My Journey as Fourth Kazekage

"Who?!"

Rasa was instantly on alert, his sharp gaze sweeping the surroundings. His abrupt reaction startled Bunpuku, who stood nearby.

"Kazekage-sama, what's wrong? Did something happen?"

Rasa didn't hesitate and immediately turned to Bunpuku.

"Did you hear anything just now?"

Bunpuku looked at him in confusion before shaking his head.

"No, Kazekage-sama. I didn't hear anything."

A flicker of realization crossed Rasa's eyes. Slowly, his gaze shifted toward the towering God Tree before him. A trace of shock surfaced in his expression, yet he still sought confirmation.

"What about Shukaku?"

Bunpuku was momentarily taken aback but quickly narrowed his eyes, focusing inward as he communicated with the One-Tail.

Moments later, he opened his eyes and shook his head, his expression grave.

"Shukaku didn't hear anything either, Kazekage-sama."

"...I see."

Rasa's eyes darkened slightly as he locked onto the God Tree once more. The answer was now evident.

The voice he had just heard—there was no mistake. It had come from this very tree.

In other words, the God Tree had developed consciousness. And more than that… it was asking him for chakra?!

Rasa felt a wave of tension surge through him.

This was yet another indication that the God Tree might be deeply connected to the legendary Ten-Tails of the Ōtsutsuki Clan. But what unsettled him even more was the nature of the voice he had heard. It had been a woman's voice.

Could it be… Kaguya Ōtsutsuki?

If that was the case, then did it mean the Kama Seal on his right hand originated from Kaguya herself? Would he eventually transform into a woman, just like how Madara Uchiha had been influenced by the God Tree?!

I mean, he had no idea what it felt like to have a puss-

Absolutely not!

Rasa forcibly cut off his own ridiculous train of thought.

He exhaled slowly, his mind quickly regaining focus. The sudden change in the God Tree had caught him off guard, but at the same time, he realized something important.

This wasn't just an anomaly. This was an opportunity.

Not only could he confirm whether this God Tree was truly the Ten-Tails, but he could also investigate the connection between his Kama Seal and Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.

A gamble, yes—but one worth taking.

Even if this really was Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, what of it?

At this point in time, her true form was still sealed on the moon. There was no way she could revive on her own. If anything, she would have to rely on him.

With that thought, Rasa quickly made up his mind.

"Bunpuku-sama."

Bunpuku straightened slightly, ears perking up at the Kazekage's call.

"I'm going to inject my chakra into this God Tree. If anything unusual happens to me, separate me from it immediately."

Bunpuku furrowed his brows, uncertainty flashing across his face, but seeing Rasa's resolute expression, he nodded firmly.

"I understand. Leave it to me, Kazekage-sama."

"Good."

Only then did Rasa feel at ease.

He trusted Bunpuku completely. Betrayal was the least of his concerns.

With that resolve in mind, Rasa stepped forward, moving past the colossal statue and approaching the very heart of the seal—where the towering God Tree stood. Its trunk was so thick that it would take at least three people to wrap their arms around it.

For a brief moment, he hesitated.

Then, pressing his right palm—marked with the Kama Seal—against the tree's ancient bark, he let out a slow breath.

Logically, he didn't have to take this risk himself. He could have used an alternative chakra source, such as Shukaku, who was nearby. That would have been the safer choice. But Rasa wasn't just seeking an answer—he wanted to understand the truth behind this God Tree on a deeper level.

And so, his decision was made.

A soft glow of chakra began radiating from his palm.

As expected, the moment his chakra touched the bark, it was absorbed instantly—like a sponge greedily drinking up water.

This reaction didn't just startle Rasa; even Bunpuku, standing beside him, widened his eyes in shock.

However, as time passed, a hint of disappointment crept into Rasa's heart.

Nothing was happening.

Aside from the God Tree absorbing his chakra, there was no other reaction—no strange visions, no sudden disturbances, no immediate changes.

Just as he began to wonder if he had been overthinking things—

That same feminine voice echoed in his ears once more.

[Chakra... Chakra...]

Strangely, although the voice itself remained unchanged, Rasa could now sense something else beneath its tone—

A feeling of insufficiency.

The chakra he had given her… it wasn't enough.

Rasa furrowed his brows.

Normally, with his cautious nature, he would never continue such a risky endeavor. However, the way the God Tree absorbed his chakra felt… different. Unlike the Ten-Tails described in the legends, it didn't display any hostility or aggression.

It was gentle.

That realization convinced him to push a little further.

"You want more chakra?" Rasa narrowed his eyes, determination flashing within them. "Fine. I'll give it to you."

Let's see what you really are.

With that thought, he activated Star Release: Chakra Mode.

A powerful surge erupted from his body as a faint blue chakra cloak formed around him. His energy, no longer a mere trickle, now roared forward like a mighty river, flooding into the God Tree.

It absorbed everything.

Then—

Time stopped.

It was as if he had been caught in a genjutsu. The world around him twisted and warped, shifting uncontrollably. Space and time stretched into thin, elongated lines, spiraling into a chaotic loop.

Yet, despite this eerie sensation, Rasa felt no discomfort.

That allowed him to remain calm and collected, his mind focused on observing the changes around him.

When the distortions finally settled—

Everything was gone.

Time, space, light, sound—all of it had vanished, leaving him in an endless, dark void.

It felt like floating in a boundless starry sky, yet there were no stars.

Just a dead, infinite silence.

Even though Rasa had always been mentally strong—his identity as a transmigrator giving him an advantage in adapting to this world—this emptiness filled him with an unsettling sense of loneliness.

For the first time in a long while, he truly felt… isolated.

Just as he was about to question where he was—

A bright light flared behind him.

Instinctively, he turned around—

And witnessed something unbelievable.

Before his very eyes, a massive, glowing green Rasengan floated in the void.

"...What in the actual heck?"

Yes.

A giant, green Rasengan.

Rasa could feel it—an immense power surging within the glowing sphere, a force unlike anything he had ever encountered.

This was not chakra.

It carried a resemblance to natural energy, yet at its core, it was something entirely different.

Curious, Rasa slowly extended his hand and lightly touched the radiant sphere.

The moment his fingers made contact—

A warm, gentle energy flooded into him, brimming with immense vitality.

Rasa froze.

He hadn't even processed what was happening yet when suddenly—

The massive Rasengan began spinning faster, its rotation accelerating at an alarming rate, as if time itself had been set into motion.

And then—

It changed.

It was evolving.

The once simple sphere of energy twisted and reshaped itself, shifting into something far more complex.

As the green Rasengan spun rapidly, landmasses formed across its surface. Vast oceans followed, swirling with deep blue currents. Clouds drifted into existence, casting shadows over the terrain.

Then, as if life had been breathed into this miniature world—plants began to sprout. Lush forests, rolling fields, and towering mountains emerged in the blink of an eye.

Animals soon followed. Birds soared through the sky, while creatures of all shapes and sizes roamed the land and seas.

And finally—

Humans.

Before Rasa's very eyes, the Rasengan had transformed into a breathtaking, vibrant blue planet—alive, thriving, and teeming with existence.

At that moment, an inexplicable thought surfaced in his mind.

Could that mysterious voice just now have been the "Will of the World", the very consciousness spoken of in countless myths and legends?

The scene that followed seemed to confirm Rasa's suspicions.

On a peaceful planet where humans and animals coexisted in harmony, a meteor suddenly descended from the sky.

This sight… felt strangely familiar.

Hadn't this been how the Ōtsutsuki Clan arrived?

As expected, the meteor crashed down with an earth-shattering impact. From the center of the devastation, a towering tree began to rise—

A God Tree.

It looked eerily similar to the one Rasa had cultivated using Dragon Vein Chakra.

But the moment the tree emerged, an ominous crimson hue began to seep outward from its core—like ink spreading through the fabric of reality—slowly engulfing the entire planet.

Before long, the once-beautiful blue world was swallowed by a suffocating blood-red glow.

And then, it appeared.

A familiar sight manifested on the planet's surface—

An eye.

A terrifyingly familiar eye.

A Rinne Sharingan with nine tomoe!

Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's eye?!

With its awakening, chaos and madness erupted across the once-peaceful world.

Rasa's vision pierced beyond the surface, revealing the world's very essence.

At its core—

The warm, gentle green energy that had once nurtured life was now… tainted.

Corrupted by the Ōtsutsuki's power, it raged violently, twisting and fracturing apart.

Then—

The green energy shattered into dozens of smaller orbs, each glowing with a unique hue. Meanwhile, countless streams of energy splintered off, weaving into the atmosphere like an intricate, sprawling web.

These new energies carried an aura entirely different from the original life force.

Among them, one sphere stood out—the largest of them all.

It radiated a deep blue glow.

And from it—

Rasa finally sensed something familiar.

"Chakra…!!!"

It pulsed—wild, ominous, and chilling.

And within it—

A woman's face, contorted with malice.

"Kaguya?!"

Rasa's heart clenched.

Beyond this massive blue sphere, three other large orbs stood out—one deep red, one dark green, and one light blue.

Their energy… It felt akin to the power of the toads from Mount Myōboku.

As for the smaller orbs scattered throughout the space—each radiating a different color—one, in particular, drew Rasa's attention.

A familiar sensation pulsed from it.

"Dragon Vein Chakra…"