Uchiha Ran was momentarily stunned when he heard about Uchiha Mikoto's Mangekyō ability. Just as he was about to ask about the power of her right eye, a voice interrupted from outside.
"Hokage-sama, Elder Ebizo has arrived at the foot of the Hokage Building with his entourage."
An ANBU ninja knelt on one knee as he reported.
"I understand," Ran replied calmly. "Tell him to wait for a moment. I'll be there shortly."
Seeing that her son had official business to attend to, Mikoto smiled softly and returned to her room.
Ran let out a helpless breath. Being Hokage was truly no easy task. As he thought this, he walked back into his room.
He lifted the Hokage's ceremonial robe from the coat rack and draped it over his shoulders, then picked up the Hokage's hat from the desk. Pushing the door open, he stepped outside.
The moment the ANBU ninja saw him in full regalia, he immediately lowered his head, not daring to look directly at Ran. These garments represented the highest authority in Konoha.
As Ran passed by, he said lightly, "Let's go. I want to see what kind of trouble Sunagakure has come to stir up."
With that, he headed toward the Hokage Building.
Under normal circumstances, Ran wouldn't bother with such formal attire—casual clothing would have been enough. But with high-ranking officials from Sunagakure present, negotiations were unavoidable, and negotiations required formality.
---
At the base of the Hokage Building, Ebizo stood together with Baki.
Seeing that Ebizo was advanced in years and shouldn't be standing for too long, Baki had gone to a nearby shop and bought a small stool. Ebizo didn't mind that it was old and worn, and calmly sat down.
Passing villagers couldn't help but steal a few glances. It was rare to see high-ranking figures from Sunagakure in Konoha. More importantly, this official looked unexpectedly approachable—he didn't even mind sitting on a common stool.
Ebizo smiled and waved gently at the villagers. In their eyes, he looked like nothing more than a kind, elderly man.
But those who knew his history understood that he was anything but harmless.
During the Second Great Ninja War, the Sand forces under his command had annihilated two thousand Konoha ninja with only three thousand troops, suffering merely five hundred casualties before retreating intact.
He didn't rely on brute force or numbers, but on strategy.
Ebizo believed in never fighting a battle without certainty, and always thinking three steps ahead for every move taken. Any commander incapable of that, in his eyes, was mediocre—Rasa included.
If not for the fact that Rasa possessed Magnet Release, and that his gold dust could greatly ease Sunagakure's chronic financial problems…
Ebizo would never have supported someone who leaked intelligence to Kirigakure in order to eliminate political rivals and secure the Kazekage position.
The death of the Scorch Release ninja Pakura was riddled with inconsistencies. Rasa's grief had been convincing on the surface, but to Ebizo and Chiyo, his acting was clumsy and transparent.
Still, for the sake of Sunagakure's stability, neither of them exposed the truth. Instead, they publicly supported him during the Kazekage succession.
That was how Rasa—arguably the weakest among Kage-level figures—ascended to the position.
Thinking of this, Ebizo slowly closed his eyes.
He wasn't questioning whether his decision back then had been wrong. He was weighing something else entirely.
Was Rasa still worth the price Sunagakure would have to pay to bring him back?
And if Rasa couldn't return… who could take his place as the Fifth Kazekage?
He and Chiyo were already too old. The future belonged to the younger generation.
Yet no matter how he searched his memories, he couldn't find a single candidate capable of uniting the village and shouldering that responsibility.
Just then, a sudden wave of cheers erupted from the crowd.
"It's Hokage-sama!"
"The Fifth Hokage—Uchiha Ran!"
"Hokage-sama is so handsome!"
Ran smiled and raised a hand in greeting, responding to the villagers' enthusiasm. At the same time, his gaze locked onto the elderly man seated on the small stool.
That posture… it could only be Ebizo, one of Sunagakure's two great elders.
Hearing the commotion, Ebizo opened his eyes. A sharp glint flashed through their cloudy depths, and a faint battle intent stirred.
So this is Uchiha Ran… the man who defeated my sister, he thought. His presence is deep and unfathomable. I can't see through him at all.
Beside him, Baki looked on with unconcealed envy. He hadn't expected this newly appointed Hokage to be so beloved by the people.
This kind of popularity couldn't be faked.
Their opponent in today's negotiations would not be simple.
Ran approached Ebizo directly.
"Elder Ebizo," he said with a polite smile, "what brings you all this way? The distance between Sunagakure and Konoha isn't exactly short."
Ebizo stood up and returned the smile.
"I've long heard that Konoha's new Hokage is both powerful and meticulous. Since we're all intelligent people, let's speak plainly."
At that, Ran's smile faded slightly.
"In that case, Elder Ebizo, please come with me. Since we're discussing business, the office would be more appropriate."
He glanced around the street.
"There are too many ears here. If certain words are overheard, it may not be something that can be resolved quietly."
Ebizo nodded. Some matters were never meant to be discussed in public.
After all, his purpose here was clear—to reclaim Rasa.
Even if Rasa's leadership was mediocre and his combat power unimpressive, his ability to generate wealth was undeniable.
Money was the backbone of a village's strength.
Under Rasa's rule, Sunagakure's economy had improved significantly. Their financial situation—especially regarding resources—was the best it had been in years.
"Then please lead the way, Hokage-sama," Ebizo said humbly.
After all, when one stood on another's territory, humility was unavoidable.
"This way," Ran replied, turning and entering the Hokage Building.
---
The building was now under heavy guard.
Sentries stood at every interval, and ANBU were stationed everywhere. After what had happened the previous night, their morale was sky-high.
Each of them stood straight, eyes sharp and vigilant, their gazes fixed firmly on Ebizo's group.
Baki felt a chill crawl up his spine.
These ANBU were far stronger than Sunagakure's elite. Their eyes—cold, steady, merciless—were the eyes of people who had clawed their way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood.
Ebizo, however, was unfazed.
Over the years, the number of ninja who had died because of his strategies numbered in the thousands—if not more.
Soon, they arrived at the office entrance.
The ANBU guarding the door immediately pushed it open and stepped aside.
The moment the doors opened, the officials inside—who had been loudly bragging about family profits or recent promotions—fell silent.
One by one, they stood up and turned toward the entrance.
Ran walked in expressionlessly, strode straight to the Hokage's seat, and tossed the documents in his hand onto the desk.
Then he sat down, crossed one leg over the other, swept his gaze across the room, and spoke calmly:
"Sit."
He paused briefly, then added,
"Everyone—sit down and talk."
------
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