The weather was growing hotter.
Sunagakure, a semi-fortified ninja village, was encircled by walls of sandstone, its buildings designed like fortresses.
It looked densely packed.
While this kept out sandstorms, the village's climate remained swelteringly unbearable.
As usual, Karura made her way to Rasa's home. Since he'd left for the northern border to fight in the war, she visited daily to clean, tidy the bedding, and—if the dust wasn't too bad—air out the sheets.
"Karura-sama!"
"Hello!"
Karura greeted the Sand shinobi and villagers with a warm smile, nodding politely.
Rasa's feats—crushing Kusagakure and Iwagakure, storming Kusagakure's camp in a "seven-in, seven-out" rampage, and single-handedly defeating hundreds of Iwagakure jōnin—had spread throughout the village. He was now Sunagakure's pillar of strength.
With the Kazekage missing, the village's morale had been low. Short on funds, shinobi, and facing a brutal war for no clear reason…
How could the villagers feel at ease?
The Kage was the heart and soul of the village, its beacon of faith. Their absence was a devastating blow.
But recently…
News of Rasa-sama's meteoric rise, especially the strength described by messenger shinobi, made it clear: he was fit to be the next Kage!
Rumor had it… even the Tsuchikage, despite Iwagakure's heavy losses, hesitated to confront Rasa directly.
"Rasa-sama's strength… he's more than capable of carrying Sunagakure as the Fourth Kazekage!"
Karura, holding cleaning supplies, overheard the villagers' chatter. Her lips curved into a proud smile as she walked toward Rasa's house, head held high.
Rasa had, without realizing it, become the village's chosen Fourth Kazekage.
As his fiancée, she was overjoyed.
So, along the way, she met everyone's enthusiasm with a smile, responding warmly to all.
As for rumors of Rasa "stealing women"… Karura dismissed them. As his childhood friend, she trusted him completely.
[Rasa… he's not that kind of man!]
Soon, she reached Rasa's doorstep. Glancing back to ensure no villagers had followed, she sighed in relief and pulled out the spare key Rasa had given her. But as she moved to unlock the door…
"Hm?"
Karura carefully stepped aside, her eyes widening in surprise as she spotted… two tiny green saplings by the door!
"How… how are there saplings here?"
Saplings sprouting in the desert… that was a big deal!
…
Rasa had no idea that the fruit pits he'd casually buried by his doorstep had taken root and sprouted this year.
If he knew, he'd find it utterly unbelievable!
At that moment, he was leading Kanna and the other Sand shinobi to reinforce Advisor Chiyo's battlefield.
Konoha Year 43, late spring, nearing the summer solstice. Kumogakure officially declared war on Konoha and Iwagakure, their prepared ninja forces charging toward the borders of the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth.
Forced to respond, Iwagakure faced one of the five great ninja villages—Kumogakure—and couldn't afford to slack off, shifting focus to Kumogakure and Konoha.
Why bother with Konoha?
Because, while wars could be lost, Konoha had to be fought!
It was an unspoken agreement among the other four great ninja villages.
Meanwhile, as Kumogakure attacked Konoha, Kirigakure jumped into the fray, joining the war to "cut down" Konoha.
In short… Konoha was too strong, so let's weaken it!
As all five great ninja villages joined, another Great Shinobi War engulfed the ninja world. Smaller villages jumped in, hoping to gain war spoils and grow stronger.
In truth…
The real Great Shinobi War had begun!
Rasa wasn't surprised. He'd known the Third Great Shinobi War was inevitable. But… he hadn't expected Kumogakure, the first to attack Sunagakure, to indirectly lift their siege. What an irony!
Sunagakure was poor, resource-scarce, with little to offer beyond secret techniques and ninjutsu.
Why waste so many troops on them?
Thanks, Kumogakure!
As for Konoha…
They had more secret techniques, more ninjutsu. After the Land of Whirlpools fell, Konoha became the ninja world's sealing technique hub.
Most of the Uzumaki clan's secrets were now in Konoha's hands!
Add their bloodline limits, population, wealth, and techniques…
If not Konoha, who else would you weaken?
Konoha was so dominant, winning against multiple villages in the last two Great Shinobi Wars. For the sake of other villages' growth, Konoha had to be cut down!
It was all to close the gap between villages.
Rasa understood this well. Sunagakure often provoked Konoha for similar reasons, even with their "friend" in Konoha—Shimura Danzō—lurking in the shadows. Trouble still had to be stirred.
To reach the battlefield in time, Rasa, Kanna, and the reinforcing Sand shinobi didn't rest, heading straight for Kumogakure's front.
As the war escalated, the ninja world felt unusually heavy and silent.
After all, war meant death.
No shinobi knew if they'd return to their beloved village after stepping onto the battlefield.
Many who'd planned marriages postponed them, making new vows before departing…
["When the war ends, we'll come back and marry!"]
Hope, sorrow, longing, and chaos became the ninja world's sole melody.
A week later, they reached the battlefield at night.
Rasa saw Advisor Chiyo and Advisor Ebizō approaching with warm smiles, joined by nearly a hundred jōnin officers. Their exhaustion was evident—yawns slipped out, faces heavy with fatigue—but they stood tall to welcome him.
He understood…
With Sasori and the Third Kazekage gone, Chiyo and Ebizō were boosting his reputation, paving the way for him to become the Fourth Kazekage and lead Sunagakure into the future.
"Rasa, you've worked hard!" Chiyo said warmly, grasping his hand with a kind smile, her tone tinged with regret. "I'm sorry, you know the conditions here. You might not get any rest."
"No problem!"
Rasa shook his head with a smile, scanning the Sand shinobi watching him.
Some fool had exaggerated his feats, making his record surpass even the Third Kazekage's, nearing the Shinobi God himself.
So, upon his arrival, many Sand shinobi visibly relaxed, brimming with confidence in victory.
[This is just setting me up to fail!]
He knew his limits—he was only slightly better than an average Kage.
So, if not now, when to boost his reputation?
This must be why Chiyo had everyone welcome them.
Rasa took a deep breath, adopting a serious expression and a resolute tone. "The conditions are harsh, but we Sand shinobi uphold the proud tradition of perseverance, inheriting the First Kazekage's fearless spirit—enduring hardship, fighting fiercely, achieving greatness! We strive, battling enemies, the environment, and ourselves. We don't complain about hardship or slack off because of it. With hearts devoted to Sunagakure…" He raised his fist passionately. "Every one of us, as part of Sunagakure… you're all outstanding!"
The moment his words fell…
"Bravo!"
The camp erupted in fervent, uplifting applause.
Clap clap clap!
The air buzzed with joy!
(End of Chapter)