"Yes, Lord Kazekage."
Rasa turned to Daya. "As for the Devil Fruit you used, we'll call it the Dragon-Dragon Fruit: Triceratops Form."
"This team will be known as Sunagakure's Big Board. You and the others like you will be the village's signature shinobi. Daya, I expect you to live up to that name and keep contributing to Sunagakure."
Daya's eyes lit up. He straightened and nodded hard. "Yes, Lord Kazekage!"
Just hearing the name filled him with pride. Sunagakure's Big Board—on the same level as Mist's legendary Seven Ninja Swordsmen. A nobody jonin like him getting this kind of future was overwhelming.
"It's all thanks to Lord Kazekage's generosity," Daya thought. "I can't waste this. I'll give everything to crush every enemy of the village and protect Lord Kazekage without hesitation."
The next morning Rasa opened his eyes and saw the points had already crossed three thousand.
No hesitation.
"Thirty consecutive draws—start!"
The invisible wheel spun.
[Congratulations, Host. You have obtained an F-rank item: one tael of gold.]
...
[Congratulations, Host. You have obtained a B-rank item: Forged Suicide Note (Konoha Jonin version).]
...
[Congratulations, Host. You have obtained an A-rank item: S-rank Ninjutsu—Situational Awareness.]
[Situational Awareness]
[—Uses electromagnetic force to perceive the surrounding environment. Range scales with the user's power and chakra input. Metal objects receive enhanced detection.]
"A perception-type technique?" Rasa's interest sharpened.
His offensive options were already stacked—Electromagnetic Cannon, Arc-Moon Sand Dune, Sand Gold Thunder Cloud. Defense was covered by Sandification and Flowing Sand Shift. But perception had always been his weakest area. He usually relied on the Byakugan, yet it had range limits and burned chakra fast when kept active for long periods.
"This Situational Awareness… let's see what it can do."
He could test the other abilities later in a proper training ground. Perception, though? He could run it right here in the Kazekage Tower.
Rasa closed his eyes.
"Situational Awareness."
His senses exploded outward in every direction. One kilometer. Two. Three. Ten. Twenty. Thirty kilometers and still climbing.
He remembered Karin's Mind's Eye of Kagura had started at just a few kilometers and only reached dozens after intense training. His very first use had already hit that level—and the detail was far sharper. Same range, but vastly clearer information. A straight upgrade.
Paired with the Byakugan, nothing and no one would be able to approach him undetected.
"As for the Forged Suicide Note…" Rasa glanced at the new card. "I'll save that for the right moment. First, let's check how Konoha is handling things."
...
Konoha.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face was dark, but he moved fast. He used the same tactic he'd pulled with the fake Kakashi. If Jiraiya's disappearance was causing this much chaos, then he'd simply create another Jiraiya. Let the fake one step forward and shut the rumors down himself.
People who wanted to believe would stay loyal. Everyone else could choke on it.
Soon, under Hiruzen's orders, "Jiraiya" reappeared—not in the medical wing, but at his own house. The man sat in a wheelchair, missing one arm, with two ANBU flanking him. One pushed the chair while the other stayed on high alert.
Hiruzen had the story leaked in the busiest part of the village.
"Who said Lord Jiraiya went missing?"
"Lord Jiraiya's perfectly fine! He just went home instead of staying in the medical wing."
"You conspiracy nuts are getting on everyone's nerves. Lord Hokage would never hurt his own student!"
"Minato was Jiraiya's student, sure, but Lord Hokage is still Jiraiya's teacher. They'd never turn on each other."
Someone immediately called out the slip. "What the hell does that mean? Are you admitting the Hokage set up Minato's death?"
The speaker panicked. "Of course not! I'm just saying their bond is too strong for either of them to ever attack the other."
Hokage Tower.
Hiruzen watched the rumors finally start to die down and let out a long breath. "Thank the gods for the Transformation Technique. Without it these last two incidents would've been a nightmare to contain."
But the relief didn't last.
"This doesn't solve the root problem," he muttered. "The rumors are only quieted, not dead. Plenty of people still don't believe it—inside the village as well as outside. They're starting to doubt me. My reputation keeps slipping."
Hiruzen stared out the window, eyes cold. "Kakashi's disappearance was Danzo's fault. That bastard went after him on his own and still couldn't finish the job. Now Kakashi's alive and blaming me. With Danzo's skill, that wasn't an accident. He did it on purpose."
"And now Jiraiya…"
An ANBU appeared at the window. "Lord Hokage, we found something. Right before Lord Jiraiya vanished, Lord Orochimaru visited him in the medical wing."
"Orochimaru?" Hiruzen's mind raced to one ugly conclusion.
"Could it be Orochimaru?"
"It's very possible. Orochimaru is my student, but he's been thick with Danzo. Danzo wants me gone. Orochimaru might be helping him do it. They're in this together."
Hiruzen's voice dropped to a bitter whisper. "Orochimaru… I thought I'd treated you well as your teacher. Why would you do this to me?"