The Landlord's Household Has No Grain Left

The war was still ongoing.

However, for various reasons, along with problems such as the hot weather, the frequency of the battles had gradually begun to decrease during this period.

Every few days, though, the Grass Ninja and Stone Ninja would send out ninja forces to attack the defensive line they were stationed at, so the Sand Ninja could only helplessly respond to the battles.

Every ninja knew...

Kusagakure and Iwagakure were both waiting for an opportunity—one that could change the course of the war!

Otherwise, if this stalemate continued... they would have no choice but to withdraw in dejection.

After all, mobilizing armies on a large scale, combined with the harsh environment of the Land of Wind, consumed a great deal of resources from every ninja village.

Of course, Rasa clearly understood that it was only the summer of Konoha's forty-second year. The Third Great Shinobi War would not end so easily, especially now...

Most of the ninja villages had yet to enter the war!

Once most of the ninja villages across the shinobi world entered the war, the true Great Shinobi War would begin.

For now...

Even the first half of the war could not be considered to have begun.

"Will this ever end?"

Rasa sighed as he watched the Grass Ninja and Stone Ninja retreat once again.

Although this stalemate was highly beneficial to Sunagakure, constantly running around under the scorching weather still left him utterly exhausted.

Of course.

He was merely grumbling inwardly. If a large-scale war really broke out, it would be disastrous for the currently weakened and impoverished Sunagakure...

So maintaining the current situation was not so bad.

After repelling the enemy once again, Rasa returned to the village amid the cheers of all the Sand Ninja.

It could be said that this war had greatly increased his reputation. Perhaps by now, even the villagers had heard the stories of how he had charged into the Grass Ninja camp, slaughtered Stone Ninja and Grass Ninja alike, and gone in and out seven times.

Rasa knew that, barring any accidents... the position of Fourth Kazekage was already his.

"Is it over?"

Kana watched the returning Sand Ninja, as well as Rasa walking at the front, and let out a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on her face.

"It's wonderful that everyone is safe."

"Don't worry. For now, we can only maintain this stalemate."

Rasa waved his hand casually.

"Besides, with me here, unless the Tsuchikage comes out personally, there shouldn't be any major problems."

The Third Tsuchikage—Ōnoki of the Two Scales. That old man... unless the other villages' Kage came out, he basically would not leave either.

As for Sunagakure...

The Third Kazekage had died young!

He estimated that the other villages probably would not regard him as a threat... Oh, no... Rasa suddenly remembered how he had shown off at the Grass Ninja camp a few months ago. Oh, crap~ I haven't been targeted, have I?!

But as the future Fourth Kazekage, and someone who still needed everyone to earn money for him to spend on upgrades, how could Rasa show fear in front of the Sand Ninja?

He still waved his hand, wearing a confident smile, and said beneath the adoring gazes of all the Sand Ninja, "Don't worry. I... will definitely protect Sunagakure!"

"Lord Rasa!"

All the Sand Ninja immediately erupted in cheers.

As for Kana... Seeing Rasa's confident appearance, she inexplicably felt somewhat reassured. She smiled at him and said, "Lord Rasa, your bathwater is ready."

"Huh? Huh? Lady Kana... What about mine? I'm covered in sweat too. I want to take a bath~"

Hearing Kana's words, the Sand Ninja behind Rasa immediately shouted.

"And mine! I've worked hard too!"

"I'm not greedy. Just give me some water to wipe myself down and cool off."

"And me... and me..."

"Shut up! Don't you know that Lady Kana works extremely hard every day to provide us with water?" Moomu, Rasa's lackey, immediately shouted. "How can you make Lady Kana work so hard just because you want to wipe yourselves down?"

Ignoring the disappointed and remorseful Sand Ninja beside him, he sidled up to Rasa with a fawning smile.

"Lord Rasa, how about I bathe with you? Don't worry, I, Moomu, am excellent at scrubbing backs."

"..."

Rasa speechlessly looked at Moomu, who was flexing the muscles in his arms, then rolled his eyes and snapped, "Get lost!"

I've never had the habit of bathing with boys!

Nearby, Kana...

She simply watched the scene with her lips pursed in a smile.

Perhaps... I really can become part of Sunagakure?

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

After receiving a message personally delivered by a Sand Ninja, Chiyo and Ebizo, whose faces had originally been exhausted, suddenly wore delighted expressions beneath everyone's puzzled gazes.

"Good!" Chiyo slammed her hand on the table and laughed heartily, seemingly quite pleased. "He truly is the Disciple of the Third Kazekage. Rasa... has lived up to the reputation of the Third Kazekage's Disciple."

"Lord Rasa?"

The other Sand Ninja Jonin who had come to attend the meeting exchanged glances. After a moment, they looked at Chiyo, who was still smiling brightly despite the wrinkles on her face, as she gazed at the letter that had just been delivered.

"Lady Chiyo, Lord Rasa..."

Isn't he dead?

"I was wrong," Ebizo said with a smile, shaking his head in admiration. "I never expected Rasa's strength to have already reached such a level."

He looked at the equally astonished Sand Ninja before him.

"Some time ago, Rasa ventured alone deep into the Grass Ninja camp, inflicting enormous losses on the Grass Ninja and Stone Ninja. The Grass Ninja have yet to recover even now. That little ninja village..."

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, carrying a hint of disdain.

"Has already lost."

After saying this, he raised his head and looked at the Sand Ninja, who had also become excited because of his words.

"And that's not all. The Stone Ninja who went to hunt down Rasa admitted that Rasa had dealt with them as well. I believe this will leave Iwagakure severely weakened. In addition, Rasa has repelled the Grass Ninja and Stone Ninja several times during this period, preventing them from acting rashly and forcing them to cower inside their own camps. It can be said that the situation there is already under control."

Of course...

That was somewhat exaggerated. The Grass Ninja had indeed suffered heavy losses. That little ninja village deserved what it got for refusing to stay in its own sphere of influence and jumping around everywhere.

If Sunagakure had not suffered such severe losses, if the Kazekage were not absent, and if they were not short-handed, they would have taken the Sand Ninja to deal with them long ago and shown them what the Five Great Ninja Villages were!

Even if they were Konoha's allies, they still had to consider their own abilities carefully.

As for Iwagakure, losing a dozen or so Jonin would hurt, but it was not enough to cripple them.

As for why she had said all this... it was merely to inspire the Sand Ninja.

After being beaten passively for several days in a row, with the number of fallen Sand Ninja continuing to rise, everyone was currently mired in disappointment and despair. Now they had achieved a great victory!

A great victory belonging to Sunagakure!

How could they not publicize it?

"Pass down my order. There will be a ceasefire today. Have the logistics department make preparations and bring out all the wine and food. Everyone will celebrate Rasa properly!"

However...

After Ebizo stroked his long beard and issued the order with a smile, the Sand Ninja before him did not jump up excitedly as he had imagined.

What's going on? Could it be that we Sand Ninja aren't happy even when we win?

Before he could shout at them...

"Advisor Ebizo, this... the logistics department has long since run out of surplus grain."

Most of the Sand Ninja were barely holding on with Military Ration Pills. As for water... they had already sent ninja to transport it from a relatively distant location.

One Sand Ninja forced a bitter smile and shook his head.