"Kirito-kun… are we really just walking in like this?"
Orochimaru spoke with an amused smile.
The three of them hadn't concealed their presence at all. They were already approaching Sunagakure, and encountering the village's scouts was inevitable.
After all, once Rasa became the Fourth Kazekage, the first thing he did was reinforce the village's defenses.
Sunagakure might not be perfectly unified—but it was close.
Step by step.
With the disappearance of the Third Kazekage and Chiyo retreating behind the scenes, Sunagakure had become the weakest among the Five Great Villages.
If not for the delicate balance restraining all sides, it would have been dragged into war long ago.
"Chiyo is hidden, and our information is limited," Kirito replied calmly.
"No matter what we do, our identities will be exposed. So why bother hiding?"
Perhaps influenced by Conqueror's Haki, Kirito had never liked acting from the shadows.
His personality leaned more towards Blackbeard's father, Rocks D. Xebec.
And he wasn't wrong.
If they wanted to find Chiyo, avoiding attention was pointless. Even catching a random Sand ninja wouldn't necessarily reveal where she was hiding.
Swish—swish—
As they spoke, several figures appeared ahead.
Judging by the forehead protectors, they were unmistakably Sunagakure shinobi.
"Outsiders," the squad leader demanded sharply.
"Where are you from, and what business do you have with Sunagakure?"
"We've come to visit your Kazekage," Kirito replied evenly.
"There's a matter of cooperation to discuss. Please pass the message along."
His tone wasn't arrogant—only calm.
If he wanted Chiyo, the simplest way was to speak directly with Rasa.
But meeting a Kage was never easy.
"…You— You're Orochimaru?!"
Thanks to Orochimaru's unmistakable appearance, the Sand shinobi recognized him instantly.
The name of one of the Legendary Sannin needed no introduction.
"What is Konoha's traitor doing in Sunagakure?!"
The squad immediately surrounded the trio, drawing shuriken and kunai.
One ninja turned and sprinted away—clearly heading back to report.
"Hehehe…" Orochimaru chuckled.
"Thank you for remembering me. But I'm not the main character today."
He casually pointed at Kirito.
"This is my leader."
Shock flickered across the Sand captain's face.
Someone who could command a Sannin and so young?
But none of that mattered to him.
"Who leads whom is irrelevant," he said coldly.
"Leave immediately. Otherwise, I'll arrest you under the treaty between the villages."
"You've got nerve," Orochimaru hissed, his tongue sliding out lazily.
Uchiha Itachi stepped forward at once, positioning himself in front of Kirito.
Yet without Kirito's order, neither of them made a move.
The standoff dragged on.
Despite his harsh words, the Sand captain's legs were trembling. Facing Orochimaru at this distance took every ounce of his resolve.
Every village that had fought Konoha knew what Orochimaru was.
No one wanted to face that monster.
At last—
The returning scout arrived, followed by hundreds of Sand shinobi.
At their center stood a man wearing the bamboo hat reserved for Kage.
Short brown hair.
Dark rings beneath weary eyes.
A stern, restrained expression.
The Fourth Kazekage—Rasa.
Father of the One-Tail Jinchūriki, Gaara.
Kirito's gaze sharpened.
"Fourth Kazekage… Rasa?"
Rasa took in the situation at a glance, then focused on the red-haired youth at the front.
"I am Rasa," he said evenly.
"Why have you come to Sunagakure?"
"Nothing urgent," Kirito replied.
"I want to discuss a cooperation. Somewhere quiet would be ideal."
At the word cooperation, Rasa frowned.
A Sannin.
An Uchiha with blood-red eyes.
And a red-haired youth who resembled an Uzumaki.
Such a group seeking cooperation?
Suspicious didn't begin to cover it.
"Cooperation?" Rasa said coldly.
"All of you are from Konoha. What makes you think Sunagakure would listen?"
Kirito didn't react to the obvious provocation.
He simply smiled.
"What if I told you… this concerns Konoha itself?"
"…Hm?"
Rasa's eyes narrowed.
He had only just stabilized his position as Kazekage. He had no intention of provoking Konoha.
Sunagakure couldn't afford turmoil.
"I'm sorry," Rasa said firmly.
"No matter what you claim, I can't allow you into the village. Leave at once."
"…Sigh."
Kirito shook his head, helpless.
"I really wanted to solve this by talking."
"Was that too naive of me?"
The words landed like a declaration of war.
Instantly, Rasa and the Sand shinobi behind him entered full combat readiness.
This was Sunagakure.
Their home.
If they backed down here, they'd lose the pride of a Great Village.
Kirito stepped past Itachi and Orochimaru, moving forward alone.
Orochimaru retreated a few steps with obvious anticipation.
"So it's finally happening…"
"If Rasa had agreed to talk, that would've been disappointing."
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed.
He wanted to see Kirito's power again.
And now, he would.
"This should be the first time I would be using the Tremor Fruit at full power," Kirito muttered eagerly.
"Let me show you this ability that can destroy the world."
Kirito straightened.
His fists crossed before his chest.
Then...
He slammed them outward.
KRAAACK—
His fists struck the air itself.
Like glass.
The atmosphere shattered.
Invisible fractures spread outward, accompanied by a piercing, spine-grinding sound that echoed across the battlefield.
Rasa's pupils shrank.
The reason he hadn't acted yet was simple—
he didn't understand what Kirito was doing.
But now...
The white halo surrounding those fists carried a pressure that screamed annihilation.
This wasn't a normal attack.
It felt like something meant to destroy everything.
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