"Good grief… that kind of destructive power—what's worse is, I can't even tell what kind of technique it is."
"Tsunade, what about you? How do you interpret a technique that goes beyond the scope of ninjutsu?"
From the very start of the battle, this was the most direct and overwhelming display of strength.
Sakumo Hatake and Tsunade both stood, their gazes fixed on the waterfall in the distance. The hole punched through it continued to expand, the circular gap widening little by little.
Sage Art—No Interval?
Sage Art…
Sakumo's face was filled with astonishment. He thought to himself, Has that kid, Kazuyama Gekkō, really found his own path?
"Hard to say. I know of Sage Arts, and I've even tried training in them myself."
"But Sage training is extremely difficult—at least for me."
"Even my grandfather, Senju Hashirama, once said something similar. If Kazuyama Gekkō really managed to develop his own path without relying on any of the Three Great Sage Regions, then I can only say this—he'll become the pinnacle of the shinobi world."
"He might even become the second God of Shinobi."
Tsunade's shock ran deeper than Sakumo's.
As the successor of the Shikkotsu Forest, one of the Three Great Sage Regions, she had certainly had opportunities to learn Sage Arts—but she simply hadn't met the requirements.
"You're saying he's already on par with the First Hokage?"
"That sounds a bit excessive, doesn't it?"
Sakumo hadn't expected Tsunade to give Kazuyama such high praise, and for a moment, he was left speechless.
But Tsunade nodded solemnly.
"Not an exaggeration at all. His combat strength already surpasses both of us. Even the current Hokage, Minato Namikaze, probably wouldn't be his match."
"Dual Kekkei Genkai—both of them far beyond standard bloodline limits—and now he's mastered Sage Arts."
"I'd say he's already beyond Kage level."
Her evaluation was bold, though it was still her conservative judgment. Tsunade had a lingering feeling that Kazuyama still hid much of his strength. That kid was far too good at concealing his true power.
Kazuyama Gekkō: Oh? So you've noticed?
As a master of hidden cards, Kazuyama had never once revealed his full hand.
True, his last battle with Akatsuki had forced him to expose most of his abilities—but even then, he had held something back.
And now, he was far stronger than before.
"What is this technique…?" Rasa muttered. "I can feel my Gold Dust slipping out of control—no, being destroyed outright?"
Watching more and more of his Gold Dust crumble, he immediately canceled the technique, recalling what was left.
As a Magnet Release user, control over his particles was his core strength. Yet now, even he—its master—couldn't grasp what was happening.
He understood clearly: this battle couldn't continue.
"Don't worry about what technique I used."
"Just answer me this—will you let your son come under my tutelage?"
"Ah, that sounds too harsh. I mean—let him become my disciple."
"And as for you, you'll announce an alliance between Sunagakure and Konoha. Don't worry, it'll only benefit you. So, what do you say?"
Rasa fell silent. His brow furrowed, thoughts churning. Being the Fourth Kazekage and yet so thoroughly cornered by another man—it brought back memories of his first encounter with Kazuyama.
"Take your time. No rush."
"Want an ice pop? I've got one."
Kazuyama smiled casually, reaching into his robe and pulling out an ice pop.
The sudden gesture left Rasa dumbfounded. He looked up at the blazing sun, then down at the desert sand.
No illusion. He was wide awake.
A popsicle—in this sweltering desert? Impossible.
Then something flew toward him. Without thinking, Rasa caught it with his Gold Dust. When he looked closely—
It really was an ice pop.
Not far away, Kazuyama was already enjoying his, looking completely at ease.
"Huh? Not eating it?"
"Or do people in Sunagakure not like cold treats?"
"I used a special preservation method for these. Oh no, oh no, this is bad—Rasa, you…"
"Oh, you ate it? Never mind then."
Yes, Rasa had unwrapped it and taken a bite.
The chill that hit his tongue was unmistakable—it was genuinely ice-cold. But… how?
He'd clearly seen Kazuyama pull it straight from his robe. In this heat, a treat like that wouldn't last three minutes before melting into a puddle.
"How did you do that?"
"Hm?"
"What method did you use to keep it from melting?"
"Oh, that? Simple. Just use your own power to protect it from the heat and regulate the temperature with chakra. What, you don't know how?"
Rasa: …I really want to punch him. Hard.
"I'll consider your proposal for an alliance. As for whether Gaara will accept you as his master, that's not up to me."
"You can come back to the village with me and meet him in person. But let me warn you—if I find you harbor any ill intentions toward Gaara…"
"I'll mobilize the entire village to destroy you."
"Even if you're powerful, remember—someone as strong as the Third Raikage still died. You'd be no exception."
Rasa's voice was firm, his stare sharp. But the fact that he'd said this much meant he'd already taken a step back.
Exactly what Kazuyama wanted.
"Oh, come now. No need for all that killing talk."
"The shinobi world needs peace. Alright then, I'll go to Sunagakure with you."
"Don't worry, I trust you'll keep me safe. Oh—wait a second. I need to talk to the two elders behind us first."
"Wouldn't want to cause unnecessary misunderstandings later."
In an instant, Kazuyama vanished from before Rasa's eyes, reappearing atop the sand dunes where Sakumo and Tsunade stood.
"Old man. Tsunade."
"I'm heading to Sunagakure. Minato's probably on his way here—let him know."
"An alliance between Konoha and Sunagakure will benefit us greatly."
Sakumo and Tsunade both nodded after hearing the news.
Now that the wars had calmed, a Konoha–Sunagakure alliance would indeed be advantageous. The Land of Wind lacked resources, yes—but one less enemy meant one less source of pressure.
Konoha had endured being surrounded by four villages for far too long.
"Alright. Just be careful. You've placed your markers, right?"
"Don't let Sunagakure trick you. Remember, the elder Chiyo and I have a deep grudge."
Sakumo offered a few words of caution. After all, Chiyo's standing within Sunagakure was not something to take lightly.