Chapter 125: Sealing the Three-Tails
After receiving the report about a Tailed Beast rampaging, Rasa immediately rushed over with a team.
However, by the time they arrived, they found Uchiha Dali casually chatting with the old monk Bunpuku, as if nothing had happened.
The two seemed to be having a pleasant conversation.
The Suna Anbu guarding the prison were still frozen in place.
From the side, it was clear that their poses indicated they had been just about to launch an attack on Uchiha Dali.
"Lord Fourth Kazekage?"
"I sensed a Tailed Beast Chakra rampaging here just moments ago…"
Rasa already knew the answer.
Shukaku, the One-Tail, was nothing he couldn't suppress even at full strength. Compared to a terrifying existence like Uchiha Dali, what was Shukaku even worth?
But he still couldn't help but ask.
Uchiha Dali didn't respond to Rasa. Instead, he turned around with a smile. "Well then, starting today, Bunpuku will be coming back with me to Konoha."
"Let's go."
With that, he turned and walked away.
Bunpuku put his hands together in prayer and stepped out of the prison cell after him.
Through their earlier conversation, he had already learned the young man's identity and background.
He had seen with his own eyes how Uchiha Dali disciplined Shukaku—just a single glance had frightened the Tailed Beast into retreating.
That level of strength was utterly terrifying.
With him around, even if Bunpuku grew old, Shukaku would never dare act out again.
So Bunpuku willingly followed Uchiha Dali.
Right after the two left the prison, the Suna Anbu who had been petrified finally regained control of their bodies.
They collapsed to the ground like deflated balloons.
"Get them medical attention immediately!"
Rasa barked the order and turned to look in the direction Uchiha Dali had gone.
A flicker of awe and deep wariness flashed through his eyes.
...
Elsewhere, at the Akatsuki headquarters—
A shadowy underground space received an uninvited guest.
Konan personally brought him in.
"This is where you guys do your 'art' research? Looks pretty damn shabby."
The voice echoed unabashedly through the vast underground space.
Deva Path Pain, Uchiha Obito, Zetsu, and the others all emerged, fixing their gazes on the new member.
"Welcome to the Akatsuki."
As the organization's apparent leader, Pain offered a formal welcome to Sasori of the Red Sand.
The simple ceremony didn't displease Sasori. He was just curious about what earth-shaking thing this group was planning.
"Good timing. We're still short-handed, but let's begin sealing the Three-Tails first."
"Teach him the 'Demonic Statue Chains Sealing Jutsu: Nine Phantom Dragons.'"
Uchiha Obito ordered Pain in a tone filled with authority.
Sasori, unaware of the full picture, saw Pain walking toward him.
"I'll explain it to him," Konan said, stepping forward to brief Sasori.
They were about to perform a powerful S-rank sealing technique: the Nine-Phantom Seals of the Demonic Statue, to seal the Tailed Beast.
This was the second step of the Eye of the Moon Plan.
But since Tailed Beast Chakra was overwhelmingly vast, the process would take a long time.
Not only did it require a powerful S-rank seal, it also needed multiple Kage-level—or beyond—individuals working in unison.
After Konan's explanation, Sasori simply found it all intriguing and didn't object.
A natural genius with strong learning ability and battle experience, Sasori found the technique easy to grasp once he understood the fundamentals—even though it was S-rank.
Once he had fully mastered the Nine-Phantom Seals, Uchiha Obito instructed Pain to activate the summoning technique.
The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path was summoned.
As the grotesque and enormous creature emerged, Sasori was stunned once again.
"Now this is getting interesting," he said, clearly entertained.
"We must hurry. Konoha's people are also trying to gather the Tailed Beasts," Uchiha Obito warned grimly.
"It seems they're prepared to fight us to the bitter end."
At his words, everyone fell silent and began simultaneously performing the Nine-Phantom Seals.
Just then, a swirling vortex appeared, and the massive form of the captured Three-Tails dropped to the ground.
With the full Akatsuki lineup unleashing the powerful sealing jutsu, a strong energy conduit formed between the Three-Tails and the Demonic Statue.
An endless stream of Tailed Beast Chakra began flowing steadily into the statue's body.
...
After Uchiha Dali left the Hidden Sand Village, Rasa convened all the shinobi and publicly addressed the villagers.
From this day on, they would become a vassal state of the Land of Fire.
Rasa promised that everything in the Hidden Sand Village would change because they would now receive financial support from the most powerful of the Five Great Nations—the Land of Fire.
Their harsh environment and impoverished lives would see drastic improvement.
Hearing this promise, the long-suffering villagers were surprised to learn they were now under the Land of Fire's rule, but no one objected or protested.
If life could finally get better, did it matter who ruled them?
Seeing that neither the villagers nor the shinobi were opposed, Rasa went on to unveil his next plan.
"Our Hidden Sand Village has long endured hardship, yet we've relentlessly supported the Daimyō of the Land of Wind to protect this land."
"In the recently concluded Third Great Ninja War, we paid a tremendous price."
"And in return? The Wind Daimyō mocked us, offered not a shred of comfort or compensation."
"If our nation's military might comes from us, then why shouldn't we take charge of the country ourselves?"
Rasa's words caused an instant uproar throughout the Hidden Sand Village.
Truthfully, he was extremely nervous.
Such rebellious thoughts—he had never dared say them to anyone, not even his own wife, let alone speak them aloud in front of so many.
He didn't know what kind of response he'd get.
Maybe he'd be branded a traitor and attacked by everyone…
But to Rasa's utter shock, not only was he not opposed, he was met with overwhelming support.
Only then did he realize something important:
The villagers and shinobi of the Hidden Sand had long grown resentful of the Daimyō's oppression and exploitation.
When things went wrong, it was always the Hidden Sand who bore the burden; when things were fine, the Daimyō and his bloated court dined and drank in luxury.
Meanwhile, the Hidden Sand was left in the dirt, their lives disregarded.
They had had enough.
Now, with Rasa raising the banner, the response was thunderous.
Together, they resolved to overthrow the outdated rule of the Land of Wind and establish a new regime centered around the Hidden Sand Village.
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