He squeezed his eyes shut, but Ye Ning's mind was still filled with the day Pakura had excitedly reported to the Third Kazekage that she had developed Scorch Release.
Rasa and Karura had both been smiling as they congratulated her.
But the letter she'd received today felt like a heavy hammer, striking hard at her heart.
Seeing Pakura's reaction, Ye Ning felt deeply sorry for her.
Rasa's meaning was easy enough to understand.
Even if they knew the Third Kazekage's death had everything to do with him, they still wouldn't dare turn against him.
Trade between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind was extensive, and so were the interests at stake.
If they turned against Ye Ning, the Daimyo of the Land of Wind might not side with Sunagakure.
With the interests of both countries affected, the Daimyo of the Land of Wind might even cut off all funding to Sunagakure in a fit of anger.
Sunagakure, which had only just gotten back on track, would be knocked right back to where it started.
As the newly appointed Kazekage, Rasa couldn't afford to take that gamble. So, no matter how unwilling he was, he could only swallow his anger.
What Ye Ning hadn't expected was how decisive Rasa would be.
Not long after it happened, Rasa had sent him a letter, directly labeling Pakura the one who'd killed the Third Kazekage and listing her as an S-rank missing-nin.
The goal was to win over him, the Daimyo's Son, so trade between the two countries could continue and Sunagakure could keep receiving the funds it needed to develop.
As expected, anyone involved in politics had a rotten heart.
Still, Pakura was in a much better position now than she had been in the original story.
In the original,