Hiruzen persuaded me to die

"This is impossible!"

The Fourth Kazekage rejected the demand without thinking.

If even Shukaku was taken away, Sunagakure's already unstable position would collapse entirely. After the devastating loss during the Third Great Ninja War, the village had become the weakest among the Five Great Nations.

Losing their tailed beast would mean they couldn't even defend themselves anymore!

Worse, they might be reduced to nothing more than a vassal of Konohagakure.

Even the defense of the Wind Country would have to rely on Konoha's protection.

"Shukaku has always belonged to Sunagakure!" the Fourth Kazekage said solemnly.

"Heh~"

Hyūga Naraku chuckled.

"Since ancient times? Sunagakure has existed for barely 50 years."

At the first Five Kage Summit, when Hashirama Senju distributed the Tailed Beasts, Sunagakure declined to accept any. They already possessed One-Tail and instead demanded money.

Hashirama actually paid them.

To Naraku, this was more than generous.

"What did you guys do to deserve a Tailed Beast?" he sneered.

"If that's the case, Sunagakure should return the money you got from the First Hokage."

The Fourth Kazekage's face twitched.

Pay it back? He'd have to mine the desert for gold at this point.

If they had money, would the village be in this miserable state?

"That agreement was between our First Kazekage and your First Hokage," he countered.

Naraku raised an eyebrow. "And did you uphold that agreement?"

After Hashirama's death, the peace lasted only a few years before the First Great Ninja War broke out. So much for honoring old agreements.

"Besides," Naraku said, casting a glance at the recently awakened Gaara, "Sunagakure can't even protect One-Tail."

The Akatsuki had targeted all the Tailed Beasts, and Shukaku was their first goal.

The Kazekage's heart sank. Though he hated to admit it, Naraku was right.

If Uchiha Obito came for Shukaku again, what could he do?

The massive blue giant that Obito summoned was overwhelming—its mere presence could crush morale.

Still, the Kazekage straightened his spine and declared, "In any case, Sunagakure will not hand over Shukaku!"

He would just hide it.

The Wind Country was massive. Could Obito search the entire desert?

Determined, the Kazekage raised his hand and ordered, "Sunagakure Shinobi, stop him! Guard Shukaku!"

He didn't dare order a direct attack—just get between Naraku and Gaara.

Naraku was utterly unconcerned. He calmly performed a hand seal:

"Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence!"

Whoosh!

An endless sea of trees burst from the earth and enveloped Sunagakure!

Enormous trunks shot toward the sky.

Within seconds, the entire village was buried beneath the forest.

Branches surged forward, entangling shinobi one after another!

"The trees—why are they growing so fast?!"

"It's absorbing my chakra!"

"Somebody help! Cut these branches!"

The Wood Style technique shattered the terrain and scattered the Sand Shinobi like leaves in a storm.

Soon, all of them were ensnared by chakra-draining branches.

Absorbing energy from the struggling ninja, the forest only grew more massive and unstoppable.

The Fourth Kazekage's eyes widened in disbelief.

An entire army of elite ninja… and none could escape the forest!

Even the jōnin could barely fend off the branches before collapsing from exhaustion.

Now he understood why Senju Hashirama was called the God of Shinobi.

And this wasn't even the terrifying 100-meter Wooden Golem.

Just this—Deep Forest Emergence—was enough to render numbers meaningless.

"Well then," Naraku said, controlling a clearing within the forest and flashing a faint smile at Pakura, "you may begin your revenge."

Pakura trembled slightly, then composed herself.

She finally understood why Hyūga Naraku had dared to walk into Sunagakure alone.

Even without the Wooden Golem or Tenseigan's full power, this scale of Wood Style made the entire Sand Shinobi army look like a joke.

Her eyes turned icy.

"Rasa," she said coldly, "are you prepared to die?"

"Did you even imagine this moment when you decided to send me to my death?"

All the battles she had fought for the village—her dedication—was repaid with betrayal.

She was to be handed over to Kirigakure to appease them.

Even worse, her death would be used for propaganda!

Rasa would blame it on Iwagakure to justify war and rally public sentiment!

They wouldn't just abandon her—they'd use her death!

The rage within her boiled over.

"Do you really think you can kill me?" Rasa asked, sensing Naraku had no intention of interfering.

If it was just Pakura alone, he had nothing to fear.

True, he had wronged her.

But the village needed him—the Kazekage who could suppress Shukaku—not the fallen 'hero' Pakura.

Gold dust began swirling beside him.

A massive, sharp golden spear formed behind his back.

Naraku raised an eyebrow and reached toward Rasa.

A light blue aura—Tenseigan Chakra—flared from his fingers.

A massive surge of energy was drawn from the Kazekage's body.

Whoosh!

The golden spear behind him collapsed into dust, falling harmlessly to the ground.

"W-what?!"

The Fourth Kazekage staggered backward in shock.

He'd been drained of a huge amount of chakra in an instant!

Even his Magnet Release lost control!

"That far away... and he can still pull my chakra out?"

What was that power?!

Naraku glanced down at his fingers, analyzing the Magnet Release chakra he'd absorbed.

Magnet Style was a fusion of Wind and Lightning Release—an artificial kekkei genkai engineered by Sunagakure, originally inspired by Shukaku.

Only the Third and Fourth Kazekage had mastered it.

(Though Kumogakure had their own weaker Magnet Release user, it paled in comparison.)

Naraku's fingers moved slightly, and he beckoned toward the ground.

The golden sand at his feet instantly responded—lifting into the air and swirling before him.

Infused with the Magnet Release chakra, the gold dust danced at his command.

He casually floated into the air on the cloud of sand.

"As a flight method, I suppose it's useful," he commented lightly.

"But for combat?"

He shook his head.

"…It's just average."