Don't Undermine Unity

At daybreak, a thin morning mist curled around the towering mountains ahead.

Deep within Mount Tenmoku, layers of barriers and rock sealed off the core research base. The acrid smell of poison hung in the air year-round. Lights blazed throughout the facility, where countless Puppet components, toxin-mixing vessels, and Human Compatibility Instruments stood in orderly rows. The roar of machinery never ceased.

Dressed in a fitted black outfit, Rasa stood on the base's main control platform. He had rushed back from Sunagakure overnight, and a little morning dew still clung to his short red hair. Fine grains of gold sand drifted around him. A closer look, however, revealed dark circles under his eyes almost as heavy as his son's.

There was none of the gentle manner he put on in the village as a candidate for Kazekage. Only naked ambition filled his eyes. To strengthen Sand Hidden and give it an edge in the coming Shinobi World war, he had long since grown used to doing whatever it took.

Of course, if the process carried him to the position of Kazekage, so much the better.

In his eyes, that old Third Kazekage had grown weak. Only Rasa could lead Sand Hidden to its peak. Only he could make Sand Hidden great again!

Rasa and a certain Pot Kage would probably have plenty to talk about!

Below the platform stood two subordinate Ninja in black laboratory uniforms and Sand Hidden forehead protectors. They bowed their heads as they respectfully delivered their report.

"My lord, the final review of every parameter for the Living Puppet experiment was completed last night. The toxin ratios, adjustments for rejection by the human body, and Puppet activity tests have all remained stable and met the required standards through multiple rounds."

The middle-aged Ninja on the left bowed as he spoke, his voice steady and assured.

"The experiment has now entered its final adjustment stage. The last set of samples will be tested by this morning at the latest. Once we confirm the complete data, we can announce that the experiment has succeeded."

"Also, as you instructed, we spent the last three days organizing the base's records and sealing away the core experimental data. The precision instruments have been packed as well. Once this round of adjustments is complete, we can shut down all operations here and evacuate as quickly as possible."

Rasa nodded, satisfaction flashing in his eyes. A smile appeared on his face, and the tension he had carried for days finally eased a little.

For an entire year, he had captured large numbers of human test subjects across the Land of Rivers for this experiment. He had gone through countless rounds of trial and error, even sacrificing ninja from Sunagakure by exploiting factional struggles. The resources it had consumed were staggering.

To raise the funds, he himself had even spent a year digging sand in the desert. Thinking about it was enough to bring tears to his eyes!

Fortunately, the First Kazekage had been watching over him. There had been setbacks, but they had finally reached the last step.

If the Living Puppet experiment succeeded, he would command a Puppet army armed with deadly poison and utterly unafraid of death. Then surpassing Pakura would be nothing. Even the position of Kazekage would be within reach.

The Third Kazekage lacks vision, and Pakura lacks wit! Look through all of Sunagakure—who deserves to be Kazekage if not me?!

The young subordinate on the right was silent for a moment. Then he raised his head, hesitation and confusion on his face. After wavering several times, he finally spoke in a low voice.

"My lord, there is something I don't understand. It has been troubling me."

He paused. When Rasa motioned for him to continue, the young subordinate went on.

"We deliberately set a trap before, using a mission to lure six elite ninja of the Pakura Faction deep into the poison-making outpost, where they died at the hands of a Konoha squad... But those six were ninja of our own village. Is it really right to set up... to sacrifice our own comrades?"

"If... if the village finds out, won't it jeopardize your plans?"

Fear colored his voice. He could not understand why they had betrayed fellow villagers, and he worried that the plan might be exposed.

He was still a young ninja who cared deeply about the village. To him, deliberately sending fellow Sand Hidden ninja to their deaths was far too cruel.

"Fool! How shortsighted can you be?"

The moment the young Ninja finished speaking, the middle-aged Ninja on the left shouted him down, fixing him with a sharp glare.

"Anyone who aims to achieve great things cannot fuss over trifles, much less short-term gains and losses! Pakura is a prodigy of the village and one of the candidates to become the Fourth Kazekage. Over the past few years, she has gathered a large following of Ninja. She has long been an obstacle to Lord Rasa!"

"Those people cannot see the way the wind is blowing. They stand in the way of Sand Hidden's rise! If we do not seize this chance to wear down her forces, how is my lord supposed to rise to power?"

"The Third Kazekage has grown old. Only when Lord Rasa becomes Kazekage and takes command of Sand Hidden can he lead the village out of its shortage of resources and decline in fighting strength. For the village's future, what do a few sacrifices matter?!"

"But... but..."

The young Ninja wanted to argue, but faced with his colleague's fierce rebuke and his superior's will, he could only lower his head and fall silent.

"Enough."

On the platform, Rasa raised his right hand to stop his two subordinates, then looked at the middle-aged Ninja. The area fell quiet at once, save for the low hum of several machines.

"The Third Kazekage is still in the prime of his life. In the future, don't say things that undermine unity!"

Despite his warning, there was no trace of regret in his eyes for the Ninja of his own village who had died, nor any respect for the Third Kazekage. There was only coldness and ambition. To Rasa, every sacrifice made on his path forward was worthwhile.

"Yes, my lord!" the middle-aged Ninja answered meekly.

With the base's affairs covered, Rasa abruptly changed the subject and asked about developments outside.

"What about the sensory Ninja we sent to the poison-making outpost in the southwestern mountains? Has any intelligence come back? What is that Konoha investigation squad doing?"

The middle-aged Ninja stepped forward and replied respectfully, "My lord, Shalin sent a secret report late last night."

"After investigating the outpost, the Konoha squad fell for our plan as expected. Their suspicions of Sand Hidden faded, and the Cloud Hidden Metal Fragment we left there successfully drew their attention to Cloud Hidden."

"The entire Konoha squad has now withdrawn from the Land of Rivers and returned to the Land of Fire. I doubt they'll come back to investigate this area anytime soon."

"He wasn't discovered?"

"Rest assured, my lord. Shalin's Sensory Ninjutsu is exceptional, and he has a natural talent for concealing his presence. There is no chance he was discovered!"

After hearing the report and recalling Shalin's past performance, Rasa relaxed completely. A cold smile curled his lips.

He had never been naive enough to believe that his attempt to frame Cloud Hidden would fool Konoha's investigators forever. Even luring Pakura Faction Ninja there to die would not be enough to clear Sand Hidden of suspicion. From the start, his aim had simply been to buy time.

As long as he could briefly divert Konoha's attention and slow its investigation, gaining a few days to finish the experiment, he would have achieved his goal.

"Excellent!"

Rasa nodded with satisfaction, looking as though victory was already his. He rose and took his two subordinates to wait outside the laboratory.

"As soon as the adjustments are complete this morning and we have the full set of data, everyone is to carry out the evacuation plan immediately. Destroy every trace and every record."

"By the time Konoha realizes something is wrong, all they'll find is an abandoned outpost. They'll have no choice but to leave empty-handed!"

"Yes!" both subordinates answered.

The morning mist gradually cleared, and the daylight grew brighter.

Inside the Mount Tenmoku Base, the instruments ran at full speed. The final adjustments were underway and progressing steadily.

Rasa did not enter the laboratory. He waited outside, watching the researchers bustle back and forth within. In his mind, he was already imagining a future in which he ruled Sand Hidden and made his mark across the Shinobi World.