He succeeded.
Minato Namikaze instantly understood the meaning behind those words.
Kazuyama Gekkō had gone into seclusion to find a way to master Senjutsu. If he had succeeded, that meant Kazuyama had finally completed his own version of the Sage Arts. And it wasn't one of the Sage Techniques from the Three Great Sage Regions—it was something entirely different, one that fit him alone.
"That bastard! Even if he succeeded, he didn't have to go to Sunagakure to challenge the Fourth Kazekage!"
"If he wanted to test his techniques, he could've come to me!"
Minato still couldn't comprehend why Kazuyama, after emerging from training, went straight to pick a fight with Rasa instead of returning to Konoha. Wasn't that just stirring up tension between the two villages?
Even if things hadn't escalated and the possibility of an alliance with Sunagakure still existed, it didn't erase the fact that Kazuyama's actions had been reckless.
"Ahem, Minato."
"All these years—whether it was the old man's time or yours as Hokage—has that bastard Kazuyama Gekkō ever listened to either of you?"
"He's always done things his own way. Still, what's the problem? The outcome turned out well, didn't it?"
"Besides, Rasa was completely suppressed by him. That Senjutsu of his… it's terrifying."
Tsunade's eyes flickered with shock as she recalled that massive, ever-expanding crater—and Kazuyama's strange, transparent form. She had never practiced Senjutsu herself, but she understood enough to know that what she had seen had gone far beyond conventional Sage Arts.
"…That bastard!"
"It's just Senjutsu, right?! I can do that too!!"
Everyone went silent, watching the slightly agitated Minato.
It was Senjutsu, yes—but somehow, it wasn't the same kind of Senjutsu.
...
Land of the Wind, Sunagakure.
The desert winds still howled, carrying endless yellow sand through the air.
Kazuyama Gekkō stood before a small boy with no eyebrows.
"Hey, Rasa, how come you have eyebrows, but your son doesn't?"
"But I'll admit—your son's a lot better-looking than you."
Gaara, son of Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage.
Beside him stood two others: a pretty blonde girl, Temari, and a clean-faced boy, Kankurō.
"Hmph, you bastard. If you can't say anything decent, just shut up."
"These are my three children—Temari, Kankurō, and Gaara."
"Taking one or two makes no difference, so I'll leave all three to you."
"Teach them well. I'll handle the alliance negotiations with Konoha."
The three siblings stared in disbelief, glancing from their father to Kazuyama. They hadn't expected their father to assign them a teacher—especially one who didn't exactly look trustworthy.
"Hey, Rasa, hold up a second."
"There's something else I need to tell you."
Kazuyama called out, pulling Rasa aside before he could leave. Rasa looked confused, unsure what he wanted to say.
"Rasa, do you remember Pakura?"
"Pakura? Of course. She was one of Sunagakure's top Kekkei Genkai users. But she was captured by Konoha, wasn't she? She should've been killed by now."
Rasa certainly remembered her. If Pakura had still been alive back then, Sunagakure wouldn't have been so passive against Konoha's defenses. He knew well how powerful Scorch Release was—a Kekkei Genkai with devastating offensive potential.
"Hehehe, how could that be? She's my wife now."
"…What???"
Rasa's eyes went wide as he stared hard at Kazuyama.
The words hit like a bomb. Pakura, whom Sunagakure believed long dead at Konoha's hands, was not only alive—but married to this lunatic standing in front of him?
"Hey, hey, calm down."
"She's from your village, right? As her husband, I'm technically family with the Kazekage now. No need to lose your cool."
"Anyway, now that that's cleared up, you can go."
"Your three kids are all promising—I'll take good care of them."
After dropping that revelation, Kazuyama gave Rasa a shove toward the exit and turned back toward the three children, leaving the Kazekage to digest the shock on his own.
...
Kazuyama led the trio to the Sunagakure Academy's training grounds.
Many students were in class, some under the supervision of a jōnin instructor.
"Who's that guy?"
"Why's he got Temari and the others with him?"
"Wait—that's Gaara, isn't it? No way..."
The sight of Gaara made everyone whisper in astonishment. After all, he was the One-Tail's Jinchūriki.
At this point, Gaara hadn't yet gone through the Yashamaru incident, so he wasn't as withdrawn as he would become later. That was exactly why Kazuyama chose to take him as a disciple now.
"Tch, what a bunch of idiots."
"Gaara, are you okay?"
Temari, as the eldest, frowned at the surrounding whispers and glanced at her brother.
Sure enough, Gaara's expression had darkened, his head hanging low in quiet discomfort.
"Oh? A bunch of nosy brats, huh?"
"You want to stare? I'll make sure you can't."
Kazuyama caught the murmurs and chuckles from nearby students—but he was from Konoha, where he was the one who isolated others, never the other way around.
Senjutsu chakra flared from his body, forming an invisible dome of glass-like energy that enveloped him and the three siblings.
Students and teachers who had been watching suddenly found their vision blurring. The four figures vanished completely from sight.
"What the hell? I can't see them anymore!"
"Me neither!"
"Damn it, what's going on?!"
It wasn't just them—Temari and the others noticed it too. The scenery around them had turned hazy and indistinct.
"Don't be alarmed. This is one of your teacher's techniques."
"Let me introduce myself properly. From today onward, I'll be your teacher."
"You should have heard my name before."
"Kazuyama Gekkō."
The name alone was enough to make jaws drop.
Even Gaara's eyebrowless eyes widened in disbelief. Temari and Kankurō froze as well.
"Konoha's Ghost?"
"The Twin Star?"
"Sunagakure's Eternal Enemy??"
Kazuyama blinked. The first two titles he could live with—but the last one? What the hell?
And before he could react, the three of them instinctively took a step back, watching him warily.
Kazuyama was left speechless.
"The first two, I'll accept."
"But who the hell came up with that last one?"
"Was it your old man?"
"Come on, tell your teacher. I promise I won't hold it against you."
...
For more chapters, feel free to follow me on P@treon.
(100 Chapters Ahead)
[email protected]/PinkSnake