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[NTU] [ARC-15] Chapter : 197
🕑 Added 2024-10-31 16:34:38 +0000 UTCIn the Kazekage's office, Rasa’s expression grew grim as he reviewed the report in his hands.
This time, his enemies had truly overplayed their hand. The moment news of his "assassination" spread, nearly every faction within Sunagakure made a move. Some leapt in to "stabilize" the situation; others scrambled for power, each eyeing their chance for a strategic rise.
"That woman, Pakura... she's incited a real storm,” he muttered, envisioning the bloodshed soon to follow.
His gaze shifted to a specific piece of intelligence—delivered by one of Pakura’s loyal disciples, just as he was wrapping up for the day. He was grateful he hadn't dismissed the young ninja’s message as unimportant. At least some of Pakura’s friends and students would not be caught in the ensuing chaos.
If not for the early warning, he doubted Pakura would have risked sending a disciple to him. Even with the heads-up, the situation tonight had been dangerously close.
Thanks to his usual precautions and quick response, he had managed to survive. But he knew this confrontation had forced a decisive split between him and "those people." A final reckoning seemed inevitable now—one that would only end in lots of blood flowing.
Just then, a rhythmic knocking echoed through the room.
"Lord Kazekage, all rebel factions have been subdued. Those who resisted have been dealt with on the spot by our forces,” Yashamaru reported firmly as he knelt, detailing the night's operations.
Before leaving, Yashamaru reminded Rasa, "The assassin remains at large. Should we deploy ANBU to pursue Pakura?"
At the mention of Pakura, Rasa’s first instinct was to order her immediate capture, but he held back, regaining his composure.
"No need," he replied firmly. "Tonight, our priority is to stabilize the village. As for Pakura..."
Though he had the resources to track her, abandoning security in the village would be unwise given the current unrest. Instead, he ordered, "Raise her threat level to S-class. Also, monitor those factions closely and inform our border garrisons and front-line troops to stay on high alert."
It was unclear whether his caution was directed at Pakura, the other faction leaders who had openly defied him, or their loyal followers.
"Take a group of trustworthy people and head to the front lines tonight. We cannot afford any disruption there," ordered Rasa, emphasizing the need for reliable troops.
"Understood! I’ll see to it personally!" Yashamaru responded. He was grateful for the Kazekage's trust in him, though a part of him harbored concerns for the future of Sunagakure.
But with a glance at Rasa seated resolutely in the Kazekage's chair, Yashamaru dismissed these worries. Such burdens, after all, were for the Kazekage to bear.
—
"So, your so-called revenge is to use yourself as bait to force the Sunagakure’s upper ranks to tear each other apart? To set them against each other, like dogs fighting over scraps?"
In the backyard of the small shop, Amika's voice carried a note of disbelief.
She wasn’t alone in her shock; even Toshiro looked at Pakura with a mix of admiration and uncertainty, unsure of how to react to her drastic plan.
"But won’t this lead to countless unnecessary deaths among the village’s ninjas due to this power struggle?" Amika asked, hesitating. "And if the leadership falls into chaos, it might even open the door for other villages to attack. Isn’t that..."
Although Amika wasn’t especially powerful, she was still a ninja raised in Sunagakure, and her instincts leaned toward protecting the village from turmoil.
“Amika, you must understand,” Pakura began, “that with the limited resources of Sunagakure, many of our ninjas cluster together out of necessity. This has only fostered a strong sense of factionalism.”
She paused, her tone steely. “These groups don’t come together for the village’s safety; they do it to seize whatever limited resources are left for themselves.”
“The unrest in the leadership and within the village is only temporary. Once the power struggle settles, it will pave the way for a new future for the village!”
At this, a glimmer of hope flickered across Pakura’s face, as if she could already see a unified Sunagakure, standing together and fighting for a brighter future.
“…A fanciful dream,” Toshiro murmured.
He knew her loyalty to the village ran deep, but after the betrayal, he hadn’t expected her to attempt something so idealistic.
“Have you considered what happens if Rasa can’t control the situation?” he pressed. “The leadership struggle is ruthless, and one misstep could see him killed by his own opposition.”
“Then, we get a new Kazekage,” Pakura replied without hesitation, her resolve unwavering.
"Whatever the outcome of their power struggle, the eventual victor will have the full support of Sunagakure," Pakura said firmly. "When that day comes, the village will be united—no more isolated factions, no more betrayals like mine."
Pakura wasn’t one to hold grudges. Since her betrayal, she had reflected deeply, trying to understand why the village was so divided. The crux, she realized, was rooted in Sunagakure's struggling economy, which led to favoritism among the leadership and worsened factionalism.
While she knew she couldn’t solve the economic issues alone, the factionalism at the top was something she could challenge head-on.
So, Pakura orchestrated this conflict to force the village’s leaders into a reckoning.
"I still think... this approach endangers the future of the village!" Amika said, still troubled. Though Pakura's motives had some merit, Amika feared that such infighting could severely harm the village.
"Could it really end up worse than it is now?" Pakura retorted, unimpressed by Amika's hesitation.
No matter how the village struggled, it remained one of the Five Great Nations, wielding enough power to recover with time. Moreover, Pakura had made careful preparations to ensure things wouldn't spiral beyond control.
The reason Rasa received the warning in time was due to Pakura’s initiative—she’d sent her disciple to deliver the message.
Of course, if Rasa hadn’t taken the warning seriously or handled it incorrectly, any consequences of a night attack, including his death, would have been on him. But from the look of things, with the list she provided, Rasa had managed to contain the situation, and now he only needed to fend off the upper-level officials’ countermeasures.
If he failed and was replaced, it would merely mean that his successor was more fit to lead as Kazekage, a result Pakura would be content with.
"Fine, do what you want," Amika sighed. Her friend had always been decisive, and with the plan already set in motion, there was little she could do—especially now that she was no longer a Sand Ninja.
Rather than dwelling on irrelevant matters, it was far more intriguing to consider the relationship between that other individual and the handsome guy standing nearby—a topic far more interesting and relevant.
"Oh no! My shop!"
Just as Amika was about to investigate the connection between the man who had dared to get close to her and Pakura, her attention finally shifted to her small shop. She let out a horrified scream.
"How could they! How could those scoundrels and the ANBU do this!"
Although she’d long suspected her shop might take some damage this time, seeing the state of the front yard still hit hard.
"I spent my last savings to buy it."
This small shop was her pride and joy, the fruit of her hard work, something she’d hoped would sustain her in the future. But now, with it in ruins, what was she supposed to do?
Entering the hotel’s front yard, she took in what had once been a cozy desert retreat: tapestries, decorative bottles and jars, solid stone walls, narrow windows, and intricately carved wooden doors.
Now, however, the ornate decor lay in tatters, tapestries blackened with soot, bottles and jars shattered into pieces scattered across the floor.
At the end of the living room hallway, the fractured walls and shattered ceiling bore stark evidence of the battle's ferocity. Charred black paint marred the walls, while broken windows allowed gusts of wind and sand to whistle through the shards of glass.
In the center of the living room, the once-thick and orderly carpet looked as if it had been slashed by a sharp blade. A large pool of blood, still damp, spread across it, filling the room with a metallic tang.
"I'm sorry; they must have followed me here."
Seeing her friend’s inn in such ruin, Pakura hadn’t anticipated this outcome and felt a pang of remorse. She had only picked a random direction to shake off her pursuers, only to inadvertently lead them right into Amika's shop—and into Toshiro, as well.
"Forget it~"
“It’s not your fault!”
“I’m just so happy to see you again!”
At this point, Amika had nothing left to complain about. Thankfully, she had crafted all the decor in this little shop herself, so restoring it wouldn’t be too costly.
It was just decoration, after all—easily fixable for a ninja!
“These are minor things. But you…”
Amika glanced at Pakura and then at Toshiro, who had been quietly observing.
