"Never thought our leader Hashirama Senju would be such a legendary figure. Even until now, he remains the most renowned ninja in the Ninjutsu World, and many still consider him the strongest ninja ever. But… I still don't understand how someone long deceased could return to life."
Across the vast desert of the Land of Wind, two figures wrapped entirely in white cloaks — only their eyes visible — were moving steadily in a specific direction.
The limited visibility and the ever-familiar surroundings seemed to offer them not even a hint of confusion.
"I'm not exactly clear on the details myself, but one thing is certain — someone made a tremendous sacrifice… Tobi, who founded the Organization and gathered all of us together, no longer exists.
To be honest, I kind of miss Tobi. He wasn't really someone you could hate."
Such an opinion wasn't particularly surprising — he had encountered Tobi after the latter had already been shaped by harsh reality. At that time, he was already quite a "grounded" individual.
It's just a shame that Tobi died still just being Tobi.
"Regardless of everything, Hashirama Senju remains our new leader.
And now we must obey his authority. Partly because what he said actually made sense to me — the Great Ninja World War brought unbearable suffering upon Sunagakure. And besides… the Ninja God isn't someone we can possibly defy.
Even though he always seems carefree and devoid of any dignity, the subtle pressure he exudes makes being near him feel suffocating."
Hashirama Senju might appear like a jokester, but no one in their right mind would truly treat him as one.
"In any case, we still have value. Right now, he doesn't have time to handle things himself — he's too busy controlling those powerful eyes (and crafting new vessels) to handle things himself right now — so it naturally falls to us.
To be honest, I actually appreciate this 'division of labor.' If Hashirama Senju were to reappear in the Ninjutsu World and begin taking active action again, the upheaval it would cause goes without saying… Personally, I have zero interest in witnessing such chaos.
If he infiltrates Sunagakure, that entire village might simply vanish in an instant… Let's just keep things simple.
If what we need are the Tailed Beasts, then we'll extract them — that's all there needs to be. Any additional actions would be unnecessary."
"Do traitors still hold feelings for their villages?"
"If you were me, would you participate in operations meant to utterly destroy Mist Village?"
"…"
"We may be Rogue Ninjas, but we haven't sunk so low as to lose all sense of humanity."
"Just like how I am absolutely certain about who I am, only you know whether you'd go to such extremes yourself… Someone who failed a coup and turned rogue out of betrayal — who knows how deep their lingering attachment to the village might run?
That question I cannot answer; the answer lies solely within you."
People always end up painting themselves in a better light through their words. And often, the most dangerous intentions hide behind deep thinking rather than careless talk.
"Let's skip the verbal sparring; arguing is pointless anyway... The Village Hidden in the Sand isn't far ahead. What really matters now is what we do next."
Since the verbal sparring was getting them nowhere, they decided to stop.
"You're right."
After so many years, can we still infiltrate Sunagakure without a sound? Do you have such a passage?"
"Don't worry. After all, I lived in Suna for a long time. Although it was ages ago when I left the village, I must've left behind one or two spies and some trusted men.
Compared to my petty tricks, the organization's intelligence capability truly impresses me. Despite being a young organization, it easily uncovered the Jinchuriki's true identity."
Normally speaking, if we exclude the intense periods of war during which even Jinchuriki were forced into battle, each hidden village strictly guarded the identity of their Jinchuriki as an extremely secret matter. Yet for this organization called "Pain," obtaining such highly sensitive information seemed entirely obstacle-free.
Especially in Sunagakure's case; after the previous Jinchuriki died, the next Jinchuriki had never appeared publicly. His identity remained practically unknowable except to the highest ranks of the village leadership.
"The shadow clinging to the leader's side—Zetsu… gives off a very creepy vibe."
No normal person would consider Black Zetsu anything decent, especially since he no longer maintains a human form.
Through layers of blowing sand, a tall cliff emerged ahead. Hidden beyond it lay Sunagakure, one of the Five Great Ninja Villages.
Two figures vanished into this scenery that had remained unchanged for years.
Meanwhile, inside Sunagakure, no one realized what was about to happen.
...
Two hours later, in a quiet corner of Sunagakure,
Terumi Mei and Rasa blocked the path of a young figure.
"Who are you people? You definitely don't look like any ordinary Suna ninja."
Caught in an alleyway, trapped between them, the opponent naturally became extremely alert... Though youth limited her overall strength, she maintained the proper instincts and reflexes befitting a ninja.
"You're pretty sharp on your feet. Still..."
Rasa shook his head. What's the point of being mature if it doesn't help?
"We don't want any trouble. I actually enjoy how peaceful the village looks as night falls. If possible, we'd prefer not to stir things up—provided you come with us quietly."
"No matter who you are, don't think you can do whatever you please here. This is Sunagakure."
"I certainly know that."
Rasa didn't need some youngster telling him what Sunagakure was. Yet for some reason, when the girl displayed open hostility toward him, something strange stirred inside him—an indescribable feeling.
And that's exactly the kind of absurdity only a natural mother's naming decision could create.
"Even if your identity is highly classified, there will always be people around you who come to know it. The hostile way they look at you naturally makes you feel alienated. So in the end, jinchūriki tend to grow emotionally distant.
However, as long as one remains human, everyone has vulnerable parts inside.
In your case specifically, you seem to deeply care about your younger sister. Children often have innocent hearts — the little girl's name is Gaara, right?"
As he spoke, Rasa pulled his cloak and revealed from under his arm a red-haired child, who appeared unconscious.
"Therefore, what we're saying makes perfect sense...
So now you'll come with us, won't you?"
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