"Owes him a favor..."
Rasa stood by the window of the medical room, repeating this sentence.
Outside the window, the dusk of Sunagakure was dyed a reddish-gold by the desert.
The wind rolled up sand grains and hit the glass, making a dense sound, like countless people whispering.
"Lord Kazekage."
"Jōnin Baki's injuries have stabilized, but the nerves in his severed arm are severely damaged. I'm afraid... it cannot be recovered."
A medical ninja stood behind Rasa, speaking timidly.
Rasa didn't turn back, just waved his hand.
The medical ninja bowed and withdrew, gently closing the door.
Only Rasa and the unconscious Baki on the hospital bed were left in the room.
"A favor..."
Rasa muttered to himself, a trace of bitterness appearing at the corner of his mouth.
He understood.
Uchiha Kaze had seen through his scheme and sent Chiyo to test Konoha. Regardless of the result, it would be beneficial to him, Rasa.
If Chiyo won, Sunagakure could gain benefits.
If Chiyo died, he could get rid of this elder who had extremely high prestige in the village and constrained him everywhere.
Either result, he was the winner.
But Uchiha Kaze told him in the most direct way: I know your scheme. You have to repay what you owe me.
"Truly... a terrifying opponent."
Rasa closed his eyes.
Not referring to strength.
Although able to easily kill Chiyo, Kaze's strength was indeed terrifying.
What was truly terrifying was that insight and control.
The opponent not only saw through his intentions but also set up a situation along the way, turning him from "the fisherman profiting" into a "debtor".
Now, the initiative was completely in Konoha's hands.
"Must go to Konoha."
Rasa opened his eyes, determination flashing within.
Show weakness, sue for peace, buy time.
Sunagakure couldn't make enemies anymore.
Before thoroughly mastering the Shukaku and cultivating a new generation capable of supporting the village, they must hide their light and bide their time.
"Someone come!"
Rasa shouted lightly.
"Lord Kazekage."
Three Anbu ninjas appeared silently in the ward, kneeling on one knee.
"Prepare a diplomatic mission; I will personally go to Konoha."
"Bring three gifts: 1. Copies of all Sunagakure's puppet technique improvement experiences within five years."
"2. Mining rights to three mineral veins at the border of the Land of Wind."
"The last one... bring Gaara along too."
Rasa said in a deep voice.
The Anbu ninjas were stunned.
The first two were easy to talk about, but bring Gaara along?
That was Sunagakure's One-Tail Jinchūriki, the village's ultimate weapon, and also the Kazekage's biological son.
"Lord Kazekage, this..."
The Anbu ninja hesitated a bit but still spoke.
"Do it."
"By the way, inform Consultant Ebizo of Consultant Chiyo's sacrifice."
"At the same time, ask him to pull himself together and manage Sunagakure's internal affairs during my trip to Konoha."
Rasa finished speaking and turned to leave the ward.
The Anbu ninjas immediately went to execute the Kazekage's orders.
Returning to the Kazekage Office, Rasa walked to the desk.
Pulling open the bottom drawer, he took out a sealed scroll.
That was the evidence of secret contact between Sunagakure and a certain figure... if it could be called evidence.
It recorded the time and location of several secret meetings.
But the other party's name remained a mystery, only knowing that he called himself "Uchiha Madara".
Rasa stared at the scroll, hesitated for a few seconds, and finally put it back in its original place and locked the drawer.
It wasn't time to show his hand yet.
Sunagakure needed time.
...
Meanwhile, outside Konoha village.
On an abandoned watchtower, a man wearing a swirling mask stood quietly.
He wore a black robe with red clouds. Through the eyehole of the mask on the right, a scarlet Sharingan gazed at Konoha village in the distance.
The evening wind blew the corner of his clothes, making a fluttering sound.
"Uchiha Kaze..."
Under the mask, Obito's voice carried a trace of complexity.
The plan was disrupted.
According to the original design, the Uchiha should have been exterminated overnight.
Itachi would become a missing-nin and join Akatsuki, Sasuke would become an avenger, and the Kyūbi Jinchūriki would grow up in hatred...
Everything would proceed according to the Eye of the Moon Plan.
But now, everything had changed.
The Uchiha not only weren't exterminated but instead controlled Konoha.
Itachi died, Fugaku died, even the Konoha higher-ups all died.
And that guy called Uchiha Kaze...
"Space-time ninjutsu, Mangekyō, and that strange pupil power..."
"Very similar to my Kamui, but more... domineering."
Uchiha Obito witnessed the battle in Rekkū Valley with his own eyes. Although it was vision shared by White Zetsu, it was still clear...
Uchiha Kaze's means of manipulating space made him feel uneasy.
That wasn't just "transferring" or "hiding", but true "control".
As if space was a toy in his hands, able to be kneaded, folded, and even... erased at will.
"Such power cannot be an enemy."
Obito made a judgment.
At least not now.
The Akatsuki organization needed time to collect Tailed Beasts, and the Eye of the Moon Plan needed to be advanced step by step.
At this critical juncture, making an enemy of a Mangekyō holder who mastered space-time ninjutsu was too unwise.
"Need to talk to him."
Obito turned around, preparing to leave.
But the moment he turned, his body suddenly stiffened.
Because not far behind him, someone was standing there at some point.
Dressed in a black robe, holding a blond boy in his arms, scarlet Mangekyō glinting with a ghostly light in the night.
Uchiha... Kaze!!
"You..."
Obito's pupils constricted sharply, and he immediately assumed a fighting stance.
He hadn't sensed the other party approaching at all!
Kamui's spatial warning didn't react either!
Even though the other party hadn't even released pupil power, he already felt the impending death.
"Oh my?"
"Runto (Leap Soil / Obito's nickname pun), are you planning to end the hide-and-seek game and return to the village?"
Kaze was also somewhat surprised.
He never thought he would meet the guy who would affect the entire ninja world in the future at this time—Uchiha Obito!
It's just that this guy's performance... somewhat disappointed Kaze.
He still appreciated that Uchiha Obito who stepped on the Five Kage Summit and announced the start of the Fourth Great Ninja War more.
"You..."
"Rustle rustle rustle..."
Having his identity exposed, Obito didn't know how to face it for a moment.
But he knew one thing: if he continued to stay here, he would definitely be killed by Uchiha Kaze in front of him!
So he directly released a large number of White Zetsu stored in the Kamui dimension, while he himself took this opportunity to enter the Kamui dimension and disappear.
"Uh... I didn't say I wanted to kill you."
"Sure enough, these Uchiha clansmen are either idiots or madmen."
"Fortunately, I am a madman."
Kaze said, feeling somewhat speechless.
Uchiha Obito, this guy, was just a bit brain-dead before; how come he is so uncivilized now?
Running to the entrance of someone's village and dumping so much trash!
Too lacking in civic mindedness!
"Lord Hokage!"
"You... what is this?"
Just then, Orochimaru appeared here.
He originally came to find Kaze, but seeing the White Zetsu all over the ground, he was immediately attracted.
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