"S-rank ninjutsu: Sand Soldier Manifestation, Quicksand Displacement, Crescent Moon Sand Dune, Antlion Hell, Sandification, Bestowal S/N."
"Bloodline Limit: Magnet Release, Byakugan."
"Summoned Beasts: Yatagarasu, Chameleon, Giant Bull, Splitting Hound."
"Ninja Blades: Thunder Blades, Samehada."
Rasa calculated his current assets.
"And combined ninjutsu."
"Byakugan Scouting Technique, formed from combining Byakugan with the Scouting Technique."
"Sand Soldier Golden Lightning Slash, formed from Sand Soldier Manifestation, Quicksand Displacement, and the Thunder Blades. But now, the Thunder Blades no longer hold much meaning for me. Here, the Thunder Blades can be replaced with Gold Dust Thundercloud."
"In that case, the Thunder Blades can be given to another shinobi in the village. At the very least, it can strengthen that shinobi's combat power."
Many candidates flashed through Rasa's mind.
"Aside from the Thunder Blades, there are also the Longsword, the Bluntsword, and the Decapitating Carving Knife."
"Of Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swords, six are now in Sunagakure's hands."
"The Longsword and Bluntsword can actually be given to Retsu. With Kushimaru Kuriarare and Jinin Akebino holding ninja blades, the two puppets will be much stronger than in their ordinary state."
"Retsu's strength will be able to directly reach the level of an elite jonin."
"The Thunder Blades and Decapitating Carving Knife can be assigned to two other shinobi separately."
Rasa patiently waited for the points to arrive.
But what Rasa had not expected was this—
Before the fifth rumor delivered its final 1,000 points, news arrived first that large numbers of Konoha shinobi had appeared near the border of the Land of Wind, sneaking around with suspicious intentions.
"Is Konoha trying to start a war with Sunagakure?"
"Did the Minato Namikaze rumor make Hiruzen Sarutobi lose his composure?"
According to the original storyline, after the Third Great Ninja War ended, the shinobi world would enter a fairly long period of peace.
Not until Uchiha Obito's plan neared its final stage would the Fourth Great Ninja War officially begin.
During the period in between, there might be some small friction between the various shinobi villages.
For example, Orochimaru's Konoha Crush plan.
But now, large numbers of Konoha shinobi had appeared at the border of the Land of Wind. Clearly, they had not come merely for some minor friction.
Report after report was delivered into Rasa's hands by Sunagakure's intelligence shinobi.
"I see!"
Rasa understood why Konoha had made such a move.
Because one of the Sannin—Jiraiya, who had been outside for many years and barely even participated in the Third Great Ninja War—had finally returned to the Konoha he held most important in his heart.
Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Jiraiya.
Orochimaru.
One village, three Kage-level shinobi.
Konoha.
Hokage Building.
Hiruzen Sarutobi convened a meeting that was very small in scale, but extremely high in importance and value.
There were six main participants.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo Shimura, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane.
Plus Orochimaru and Jiraiya.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression was solemn.
"With the end of the Ninja World War, I believed peace would come. But I was wrong."
"Sunagakure is ambitious and ruthless!"
"The Nine-Tails incident was Konoha's misfortune and tragedy. But Sunagakure has used it to make a great fuss, slandering my reputation and driving a wedge between the people of Konoha."
"This is Sunagakure testing us. If we retreat, they will only become even more excessive."
"We can no longer sit and wait."
"Otherwise, Kirigakure's current state will become our fate."
"We may even end up worse than Kirigakure."
"Therefore, we must strike back."
Hiruzen looked toward Jiraiya.
"Jiraiya, how about you lead the team?"
Jiraiya nodded.
"Fine."
Very quickly, news that Konoha was about to take action against Sunagakure spread through the village. Many elite shinobi and shinobi from ninja clans learned of the matter.
Some were enthusiastic.
But others resisted it in their hearts.
"Didn't the war only just end? Why are we starting another one?"
"Because of what Sunagakure did in Ninja World Weekly?"
"Because Sunagakure slandered Hokage-sama's reputation?"
One Hyuga shinobi could not help saying, "Previously, Kirigakure seized our Hyuga clan's Byakugan. That matter was so severe, yet the village still made our Hyuga clan endure it."
"Now, merely because Hokage-sama's reputation has been affected—and without any actual losses suffered—we are going to war with Sunagakure?"
"I don't understand."
The Hyuga shinobi opposite him agreed.
"Exactly. Is his reputation really that important? Important enough to start a war over? Then what do the lives of the village's shinobi count for? What did our Hyuga clan's previous concessions and sacrifices count for?"
"If only Minato-sama were still alive."
A Konoha shinobi who was sick of war sighed.
"War is about to start again. This time, if we fight Sunagakure, who knows how long it will last? Can we even win?"
Danzo had fallen into a contradictory state.
On one hand, the radicalism buried in Danzo's bones made him strongly approve of attacking Sunagakure.
Furthermore, Danzo already hated Sunagakure deeply.
But on the other hand, Danzo felt that Hiruzen Sarutobi privately starting a war like this was completely inconsistent with Hiruzen's past behavior, which made Danzo uncomfortable.
"Hiruzen, you really are hypocritical."
"When something happens to others, you can endure and compromise."
"When it happens to you, you cannot yield even a step."
"I'm certain now. Back then, after Tobirama-sensei asked that question, when you volunteered to stay behind, it must have been because you had already seen through Tobirama-sensei's thoughts."
"I was one step too slow. But I was the one who truly wanted to stay behind."
"Tobirama-sensei misjudged you."
"The Hokage position should have been mine."
Danzo looked toward the Hokage Building and gave a cold snort.
"And even now, after sitting in the Hokage seat for so many years, you still cling to it greedily. Even in this situation, you still refuse to hand it over to Orochimaru."
"When exactly will you step down from the Hokage position?"
"When you die?"
Orochimaru's expression also showed disappointment.
"Teacher, am I truly so unworthy of your recognition?"
"Even after Minato's death, you still forced Jiraiya to return just to balance me?"
…
…
Rasa sat in the Kazekage's office and tapped the desk lightly with one bent finger.
"If Konoha wants war, then Sunagakure will meet them in war."
"Two Sun Disks have already been completed. Even if war breaks out, it will not affect the progress too much."
"Konoha… Sunagakure does not fear you."
"In terms of top-level shinobi, Sunagakure is not weak."
"As for mid-level shinobi, with more and more refined Stones of Gelel being prepared, Sunagakure will only grow stronger in that aspect as well. This battle will certainly be won."
"Additionally, once war breaks out, there will be even more convenient methods to promote my sixth rumor."
Rasa looked toward the point column that had already reached 1,000.
With a thought—
"Ten consecutive draws, begin!"