Fourth Kazekage

It was nothing like the mess Rasa had imagined. After all, he really hadn't thought that way~

After staying at Karura's house for a day, Kana went to Chiyo's house to continue studying. This time, she had only returned to register as a Sunagakure Ninja.

Of course, for various reasons, her Ninja records would have to wait a few more days. Although, in the Kazekage's absence, Chiyo also had the authority to add, modify, or delete Ninja records, she wanted to wait until he took office as Fourth Kazekage before registering Kana. That way, she would be his first registrant as Fourth Kazekage, and if Kana achieved anything or earned any merit in the future, he, as the discerning judge who had recognized her talent, would get a share of the credit.

Rasa had more or less guessed that Chiyo was planning to have him cultivate his own trusted aides in order to maintain control over Sunagakure.

But...

Sunagakure was so poor that its people could barely eat their fill. Where would there be so much bullshit to deal with?

After all, because the village had few resources and not a single inherited Kekkei Genkai Clan, it did not have the many clans and divided power structures that Konohagakure did.

Rasa even had a theory. Konoha's weakening of the Hatake, elimination of the Uchiha, and the disappearance of the Senju Clan, along with Hyuga's compromise, were all merely meant to intimidate those great clans. After all... when peace arrived, clans that controlled prestige, power, and wealth could also cause chaos within the village.

For the sake of peace in the Ninja village, those higher-ups were capable of doing anything.

As for whether the Third Hokage really was the kind, clueless old grandfather some people described him as... that had nothing to do with Rasa.

After all, he still had a village to support!

How could he worry about so many things? Besides, if one set aside a certain bandaged man, Konoha was benevolent on the outside and kingly within. Its attitude toward the other Ninja villages was still quite good. As long as you kept your head down and did not make it feel threatened, nothing would happen. It might even be happy to form an alliance with you.

As for posing a threat to Konoha... for Sunagakure, they would at least have to wait until the Fourth Hokage died~

Sunagakure was nothing more than a fallen household now. Once he died... it might even become partners in misery with Kirigakure. The village had only a few pillars, and among the younger generation... there were only a few who showed any promise.

Rasa felt that he was merely an ordinary commoner from the streets. He had spent most of his life scraping by in his original world, had not earned much money, had few friends, and was left with only a keyboard and a somewhat exhausted body.

So, he was actually dissatisfied that Chiyo had not extorted Kumogakure and had handed over the Fourth Raikage for the sake of a verbal agreement that was destined to bring peace.

As an ordinary person who had spent most of his life hovering on the edge of survival, generosity had gradually disappeared from him after he graduated from university. As long as he was in the right and did not violate his inner limits, Rasa felt that... merely giving the Kumogakure Ninjas a pair of oversized shorts they could wear on the way back was already proof of his kindness.

After all, invaders... had no right to talk about morality.

Although, before he arrived, Sunagakure had constantly provoked others and stirred up wars, so it had no right to talk about justice either, but... that was before he came, wasn't it?

What did it have to do with him?

Besides, there was nothing wrong with being a little selfish sometimes, especially when the survival of one's own Ninja village was at stake.

War was the way of deception!

If you wanted to play the saint, you had better wait until your fists were bigger than everyone else's—big enough that no one dared resist you~

Otherwise, not only the people in your village but probably those from other villages as well would only think you were an idiot.

Rasa wore the white windproof cloak Karura had prepared for him. With a solemn expression, he accepted the Kazekage hat Chiyo handed him, her face filled with satisfaction. Then he took a deep breath and turned around to look at the villagers gathered below Kazekage Tower. He had thought that, with the village so poor and small, and so many Ninjas dispatched to the front lines, there would not be many people left here. But unexpectedly...

The streets before him were still packed with people!

He had been somewhat displeased that Chiyo had confiscated all eighty million silver liang. After all, that victory had come from his painstakingly funded efforts.

But when she explained that part of it would be given to the families of the Sand Ninjas who had died in the battle, part would be used to store food, and part would be used to keep the village running—and then handed all the money over to him—his dissatisfaction completely vanished, replaced by a feeling he could neither explain nor describe.

In the end, she was doing it for Sunagakure's peace.

Chiyo had no other intentions. After her son and daughter-in-law died and her Grandson disappeared, she had felt that being a Ninja was pointless. She had wanted to retire long ago. Perhaps if her Grandson had been here, she would have chosen to continue being a Ninja in order to protect him~

But now... she would much rather go fishing.

It was only because the village had suffered a catastrophe that she had no choice but to step forward again. After all, who could blame her when she was currently Sunagakure's adviser?

Rasa smiled as he looked at the villagers below, all gazing up at him with reverence. Only then did he understand what he had been feeling at that time.

Perhaps... this was responsibility!

A heavy responsibility he had never experienced before!

A village's Kage not only had to protect the safety of his Ninja village but also lead it down the right path, toward prosperity and strength.

But...

After taking possession of the eighty million silver liang, Rasa sighed and glanced at the recharge amount in the lottery pool. With a pay-to-win game that could make him stronger... how could he not get excited after suddenly gaining control of a huge fortune?

So he charged it all!!!

His current feeling was like secretly using his parents' money to buy things in an online game. He...

was a little panicked~

He was worried they would discover something.

Rasa took a deep breath and looked at the villagers below. Then he took the somewhat... green hat he had received from Chiyo, sighed inwardly, and placed it directly on his head. Facing the villagers below, he shouted, "From today onward... I, Rasa... am the Fourth Kazekage of Sunagakure!"

Although the green Kazekage hat represented Sunagakure's desire for greenery while living in the desert, still...

I'll replace it sooner or later!

Watching the villagers erupt into cheers at his words, the corners of his mouth also lifted into an uncontrollable smile.

Looks like he had to find a way to fill this hole quickly!

The autumn of Konoha Year 44.

The Third Kazekage had mysteriously disappeared, and many years had passed without his being found.

Sunagakure had finally chosen its own Kage once more. The Third Kazekage's Disciple—Rasa... had succeeded him as the Fourth Kazekage of Sunagakure.

At the same time... information about Rasa's exploits on the battlefield had reached all the major Ninja villages.

He had single-handedly killed the vanguard of Iwagakure, charged fearlessly into Kusagakure, going in and out seven times, turned the tide of battle, outwitted and pacified the war with Kumogakure, and captured the future Fourth Raikage.

The title of Third Kazekage's Disciple alone might not have meant much, but his battle record...

was simply terrifying.

For a time, the major Ninja villages began gathering information about Rasa and compiling intelligence on him. Sunagakure might not be their enemy now, but... who knew what the future held?

Meanwhile, after the succession ceremony ended, Chiyo once again headed for the front lines with Kana, who had already offered him her congratulations and changed into Sunagakure's Ninja attire.

As for Rasa... the battlefield did not need him to take action for now. As the Kage, all he needed to do was remain in the rear and appear when the front lines were in danger.

But...

Chiyo never expected that, on the second day after she left...

Rasa looked at the Sand Ninjas remaining in the village, coughed twice, took out the prepared manuscript, and said solemnly, "From today onward, Sunagakure's focus will gradually shift from the war toward..."