Jing Tian and Da Mimi

Rasa contemplated the Starry Sky Vortex in his mind, his points tally flickering incessantly, growing at a rate even faster than the previous few days.

The Akatsuki is an organization with significant screen time and importance in Naruto Shippuden; intervening in this matter would certainly allow him to influence the direction of the plot.

This is worth doing.

"Very well, I agree.

Our Sunagakure is also a village that yearns for peace; we are more willing than anyone to see the Shinobi World stable and harmonious.

When is the meeting scheduled? I shall prepare and depart."

Rasa weighed the pros and cons before giving his reply, simultaneously pondering a plan to maximize his point gains.

Yahiko said with pleasant surprise, "It is excellent that you have agreed.

Since Konohagakure Elder Danzo is responsible for the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning, Lord Hanzo's intention is that it would be best for Konan and me to personally accompany you to the Land of Rain to show our respect."

They value me this much?

Rasa smiled. "Then wait for me for a few hours; I still have some matters to resolve."

Yahiko and his companion naturally had no objections. Konan continued to stare fixedly at Rasa, watching him leave with Pakura.

There was little to handle regarding village affairs; Rasa gave a general direction, leaving the rest to Chiyo and Ebizo, and everything proceeded as planned.

Leaders come in different varieties: those who use their brains and those who use their brawn. The former keep all the village's affairs in their hands, while the latter are responsible for fighting.

Chiyo and Ebizo hoped Rasa would become the former, but Rasa's ambitions did not lie there; he was unwilling to waste too much energy on a single Sunagakure.

It was enough to control the general direction. The Kazekage was more of a symbolic role, much like the alpha of a wolf pack or the captain of a battleship.

He settled Karura and Pakura, ensuring no "fires" broke out in his harem—though with Elder Chiyo mediating, it was unlikely to happen anyway.

But the land one must cultivate oneself must be tended to personally; otherwise, if the land were to go barren one day, or be plowed by an outsider, there would be no room for regret.

"Do you need me to go with you? You are the acting Kazekage now; you should at least bring a few guards, right?"

Pakura asked, her hair disheveled as she put on her clothes.

What a dangerous thought this is!

Rasa lit a post-coital cigarette, exhaling a cloud of smoke, and refused flatly. "No need. Below Kage-level, I fear nothing, even against ten thousand.

If I encounter a Kage-level powerhouse, you wouldn't be able to help, and I would only have to worry about you instead."

"Mm." Pakura nodded.

Karura said nothing; her strength was not even equal to Pakura's, so she was content to be a virtuous helper.

A few hours later, Rasa appeared refreshed, his spirit and energy raised to a whole new level, reappearing before Yahiko and his companion.

"Let us depart. We shouldn't keep Hanzo waiting too long."

Yahiko nodded. Ninjas do not need much luggage; they are decisive, ready to leave at a moment's notice.

Sunagakure is not too far from Kirigakure, but in a desert environment, moving at high speed is a major taboo, so the three did not travel particularly fast.

Yahiko was brimming with excitement. Another potential war had been averted by his own hand—and a war between major nations at that—which could not be mentioned in the same breath as his previous small achievements.

This meant the Akatsuki had reached a new level!

On the way, Konan continued to steal glances at Rasa from time to time, opening her mouth to speak several times before stopping. Finally, she couldn't help but ask in a soft, gentle voice, "Lord Rasa, do you know a person named Himura Kenshin?"

Rasa's eyes sharpened, and he said calmly, "Why do you ask about this suddenly?"

Yahiko was also curious. The chance encounter with Himura Kenshin had been over a month ago, and even though that man was a powerhouse capable of defeating the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Yahiko had already put him to the back of his mind.

"I was just asking casually."

Seeing that Rasa did not show any annoyance or resistance, Konan explained, "About a month ago, we met a powerhouse named Himura Kenshin in the Land of Artisans.

Although we didn't see him fight, he definitely possessed Kage-level strength; two of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were no match for him.

He gave me a shuriken-shaped Iron Butterfly, exactly the same as the one worn by that Scorch Release ninja from your village, Pakura."

"It's just a hair accessory; they're quite common, aren't they?" Yahiko chimed in. He was more interested in hearing Rasa talk about how he defeated the Four-Tails Jinchuriki and forced Ōnoki to pay a ransom.

Rasa pondered for a moment and said calmly, "I do know him. He is a like-minded and very good friend of mine."

"Can you tell us about him?

You don't need to talk about his abilities; just chatting is fine. We still have a long way to go." Konan asked hopefully.

Yahiko pricked up his ears.

A trace of reminiscence appeared in Rasa's eyes as he narrated, "His real name is actually very long—so long that most people can't remember it—so he often calls himself Himura Kenshin.

Furthermore, he is somewhat similar to you; he also comes from an organization dedicated to peace in the Shinobi World. That organization is called the Celestial."

The Celestial?

Yahiko's expression shifted. If he remembered correctly, the reason Ōnoki gave for attacking the Land of Lightning was his suspicion that the Raikage had sent disciples, posing as members of the Celestial, to assassinate their ninjas.

"Does the Celestial really exist?" Yahiko asked in surprise. "I thought this organization was something fabricated by Ōnoki or the Raikage."

"Of course it exists."

Seeing that Yahiko was taking the bait, Rasa continued, "You are not the only ones who yearn for peace in the Shinobi World."

Unlike the Akatsuki, some of the core members of the Celestial Organization hail from the various hidden villages of the Shinobi World, and every single one of them is a powerhouse capable of rivaling a Kage.

"Most of them actually hold dual identities, you catch my drift?"

Yahiko was aghast. Jing Tian, Da Mimi—what kind of incredible intelligence was he hearing!

He had thought the relationships between the five great hidden villages were already complex enough, but he hadn't expected that he had only touched the surface. The waters of the Shinobi World ran so deep!

After the shock subsided, Yahiko fell into deep thought. Why did Rasa know so much, and why would he tell the two of them all of this?

The more Yahiko pondered, the deeper he sank into his thoughts. This suddenly rising acting Kazekage, Magnet Release Rasa, was very likely a member of the Celestial Organization himself...

Rasa said in a low voice, "You have great potential, keep working hard, young man.

Himura Kenshin recently proposed to the leader of the Celestial Organization that you be recruited as a peripheral member.

The leader rejected this proposal on the grounds that your strength was insufficient, but you have been listed as a key subject for observation."

Even though Yahiko had become the leader of the Akatsuki, he was still young, and his train of thought was unknowingly being guided by Rasa.

He shifted from wondering why he should join this Celestial Organization to wondering why the leader of the Celestial Organization would refuse his entry.

With the Akatsuki involved, wouldn't it be much easier to bring peace to the Shinobi World?

After some deliberation, he dejectedly realized that if the core members of the Celestial Organization were truly all Kage-level powerhouses, they must hold pivotal positions within the various hidden villages, capable of influencing the decisions of an entire village.

In a trance, Yahiko had an illusion: the peace of the last decade in the Shinobi World was the result of the efforts of the core members of the Celestial Organization.

Personal imagination is the most fatal thing; conspiracy theories about reclusive families, the Rothschild Family, and secret world control are the easiest ways to hoodwink these youngsters.

[Seeking recommendation votes]

The Rothschild Family... that is the biggest joke of all. Anyone who knows a thing or two about economics understands that if a family truly possessed such massive scale, just imagine how much influence they could exert...

How much money did it take for Soros to attack the Hong Kong dollar?