finally gave Rasa their full attention.
Regardless of their personal opinions of him, they all shared the same ultimate concern: the village's future and its need for funding.
Rasa unrolled a map.
"This is the Fire Country. My plan is as follows: I, Pakura, and Mikawa will each lead a group of shinobi to swiftly invade and reach this location within a single day."
He traced a line across the map, dividing Fire Country into two.
"We all know defeating Konoha outright is impossible. Once we reach this point, our goal is simple: delay."
"Delay?"
The others looked at him in confusion.
Rasa explained without hesitation.
"I have already stated that our objective is financial gain. Fire Country is wealthy. Even if we only invade one-third of its territory, that region alone contains major cities such as Moriya, Monobe, and Daika—cities brimming with noble clans and their riches.
Our task is to prolong Konoha's response while, during that time, Elder Ebizō and Baki, you will lead your forces to seize all the wealth and resources from these cities and transport them back to Sunagakure."