The windows of the Kazekage's Office are opened high, offering a view of the continuous rooftops of the gray-yellow buildings in Sunagakure, and further away, the boundless sea of sand distorted slightly in the heat.
But at this moment, sitting behind his Taiseki desk, the Fourth Kazekage Rasa, had little interest in appreciating the scenery he had painstakingly protected.
He propped his head up with one hand, while the fingers of his other hand tapped unconsciously and somewhat irritably on the smooth tabletop. The scrolls spread out on the table were piled high, including routine reports from border outposts, lists of supplies to be dispatched from various places, duty rosters for ninja units, and several secret documents encrypted with special runes that made one's heart sink.
A stifling silence filled the air, broken only by the tapping of his fingers on the table and the ceaseless whistling of the wind outside the window.
Outside the office door, in the shadows of the corridor, two figures were huddled together, talking in hushed tones.
"Father seems to be in a bad mood lately?" A slightly worried girl's voice rang out; it was Temari.
She is ten years old this year and already has the demeanor of a mature and composed eldest daughter. She is dressed in simple ninja attire, and the Three-Star Fan on her back is slightly taller than her.
She peeked cautiously through the crack in the door and saw only her father's furrowed brow and the mountain of scrolls piled on the table.
"It's more than just bad," muttered a slightly hoarse male voice with the dissatisfaction typical of a rebellious teenager. It was Kankuro.
He was a year younger than Temari, and his face was already habitually painted with purple patterns. He was holding a small doll that was wrapped tightly in bandages, with only two dark, hollow eyes showing.
"These past few days, when I went to report on the progress of the puppetry class, he waved me out before I even finished listening. Last night at dinner, I didn't take an extra rice ball, and the look he gave me was... well, like he wanted to eat me alive."
Kankuro pursed his lips and subconsciously hugged the doll in his arms tighter, as if it could give him some sense of security.
"It must be because of what happened outside the village." Temari withdrew her gaze, her delicate brows furrowing as she whispered.
"The day before yesterday, when I went to the mission hall to submit my report, I overheard a few senior Chunin who had just returned from their rotation in the north whispering about how there were a lot more Iwagakure 'rats' on the border, peeking around and causing trouble, even though they hadn't crossed the border."
"The supply line also seems to have been harassed twice by unidentified wandering ninjas. Although it didn't cause any major damage, it was still very annoying."
" Iwagakure? What are those guys living in the rocky mountains up to?"
Kankuro raised his voice slightly, but was immediately glared at by Temari, so he quickly lowered it again, "We Sunagakure are so poor we can barely afford to eat, and they still want to come and squeeze us dry? That old bastard Ōnoki, short legs but a clever mind!"
" Kankuro!"
Temari reprimanded in a low voice, but her eyes also held the same worry. As the children of the Kazekage, they felt the heavy pressure facing the village earlier and more clearly than their peers.
The scarcity of resources, the difficulty of the mission, and the subtle threats from other major powers weighed on the father's shoulders and on the hearts of every Sunagakure, like an invisible boulder.
Inside the office, Rasa stopped tapping on the desk. He could clearly hear the whispers outside. The children had grown up and were beginning to understand how to read people's expressions and worry about the village.
This left him, as a father, with mixed feelings—both gratified and somewhat bittersweet—at an age when they should be carefree, they were forced to confront the harsh realities of life far too early.
Gaara: Please turn on your microphone to communicate.
Rasa was certainly in a bad mood. More than just bad, he was downright annoyed.
"That old Ōnoki, Onoki, humph."
Rasa snorted, picked up the latest encrypted border report from the table, and slammed it down on the table with a dull thud that echoed in the empty office.
" Kitsuchi buried up to their necks, and they're still causing trouble! Sending people to 'sightsee' near the border every few days, surveying the terrain? Spying on us? Or are they just trying to see how many people in Sunagakure have starved to death this year, so they can figure out if they can come and pick up some scraps?"
He grew angrier as he spoke, stood up, walked to the window, put his hands behind his back, and looked out. The setting sun cast a long shadow of his tall but tense figure onto the cold ground.
The sky over Sunagakure always carries a grayish-yellow hue, much like the village's fate, as if forever shrouded in a layer of sand that cannot be swept away.
The word "poor" is like a poisonous thorn, deeply embedded in Rasa's heart.
The Daimyo of the Land of Wind has been cutting back on funding year by year, and the number of missions he can accept has been decreasing. In addition, most of the good missions have been snatched up by the wealthy lands like the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning.
In the village, countless ninjas need their equipment upgraded, countless families rely on mission rewards for survival, and medical, educational, and training facilities all require funding...
What does Sunagakure have besides sand? Their ability to manipulate gold dust might be a powerful tool on the battlefield, but it can't conjure food or water. They can only supplement their finances by panning for gold, which is only a temporary solution.
Just then, the cunning and treacherous Ōnoki from Iwagakure decided to cause trouble. He sent some insignificant reconnaissance squads to loiter around the border, neither crossing the border to provoke a major war, but clearly demonstrating his presence and deterrence.
The feeling of being cut by a dull knife is the most agonizing, and it consumes the most mental and physical energy.
You have to be on guard, but if you keep on guarding for too long, the already strained troop strength, resources, and the ninjas' energy will be gradually worn down.
"Do you really think I'm made of clay?"
Rasa cursed under his breath, his eyes turning ruthless.
He knew what Ōnoki was planning. He simply wanted to test Sunagakure's strength and weaknesses, to see how much patience and resolve Sunagakure had left in such a dire situation.
Perhaps they are secretly assessing whether it is possible to exert pressure to force Sunagakure to make concessions on certain interests, or to prepare for possible future conflicts.
"Want to see? Then you can see as much as you want."
Rasa turned around, returned to the table, and pulled out a blank command scroll.
He picked up his pen, hesitated for a moment, and then the pen fell, the characters bold and decisive, carrying the unique decisiveness of Kazekage.
"Order: Effective immediately, strengthen patrols at the 3rd, 7th, and Eleventh Outpost in the Northern Territory and along the surrounding area. Three standard companies will be drawn from the garrison troops and off-duty ninjas, each company consisting of Jonin, three Chunin, Genin, under the command of the elite Jonin Baki."
"Proceed to the aforementioned area to carry out a two-month reinforced garrison and reconnaissance mission. Mission Level: A. Primary Objective: Ensure absolute border security, drive away all suspicious individuals approaching, and meticulously record any signs of activity from Iwagakure and any unidentified forces."
"In case of emergency, the matter may be handled at the discretion of the authorities in accordance with the Border Defense Regulations, without prior consultation."
He paused here, his pen hovering slightly over the words "discretionary measures." This implied that Baki was granted considerable discretionary power, even including limited retaliation.
The risks were considerable, but he trusted Baki's abilities and sense of proportion. Moreover, against a seasoned veteran like Iwagakure, constant retreat and defensiveness would only embolden the opponent.
We must demonstrate a sufficiently tough stance and be prepared to respond to any provocation.
"Furthermore, notify the Intelligence Department to intensify its infiltration and intelligence gathering efforts in the Land of Earth, with a focus on the internal dynamics of Iwagakure and Ōnoki's recent decision-making tendencies. All relevant intelligence should be reported directly to me."
After finishing writing, he stamped it with Kazekage's seal.
The bright red mark on the scroll is like a drop of congealed blood, or a heavy responsibility.
After rolling up the scroll and encrypting it with Chakra, Rasa pressed an inconspicuous button on the table. A moment later, an ANBU member wearing an animal mask and with excellent Anbu of his aura silently appeared in the center of the office and knelt on one knee.
"Send this to Jonin Baki immediately, and copy it to the Mission Dispatch Department and the Border Defense Division." Rasa's voice regained its usual calmness and authority as he handed over the command scroll.
"Yes!" The Anbu member took the scroll with both hands, and with a flicker, disappeared as if blending into the shadows.
The office fell silent again. Rasa sat back in his chair, feeling a throbbing pain in his temples. Reinforcing the troops meant more resource consumption, and more ninjas had to leave the relatively safe villages to face the sandstorms and potential dangers on the border.
But he had no choice. Sunagakure may be poor, may be poor, but its backbone cannot be bent, and its bottom line cannot be crossed.
Pakura: Please turn on your microphone to communicate.
Rasa looked out the window. Dusk was deepening, and the lights of Sunagakure were beginning to light up sporadically. Under the dim yellow sky, they appeared weak, yet tenacious.
" Ōnoki, let's see who can't afford to lose first."
He muttered to himself, his fingers unconsciously stroking the edge of the table, his eyes deep, as if piercing through the walls, gazing at the rocky land to the north.
Outside the door, Temari and Kankuro had already quietly left.
They didn't hear any specific orders, but they could sense that their father had made an important decision, and the oppressive and heavy atmosphere in the office seemed to ease slightly.
The night wind howled, swirling sand that lashed against the sturdy exterior of the Kazekage Building, creating a continuous rustling sound—like the land's endless sigh, or a low growl silently gathering strength...