The Daimyo of the Land of Wind.
The only one with enough wealth, the motive to kill the Kazekage, and access to the Bounty Exchange's secret assassination channels.
And now, everything made sense.
The Daimyo's envoys had been acting suspiciously. Even after the Kazekage explicitly refused to meet, they continued pleading for hours—all under the guise of diplomacy. But in hindsight, all they had been fishing for was Rasa's travel schedule.
The ANBU Captain gave a single command.
Within moments, his men moved in—capturing the two Daimyo's envoys before they could leave Sunagakure.
There was no expectation of extracting valuable intelligence from them.
They had simply been involved in an assassination plot against the Kazekage.
That alone sealed their fate.
Chiyo's three directives left little room for debate.
Sunagakure's leadership was in full agreement—selecting a new Kazekage was the highest priority.
But who?
That was where the real battle began.
After extensive deliberation, it was clear there was only one viable candidate—Pakura.
She was the most experienced, the most respected, and had the strength to command Sunagakure. However, she had distanced herself from politics for years. Becoming a proper Kazekage would take time.
Unfortunately, time was a luxury they did not have.
No other candidate had the strength, war record, or reputation to claim the title.
In the end, at Chiyo's recommendation, Pakura was officially nominated as the Fifth Kazekage.
Even though she had anticipated it, the weight of the decision still made her freeze for a moment.
But hesitation wasn't an option.
Sunagakure needed a leader—now.
There would be no official ceremony yet. The village was in crisis, and Pakura had her first mission as Kazekage.
She would personally lead a delegation to the Daimyo's palace.
"Are we really doing this?"
The ANBU captain's voice was uncertain.
This was the boldest mission he had ever been part of.
"If Sunagakure allows its dignity to be trampled this easily," Ebizō said calmly, "then we don't deserve to be counted among the Five Great Shinobi Villages anymore."
"Of course, it's just my suggestion," he added, leaning back. "I'm retired, after all."
Pakura's voice was resolute.
"It's decided."
Her order condemned half the Daimyo's court to death.
"Our cover will be Akatsuki disguises," she continued. "We'll leave behind one heir. That's all the Daimyo's court needs."
If the Daimyo of the Land of Wind wanted to use assassins, then Sunagakure would respond in kind.
This was the shinobi way.
Unlike Rasa, Pakura's fury burned hotter. Diplomacy had never been her strong suit, but when it came to protecting Sunagakure, she would do whatever it took.
With two elite Shadow Guard squads, Pakura departed. ANBU trailed them from the shadows for additional protection.
Officially, Sunagakure still maintained relations with the Daimyo.
The bounty placed on Rasa's head was still only speculation—not something they could publicly accuse the Daimyo of.
Thus, it was protocol to notify the Daimyo of Pakura's ascension as Fifth Kazekage.
That was their official reason for visiting the palace.
The Daimyo was delighted to see them.
His joy over Rasa's death was undisguised.
Every word, every expression, dripped with thinly veiled mockery.
Pakura clenched her fists, struggling to keep herself composed. The other shinobi behind her were barely holding back their rage.
Then, the Daimyo issued his decree.
Sunagakure was to surrender control of its desert mines to the palace.
It was not a request—it was an order.
As if the Kazekage were nothing but a servant of the Daimyo's court.
As if Pakura were beneath him.
The room tensed.
The shinobi at her side almost attacked on the spot.
But Pakura stopped them.
She accepted the Daimyo's official documents, ensuring her legitimacy as Kazekage, and left without a word.
Not long after they departed, the assassins struck.
Under the cover of night, a group of rogue shinobi—clad in black robes with red clouds—descended upon the Daimyo's palace.
The attack was swift, merciless.
The Daimyo's personal guards never stood a chance.
By the time the slaughter ended, the Daimyo, his eldest son, and nearly all of his court lay dead.
Only a single, weak-willed heir survived—to inherit a throne of corpses.
Within a month, the chaos in the Land of Wind spread like wildfire across the shinobi world.
Countless rumors swirled.
Some said the Daimyo and the Kazekage had clashed—leading to a political breakdown.
Others whispered of Sunagakure's retaliation.
But one thing was certain.
The balance of power in the Land of Wind had changed forever.
Discussions spread like wildfire across the shinobi world.
Some believed that the assassination of the Wind Daimyo was the work of a highly organized group of rogue shinobi, undoubtedly scheming something far more sinister.
But within the Land of Wind itself, speculation didn't matter. Both the Daimyo's court and Sunagakure were focused on a single task—appointing new leaders.
After officially becoming the Fifth Kazekage, Pakura set aside time for a long-overdue meeting with the head of the Keikou family.
Though Sunagakure had delivered a decisive blow to the Daimyo's authority, no one believed the rift between the two sides could ever be mended.
The Daimyo would never accept a group of uncontrollable shinobi, just as Sunagakure would never trust a ruler who placed a bounty on their own Kazekage.
Ensuring the village's future meant one thing—securing an alliance with the Keikou family as soon as possible.
Pakura's voice was solemn.
"Keikou-dono, my apologies for keeping you waiting so long."
"It's quite understandable," Unit-18 replied in the guise of an elder, inclining his head slightly. "Given the recent events, I can only express my deepest regrets over what happened to the Fourth Kazekage."
Pakura got straight to the point.
"Then regarding the agreement you discussed with my predecessor—can I expect a clear answer today?"
The shinobi at her side shifted uneasily.
Too direct.
They had rehearsed a more diplomatic approach, but Pakura had brushed it aside.
Unit-18 chuckled. "Kazekage-dono, your straightforward nature is refreshing."
His expression grew serious.
"There was one matter Lord Rasa wished to consult his council on before finalizing the agreement. Unfortunately, with his passing, I am uncertain of your stance on the issue."
"You're referring to the federal system?"
Pakura's expression darkened.
This had been a subject of endless debate among Sunagakure's leadership. Even the two elder advisors, Chiyo and Ebizō, had refrained from making a decisive judgment.
There were clear benefits.
If implemented, Sunagakure would attract a wave of new blood—shinobi, merchants, and even nobility from the Land of Wind and beyond.
The Keikou family had strong ties to influential aristocrats across multiple nations. If the village embraced a federal model, these noble families and their resources would bolster Sunagakure's position, both economically and politically.
It would be a second founding, reminiscent of when the First Kazekage first united the desert's scattered forces.
But the risks were equally daunting.
Integrating so many external forces could fracture Sunagakure's unity.
Opponents feared the Keikou family sought unchecked influence, threatening the village's traditional power structure. Others worried about diluting Sunagakure's identity with an influx of outsiders.
Support and opposition were evenly divided.
Ultimately, the decision rested with Pakura alone.
Chiyo had already advised her privately.
If Pakura truly wished to strengthen the village, the federal system was the best path forward.
At its core, the idea wasn't revolutionary—it was simply a return to the village's original roots.
Besides, Sunagakure was in no position to refuse.
The village had suffered crippling wounds—a broken alliance with the Daimyo, an assassinated Kazekage, and a future teetering on the edge of collapse.
If they lost the Kaikan family's support, then Sunagakure's decline was inevitable.
Pakura took a breath.
"Keikou-dono," she said firmly. "As the Fifth Kazekage, I accept the proposal for a federal system. However, the finer details must still be negotiated."
Unit-18 smiled. "Of course. That was always expected."
A federal system was not something that could be implemented overnight.
It would fundamentally reshape the shinobi village structure.
Instead of rushing into drastic change, adjustments would need to be made gradually, ensuring the transition didn't alienate the village's existing forces.
As negotiations continued, Unit-18—acting as the Keikou patriarch—summoned a host of noble families from the Land of Wind.
Individually, these noble houses lacked military power, but their titles carried weight.
Together, they formed a political force even the Daimyo couldn't ignore.
Many of these nobles controlled land and populations, which the Keikou family could turn into economic leverage—persuading them to cut ties with the Daimyo altogether.
But that was only the beginning.
On Unit-18's list of potential allies, there were even more promising candidates:
Lords from the Land of Rivers, the Land of Bears, the Land of Demons, and Roran.
And at the bottom of the list—
The Hyakusa Trade Association.
One of the largest pharmaceutical organizations in the shinobi world.
When Pakura and the Sunagakure elders saw the full scope of potential allies, even the most staunch conservatives hesitated.
If they could secure the backing of everyone on this list—
Sunagakure wouldn't just recover.
It would become the most powerful force in the shinobi world.
For the first time, the dream their predecessors had never achieved felt within reach.
Suddenly, reforming the village's structure became their top priority.
(End of Chapter)
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