Sky Village, just outside the Ancor Vantian Base.
Rasa stood high above the ruins, supported by a drifting cloud of fine gold dust. He had just finished absorbing the chakra of the Zero-Tails.
And how should he describe it?
To be honest, the Zero-Tails had turned out to be far weaker than expected. Its chakra reserves were underwhelming, not even enough to form a single chakra fruit, which left Rasa a little disappointed.
Still, the effort hadn't been wasted. As a creature born from dark chakra, a living embodiment of the malice within human hearts, the Zero-Tails left behind a unique gift. Upon absorbing it, Rasa unexpectedly acquired a rather curious ability, the power to perceive malice in others.
It was a sensory enhancement unlike any other. Now, wherever he looked, he could instinctively detect the ill intent of those around him, even if they masked it well. Though not overpowering, this new perception was undoubtedly valuable.
However, with the Zero-Tails gone, the Ancor fortress, once sustained by the dark chakra, lost the force that had kept it suspended in the air. The massive structure came crashing down, slamming into the ground below.
Even so, Rasa had no intention of leaving it behind. Whether as a relic of Sky Village's peculiar engineering or a monument worth preserving, the fortress held significant value.
Roughly an hour passed. The muffled sounds of battle still echoed from within the collapsed structure when six members of the Covert Tactical Unit arrived before Rasa, having completed their mission to secure the area.
Leading them were Sand Lizard and Sand Hawk.
"Kazekage-sama, the rebel elements within Sky Village have been eliminated. The remaining shinobi have expressed their willingness to join Sunagakure. We also discovered several imprisoned civilians whose energy had been drained. Those who wished to leave were released, and the rest have agreed to integrate into our village."
"Good work. You've done well."
As Rasa spoke, he pulled a scroll from within his robes and tossed it toward the two squad leaders. They caught it in brief confusion, but as Rasa explained, their faces lit up with excitement.
"This is a Reverse Summoning Seal developed by Honoka. You two will each take a pair of subordinates and head to Forgotten Island. Set up the seal exactly as instructed. While you're there, feel free to tame the summoning beasts you've had your eyes on."
Sand Lizard and Sand Hawk could hardly contain their joy. It had been nearly six months since they'd last visited Forgotten Island. They had long dreamed of forming contracts with the beasts they had chosen, but without Rasa's approval, they hadn't dared act. Now, this sudden opportunity felt like a reward beyond expectation.
"Ha! Thank you, Kazekage-sama!"
"Mm. Have the other two escort the civilians back to the village and place them under Baki's care."
"Understood, Kazekage-sama!"
As the six shinobi dispersed to carry out their orders, gold dust surged up from beneath Rasa's feet once more. In moments, it expanded into a massive, glowing cloud that cradled the fallen Ancor Vantian (Fortress of the Empire). With practiced ease, Rasa lifted the entire structure into the air and began guiding it slowly back toward Sunagakure.
---
In just over two days, Rasa arrived at Dragon Oasis, towing behind him the massive Ancor Vantian, its bulk so vast it cast a shadow over the sky. Fortunately, due to the vast, uninhabited terrain of the Land of Wind, he had avoided passing over any major settlements, sparing the population from confusion or panic.
Ever since Saiken, the Six-Tails, agreed to Rasa's invitation and took up residence in Dragon Oasis, Rasa had divided the area into five distinct zones. His goal was to keep civilians at a safe distance and ensure the Tailed Beasts could live in peace without disturbance.
At the heart of it all lay the central zone, spanning a radius of three kilometers. This was the core of Dragon Oasis. Surrounding it were the eastern, southern, western, and northern zones, each designated for specific purposes.
The eastern zone had been transformed into a habitat for Tailed Beasts. Currently, Bunpuku, the Jinchūriki of the One-Tail, and Saiken reside there. Following the incident where Shukaku personally persuaded Saiken to stay, Rasa decided to thank the One-Tail in a meaningful way.
He removed the seal that had kept Shukaku forcibly restrained inside Bunpuku. Though Shukaku still lived within Bunpuku's body, it was now free to move at will, a sign of genuine reconciliation and trust between host and beast.
The northern zone served as the residential area for Chiyo, Ebizō, and Pakura. Meanwhile, Rasa had plans for the western zone, intending to develop it into Sunagakure's future trial grounds and a key point of access to the Forgotten Island.
As for the southern zone, Rasa initially planned to build a lake to add some beauty and depth to the otherwise plain landscape. But with the sudden addition of the Ancor Vantian, the scenery would be anything but plain. The colossal structure now promised to become the southern zone's most striking landmark.
The fortress's arrival didn't cause alarm, far from it. The golden cloud beneath it, unmistakably crafted from Rasa's gold dust, assured everyone it was under his control. But while no one panicked, the curiosity spreading through Dragon Oasis was palpable.
"What is this?"
As Rasa descended from the sky, Pakura and the others quickly gathered to question him.
"This is a mobile base constructed by Sky Village after they were destroyed by Konoha."
Rasa explained.
"They called it the Ancor Vantian, the Fortress of the Empire. I went out specifically to deal with it. Not bad, right? I plan to install it in the southern zone as a permanent feature, something of a scenic landmark."
"It's truly magnificent," Chiyo commented with rare admiration.
Structurally, the Ancor Vantian was indeed vast. But compared to the sheer scale of Dragon Oasis, it was relatively compact, spanning only four to five hundred meters in diameter.
"Come with me."
Without wasting any time, Rasa directed the fortress toward the southern zone. Those gathered stepped onto the golden cloud he had created, following closely behind him without hesitation.
And then—
"Earth Style: Artificial Lake Creation Technique!"
With Rasa's current mastery of Earth Style, there was no need for blueprints, diagrams, or preparation. He simply willed the landscape into form.
As the ground caved in beneath them, a vast crater took shape, spanning nearly three kilometers in diameter and plunging seven to eight meters deep at its center. It formed instantly, a result of Rasa's precise Earth Style control. Without pause, he guided the massive Ancor Vantian into position, angling it toward Sunagakure for visibility and strategic alignment.
Next, with another gesture, he compressed the loose sand around the crater, shaping it into massive slabs of stone that resembled a paved plaza. At the same time, countless trees sprouted from the surrounding land, rapidly forming a natural barrier around the lake and the fortress. In only a few moments, thanks to his command of Sage Energy, Rasa had transformed the barren zone into a lush, balanced, artificial ecosystem, both beautiful and practical.
All that remained was to fill the lake.
"Water Style: Waterfall Basin Technique!"
With a surge of chakra, Rasa summoned a cascade of fresh water that poured into the artificial basin, quickly filling it. Though groundwater existed beneath the surface, he had intentionally avoided tapping into it, not wanting to disturb the water table that still supplied Sunagakure, many kilometers away. The Ryūsasha River's seawater had only been a temporary solution to enable maritime trade. Once affairs in the Land of Rain were settled, the plan was to divert a clean river from that region into the Ryūsasha, thereby replacing the saltwater with drinkable freshwater for long-term use.
As the transformation unfolded before their eyes, those standing near Rasa could only watch in awe, struck speechless by his staggering control over earth, water, and nature itself. It was nothing short of godlike.
"By the way," Rasa said, his tone casual despite the marvel he'd just created, "when you have free time, feel free to explore the interior. The Ancor Vantian still contains much of Sky Village's remaining technology, including a chakra energy cannon. With enough chakra, it can destroy an entire mountain in one shot."
"!!!"
Everyone's expressions shifted from wonder to alarm.
"And that's exactly why I didn't place it inside the village."
Now it made perfect sense. A weapon of that magnitude was too dangerous. If such technology ever fell into the hands of another hidden village, it could tip the balance of power in devastating ways.
"Elder Pakura, placing full authority over this location in your hands. From now on, no one aside from those present here may enter without your direct approval."
Pakura gave a firm nod, her expression serious. She understood exactly what this responsibility meant. This wasn't just about guarding a fortress, it was about guarding the future of Sunagakure.
It was Michikawa who noticed the subtle implication behind Rasa's words.
"Kazekage-sama, does that mean in the future... others from the village might also be allowed to come here?"