Sunagakure – Village Hidden by Sand.
Outside the meeting room.
Several Suna ANBU guarded all entrances and exits, causing passing Suna ninja to frequently glance over.
"What's going on today? Even when the border conflict was happening, security around the meeting room wasn't this tight," someone asked in a low voice.
"Daiki said he saw a ninja from another village," his companion replied quietly after glancing around. "Supposedly, he was walking side-by-side with Elder Iwaji."
"Could it be someone from Konoha?"
"Possibly. I heard Elder Baki is engaged in peace talks with Konoha again."
"More peace talks?" "Shh… The elders have their reasons."
Click!
The meeting room door, which had been closed for a long time, was pushed open from the inside.
The surrounding Suna ninja quickly averted their gazes and resumed their work.
"Lord Iwaji, farewell for now." Naruto Clone Two nodded slightly to the middle-aged man at the head of the group. He exchanged a glance with Gaara's shadow clone at the back of the crowd, then, led by a Suna ninja, headed out of the village.
Watching his disappearing figure, Iwaji pondered for a moment, then said to the people behind him, "Gaara stays. If the rest of you have no other business, return to where you came from."
The elders looked at each other, somewhat puzzled, but didn't ask further. The youthful audacity to question things they didn't understand had long since faded with age.
"Care for a walk?" Iwaji asked, glancing back at Gaara's shadow clone.
Gaara nodded slightly and followed behind him, walking slowly through the streets of Sunagakure.
"I remember you've been to the Land of Birds. Compared to Sunagakure, which do you think is superior?" Iwaji asked.
"Sunagakure," Gaara stated concisely.
"Eighty percent of the Land of Wind is desert; resources are scarce." Iwaji glanced at him and continued, "To secure those vital resources, the Land of Wind often experiences internal strife, with clans constantly warring amongst themselves."
"Even during the Warring States Period, with its rampant conquests and feuding warlords, no country was more chaotic than the Land of Wind."
"The First Kazekage lamented this. Relying on his immense strength and broad-mindedness, he successfully emulated Konoha and established Sunagakure in the Land of Wind."
"Sunagakure's current prosperity is the result of the combined efforts of many ninja who loved this village, including the First Kazekage."
After listening, Gaara looked at him, somewhat perplexed. The story of the First Kazekage, Reto, founding the village was known to everyone in Sunagakure; there were even several different versions.
And what Elder Iwaji had just recounted was merely one of those versions.
"Child, do you love Sunagakure?" Iwaji asked, gazing through the wire mesh fence at the children running and playing on the training ground.
Gaara followed his line of sight; his own young disciple was also practicing ninja drills on the field.
"I don't know if I feel love for Sunagakure, but I want to do something for this village, contribute my strength, and have everyone acknowledge me."
"There are many ways to gain others' acknowledgment. Why do you want to become Kazekage?" Iwaji asked.
"Because Kankuro once said that if I became Kazekage, everyone would acknowledge me," Gaara replied.
"I see." Iwaji nodded slightly, then his tone shifted. "Child, you must remember one thing."
Gaara turned his head to look at him.
"It's not that becoming Kazekage allows you to gain people's acknowledgment, but rather, only those who have gained everyone's acknowledgment can become Kazekage," Iwaji admonished.
"…I understand." Gaara fell silent for a moment, then nodded.
"As long as you understand." Iwaji patted his shoulder. "I look forward to your performance after you become Kazekage."
After a brief silence, he continued:
"Child, there's one more thing you must remember. No matter how much help the Dragon Heritage gives you, it is merely a waystation on your long journey through life."
"Sunagakure is the place that gave birth to you and raised you."
"She is the starting point of your life and will ultimately be its end. Before you think as a member of the Dragon Heritage, please do not forget that you are Sunagakure's Fifth Kazekage."
"…I understand." Gaara looked at him, startled. After meeting the old man's gaze for a moment, he seemed to grasp his intent and nodded his head firmly.
Iwaji, apparently sensing his understanding, nodded in satisfaction. All that talk wasn't wasted after all.
Ever since personally confirming that Gaara could perfectly control Shukaku's power, Iwaji had vaguely sensed something was amiss.
One step ahead makes you a genius; ten steps ahead makes you a madman; a hundred steps ahead makes you a monster.
Sunagakure possessed neither a complete Jinchuriki sealing system nor relevant experience in controlling Tailed Beast power. Logically speaking, no matter how much of a genius Gaara was, mastering Shukaku's power should have been a gradual process.
But how long had it been since the Konoha Crush?
In just a few short months, Gaara's control over Shukaku's power had jumped from a mere few percent directly to one hundred percent.
He'd die before believing there was no external interference involved.
Gaara was a genius, he acknowledged that, but genius alone couldn't achieve this. A monster, perhaps.
However, judging from Gaara's childhood experiences, he clearly wasn't the type of monster who was a hundred steps ahead of others.
Combining this with Gaara's ambiguous attitude towards the Dragon Heritage organization, he had formed a general guess.
Watching Elder Iwaji's departing figure…
"I thought that old geezer would call people to take you down," Shukaku's voice appeared in his mind.
"He wouldn't." Gaara shook his head. "Elder Iwaji's ability to wield sole authority in the absence of a chosen Kazekage already speaks volumes about his capability and insight."
"If I can see the benefits of the Dragon Heritage to Sunagakure, Elder Iwaji naturally can as well."
"You humans are so troublesome," Shukaku grumbled.
Things that could be explained simply, yet you always have to beat around the bush.
"Perhaps," Gaara said noncommittally. "When will the original body return?"
"He has already entered the Land of Wind."
Outside Kumogakure – Village Hidden by Clouds.
On a steep cliff.
Naruto Clone Four turned his head to look at his original body, who had just appeared beside him. "Our luck's a bit off. The Fourth Raikage, Yugito Nii, and Killer Bee are all in the village."
"One Kage-level combatant at his peak, two perfect Jinchuriki… just thinking about it is a bit terrifying."
"Otherwise, why would I have left Kumogakure for last?" Naruto said, gazing at the buildings in the distance, half-hidden in white mist.
Among the Five Great Hidden Villages, Kumogakure's hawkish faction was the strongest. From the Kage down to the ordinary genin, they were predominantly pro-war.
From the First Great Ninja War until now, Kumogakure had initiated the arms races in every era.
This could be partially glimpsed from Kumogakure's complete Jinchuriki training system.
"But there's also some good news," Naruto Clone Four said. "Unlike Killer Bee, Yugito Nii, like most Jinchuriki, is isolated from Kumogakure's core power structure."
"Even her residence is on the very outskirts of the village." As he spoke, Naruto Clone Four pointed to a building in the southwest.
"Do you know the reason?" Naruto was slightly surprised.
He had thought Jinchuriki weren't discriminated against in Kumogakure.
After all, it was the only ninja village in the entire world with a complete Jinchuriki cultivation system.
"Just like other Jinchuriki, she's simply treated as an outsider," Naruto Clone Four shrugged helplessly.
"See if you can try to win her over," Naruto said, speechless. That Killer Bee fellow really is an exception.
"It seems to be because of the Raikage's special training methods," Naruto Clone Four mused.
"The previous Eight-Tails Jinchuriki was the Third Raikage's 'brother'; this generation's Eight-Tails Jinchuriki is the Fourth Raikage's 'brother'."
"The Two-Tails Jinchuriki really has it rough in Kumo," Naruto remarked.
"Isn't that the truth? People, oh people, are always prone to comparisons," Naruto Clone Four agreed.
"I'll leave Yugito to you." The moment his words fell, an immense chakra pressure erupted from Naruto's body.
"Try not to get yourself killed." Naruto Clone Four sensed the Flying Thunder God kunai in the southwest direction and vanished from the spot.
Raikage Tower.
The instant Naruto unleashed his chakra, the Raikage brothers simultaneously stood up and looked towards his direction.
"Big Bro, he's here," Killer Bee said, for once not using his rap cadence.
"Lazy, watch the village." Innumerable bolts of lightning erupted around the Raikage's body, and his figure instantly vanished.
Red Tailed Beast chakra surfaced on Killer Bee's body. The floor beneath his feet suddenly sank under the immense chakra pressure.
Watching the two depart, Darui's expression was grave; he had also felt that oppressive chakra.
"Will they be alright?" Mabui's expression was also tense as she watched them leave.
She was naturally aware of Lord Raikage's and Lord Bee's strength, but the enemy was a terrifying powerhouse wielding the might of two Tailed Beasts…
"Don't worry, the Boss and Bee can handle the enemy."
Boom!
Before his words had even faded, the fiery light of a massive explosion reflected in their pupils.
Crash!
The shockwave of the explosion passed through, and the floor-to-ceiling windows around the office shattered in unison.
"Bastard!"
With an enraged roar, the Raikage's figure abruptly vanished from his spot.
Inside the head of the Kurama chakra avatar, Naruto watched the Fourth Raikage suddenly appear before him, his pupils constricting.
"Liger Bomb!"
An elbow, condensed with a massive amount of Lightning Release chakra, instantly pierced through the golden chakra avatar's outer layer, arriving right before him.
Whoosh!
The air was smashed, creating a visible shockwave.
The sudden emptiness of his attack caused the Fourth Raikage's figure to stumble, and he couldn't stop himself from falling downwards.
"Kanshin-ryu: Horizontal Slash!"
Uzumaki Naruto, now in Kurama Chakra Mode, suddenly appeared behind him. Kusabimaru in his right hand, enveloped in a large amount of Wind Release chakra and Nine-Tails chakra, slashed fiercely at the Raikage's neck.
The Lightning Release chakra around the Fourth Raikage's body suddenly flared, as if attempting to block the blow with the powerful defense of his Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
An ordinary blade certainly wouldn't have been able to break through this defense, but unfortunately for him…
Wind Release was strong against Lightning Release.
Under the cutting power of the Wind Release chakra, the Lightning Release Chakra Mode was instantly sliced open.
"Oh Yeah!!"
Just then, the Eight-Tails, with the lower body of an octopus and the upper body of an ox, appeared on the battlefield.
Under Killer Bee's control, one of Gyuki's octopus tails whipped heavily against Naruto's body.
Boom!
Under the powerful force of the tail whip, Naruto's figure flew uncontrollably into the distance.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Naruto crashed consecutively through several mountain peaks, finally coming to a halt against a cliff face.
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