Nobunaga looked in that direction for a long time.
He knew someone would come looking for him tonight.
After the meeting adjourned, Nobunaga returned to the Anbu office.
He sat down and began reviewing the intelligence reports that had just been delivered.
One, two, three. He flipped through them one by one, his fingers moving across the pages.
Konoha had won. Kumogakure was crippled, and Iwagakure was crippled as well.
Those two Villages wouldn't be able to recover within ten years.
And Konoha likely wouldn't give them ten years.
Konoha's White Fang was still at the border of the Hidden Sand Village.
One man, one short blade, waiting.
The door was pushed open.
Nobunaga looked up.
Rasa stood at the doorway.
He walked in and sat down across from Nobunaga. Silence fell for a while.
The light from the oil lamp fell between the two of them.
Rasa didn't speak. He just sat there, looking at the oil lamp on the desk.
Nobunaga didn't speak either. He waited.
"The Sandaime is missing," Rasa finally spoke.
Nobunaga nodded. "I know."
"The Village needs someone to manage the Anbu."
Nobunaga remained silent.
He looked at Rasa's face—the same face that had just announced "I shall succeed the position" in the meeting room—and saw an exhaustion in his eyes that seemed weighed down by something.
"You do it," Rasa said.
Nobunaga nodded.
"Alright."
Rasa looked at him.
"Do you know what the current situation is?" Rasa asked.
Nobunaga raised his eyes.
"I do."
He said, "The Sandaime is missing, and the Village is leaderless. Kumogakure and Iwagakure have been crippled and are struggling to look after themselves. The Hidden Mist is still in isolation. Konoha has withdrawn its troops. But Konoha's White Fang is still at the border."
Rasa didn't speak.
"He has been there alone, guarding for a year," Nobunaga said.
"Guarding?"
"Yes, guarding."
Nobunaga said, "Konoha won, but they are also tired. They've fought for a year and lost many people; they pulled back their fist just to catch their breath."
Nobunaga stood up and walked to the window.
His heart was filled with a sense of helplessness.
"Now is not a good time, but it is when Konoha is at its weakest.
They've just finished two major wars. A batch of Jonin died, and a batch of Chunin died. Their resources are exhausted, and their people are weary."
He turned around and looked at Rasa.
"Now is an opportunity—the last opportunity."
Rasa was silent for a while.
"You want to move against Konoha?" he asked.
"Yes."
"While they haven't recovered yet?"
"Yes."
Rasa fell silent.
The wind outside blew, making the window rattle softly.
Nobunaga said, "The best time would have been a year ago. But now Konoha has crippled Kumogakure and Iwagakure, and they've exhausted themselves in the process. If we don't bite now, once they recover, we'll be next."
Rasa looked at him.
"Can we even land a bite?"
Nobunaga looked at him. "We can't bite them to death. But we only need to take one bite."
"Take one bite?"
"Yes."
Nobunaga said, "As long as we are the first to move, other nations will follow. Kumogakure and Iwagakure are crippled, but they still have one breath left.
The Hidden Mist has its doors closed, but they've been keeping an eye on the outside. They are all waiting for the first person to strike."
He walked to the window.
"We can be that person."
Rasa was silent. He looked at Nobunaga.
"Do you know what this is?" he asked.
"I do. It's a gamble," Nobunaga said.
"What happens if we lose the gamble?"
Nobunaga said indifferently, "The Hidden Sand Village might vanish from the map, and you and I will be the worst Kazekage and Anbu Commander in the history of the Hidden Sand Village."
Rasa fell silent.
"Then why do you still want to gamble?"
Nobunaga looked at him.
"Because if we don't gamble, we'll vanish anyway. It's only a matter of time."
Rasa looked at him. "Aren't you afraid of death?"
Nobunaga raised his eyes. "I am."
Rasa fell silent.
For a long time.
Then he said:
"I am too."
That was the Fourth Kazekage admitting for the first time that he was afraid.
It wasn't weakness, it wasn't terror; it was an admission—
An admission that he was also human and could feel fear. An admission that he held this position not because he was stronger than everyone else, but because he promised to carry the burden for everyone.
"It's right to be afraid," Nobunaga said.
Rasa looked at him. "Only those who are afraid know what they are carrying. Those who aren't afraid stopped caring long ago."
Nobunaga was silent for a moment, then he nodded.
Rasa patted Nobunaga on the shoulder, stood up, and walked out.
When he reached the door, he stopped. The light from the oil lamp shone from behind him, casting a long shadow on the ground.
"Nobunaga."
"Yeah."
"If..." He didn't turn back. "I'm leaving them in your care."
"I know," Nobunaga said.
Rasa pushed open the door and stepped into the night.
The door closed.
The flame of the oil lamp flickered and then steadied.
Nobunaga lowered his head and looked at the map on the desk.
Borders, troop strength, supplies, intelligence.
From tomorrow onward, these things would all weigh on his shoulders.
He thought of the word he had just said: "Alright."
That wasn't just a word; it was a promise.
To himself, to Rasa, and to those three children.
To this Village that was about to be pushed to the edge.
The wind blew outside, and the sand rustled softly.
The moonlight shone in, falling on his face.
He suddenly remembered the question Temari had asked him.
"Will you always be here?"
...
The inauguration ceremony for the Fourth Kazekage was set for three days later.
Nobunaga stood in the crowd, watching the man walk up to the high platform step by step. The sunlight shone on the sand, making every grain of sand glisten.
The wind blew from afar, carrying the scent of grit, making the newly hung Kazekage flag flutter loudly.
Rasa wore the white Kazekage robes and stood in the center of the high platform.
His back was very straight, just as straight as it had been that night in the meeting room when he stood up and said, "I shall succeed the position."
Chiyo stood below the platform, her face devoid of any expression.
Several elders stood behind her, also in silence. Anbu members were scattered throughout the crowd.
No one cheered. No one clapped.
There was only the wind, the sand, and the sound of that flag.
Rasa spoke.
His voice wasn't loud, but everyone could hear him.
"The Sandaime is missing, his fate unknown."
It was very quiet below the platform.
"Some say Konoha did it, some say Kumogakure did it, and some say the Hidden Mist did it to frame Konoha."
His gaze swept across the crowd. "It doesn't matter who did it."
Someone looked up at him.
Rasa said, "What matters is that they made a move. They thought that by killing the Sandaime, Sunagakure would fall."
He paused for a moment.
"They were wrong."
Nobunaga stood in the crowd, looking at the man.
The sunlight shone on his face, making the fine lines at the corners of his eyes very clear, but there was a light in his eyes.
"I succeed as the Fourth Kazekage."
Rasa said, "The first thing—"
His voice deepened.
"Is to declare war on Konoha."
The crowd was silent for an instant.
Then, like a drop of water falling into a hot pan of oil, it exploded into an uproar.
"Declare war?"
"Is he crazy?"
"How could we possibly defeat Konoha?"
Nobunaga didn't speak. He just looked at Rasa.
Rasa stood there, motionless, letting those voices scrape past his ears.