Rasa: I've become a stepping stone?

"Too slow."

Hikari tilted her head, her eyes, originally pitch-black, instantly turning a vivid scarlet.

Three Tomoe?

Rasa felt a violent jolt in his heart. A member of the Uchiha Clan?! How could one be in Rōran?!

"Protect the Kazekage!!"

The surrounding Sunagakure Anbu reacted, dozens of kunai and Wind Release ninjutsu raining down upon the girl on the round table like a deluge.

"Yachihoko."

Hikari merely lifted her eyelids, sweeping her gaze across the circle.

That absolute suppression on a spiritual level was unleashed in an instant.

Though she did not use large-scale control, she transformed her ocular power into countless tiny spiritual needles, piercing precisely into the nerve centers of every charging Sunagakure ninja.

"Ah!!"

"My hands! Why can't I move them?"

Dozens of well-trained Anbu elites fell like kites with cut strings in mid-air, colliding with one another in completely uncoordinated movements as their own ninjutsu detonated within their ranks, the scene instantly descending into chaos.

Yet, Hikari did not stop.

She danced amidst the chaotic crowd.

That bright red cotton-padded jacket was strikingly eye-catching against the yellow sand; every flash of red was accompanied by a dull thud of someone hitting the ground.

She did not use her blade to slit throats, but instead used the back of the blade to strike precisely at the enemies' carotid arteries or joints.

Since Yue said they were "clients," she could not kill them, but that did not prevent her from ensuring they would be bedridden for a month or two.

A mere ten seconds.

The thirty Sunagakure elites who had originally surrounded the table were all lying on the ground, wailing and stripped of their combat effectiveness.

Hikari returned to stand behind Yue, her breath steady, her expression unchanged, even reaching up to straighten the collar that had been blown askew by the wind.

Aside from a bit of sand on the soles of her shoes, not a single speck of dust had touched her.

The entire canyon fell into a deathly silence.

Those leaders of small factions who had been trembling in fear of Rasa were now looking at Yue and Hikari as if they were two demon gods descended into the mortal realm.

"Is this... the power of Rōran?"

Rasa no longer possessed his earlier arrogance.

He still could not fathom how Rōran could have an Uchiha, let alone one with such terrifying strength.

Perhaps in the future, he could use Konoha to keep them in check, but not now.

The opposition was simply too strong.

He stared fixedly at Hikari, a fine layer of cold sweat seeping from his forehead.

In that moment just now, he was certain that if that girl had wanted to kill him, while it might not have been an instant kill, he would have paid a heavy price—perhaps even his life.

Even more terrifying was the man who had sat there without moving a muscle.

To what level had his strength reached?

"How is it, Kazekage?"

Yue brushed the gold dust from his shoulder, his tone remaining gentle. "Now, can we discuss business?"

Rasa took a deep breath, retracting the Gold Dust that was still churning around him. As the shadow of a village, he had to know how to assess the situation.

"How do you want to negotiate?" Rasa asked in a deep voice.

Yue gestured toward the faction leaders who were still staring in a daze.

"It's simple. Rōran needs raw materials: steel, oil, rare ores. And you need water, food, wealth, and tools to survive better in this desert."

"From today on, Rōran's merchant caravans will regularly pass through the various factions across the Land of Wind. I hope the Kazekage can make things convenient by waiving those cumbersome tariffs and inspections."

"Of course, in return." Yue pulled another scroll from his robes and pushed it forward gently. "This is a token of Rōran's sincerity: a mineral-washing technique that increases the efficiency of refining Gold Dust by 30%, as well as the priority right to purchase low-priced grain from us annually."

"With this, through your Gold Dust, you will be able to make your Sunagakure wealthy."

Upon hearing terms like "increase efficiency of refining Gold Dust" and "wealthy," Rasa's pupils contracted sharply.

Why did he squeeze these small factions? Wasn't it because he lacked money! If there were a more efficient way to make money, who would want to do this dirty, reputation-ruining work every day?

Moreover, the martial prowess the other party had displayed was enough to prove they were qualified to set the rules at this negotiation table.

If he refused, the two of them joining forces, combined with the mysterious Rōran, would likely become a thorn in the side of Sunagakure.

"I must verify the authenticity of the technology."

Rasa looked at the introductory text of the scroll, weighing the pros and cons, and it took him only half a minute.

"Very well."

Rasa put away the scroll; though his expression remained grim, the killing intent in his eyes had dissipated.

"As long as you do not interfere with the internal affairs of Sunagakure or harbor our rogue ninjas, I, Rasa, approve of this trade route."

"Straightforward."

Yue stood up, gave a slight nod to Rasa, and then turned to lead Hikari away.

"Oh, and Kazekage-sama, I'll leave the rest of the people for you to arrange."

Clutching the scroll, Rasa looked at his subordinates wailing on the ground, then at the leaders of the other factions who were gloating at his misfortune, and let out a cold sneer.

Although he had been made an example of, he could just as easily make an example of someone else.

A few moments later, feeling much more at ease, Rasa looked in the direction of Rōran.

"Rōran... Uchiha..."

On the way back, the sound of camel bells rang out melodiously.

Uchiha Hikari walked beside Yue, her red cotton-padded jacket swaying slightly in the wind.

"Yue, was my performance just now... alright?"

Hikari looked up, her eyes filled with a hint of anticipation, much like a child who had scored a hundred on a test and was waiting for praise from a parent.

Gone was the Asura-like killing intent from moments ago; she had returned to being that little girl who would get angry if she couldn't have a hamburger.

"Absolutely perfect."

Yue smiled and patted her head; this time, he did not skimp on his praise.

"The technique you used to sever the Gold Dust just now was even cleaner than it was during the Warring States period. It seems you are learning the swordsmanship I taught you quite quickly."

"Mm." Hikari narrowed her eyes, enjoying the warmth on her head. "That Kazekage is weaker than I imagined. If it were a life-or-death struggle, I am confident I could kill him quickly."

"Don't go around talking about killing all the time."

Yue flicked her forehead with a helpless smile. "We are civilized people now, businessmen. If a problem can be solved with money and deterrence, there is no need to fight. Save your ocular power; in a few days, we are going to Konoha. There are many 'old friends' there, and they are much more troublesome than this guy who plays with sand."

"Konoha? Old friends?"

Hikari touched the mark on her forehead, her eyes turning sharp.

"I understand. No matter who it is, as long as they stand in your way... I will cut them down."

Yue looked at the young girl beside him and smiled faintly.

"So, what shall we eat tonight?"

"Good question, I'd like to know too."

Looking through the wind and sand, Yue seemed to see Konoha.

In the grand game of the Night of the Nine-Tails, he finally had the qualifications to sit at the board and play a proper match against Obito, Black Zetsu, and even the World Correction Force.

"Let's go, Hikari."

"We're going home to have braised pork. That is my specialty dish; apart from you, no one else in this world has ever been able to taste it."

"Braised pork? (ﾟ∀ﾟ)"