Is it normal for a ninja clan to see its population and wealth grow rapidly during a war?
It's not impossible.
There are plenty of people who profit from wartime chaos.
But what if that ninja clan belongs to a village that has been at a severe disadvantage on the battlefield for a long time?
Still, a slim possibility exists.
However, Rasa had personally witnessed a member of the Beniyama clan conducting a transaction with Fuguki Suikazan. And the content of that transaction was selling out Pakura.
Under these circumstances, anyone who believed the Beniyama clan was innocent was a fool.
"Ebizo, don't you think there's a problem here?"
Ebizo hesitated.
"Lord Kazekage, what are you implying?"
Rasa stated bluntly, "With the Hidden Sand in such a dire situation, the Beniyama clan seems to be thriving. I don't believe for a second that this is purely due to good management."
"Ebizo, I need you to investigate the Beniyama clan."
Ebizo looked reluctant.
"Lord Kazekage, right now the Sand is at a critical juncture in the war. If we investigate the Beniyama clan, it might trigger internal unrest."
"That wouldn't be good for the village."
"Furthermore, the Beniyama clan had close ties with the Third Kazekage..."
Rasa waved his hand, cutting Ebizo off.
"I have received intelligence confirming that the person in this sketch has committed acts of betrayal against the village. Not investigating will bring consequences far more severe than the investigation itself."
Hearing this, Ebizo's expression instantly turned serious.
"However, your concern is valid, Ebizo. We need to avoid inciting conflict as much as possible. That is why I am assigning this investigation to you personally."
"Especially this individual."
Rasa pointed at the sketch.
"I need to know if this is the action of a few individuals within the Beniyama clan, or if the entire clan is complicit. This will determine how we deal with them later."
"As for their relationship with the Third Kazekage, don't worry about it. I will take full responsibility for everything."
Others in the Sand Village might care about the Third Kazekage.
They might worry about offending his legacy, fearing a reckoning if he were to ever return.
But Rasa didn't care.
Rasa knew perfectly well that there was zero possibility of the Third Kazekage "returning from his disappearance."
Besides, he was the current Kazekage.
To turn a blind eye to treason out of fear of a ghost?
What kind of Kazekage would he be then?
"Yes, Lord Kazekage."
With Rasa's assurance, Ebizo's worries vanished.
"By the way, Ebizo, regarding the rumors about Kagami Uchiha... push them a little harder in the shadows. We cannot allow even a sliver of possibility for reconciliation between Konoha and the Uchiha."
"Rest assured, Lord Kazekage."
Watching Ebizo leave, Rasa walked to the window and looked out at the Sand Village night.
The pale moonlight turned yellow the moment it touched the sand.
Given the current situation between the Uchiha and Konoha, Rasa wasn't actually worried about reconciliation.
It was impossible.
The Sarutobi clan had lost so many people. The Shimura clan had lost even more. Would they easily forgive the Uchiha?
And the Uchiha who fled were the radical faction. They had long been dissatisfied with Konoha. Now that they had broken free, the sky was the limit. They would never return to Konoha to accept shackles and suppression again.
The main reason Rasa wanted Ebizo to push the rumors was to earn points.
"Only a little over 300 points."
"With the outbreak of the Uchiha civil war, fewer people are paying attention to the original rumor."
"I need to find a way to bring the rumor back into the public conversation."
"Only then can I earn more points and draw more rewards."
"Only then can I improve the Sand's desperate situation."
"The Mist is dead set on destroying us. If I hadn't happened to use that trial card and stumbled upon their plan, the Sand would have suffered massive losses."
"I don't know what methods the Mist will use next."
"And now, we have internal problems in the Sand too."
Rasa felt a headache coming on.
He had exhausted himself just to solve one problem for the village, only to turn around and find another one waiting.
"Beniyama clan... I hope it's not the entire clan betraying the village for profit."
"Otherwise, I won't hesitate to create an 'Itachi of the Sand.'"
Rasa withdrew his gaze and looked at a card in his hand.
[One-Day Ninja Trial Card (Konoha Chunin Edition)]
"It's a pity this isn't a Mist Chunin card. If it were, I could create another Mist character."
"There's definitely a problem between the Hozuki clan and the Mist Village."
"If I could provoke a conflict between the Hozuki and the village, the Mist would fall into chaos. They would have to pull troops back to handle it."
"That would relieve a massive amount of pressure on the Sand."
"However, this card is still useful."
Rasa looked in the direction of the Land of Fire.
"While Ebizo pushes the rumors about Kagami Uchiha externally, I can use this card to infiltrate Konoha, gather intelligence on their current situation, and fuel the rumors from the inside."
After clearing a good chunk of his work, Rasa returned home in the middle of the night.
Temari and Kankuro were already fast asleep.
But Karura wasn't.
She was sitting at the entrance to the living room, chin resting in her hands, quietly watching the courtyard gate.
Like a painting.
Creak!
The moment Rasa pushed open the gate and walked in.
Karura's face lit up with joy, and she hurried to meet him.
"Husband."
Rasa pulled her into his arms.
"You don't need to wait up this late. You have to take care of Temari and Kankuro during the day."
Karura shook her head.
"Compared to you, Husband, my work isn't hard at all. These are just small matters. You shoulder the responsibility of the entire village—that is true hardship."
They walked to the bedroom together.
Rasa took a quick bath and changed into his pajamas.
Before long, low murmurs echoed in the room.
Rasa lay half-reclined against the headboard, Karura nestled beside him.
Soon, Karura's eyelids grew heavy, and her breathing steadied into sleep.
In the early hours of the morning, Rasa quietly got up. He leaned down, bringing his face close to Karura's cheek, and gave her a gentle kiss.
Then he left the room and went up to the third floor.
[One-Day Ninja Trial Card (Konoha Chunin Edition)]
"Use!"
Immediately, a brand new character was created by Rasa.
"Name: Gen Uchiha."
"Gender: Male."
"Age: 16."