Chapter 65: Sunagakure.

"Really!" "I knew the death of Konoha's White Fang wasn't that simple... using his head to appease Chiyo of Sunagakure?" "That move eliminates internal threats and pacifies external enemies. A masterstroke." "It's a shame something like this can't be brought to light. If the Konoha shinobi ever find out..." Zenkichi looked at the report in his hand, a playful smile tugging at his lips. He was already considering the terms he'd offer Sunagakure. "Send a message to Sunagakure." "Send me the so-called hero of the Hidden Sand, the Burning Release kunoichi—Pakura" "Tell them we want to burn her alive." "This is the price Chiyo should pay for trying to use me." "If they refuse, I'll pay Sunagakure a visit myself." Zenkichi smiled faintly, speaking as though it was of no consequence. The Third Mizukage thought: The Burning Release user Pakura of the Hidden Sand? She's a rising star in Sunagakure... Would they really give her up? Zenkichi responded with certainty, "They'll agree." "Tell them they don't need to get their hands dirty." "Just use a confidential mission as a pretext to lure her out." "They were involved in the White Fang's death—they know this method well." "Besides..." "The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, will help us." A sneer curled on Zenkichi's lips, his tone laced with mockery. Pakura wasn't part of the Kazekage bloodline, yet her strength and prestige rivaled it. Could someone like Rasa truly tolerate her presence? This had already been hinted at in the original events. Zenkichi thought to himself: Kumogakure and Iwagakure... these two villages are relatively united. Typical methods of sowing discord won't work. Forget it. Just request some supplies from them. The Third Mizukage asked, "Sunagakure's terms are set. What about the other three major shinobi villages?" To them, Zenkichi's proposal was a generous offer—it gave Sunagakure a way out and a reason to get rid of Pakura. In other words, the top brass of Sunagakure feared the power of the Burning Release and sought to eliminate her. Their public justification simply didn't hold water. These were villages that had clashed to the point of killing each other's leaders. How deep was that hatred? Even in history, the Second Mizukage and Second Tsuchikage died in battle with each other. If these villages were truly separated by vast distances, how did such battles even happen? If distance were a true barrier, then Kirigakure and Iwagakure wouldn't have clashed in previous wars. In reality, the Land of Water and the Land of Earth are separated by sea, but are geographically closer than the Land of Water and the Land of Wind. Even though a continent lies between Kirigakure and Iwagakure, this is a globe—the world of Naruto is round. A look at the ninja world map reveals that even a sneak attack from Kirigakure could reach Iwagakure. The excuse given by Sunagakure was that they feared a surprise attack from Kirigakure while fighting Iwagakure. And so, Pakura was betrayed by her own superiors, sent to Kirigakure under false pretenses—and executed. "Sunagakure is so poor they'd rather sacrifice a shinobi than pay for resources. That's unlike Iwagakure and Kumogakure—both wealthy villages." In the chaotic world of shinobi, those two villages stood out—relatively stable, with little internal conflict. That very stability allowed them to grow and eventually rival Konoha. Throughout the Naruto series, Kumogakure never produced a major missing-nin. No other village can claim that. While Iwagakure gave rise to Deidara, he didn't defect willingly—he was coerced by the Akatsuki. Initially, like Roshi , he simply left the village. Neither had scratched-out headbands at the time. Still, it didn't mean these villages had no problems—they were just harder to exploit. And Zenkichi didn't yet have the leverage to do so. --- The Land of Rain — Sunagakure's Forward Base Ebizo, overseeing operations here, received word of Chiyo's death at the hands of Zenkichi. His expression darkened. "Sister..." "Zenkichi—I'll kill you for this!" He gritted his teeth, killing intent surging from his body. His bond with Chiyo ran deep—not just siblings by blood, but comrades in arms for decades. Upon hearing she had been killed by Zenkichi, Ebizo flew into a rage. In contrast, Rasa—the newly appointed Fourth Kazekage—reacted quite differently. Though now the leader of the village, real power remained with Chiyo and Ebizo. That had long infuriated him. Despite acknowledging Chiyo's combat prowess, Rasa couldn't help but feel relief at her demise. He bore the same ruthless confidence as Danzo. He believed that consolidating power in his own hands would be best for the village. --- "You want me to hand over Pakura to die?" Rasa looked at the message from Kirigakure, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Two birds, one stone. He was tempted to send Kirigakure a thank-you gift. Yes, the village would lose two shinobi of Kage-level strength. But Rasa didn't think it was a major loss. Powerful shinobi were important—but a unified village that obeyed him? Far more valuable. Sunagakure's barren terrain meant few dared to invade. External enemies weren't the real danger—internal division was. If Chiyo and Pakura weren't dealt with carefully, the result could be civil war. That risk was far greater than the loss of two elite shinobi. Kage-level power could be cultivated again. But a village torn apart might never recover. After all, a strong fortress often crumbles from within. --- "Zenkichi of Kirigakure... I won't forget you." "If the seal could destroy you..." A cold sneer curved on Rasa's face. --- Don't be shy, Send those Powerstones! (⁠◕⁠ᴗ⁠◕⁠✿⁠)