Hongmen Banquet

Oh, crap!

This is impossible. While his experience with romance wasn't extensive, Rasa had at least read I Really Didn't Want to Be Reborn, so his theoretical knowledge was rich.

At a time like this, he had to stay calm; he couldn't admit it even if it killed him!

Maintaining a composed and indifferent demeanor, he asked calmly, "What's wrong with the Iron Butterfly? Is there a problem?"

"How could there not be a problem!"

Pakura curled her lip, pointing at the two Iron Butterfly ornaments on her head, muttering, "They're exactly the same as the ones you gave me before!

They're both made from shuriken; besides you, who else would do something like this?"

Rasa feigned a sudden realization, slapped his thigh, and spun a tall tale: "Oh, you mean these.

You know the village is poor. Elder Chiyo thought my idea was quite good—that jewelry fashioned from shuriken would have a strong market.

Just a short while ago, Elder Chiyo promoted these accessories and started selling them throughout the entire ninja world."

"Are you telling the truth?" Pakura asked suspiciously, lightly stroking the Iron Butterfly on her head again.

"Truer than real gold. Would I ever lie to you?"

He pulled his little wife into his arms and showered her with sweet nothings, managing to bluff his way through it.

He felt a bit weary; he hadn't expected that the fish he'd hooked would still need to be fed bait. The path of a scumbag was long and arduous.

Pakura still wanted to be difficult, but after Rasa poured a bowl of "soul-stupefying soup" into her ears, she felt dizzy. When she thought about it carefully, it wasn't that big of a deal.

Wearing the same style or having the same jewelry was common enough. Her jewelry was a gift from Rasa himself, so the meaning was completely different from something bought outside.

Even if they clashed, the awkwardness didn't matter; the sentiment was different, so there was no need to be relentless.

After settling this minor matter, Rasa held his little wife and hurried to the Kazekage Office. Their intimate interaction sent a message to the petty people in the village: stop with all that flashy posturing.

It was meaningless; no matter who you supported, didn't it all end up the same?

The results were significant. This was exactly what Chiyo and Ebizo wanted Rasa to do: show affection by imperial decree.

Before entering the door, Rasa unobtrusively released his arm from around Pakura, and she didn't have any doubts about it.

Meeting envoys from other villages was a very solemn occasion. Being serious and formal—wasn't that just common sense?

It was perfectly reasonable.

Inside the office, Konan and Yahiko were sitting on two separate sofas.

Seeing the two enter, Konan was the first to lift her head. She stared at Pakura's head for a moment, then scrutinized Rasa carefully, her eyes filled with confusion.

He was completely different from that person in her memories.

Chiyo quickly stood up, hopped over to Rasa's side, and introduced him: "The Kazekage has recently suffered a mental strain and is currently recuperating.

This is our village's elite jonin, Rasa, the acting Kazekage. During this period, all affairs in the village will be decided entirely by Rasa."

The village's war preparations were nearing completion, and Rasa had captured the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, proving his strength and gathering a high level of prestige.

Chiyo and Ebizo simply pushed Rasa into the position of acting Kazekage, and the ninjas in the village had no objections to this move.

Once the war began, they could simply drop the word "acting" and he would become the official leader of Sunagakure.

Yahiko's pupils constricted slightly. He hadn't expected that the legendary Magnet Release user Rasa—who had defeated the Four-Tails Jinchuriki and made the Tsuchikage Ōnoki so wary that he even granted special permission to abandon missions rather than face him—would be so young.

He was barely a few years older than himself. Perhaps this was what a true genius was. He wondered if Nagato would be able to reach Rasa's current height in a few years.

Though he felt immense envy in his heart, he remained calm on the surface. Yahiko was the first to bow his head in greeting: "Greetings, Magnet Release Rasa of Sunagakure. Recently, the entire ninja world has been discussing you.

I am Yahiko, a ninja from Amegakure. You can just call me Yahiko, and this is my partner, Konan."

Konan nodded, still stealing cautious glances at Rasa from time to time. Could it be that person?

Rasa took his place without hesitation, sitting in the Kazekage's chair. He waved a hand to signal them to sit, then asked in confusion: "Yahiko, I feel like I've heard that name before.

You're a ninja from Amegakure? A subordinate of Hanzo of the Salamander?"

Yahiko was slightly agitated. Being known by a powerhouse like Rasa was something to be proud of; it proved that his efforts hadn't been in vain.

After a moment of thought, he replied: "Strictly speaking, I am not a subordinate of Lord Hanzo. It's just that our Akatsuki organization is based in the Land of Rain.

Coming here today, I am actually entrusted by Lord Hanzo to invite you to attend a meeting in Amegakure."

"Oh?"

Rasa was even more curious. He listened intently, wondering what kind of medicine Hanzo was selling by inviting him to the Land of Rain. This didn't seem to be in the original plot.

Yahiko organized his words and spoke slowly: "As you know, although the Second Shinobi World War involved five nations—Wind, Iron, Fire, Mist, and Rain—a significant portion of the battles took place within the borders of the Land of Rain.

This has left the Land of Rain in ruins, causing great harm to the civilians, and they have yet to recover their vitality.

When great nations go to war, small nations are implicated. That is the current state of the ninja world.

A few days ago, you captured the Four-Tails Jinchuriki and coerced the Tsuchikage into ransoming him with a large amount of supplies. A few days before that, the Tsuchikage attacked the Land of Lightning for unknown reasons.

With the current tension between the three great nations, war is on the verge of breaking out. To prevent the tragedy of ten years ago from happening again, Lord Hanzo has specifically asked Konohagakure and our Akatsuki organization to act as intermediaries and mediators.

He invites the three great nations to send representatives with real authority to the Land of Rain to discuss the great cause of peace."

Rasa narrowed his eyes, finally realizing what was happening. It was Xiang Yu inviting Liu Bang!

Although the original timeline was chaotic, such an event did indeed occur in the original plot. As the Akatsuki founded by Yahiko gradually grew in power, Hanzo began to feel threatened.

Under the instigation of the Pot of Shinobi, Danzo, he deceived Yahiko and his companions under the guise of lending them his strength to mediate between the Land of Fire, the Land of Wind, and the Land of Earth.

Once they arrived at the meeting place, he gave the signal by smashing a cup, kidnapping Konan to force Yahiko to his death. This caused Nagato to fully awaken his Rinnegan, summoning the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path to slaughter everyone in sight.

It was from that moment on that Nagato understood that empty talk of benevolence and morality was useless, deciding to make the world feel pain to achieve true nuclear peace.

Rasa fell silent for a moment before asking, "Have you met with Hanzo before?"

This point was of particular importance.

Yahiko was puzzled but answered honestly, "I have. He personally entrusted this mission to me.

He also said that Sunagakure is burdened with many affairs and the Kazekage is busy with official duties every day, so he didn't dare to ask for the Kazekage himself, but would be satisfied if he could invite you instead.

As an elder powerhouse who witnessed the rise of the Sannin, Lord Hanzo is very eager to meet you, hoping to take the opportunity during the talks to see what kind of heroic figure you are."

It seemed he was the target, or at least one of them.

"If I agree to attend the meeting, do you still have to make trips to the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning?"

This time it was Konan who answered, her voice soft and sweet, "That won't be necessary.

The representatives from those two nations are being invited by the Konohagakure Hokage's advisor, Elder Danzo."