Three days later, Kitazawa, Konan, and En Oyashiro arrived at the border of the Land of Grass; beyond it lay the Land of Rain.
The two countries were separated by a curtain of rain, the boundary distinct and unmistakable.
"Konan, I'll see you off only up to here—go and return quickly," Kitazawa said as he came to a stop. "I still need to head back to the Land of Lightning to pick up Hinata and the others."
Oyashiro's thoughts immediately stirred.
He had assumed that Kitazawa would escort them all the way to Hidden Rain Village, never expecting him to halt right at the border.
As long as Kitazawa was present, he didn't dare harbor even the slightest thought of escape.
Now that the man was leaving and only Konan remained, Oyashiro sensed an opportunity—he could run.
"I'll return to Konoha Village early," Konan said with a nod.
Without another word, Kitazawa turned around and left.
Konan withdrew her gaze and walked straight into the Land of Rain. Oyashiro followed behind her, his mind already spinning with schemes.
Konan paid no attention to his thoughts.
This was the Land of Rain; from the moment he stepped inside, anything he attempted would be futile.
After walking a short distance, Kitazawa stopped. He extended one hand, and the ground nearby began to tremble.
Every iron-bearing substance in the vicinity was drawn in by his Magnet Release, condensing into black iron sand.
Under Kitazawa's control, the iron sand rapidly formed a pair of wings behind his back.
He leapt into the sky and shot through the air at tremendous speed.
During the journey from the Land of Lightning to the Land of Rain, he had traveled normally because En Oyashiro was with them, and he couldn't have Konan carry him through flight.
Now that he was alone, there was no need to keep up the pretense.
At the same time, Kitazawa activated his Byakugan.
If Hinata and the others were already on their way back after completing their mission, he would be able to spot them midway and rendezvous.
A day and a half later, Kitazawa re-entered the Land of Lightning.
Flight was nearly twice as fast as normal travel—and this was merely his base speed.
If he activated Senju Chakra Mode or Yang Release Chakra Mode, he could double it once again.
Kitazawa's eyes sharpened as he dove straight downward. After landing, he dismissed the iron-sand wings and waited on the spot.
"Teacher Kitazawa!" Hinata was the first to notice him.
While inside the Land of Lightning, she had kept her Byakugan active as the team's sensor.
Kitazawa then dispelled the Shadow Clone Technique. Memories flooded back, and he instantly learned everything that had occurred over the past few days.
Hinata, Ino, and Haku had registered for the arena; relying on solid strength, they advanced rapidly.
That afternoon, they received notice that they would face Fūshin and Chino.
First, Haku fought Fūshin and lost to his Typhoon Release.
Next, Ino used genjutsu to defeat Fūshin. She then battled Chino, but lacking intelligence on her abilities, she lost to Chino's Ketsuryūgan.
Finally, Hinata stepped forward and defeated Chino with her Moon Chasing Bow.
The two matches arranged by the arena spanned a total of two days.
After the fights ended, Kitazawa's Shadow Clone approached Chino and offered to help both her and Fūshin escape the arena.
Chino agreed without hesitation—escaping the arena and getting away from Oyashiro had always been her dream.
In the original story, Chino and Fūshin eventually joined the Hidden Mist Village, which had once dealt a devastating blow to their Lightning Group.
Joining Konoha now was hardly far-fetched. After reviewing the memories, Kitazawa's gaze settled on Chino.
She looked very young—seemingly even younger than Hinata and the others.
Besides Chino, there was Fūshin and the rest. They were arena fighters—slaves, really—kept solely for entertainment.
Most of them were children; Fūshin, the eldest among them, appeared to be a teenager.
Kitazawa pondered briefly.
Chino could join the Genius Class.
Fūshin, with his rare Typhoon Release, was more than qualified to become an Anbu.
As for the younger children, they would be sent to Yakushi Nono and placed in the Konoha Orphanage.
Those with Ninja potential could attend the Ninja Academy, and whether they entered the Genius Class would depend on their own efforts.
Kitazawa said nothing further; his Shadow Clone had already explained everything.
After the brief reunion, the group continued onward. They reached Konoha the following afternoon.
Kitazawa was glad he had canceled one Monthly Exam—otherwise, the semester would have run over yet again.
This mission to the Land of Lightning had taken nearly two weeks.
"You three go home and rest," he told Hinata, Ino, and Haku.
"Yes, Teacher Kitazawa," the three replied before departing.
"Follow me," Kitazawa said with a smile. "I'll take you to meet our Hokage."
Chino and Fūshin exchanged nervous glances. Although they had lived in isolation, they still knew of the Five Great Villages and their Kage.
"Don't worry—she's quite nice," Kitazawa reassured them after noticing their expressions.
The Ninja World possessed many Bloodline Limits; some were weak and of low value, but Typhoon Release and the Ketsuryūgan were undeniably powerful.
With proper training, producing two elite jōnin was virtually guaranteed.
Tsunade's temper might be bad, but as Hokage, she would naturally welcome two prodigies joining Konoha—any Kage would.
Elite jōnin were rare even among the Five Great Villages.
Kitazawa arrived at the Hokage Office.
"Why are there so many kids?" Tsunade asked, surprised at the sight of Chino and Fūshin.
The last time Kitazawa had brought back a group like this was after defeating Orochimaru and reclaiming Otogakure.
But this time, he had only gone to the Land of Lightning—had he kidnapped them from Kumogakure?
"An unexpected gain," Kitazawa coughed lightly as he offered a half-true explanation.
Naturally, he omitted the part about recruiting En Oyashiro with Konan.
In short, he explained that he had entered the children into the arena for training, but after seeing their young opponents, he investigated and uncovered the arena's dark truth.
"So you brought them back—what's special about them?" Tsunade asked.
She knew Kitazawa wasn't someone who acted out of simple charity.
"Fūshin possesses Typhoon Release, a Bloodline Limit capable of creating typhoons—far stronger than ordinary Wind Release," Kitazawa explained.
"That does sound promising," Tsunade nodded, acknowledging Fūshin's value.
She then turned her gaze to Chino.
"Ketsuryūgan," Kitazawa said succinctly.
"The Ketsuryūgan?" Tsunade exclaimed, her expression visibly shaken.
Although the Chinoike Clan dated back to the Sengoku era, so did the Senju.
Hashirama had once told her that the Chinoike Clan possessed the Ketsuryūgan, a dojutsu capable of rivaling the Sharingan.
"Excellent," Tsunade said with a smile. "Welcome to Konoha."
"Tsunade-sensei," Kitazawa then outlined his arrangements for them.
"Fine," she agreed after a moment of consideration.
"I'll have Shizune summon Nono as well," she added.
Kitazawa moved toward the door, and upon hearing the order, Shizune immediately vanished.
Before long, Yakushi Nono arrived. She instinctively sized up Chino and the others before bowing respectfully to Tsunade.
"Nono, you'll be responsible for taking care of them from now on," Tsunade said bluntly.
"Yes, Hokage-sama," Nono replied without the slightest hesitation.
To her, orphans were simply orphans—where they came from didn't matter.
"If you need funds, go to Rina," Tsunade reminded her.
"Understood," Nono nodded.
Back when Danzo was in charge, the orphanage often struggled financially, but since Tsunade became Hokage, that situation had improved significantly.
In addition, Kitazawa's various initiatives had enriched Konoha's finances, allowing the village to be far more generous.
"Fūshin, go with Nono and get settled. Report to the Anbu tomorrow," Kitazawa instructed.
"Chino, you as well—come to the Ninja Academy tomorrow."
"Yes, Lord Kitazawa," Fūshin and Chino answered in unison.
"I'll take them now," Nono said, smiling gently at the children. "Please follow me."
Her warm smile immediately eased Chino's tension, as well as that of the others.
They nodded and followed her out of the Hokage Office.
The door closed behind them.
Kitazawa stepped forward and stood beside Tsunade.
"Why do I get the feeling that you always bring geniuses back to the village?" Tsunade asked, giving him a sideways glance.
"Good luck," Kitazawa replied with a blink.
"Really?" Tsunade looked unconvinced.
"These prodigies come from all over the Ninja World—surely you're not going to say I planted them everywhere?" Kitazawa asked with a grin.
"That's fair," Tsunade nodded.
"I brought back the Ketsuryūgan and Typhoon Release—don't I deserve a bonus?" Kitazawa's gaze drifted toward the snowy pendant resting at her collarbone.
"Do you want a reward from Konoha," Tsunade asked calmly, "or from me?"
Catching the look in his eyes, Tsunade instantly understood what he meant.
"To me, your reward matters more than anything Konoha could offer," Kitazawa said with perfect seriousness.
Tsunade twitched at the corner of her mouth, unsure whether she should feel touched or irritated.
She knew him well enough to suspect he was mostly trying to take advantage.
"Sit down," Tsunade rolled her eyes.
"Thank you, Tsunade-sensei!" Kitazawa immediately brightened.
"Keep your hands to yourself!" Tsunade stood up, pressed his head against her chest, and warned him sternly.
To Kitazawa, if hands were forbidden, then the mouth would do.
"Do you want to die?" Tsunade shuddered and smacked the back of his head.
That still didn't stop him.
"Reward revoked!" Tsunade shoved him away, her cheeks flushed.
"See you tomorrow, Tsunade-sensei!" Kitazawa vanished instantly.
Tsunade stood frozen for a moment, her face red as she straightened her clothes. What on earth is that idiot thinking?
---
The next day arrived.
Every student and teacher of the Genius Class was present.
"Before I announce this month's rankings, let me introduce a new classmate," Kitazawa said cheerfully.
Everyone instinctively turned their eyes toward Chino. They had already noticed her earlier.
"Hello, I'm Chino. Please take care of me," Chino stepped forward and greeted them politely.
"Chino, over here!" Ino waved enthusiastically.
After glancing at Kitazawa for approval, Chino walked over to Ino.
She, Ino, and Hinata had already become friends after their earlier fight.
Hinata's strength, in particular, had left a deep impression on her. Naturally, she was also curious about the Genius Class.
Ino had told her that even Hinata struggled to break into the top three. She couldn't help but wonder how terrifying the stronger prodigies must be.
"The top six in this practical exam will serve as temporary captains for the Final Exams Team Battle."
After the reminder, Kitazawa began announcing the rankings.
As before, the finals would include Team Battles. This time, however, he felt relaxed—there was no need to compete fiercely for first place.
No related system mission had been triggered.
"—and that concludes this month's rankings."
Kitazawa paused briefly. "All right, time to train."
"Yes, Kitazawa-sensei," the students responded.
They quickly dispersed to their respective instructors.
"Chino, you'll be training with my group," Kitazawa decided after a moment.
"Yes, Kitazawa-sensei," Chino nodded eagerly.
During the journey back, Ino, Hinata, and Haku had praised him nonstop.
Kitazawa left a Shadow Clone behind to guide the others and led Chino to a separate Training Ground.
In the original story, she had reached at least Special Jōnin level.
The primary reason was her Ketsuryūgan. Its genjutsu rivaled the Sharingan and was more than enough to suppress many Ninja.
She also wielded blood-based Secret Techniques and Water Release.
However, Kitazawa needed to assess her current strength—after all, she was still very young.
"Let's spar first," Kitazawa said with a smile.
Chino immediately activated her Ketsuryūgan. The cute girl's eyes glowed crimson, her aura turning faintly yandere.
Ketsuryūgan—Genjutsu! She unleashed her ocular power.
Kitazawa gave a slight nod. Her current ocular strength was roughly on par with a Two-Tomoe Sharingan.
Bloodline Limit users truly were blessed.
Water Release: Rain Hail!
When the genjutsu failed, she swiftly formed hand seals. More than a dozen fist-sized water spheres shot toward him.
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!
Kitazawa exhaled a massive fireball, instantly evaporating the water.
Steam filled the surroundings.
Chino dashed forward and threw a punch.
Kitazawa caught her fist. A solid force traveled up his arm.
Chino stared at him, blood trickling from the corner of her eye as she poured in even more ocular power—yet it was still useless.
Confusion filled her expression. Why was he completely unaffected by her genjutsu?
She was certain he hadn't broken it. He had never been caught by it to begin with.
"What other jutsu can you use?" He released her hand and asked.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall," Chino answered.
"Being able to use two Water Release jutsu at your age is already impressive," Kitazawa praised.
The Genius Class had elite teachers backing them; she had none. Like a Root Ninja, she had grown through brutal, relentless drills.
"Kitazawa-sensei…" After hesitating for a moment, she asked, "Where do I rank in the Genius Class?"
"With your Ketsuryūgan genjutsu, around the fifteenth," he said after considering.
"Only fifteenth?" Chino was stunned.
Although she had anticipated it, hearing it aloud still stung. In the arena, only Fūshin had ever given her trouble.
"Next term, I'll hold a traditional one-on-one practical exam," Kitazawa said with a smile.
"You can test them then."
This final exam was team-based, and as a newcomer, she wouldn't participate. Next term, once she had settled in, she could fight placement matches.
Kitazawa rubbed his chin. She would likely break into the top eighteen, pushing someone out.
With Shion also competing, he could expand one squad. But three-man teams needed a third member.
"First, I'll teach you Water Release: Water Dragon Jutsu."
He hadn't yet mastered her Blood Dragon Techniques.
"Thank you, Kitazawa-sensei," Chino nodded.
He waited, but no system mission appeared. Would it only trigger once he taught the Blood Dragon Art?
Setting the thought aside, he began teaching. After an hour, he left behind a Shadow Clone to continue guiding her.
At noon, Ino dragged Chino off to lunch with the others.
Before long, they were all friends—children didn't hold grudges.
That afternoon, Kitazawa left another Shadow Clone in class and slipped into the Forest of Death to train the Wood Release: Hobi Technique.
As the sun set, soft footsteps reached his ears.
He looked up and saw Konan. Back in Konoha, she was wearing her Anbu attire again.
"Back so soon?" Kitazawa chuckled.
"Nothing major," Konan replied.
"After I left, did Oyashiro behave?" He stopped training and walked over.
"Not really, but he's been integrated into the Akatsuki Organization." She recalled how Oyashiro had fled the moment Kitazawa left.
She hadn't chased him, instead notifying White Zetsu. Not long after, the Deva Path Pain dragged him back.
She still remembered the terror on his face—clearly shaken by Pain's overwhelming power.
Kitazawa laughed softly. He could easily guess what Oyashiro had tried.
Being forced into Akatsuki by her and Kitazawa, escape had been inevitable.
"You've worked hard. Head back to the Anbu Base and rest for now." Kitazawa reached out and gently stroked her cheek.
"Mm." Konan lowered her gaze to his hand.
She opened her mouth and nipped his thumb with her neat, white teeth.
"Since when did you learn to bite?" Kitazawa raised an eyebrow.
Afterward, Konan licked the spot she had bitten, like a mischievous little cat.
Seeing such a tempting sight, Kitazawa immediately pulled his hand back.
He leaned in, kissed her lips, and returned the favor.
Konan's body tensed at first, then gradually relaxed. She stepped half a pace forward and leaned against his chest.
Closing her eyes, she wrapped her arms more tightly around his neck, her heart pounding amid their tangled breaths.
She felt as though she had come alive again—safe and secure.
Kitazawa's hand slid down her back and finally rested on her hip. Not as explosively curvy as Tsunade, but Konan's figure was perfectly proportioned.
After a long while, Konan stepped back half a pace. Her face flushed; she took a few quick breaths, then suddenly vanished on the spot.
Kitazawa shook his head with a wry smile. She had started it, yet after teasing him, she ran off.
Then a sudden realization struck him.
Given Konan's personality, she probably had no idea just how lethal those small gestures were to him.
---
July arrived.
The Genius Class faced its end-of-term exams and the coming summer vacation.
On July 14, the Final Exams officially began.
The first day was the theory test; Kitazawa didn't go to the Ninja Academy, instead heading to the Anbu Base.
He sat at a desk and took out a blank training schedule. Summer break was nearly here, and he needed to design an intensive plan for the Genius Class.
After thinking for a moment, he pulled out a second blank sheet.
Calling it a summer camp was generous—it was really a summary of the semester and their current stage.
The students' training would be divided into two parts.
One part would continue their existing regimens. The other would introduce new training.
He picked up his pen and first listed the students staying on their original track.
Yakumo—she learned genjutsu quickly, but the Konoha-Style Body Flicker Technique came slowly.
The issue was her body. Although healed, she had missed a long period of physical conditioning.
Body Flicker techniques demanded significant physical strength.
Akimichi Choji was still working on the Super Open Hand Slap Technique.
There were still several clan Secret Techniques he hadn't learned—not because he couldn't, but because he wasn't allowed.
Akimichi techniques depended heavily on physique. For example, Multi-size produced vastly different results depending on the body.
For Choji, the priority remained simple: eat, eat, eat.
Rock Lee, while solidifying his Konoha Dragon God, would continue with pure physical training.
Tenten, like Yakumo, was learning the Body Flicker Technique, but her progress was much faster.
Hinata and Neji were studying the World-Extinction Arrow. However, the technique was too difficult, and they wouldn't concentrate on it for long, as it takes time.
Taking that into account, Kitazawa planned to teach them a new bow-based Secret Technique.
He named it Phantom Arc Arrow.
Though less powerful than Spiral Arrow, it could change direction mid-flight, making it far harder to predict.
In short, it could curve, an idea inspired by the Uchiha Clan's Manipulating Shuriken Technique.
Ino was still working on Ninja Art: Mind Transmission Technique.
Shikamaru's Shadow Replacement Technique still required refinement, so his training remained unchanged.
Sakura was under Kosuke's guidance, so Kitazawa didn't need to worry about her.
Shino's Insect mutation experiment had already borne results: he had bred insects with a certain level of defensive capability.
However, insects capable of moving freely underground had not yet been successfully cultivated.
Karin was studying Medical Ninjutsu, while Kimimaro was learning Dance of the Clematis: Flower.
As Kitazawa sorted through the information, Konan quietly stepped up behind him. She reached out with her bare hands and began kneading his shoulders.
When he finished the first list, Kitazawa switched to the second sheet. This one recorded the students who required a change in their training curriculum.
The first name was Shion. She had already learned Finger Carving Seal and String Light Formation.
During the summer, Kitazawa planned to teach her Sealing Barrier Formation and Fire Sealing Method.
Sealing Barrier Formation was relatively simple; with her solid sealing foundation, she could also handle the Fire Sealing Method.
More importantly, she had a system mission: master five Sealing Techniques within one year. Kitazawa naturally had no intention of letting her slack off.
Second was Uchiha Sasuke. After mastering the Rasengan, his next step would be Yin Release: Rasengan.
Third was naturally Uzumaki Naruto. His next objective was Yang Release: Rasengan.
Once he succeeded, he and Sasuke could combine their techniques into Taiji Rasengan. That would allow Kitazawa to complete yet another system mission.
Fourth came Inuzuka Kiba. He had recently learned Earth Release: Earth Fang Bullet, but Kitazawa did not plan to teach him additional Earth Release jutsu.
The reason was simple—he finally had a dog: Akamaru. His summer task would be raising the pup while learning the authentic Secret Techniques of the Inuzuka clan.
Fifth was Haku. Having mastered Water Release: Water Formation Wall, he could now move on to Water Release: Water Dragon Jutsu.
Sixth was Tayuya. She had already grasped Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique; next, she would study Sly Mind Affect Technique and False Surroundings Technique.
Both were C-rank, low-level genjutsu, and she should be able to pick them up quickly.
Seventh was the newly added Chino. While reinforcing Water Release: Water Dragon Jutsu, she would also learn Water Release: Heavenly Weeping.
At present, Chino relied too heavily on the Ketsuryūgan's genjutsu. But genjutsu didn't always succeed; when it failed, she needed dependable Ninjutsu.
Water Release: Heavenly Weeping consumed little Chakra and was difficult to defend against—perfectly suited to her.
Time quietly slipped by.
After finishing everything, Kitazawa put both sheets away. He turned to Konan.
"Come sit." He patted his thigh.
"No more massage?" Konan gave him a cool glance.
"You've been at it for almost an hour; that's enough. Come rest." Kitazawa smiled.
Konan nodded. She stepped in front of him, rose onto her toes, and lowered her soft hips onto his lap.
Kitazawa slipped his left arm around her waist. Konan lifted one bare leg, crossed it over the other, and leaned against his chest.
Her eyes lingered on his face. She said nothing—just watched him quietly.
"How's Akatsuki's business lately?" Kitazawa casually picked a topic.
Given Konan's temperament, if he didn't start a conversation, they could sit in silence all day.
"Neither good nor bad—everything's running smoothly enough," Konan replied.
"So Hidden Sand has started making new moves?" Kitazawa placed his right hand on her bare leg and gently kneaded it.
"Mm." Konan nodded. "They're copying our publicity methods."
"No wonder." Kitazawa inhaled her faint scent. "That is troublesome."
"They can't match us," Konan said calmly. "We have the first-mover advantage."
Kitazawa paused. "But if they copy everything, we can't crush them outright."
"Any solution?" Konan tilted her head slightly.
"Not really." Kitazawa shook his head. "Hidden Sand is one of the Five Great Villages—more people, more resources, more connections."
Konan bit her lip. These methods were originally Kitazawa's ideas; seeing Hidden Sand adopt them was unpleasant.
"As long as we stay ahead, I'm not worried." Kitazawa leaned in and kissed her.
"Tell you what—I'll teach you a few more tricks."
"Thanks." Konan blinked.
"Also, keep an eye out for any drastic moves from Hidden Sand."
"Mm." Konan nodded, unconcerned.
Kitazawa then began explaining various marketing strategies from his previous life. The longer Konan listened, the more astonished she became.
She already had a solid grasp of business operations. With competitors emerging, she had even sent people to investigate.
But Kitazawa's ideas didn't align with the current market logic at all. She simply couldn't understand where he had unearthed such strategies.
"It's noon—let's stop here." Kitazawa glanced at the wall clock.
"I made lunchboxes." Konan snapped back to reality and said immediately.
"You'd make a fine secretary." Kitazawa reached out, lifted her chin, and asked, "Will you be my Hokage secretary?"
Konan's heart trembled. Her lips parted, but no words came out.
"All right, I'll stop teasing—let's eat." Kitazawa lightly patted her thigh and said.
Konan stood up quietly. She glanced at Kitazawa, a faint sense of loss flickering in her heart.
Though she desperately wanted to answer yes, reason told her it was impossible.
"Tomorrow, the Academy begins summer break. You can return to the Akatsuki Organization and put the publicity plan I just outlined into action." Kitazawa picked up a bento box, sat down on the sofa, and said.
"Mm." Konan sat opposite him, and the two began eating lunch together.
That afternoon, Kitazawa headed to the Forest of Death to continue training.
He had to seize every possible moment to grow stronger, to snatch Konan back to Konoha Village—cough— to deal with the Akatsuki Organization, that massive headache.
---
The next day, at exactly nine in the morning, the Final Exams' Team Battles officially began.
Last time, the arena had been a forest; this time, it was a lake of lava.
In short, Kitazawa had constructed various footholds above the magma: discs, trampolines, waterbeds, and similar structures.
A single careless move during battle could send a participant plunging straight into the scalding lava below.
Because of the lava field, the pace of the team battles was much faster; there was no sprawling forest to hide in.
In less than half a day, five rounds of Team Battles had concluded.
With the Final Exams over, summer vacation officially began.
For Kitazawa, this summer was much like any other.
He coached the Genius Class students while continuing his own training in the Flying Thunder God Technique and Wood Release: Hobi Technique.
The only real difference was the length of the break—forty-five days, from July 15 to September 1.
Kitazawa estimated that he could fully master Wood Release: Hobi Technique before the new term began. As for the Flying Thunder God Technique, it would require another two to three months.
Konoha Village entered the height of August, and the weather turned scorching.
Sunagakure was different—every month, it felt like Konoha's August.
---
The moment Yura returned from the Land of Wind's capital, he headed straight for the Kazekage's office.
"Where on earth did Hidden Rain Village come up with these publicity stunts?" Rasa frowned as he looked at the documents in his hand.
"No idea. I asked several famous merchants in the Land of Wind; none of them had ever seen anything like it," Yura shook his head. "They all praised the methods and admitted they couldn't come up with anything better."
"Can we find whoever invented this?" Rasa looked up at him.
"Difficult," Yura replied, clearly troubled. "All the ninja we sent to Hidden Rain have vanished without a trace."
"No—don't investigate Rain directly." Rasa set the papers down. "Investigate the merchants selling water for them."
"Brilliant insight, Kazekage-sama!" Yura's expression brightened.
They had been too focused on Rain itself, forgetting the merchants who were helping the village conduct business.
Traditional shinobi thinking still revolved around the threat of Hanzō.
"Anyone capable of devising such novel marketing schemes is definitely not a ninja," Rasa said calmly. "If we capture or eliminate that person, Rain loses a major pillar."
"I'll dispatch investigators immediately!" Yura responded.
"Dismissed." Rasa waved him off.
After Yura left, Rasa picked up another file. As he read through it, he couldn't help but smile.
The file recorded Sunagakure's earnings since entering the water trade.
The profits were enormous—more than ten times what he had earned through gold mining. And this was achieved with only a small share of the market.
Rasa's target had always been Rain because he wanted the entire market. If that happened, Sunagakure could finally stop relying on subsidies from the Land of Wind.
After finishing, he set the file aside.
Suddenly recalling something, Rasa rummaged through his desk and found the paper he was looking for. Its summary consisted of a single line:
"Nine assassination attempts on Gaara this week; he killed five ninja in retaliation."
Rasa shook his head.
Gaara—his son and Sunagakure's Jinchūriki—was the host of the One-Tail, Shukaku.
Jinchūriki were the village's strongest weapons.
To test Gaara's stability, Rasa had ordered assassination attempts ever since Gaara turned four.
At six, he had commanded Gaara's uncle, Yashamaru, to carry out an attack. Gaara killed Yashamaru and lost control, unleashing Shukaku.
From that moment on, Rasa had deemed him a failure.
A fortnight passed swiftly.
Inside the Kazekage's office, Rasa clenched his fist.
Although Sunagakure had followed Rain's lead, being even a single step slower meant falling behind at every turn.
Rain's constant introduction of new tactics only worsened Sunagakure's situation.
There was another problem as well.
After seeing the profits from water trading, other merchants in the Land of Wind began to jump in. Merchants chased profit.
To Rasa, these traders were even more troublesome than Rain itself. He couldn't touch them—they were either Sunagakure's current employers or future ones.
They also maintained strong connections with the daimyo and nobles.
Fortunately, none of them were ninja. Their operating costs were higher, leaving them only scraps of the market.
The real crux of the issue was still Rain.
If not for his fear of Hanzō—and the risk of other villages exploiting the chaos—Rasa would have marched on Rain long ago.
Just then, a knock sounded.
"Enter." Rasa looked up, saw Yura, and asked, "Results?"
"We didn't find the mastermind behind the publicity," Yura took a deep breath. "But we discovered something else."
"What is it?" Rasa asked.
"We spotted the ninja transporting water for Rain—it's Biwa Jūzō."
"The Hidden Mist defector? One of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Biwa Jūzō?" Rasa sprang to his feet.
"Exactly!" Yura nodded firmly. "Our scout saw him carrying the Executioner's Blade!"
"Excellent!" Rasa grinned. "Our chance has arrived!"
They now had a legitimate pretext.
Villages hunting rogue ninja was entirely reasonable.
Hidden Mist could act against Biwa Jūzō. If Hanzō intervened, Rain would be openly violating the unspoken rules all villages followed.
Of course, if Hanzō started a war outright, Sunagakure alone couldn't handle it. Other villages would still exploit Sunagakure's weakness.
But that assumption only applied if Sunagakure stood alone.
Now, Hidden Mist had entered the equation.
Rasa planned to cooperate with Mist, using the hunt for Jūzō as a justification to cripple Rain's business. Would Rain dare to oppose both Sunagakure and Hidden Mist?
Rasa was certain Hanzō wouldn't.
These were two of the Five Great Villages. Even Konoha or Kumogakure would hesitate to declare war against two great villages simultaneously.
And even if Hanzō did, with Sunagakure and Hidden Mist combined, crushing Rain would be simple.
They only needed to break Rain's ability to resist quickly—before other villages could exploit the conflict.
"Send an envoy to Hidden Mist immediately," Rasa ordered without hesitation. "Tell the Fifth Mizukage that Sunagakure seeks cooperation."