Naruto: Kurotsuchi Mayuri

Sunagakure.

Inside the Kazekage Building, Rasa stood by the window, watching the raging sandstorm outside. His expression was hesitant.

In the room, besides him, were his trusted Jonin, Baki, and a man wearing a Kumogakure forehead protector. The man had a cold expression, a black eyepatch covering one eye.

"Tell the Raikage that Sunagakure has no intention of continuing the war." 

After a long silence, Kazekage Rasa finally spoke, shaking his head.

"Konoha is already on the brink of collapse after fighting Kumogakure, Kirigakure, and Iwagakure. 

If Sunagakure joins forces with us now, we can completely destroy Konoha and divide its resources and supplies among us.

With those resources, Sunagakure can recover quickly. Kazekage-dono, are you sure you don't want to reconsider our proposal?"

As the envoy of Kumogakure and one of the Third Raikage's most trusted subordinates, Dodai emphasized his point after hearing Rasa's refusal.

"But Sunagakure no longer has the strength to continue fighting." Rasa's expression turned cold. He had already made his decision, and he wouldn't change it easily.

For the past two years, Sunagakure had not been able to rest or recover. 

The Shinobi World War had engulfed the entire world. 

Even though Konoha, Iwagakure, and Kirigakure had become the main players after Kumogakure and Sunagakure, the entire ninja world remained in chaos.

Rogue ninjas, samurai, and enemy shinobi infiltrating the Land of Wind caused frequent small-scale battles within Sunagakure's borders.

To secure his position as Kazekage, Rasa had eliminated many opponents over the past two years, even suppressing a rebellion. 

Right now, Sunagakure was in ruins, in desperate need of rebuilding.

Dodai's offer sounded tempting. If they could capture Konoha and claim a huge sum in war reparations, Sunagakure could indeed recover quickly. His reputation would also soar.

But all of that depended on success—on the Raikage keeping his promise after victory.

Those brutes from Kumogakure…

Their credibility in Sunagakure was almost nonexistent!

Even if they broke the agreement, could Sunagakure afford to turn against those savages?

Rasa knew very well—it was impossible!

Even with sufficient resources, it would take at least two more years for Sunagakure to recover its ninja numbers and train a new generation.

The war with Kumogakure had severely weakened Sunagakure, forcing even the reserve Genin onto the battlefield.

Now, the village's ninja were either suppressing rebellions, taking on missions, or maintaining public order. But their numbers were so depleted that they could no longer even ensure stability within the Land of Wind.

"Lord Kazekage, are we really just letting him leave?"

After sending off the Kumogakure envoy, Dodai, Jonin Baki returned to the Kazekage's office. Seeing Rasa still standing by the window, he asked in a low voice.

"Let him go. Sunagakure can't afford another war."

Rasa rubbed the corner of his eye. Though he had finally ascended to the Kazekage's seat as he had wished, only after sitting here did he realize how difficult it was to hold onto this position.

The village was in ruins. 

Replenishing manpower, taking missions, training the next generation, distributing resources, suppressing dissent, and enduring the scolding and dissatisfaction from the Daimyo and nobles of the Land of Wind—all of it left the once-proud Rasa with a face full of worry.

With the Daimyo drastically cutting Sunagakure's funding as punishment for losing the war, Rasa was even forced to use his spare time to dig for gold deep beneath the desert to cover the village's expenses.

Perhaps he would become the first Kazekage to use his Kekkei Genkai to earn money for the village?

"You have something to say?"

Noticing Baki hesitating, Rasa sighed, sat back in his seat, and took the initiative to ask.

"Do you really think an alliance with Kumogakure wouldn't succeed?"

Baki hesitated for a moment but still voiced his thoughts.

In his view, Konoha was at its weakest. Iwagakure had broken through multiple border defenses, making it seem as though their army might truly push all the way to Konoha's gates.

If Sunagakure and Kumogakure joined the assault now, there was almost no way Konoha could win.

If they could take a bite out of Konoha, then perhaps Sunagakure could escape its current predicament.

"I can't be sure," Rasa shook his head.

"Then…"

"I just don't want to gamble." Rasa unrolled a scroll, reading the information on it as he explained.

"Kumogakure and Iwagakure are strong enough, and the support they receive from their daimyo ensures they can afford to lose.

But Sunagakure cannot.

Even if Konoha loses in the end, what can we gain by joining the fight with our current strength? Nothing but becoming sacrifices. 

The benefits Raikage promised? What if he excludes us in the end? What can we do then? Start another war with Kumogakure?"

"As for Konoha, I don't believe it has reached a desperate situation yet. It still has the strongest Jinchūriki, and the Hokage himself hasn't even stepped onto the battlefield.

No matter how you look at it, they are not in dire straits. Not to mention, the Three Sannin are there, along with the Yellow Flash, Shisui of the Body Flicker, the Wicked Eye Fugaku, and Nara Kagetsu, who captured the Five-Tails Jinchūriki."

As he spoke, Rasa shook his head again, his eyes and tone filled with both admiration and jealousy toward Konoha.

Baki understood the meaning behind Rasa's words. Since Konoha still had so many powerful figures, it was clear they hadn't reached their breaking point.

For Sunagakure, which was short on manpower and still recovering from previous battles, it wasn't worth gambling away their hard-earned stability. 

If war broke out again, how much strength could they muster?

The village elders, Chiyo and her brother, had already withdrawn from the power center. 

The One-Tail Jinchūriki, Bunpuku, had passed away, and before his death, the One-Tail Shukaku had been extracted by the Kazekage and sealed into a containment vessel, waiting for its next host.

Pakura of the Scorch Release? 

Baki thought of the kunoichi who had been frequently sent out on missions ever since Rasa became Kazekage. He shook his head. She was unquestionably loyal to the village, but she had conflicts with Lord Rasa.

"You will lead the team to escort the Kumogakure envoys out," Rasa ordered. 

"Additionally, after escorting them beyond the borders of the Land of Wind, head to Konoha and leak information to the Hokage about Kumogakure's possible involvement in the war."

"Understood!" Baki bowed.

...

Land of Lightning.

Kumogakure.

A streak of lightning shot forward, colliding with a massive beast with eight tails. Despite the overwhelming difference in size, the lightning figure seemed to have the upper hand.

Moving swiftly beneath the Eight-Tails, the figure abruptly changed direction, bending like a bolt of lightning at a sharp ninety-degree angle. 

In a flash, he appeared above the beast's head. 

Amidst the blinding light and crackling thunder, a muscular man wearing a mask raised his leg high, bringing it down like an axe toward the Eight-Tails below.

****

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