As the first light of dawn broke, the villagers of Sunagakure woke from their slumber and opened their doors and windows to begin a new day. However, the sight that greeted them made them rub their eyes in disbelief, wondering if they were still dreaming.
Overnight, the massive, barren rock walls that surrounded Sunagakure had transformed. Countless patches of green now dotted the once lifeless cliffs, with lush trees sprouting from the rocks and green vines draping over the steep walls, turning the desolate village into a vibrant oasis.
When the villagers stepped outside and saw the green plants and colorful flowers blooming in every corner of the village, they were utterly speechless.
"Is this still our village?"
The once sandstorm-ravaged Sunagakure was slowly transforming into a thriving, green world.
Everyone-whether villagers or visiting merchants-stepped out of their homes, marveling at the miraculous changes as if witnessing a divine act.
The villagers of Sunagakure were somewhat accustomed to this, as they had already witnessed the "Green Miracle" over the past six months. However, outsiders, especially spies from other villages, were completely stunned. They had long suspected that Sunagakure's Green Miracle was unusual, but this display of power, which could only be described as divine, left them in awe. They quickly relayed all the information back to their respective villages.
Meanwhile, the changes in the Dragon Oasis were even more astonishing.
In just one night, the forested area of the Dragon Oasis had doubled in size.
The high-ranking officials of Sunagakure who were training there witnessed this miraculous event firsthand.
The previous night, Rasa had arrived at the Dragon Oasis.
At first, no one thought much of it and continued their attempts to sense the natural energy in the area. However, shortly after Rasa entered the Dragon Oasis, they witnessed something that left them utterly dumbfounded.
From the edge of the Dragon Oasis, they watched as the desert beneath their feet transformed. Plants sprouted and spread rapidly, growing from seedlings to the thickness of a tree trunk in just one night. The forest expanded before their eyes, stretching as far as they could see.
If it weren't for Baki, who had seen this before and reassured everyone, they might have rushed to investigate immediately.
By the next morning, when Rasa reappeared, everyone looked at him as if he were a god. They wanted to ask what had happened, but in the end, they held their tongues.
However, at that moment, they became convinced.
Perhaps the power Rasa wielded was not the Wood Release of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.
Rasa, however, had no intention of explaining. After encouraging everyone to continue their training, he left with Baki.
Back in the Kazekage's office in Sunagakure, Rasa had just returned when Sramu eagerly reported the day's changes in the village and the enthusiastic reactions of the villagers.
After roughly understanding the situation, Rasa instructed,
"No need to panic. Just let them know that our village is getting better and better."
Sramu, of course, knew not to ask too many questions and nodded in agreement.
Rasa then thought for a moment and added,
"By the way, issue an order in the name of the Kazekage: starting today, villagers are prohibited from intentionally damaging the green plants that have appeared in the village.
Since those three children were able to gain the power of natural energy by protecting plants, perhaps others can too."
Sramu nodded, noting it down, and then began to discuss another matter.
"We've received word from the Land of Demons. The shrine maiden of the Land of Demons, Miroku-sama, plans to visit Sunagakure in five days."
"Five days? That's fine. Handle the arrangements carefully. Receive her with the same protocol as we would for a daimy."
This wasn't Rasa playing favorites. Although Sramu was also the queen of Rytan, Rytan's land area and population were far smaller compared to the Land of Demons. Rasa couldn't afford to be discourteous.
"Is there anything else?"
Sramu nodded, her expression slightly peculiar.
"The daimy has sent an envoy."
At these words, Rasa was momentarily stunned before he realized what was being said.
The daimy-for him, it was indeed a somewhat unfamiliar term.
Since they were specifically referring to the daimy, it had to be the daimy of the Land of Wind. Since arriving in this world, Rasa had never had any contact with this daimy.
Even in his memories, Rasa had only met the daimy of the Land of Wind once, when he became the Kazekage.
After all, with Rasa's previous personality, he wasn't the type suited for political maneuvering.
In the past, such matters had been handled by Ebiz. Later, after the successful raid on the Land of Fire, which secured enough military funds for Sunagakure and temporarily freed the village from the daimy's control, contact between the two had become even rarer.
"What does the daimy want?"
"I'm not sure. The envoy said he must speak to you personally to convey the daimy's orders."
Although Rasa was somewhat displeased, he still had Sramu bring the envoy in.
The man who entered was a samurai dressed in black and red armor, with a stern expression and a long sword at his waist. Upon seeing Rasa, he showed no signs of disrespect and knelt respectfully, holding up a scroll with both hands.
"I am Oda, a retainer of the daimy. I have come to deliver a personal letter from the daimy to the Kazekage-sama."
A retainer, or samurai-taish, was a high-ranking samurai tasked with protecting the daimy.
Rasa could sense that the man before him possessed considerable chakra, at least at the level of a jnin. It seemed the daimy had quite a few skilled samurai in his service.
Rasa had Sramu take the scroll and open it. Upon reading it, he was surprised.
The contents of the scroll were simple: the Land of Wind had received a joint letter from the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning. The two nations, on behalf of their respective villages, expressed a desire to form an alliance with Sunagakure to jointly attack the Land of Fire. The daimy of the Land of Wind had sent an envoy to consult Rasa and seek his opinion.
This was somewhat unexpected for Rasa. Based on the daimy's previous behavior, he would have simply issued a direct order.
It seemed that Sunagakure's successful campaigns against Konoha over the past six months had significantly raised the village's standing in the daimy's eyes.
After Rasa finished reading the scroll, the samurai named Oda spoke again.
"Reporting to the Kazekage-sama, the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning have shown great sincerity. They have even expressed a willingness to send ninja from their villages to Sunagakure to discuss the alliance. The daimy's opinion is that, if possible, the Kazekage-sama should not refuse. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If the three great nations join forces, the Land of Fire will surely fall. The fertile lands of the Land of Fire will then be divided among the three nations. With the Kazekage-sama's leadership, the Land of Wind is certain to claim the largest share."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS
OberonLA
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Chapter 141: Chapter 141: Trouble Approaches
Listening to Oda's words, Rasa did not rush to respond.
Although the contents of the letter seemed reasonable, a common practice in the shinobi world, the moment he read it, Rasa sensed a whiff of conspiracy. Instinctively, he thought of Onoki's scheming face.
This alliance proposal probably doesn't come from the daimyo of the two great nations, but from the Raikage and Tsuchikage behind them.
For one, as the Kazekage, it would be unwise to openly disrespect the daimyo. Secondly, he wanted to see what game the Tsuchikage and Raikage were playing.
"Since this is the daimyo-sama's wish, Sunagakure naturally has no objections. Please inform him that we welcome shinobi from Kumogakure and Iwagakure to our village. Of course, whether an alliance is formed will depend on the negotiations."
"I understand, Kazekage-sama. Then, with your permission, I shall take my leave and report back to the daimyo."
"Mm, good work. Sramu, see him out."
Watching Oda depart, Baki, standing nearby, narrowed his eyes warily.
"Kazekage-sama, the daimyo's order seems... suspicious, right?"
Unlike others, Baki, as the head of the ANBU, had little time for training the thoughts.
While Sramu, as Rasa's assistant, handled many of the village's public affairs, matters concerning security, shinobi operations, and covert missions fell under the ANBU's jurisdiction, and this was Baki's expertise.
"Oh? Why do you say that?"
Baki answered decisively.
"It's too sudden. Kumogakure and Iwagakure didn't form an alliance when attacking Konohagakure, yet now they're suddenly reaching out to us. And the timing... it's strange."
"It is unusual. But whatever their goal, we must meet them. By the way, has the ANBU received any intelligence regarding the daimyo?"
"Reporting, Kazekage-sama, under the Third Kazekage-sama's orders, to avoid unnecessary complications, the ANBU never stationed operatives near the daimyo."
Rasa understood. Unlike Konoha, which, due to its wealth, was less dependent on the Fire Daimyo, Sunagakure's past poverty had enforced stricter deference to the Wind Daimyo's authority. This made the ANBU hesitant to plant spies in the daimyo's court.
The daimyo's sudden involvement made Rasa realize the need to monitor this influential faction.
Rasa smiled and issued a knowing order.
"The daimyo-sama's safety must not be neglected."
As the ANBU commander, Baki immediately grasped the implication.
With another bow, Baki exited, leaving Rasa alone in the Kazekage's office.
He leaned back in his chair, slowly contemplating the letter from the daimyo in his hands, then slightly narrowed his gazes. He realized that the timing of this letter's arrival carried implications far beyond just the Tsuchikage and Raikage scheming something.
More importantly, it likely meant that Kumogakure and Iwagakure now viewed Sunagakure's rise as a threat nearly on par with Konohagakure.
Until now, Sunagakure had been able to maneuver skillfully in this war precisely because it was considered the weakest among the Five Great Shinobi Villages. The surprise attack on the Land of Fire and the cooperation with Kumogakure and Iwagakure had all been built upon the other villages' underestimation of Sunagakure.
But now, after the crushing defeat in the Land of Rivers, Konoha could no longer afford to look down on Sunagakure. Similarly, Iwagakure and Kumogakure had begun taking them seriously. This means that Sunagakure's strategy of navigating between the Five Great Villages would have to change. Still, no matter what the future held, true strength was what mattered most. At present, Sunagakure's overall military power remains lacking.
First, in terms of basic shinobi numbers, primarily genin and chunin, Sunagakure still fell far short compared to the other Great Villages.
From what this Great Shinobi War had shown so far, whether it was Konoha, Kumogakure, or Iwagakure, each had at least seven to eight thousand shinobi. Even after half a year of development, Sunagakure's forces numbered only a little over three thousand. This was nowhere near the others, and worse, it wasn't something that could be quickly remedied. Even if they resorted to desperate measures like throwing children onto the battlefield, it wouldn't make a meaningful difference.
(AN: Author here isn't wrong about the number of ninjas since he is distributing according to the number in the 4th War, which is itself a plot hole in the original source.)
As for mid-tier shinobi, the jonin, the gap between Sunagakure and the other villages wasn't as severe. After all, at the jonin level, unlike the expendable genin and chunin, casualties were far less frequent on the battlefield.
Still, a gap undoubtedly existed.
Fortunately, there was a solution. If they could quickly establish the spatial passage between Sunagakure and the Island of Summons, allowing Sunagakure's jonin to control the giant summoning beasts there, this gap could be closed, perhaps even reversed.
Then came the upper-tier shinobi, those at the Kage level. Here, Sunagakure wasn't at as much of a disadvantage. Chiyo, Ebiz, Pakura, and Michikawa might not hold the title of Kage, but in terms of strength, they were undoubtedly at that level. If absolutely necessary, even Bunpuku could be deployed to compensate for the difference in tailed beast jinchriki.
Finally, there were the true Kage-level powerhouses.
This was where Rasa felt most confident.
At his current strength, aside from Konoha's Minato and Jiraiya, as well as Iwagakure's noki (the latter primarily due to the threat of his Dust Release), there were few he needed to fear.
From this perspective, in a one-on-one scenario, Sunagakure had no reason to fear any single village. But if it came to anything else... that would be troublesome. And given that Kumogakure and Iwagakure had suddenly proposed an alliance, Rasa couldn't shake a growing sense of unease.
At this thought, the brief respite he had considered taking due to Karura's pregnancy was overtaken by urgency once more.
"Truly, there's no stopping."
But aside from the Forgotten Island to summon beasts, how else could Sunagakure rapidly strengthen itself to face future crises? After some consideration, Rasa realized the only immediate option was still senjutsu chakra.
If Pakura and Michikawa could master senjutsu energy faster, their power would increase dramatically, elevating them to the level of shinobi like Minato and Jiraiya, capable of fighting armies alone. That would significantly lessen the burden on Rasa's shoulders.
After some thought, Rasa wondered if the White Snake Sage of Rychi Cave might have a solution. With that in mind, he wasted no time. Forming the necessary hand seals, he summoned: Lady Tagitsuhime.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS
OberonLA
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Chapter 142: Chapter 142: Shinobi Sect
After a night of dramatic transformation, the environment where Chiyo and the others resided had shifted from the border between desert and forest to a dense, thriving woodland. With Rasa's approval, Chiyo had moved her home from Sunagakure to this place, building a small courtyard. Her younger brother, Ebiz, naturally followed suit without hesitation.
Where their master went, their disciples, Hana and Honoka, were sure to follow.
Seeing the actions of the two elders, Pakura also considered relocating.
After all, compared to Sunagakure's windswept, sand-choked environment, this place was practically paradise.
But after some thought, Pakura dismissed the idea.
Unlike Chiyo and Ebiz, who had retreated from the frontlines, Pakura still had many responsibilities tied to the village. She represented the commoner faction of Sunagakure.
Michikawa was in the same position.
Though he had no intention of moving here, he contemplated asking Rasa for permission to let his son, Komi, stay here during vacations. Having witnessed the formidable power of senjutsu chakra, he hoped his child could one day master it.
Of course, he understood that haste was not the answer.
And so, they each settled into their new lives here, their enthusiasm for the immense power of senjutsu keeping them wholly absorbed. It had already been two days since any of them returned to the village.
As for Karura, Baki, and Yashamaru, they had left much earlier.
Karura, being pregnant, was no longer suited for training, as they worried it might affect the child. Besides, her duties at the orphanage kept her occupied.
Baki, as the ANBU commander, was buried in endless tasks.
Yashamaru, though his status as Chiyo's disciple had become somewhat nominal after she took on the exceptionally talented Hana, remained unbothered. His easygoing nature prevented any resentment, and he had found a new purpose at Sunagakure's expanded hospital.
Needing a skilled medical-nin to oversee operations, Rasa had assigned Yashamaru to the post, and to everyone's surprise, he excelled in the role.
When Rasa returned to the oasis, Chiyo, Ebiz, Pakura, Michikawa, Hana, Honoka, and Bunpuku quickly gathered upon receiving the news.
Though they all lived here now, each had chosen slightly separate training grounds. As shinobi, secrecy was second nature, especially when it came to personal techniques and hidden arts.
Yet, Rasa's sudden reappearance surprised them.
First, he had only left that morning, returning so soon was unusual. Second, the strikingly beautiful girl accompanying him was unfamiliar to all except Honoka and Bunpuku.
Pakura studied the girl for a moment before asking Rasa,
"Did something happen in the village?"
Rasa nodded and handed her the daimyo's letter without delay.
Apart from Bunpuku, Hana, and Honoka, the other four took turns reading the letter. After understanding its contents, they too sensed something amiss.
Ebiz, who had once been responsible for such matters as an elder, immediately grasped the daimyo's intention.
"The daimyo is testing us?"
The others were baffled by those words.
"Indeed. Although the Five Great Shinobi Villages were initially established as independent yet cooperative equals with their respective nations, over time, due to military funding, we've inevitably become subordinate and dependent, especially Sunagakure, which suffered the most. However, half a year ago, after Kazekage-sama's raid on the Land of Fire secured us substantial development funds, our relationship with the daimyo began shifting toward autonomy."
The others quickly understood. Even Rasa hadn't considered this angle. Ebizo continued.
"It seems the daimyo has noticed. That's likely why he sent this probe. Still, proposing an alliance is strange. While it's a sound strategy, daimyo don't typically intervene so directly in shinobi conflicts."
"That's precisely why I've returned."
Drawing their attention, he continued,
"I have a bad feeling. Kumogakure and Iwagakure may be planning something against us. Though their goal is unclear, we must prepare."
The four Sunagakure leaders exchanged solemn glances before nodding in agreement.
Rasa then turned to the girl beside him.
"Allow me to introduce Tagitsuhime-sama, a trusted envoy of the White Snake Sage from Rychi Cave."
The name sent a visible shock through the group. They knew of Rychi Cave, Rasa had previously explained the existence of the Three Great Sage Regions, but none expected he'd already made contact.
As if answering their unspoken question, Rasa revealed her purpose.
"She's here to help you master senjutsu chakra."
Under their stunned gazes, Tagitsuhime offered a gentle smile.
Rasa, while ignoring the different looks of others, elaborated,
"As a millennia-old sacred land, Rychi Cave possesses a refined system for senjutsu training. Tagitsuhime-sama, as the White Snake Sage's confidante, can also sense natural energy. That's why I've invited her here. Once you harness senjutsu, your strength will grow exponentially. Even if Konoha, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure unite against us, we'll stand firm."
This time, their shock stemmed not from Tagitsuhime's presence, but Rasa's implication and it is that Sunagakure might soon face a three-way assault.
"Then we can't afford to waste time. What do we do next?"
Pakura demanded without hesitation.
Rasa glanced at Tagitsuhime, who stepped forward.
"In Rychi Cave, we initiate trainees by injecting natural energy through fangs, allowing them to perceive its essence. Here, however, that method is impractical. Instead, we'll follow the path of the Sage of Six Paths, founder of ninsh, by having Rasa-sama share his senjutsu chakra with you all."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS
OberonLA
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Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Earth and Lightning
The massive village, encircled by jagged rock mountains, bore witness to a shinobi with Iwagakure's forehead protector darting across the stone terrain. Soon, a towering, spear-like stone structure loomed ahead, its surface etched with a single colossal character: 0W0 (Earth).
This was the seat of Iwagakure's power, the Tsuchikage Building.
After a curt announcement by the guards, the shinobi ascended to the top floor. Kneeling immediately upon entry, he raised a scroll with both hands.
"Tsuchikage-sama! A message from the Daimy, Sunagakure has agreed!"
Behind a heavy desk, noki, the Third Tsuchikage, a diminutive yet fearsome figure, accepted the scroll from his son, Tsuchi, a stalwart Jnin of unwavering loyalty.
(AN: I will use OG names as it is.)
A single glance at the contents drew a cold snort from noki.
Tsuchi dismissed the messenger with a glance before addressing his father.
"Father, how does the plan proceed?"
Yet noki's expression remained severe. His next words were ironclad.
"The next phase is yours, Tsuchi. No one else can be trusted with this."
Tsuchi's usually stoic face tensed.
"Understood. But... Father, must we sacrifice our own shinobi?"
noki's gaze was unyielding.
"Without question. You know the Uzumaki survivor's value as well as I."
Tsuchi's jaw tightened. He recognized the subtext, noki's long-simmering resentment toward Rshi, the rebellious Four-Tails Jinchriki.
"Beyond that, investigate Sunagakure's 'Green Miracle.' Confirm whether it ties to Wood Release. Spare no expense."
With his father's resolve absolute, Tsuchi stifled further protest.
"And Kumogakure's position?"
"They'll cooperate. For now, our goals align."
Kumogakure, Land of Lightning
Within a cloud-piercing fortress, the Third Raikage, Ay, loomed over a secret meeting, his expression thunderous.
Only two others attended:
His son, the future Fourth Raikage, and his most trusted tactician, Darui.
Passing Darui the newly arrived scroll, the Third Raikage's voice was a low growl.
"Darui. You'll handle the Sunagakure operation."
Darui, already steeled for the task, met his leader's eyes without hesitation.
"Understood, Raikage-sama. I'll see it done, even at the cost of my life."
The Third Raikage's tone defied his reputation for brashness, sharp with calculation.
"I'll admit that Kazekage brat has impressed me these past six months. But Sunagakure remains weak."
Darui fell into deep thought. While he agreed with the Raikage's reasoning, recalling the Kazekage's unpredictable actions over the past six months filled him with unease. Yet as a subordinate, once his leader made a decision, he had no choice but to obey, especially at such a critical juncture.
At that moment, the future Fourth Raikage, Ae, spoke up.
"Old man, what about Konoha? If we let them recover, everything we've done so far will be for nothing..."
The Third Raikage's expression turned stormy at his son's words.
"So what if they recover? Do you have a better plan? That damn Minato Namikaze alone has stymied all our efforts!"
The future Fourth Raikage gritted his teeth in frustration, his face twisting with anger.
"Damn it! What kind of monsters has Konoha been breeding lately?!"
Over the past six months of war, as one half of the "A-B Combo," he had repeatedly clashed with Minato, experiencing firsthand the man's absurd strength. Against that freakish Space-Time Ninjutsu and his ability to cast techniques without hand seals, numbers meant nothing as even jnin were instantly wiped out. This was why Konoha had managed to hold out against two major villages simultaneously.
Simply put, unless they could defeat Minato, neither Kumogakure nor Iwagakure could truly crush Konoha.
Suddenly, the future Fourth Raikage had a thought.
"What about that Kazekage? Is he as troublesome as Minato?"
The question gave both the Raikage and Darui pause, it was something they'd overlooked.
After a moment, Darui answered carefully.
"The Kazekage has rarely engaged in direct combat, so intel is scarce. From what we've gathered, he's renowned for his Magnet Release, along with the Sand Manipulation techniques pioneered by the Second Kazekage through studying Shukaku."
"Magnet Release and sand control? That doesn't sound too troublesome," the future Fourth Raikage mused.
Compared to Minato's hex Space-Time Ninjutsu, Magnet Release seemed far more manageable. Plus, Kumogakure had its own Magnet Release users.
But Darui shook his head in warning.
"It's not that simple. While the Kazekage rarely fights personally, the list of powerful shinobi who've suffered at his hands is concerning. Even Minato, the very man giving us so much trouble, has lost to him, as has Jiraiya of the Sannin. Konoha's elder Danz had his Sharingan and Wood Release cells stolen. And recently, he even defeated the legendary demon Mry of the Land of Demons."
The future Fourth Raikage's eyes widened.
"He made Minato back down?!"
"Indeed. Though the details are unclear, one thing is certain, and it is that, in their confrontation, Minato was the one who conceded first."
Darui's expression darkened further.
"But that's not the most alarming part. What's truly dangerous is this Kazekage's strategic brilliance. Whether it's his lightning strike on the Land of Fire or Konoha's crushing defeat in the Land of Rivers, every move proves he's not to be underestimated. Underestimate him, and we'll end up like Konoha."
He hoped to caution the Raikage with these words. The Third Raikage understood, but unlike Darui, he believed in overwhelming power above all else.
"Enough. Don't spook yourselves. Remember this: no scheme can withstand absolute strength. In a few years, once Bee and Yugito mature fully, even Minato won't be a threat. That's exactly why we can't let Sunagakure succeed in creating their own jinchriki. Darui, make your preparations."
Seeing the Raikage's resolve, Darui could only bow and take his leave.
And so, three days later, Sunagakure suddenly buzzed with unprecedented activity.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS
OberonLA
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Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Shinobi Sect Training
It had only been half a month since the last Desert Flower Festival. Due to the arrival of the priestess from the Land of Demons, Sunagakure had once again become lively. The villagers were delighted, seeing this as a sign of the village's growing prosperity.
Coming from Kumogakure, the shinobi named Darui passed through the Main Gate and immediately saw the bustling, joyful crowd along Sunagakure's main street. Behind him, five other shinobi wearing Kumogakure headbands curiously observed the village. They were the delegation sent by Kumogakure to negotiate an alliance with Sunagakure.
For all six of them, this was their first time in Sunagakure. Their eyes carried a mix of caution and curiosity as they carefully observed this mysterious village, wanting to commit every detail to memory.
And yet, Sunagakure's first impression on them was unexpected.
According to Kumogakure's intelligence, Sunagakure was supposed to be an extremely harsh environment-a village nestled in a valley, plagued by strong winds and sandstorms, with a dry climate and severe water shortages, devoid of life, like a barren wasteland.
But what they saw now told a different story.
Lush trees grew along the cliffs, patches of flowers and grass flourished between buildings, and the village seemed anything but desolate. Instead, it was full of life. Darui could even catch a faint scent of summer grass in the air. The faces of the villagers were filled with smiles, their eyes shining with hope for the future.
This made Darui understand why Raikage-sama was paying such close attention to Sunagakure's sudden rise.
With this thought, he turned to the Sunagakure shinobi leading the delegation and said,
"Baki-san, Sunagakure seems quite lively today."
Since the Raikage had sent a trusted aide, Sunagakure naturally couldn't be disrespectful either. As the head of the ANBU, Baki had personally taken charge of welcoming the guests from Kumogakure and Iwagakure.
Hearing Darui's comment, Baki replied without turning his head,
"It'll be even livelier tomorrow. The priestess from the Land of Demons is coming to visit our Kazekage-sama."
"The Land of Demons? I've heard that your Kazekage-sama helped eliminate the legendary demon, Mry. I wonder if that's true?"
Baki had no interest in answering. He knew full well that Darui was only feigning ignorance. Given Kumogakure's intelligence capabilities, there was no way they didn't know what had happened in the Land of Demons.
"That doesn't seem to have anything to do with the purpose of your visit."
"Indeed, it doesn't. However, we've long admired the priestess from the Land of Demons. I wonder if we might have the opportunity to meet her tomorrow?"
Baki, of course, would not agree.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible. The priestess is here specifically to visit Kazekage-sama. There are no other arrangements."
Darui sighed, appearing genuinely disappointed. Then, as if shifting topics, he asked,
"Well then, would it be possible for us to participate in tomorrow's festivities? We'd love to join in on the excitement."
The group stopped in their tracks as Baki turned to scrutinize the six shinobi before him.
Darui remained unfazed and smiled.
"What's the matter? Is there a problem? Or is Sunagakure planning to confine us to our rooms during negotiations, forbidding us from going outside? That doesn't seem like proper hospitality."
Baki narrowed his gaze and coldly replied,
"There is no problem. However, after the festival, I expect to see all of you in your rooms. Otherwise, we will arrest you on charges of espionage."
"Espionage? Hey! You Sunagakure shinobi are going too far! What do you take us Kumogakure shinobi for?!"
A Kumogakure jnin with a large afro immediately shouted in protest.