My Journey as Fourth Kazekage

Without the ravages of war, the Land of Birds could have been one of the most stunning countries in the world. The sky would be a brilliant blue, the forests thick and vibrant, and the lakes sparkling like crystal. It would have been a sanctuary for countless species of birds, and that's precisely how the land earned its name.

But with the arrival of the ninja forces from the three great nations, the birds fled, and the lush forests were ravaged. The once-pristine land now lay smothered in smoke, its beauty overshadowed by the scars of battle.

The summit where the three Kages were to meet was located in a village near the site of the clash between the three nations' forces. By the time the war had erupted, the villagers had already abandoned their homes, fleeing in fear of the violence.

Ninjas from all three villages had taken positions around the village, carefully watching each other, wary of any sudden moves from the other factions.

As the closest to the Land of Birds, Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, was the first to arrive.

Next came Rasa, the Kazekage of the Land of Wind, who shared a border with the Land of Birds. Accompanying him were his bodyguards—Baki, the leader of his Anbu, and Yashamaru, his brother-in-law and a medical ninja. Rasa had made these arrangements for his own protection; considering his current strength, the only real threats to him were genjutsu or poison.

The summit was scheduled for the following day, so Rasa, accompanied by his two trusted guards, first met with Pakura and Michikawa.

"It looks like everyone is in good spirits~,"

Rasa remarked with a grin, observing the relaxed and well-rested Pakura and Michikawa inside the tent of the Sunagakure faction.

Pakura rolled her eyes in response, while Michikawa spoke seriously.

"Just as you expected, Kazekage-sama, Iwagakure and Kumogakure have no intention of attacking us. So, even though we're facing ninjas from two nations, the pressure isn't overwhelming."

But Rasa's next question shifted the tone, as it was something that truly concerned him.

"What about the Jinchuriki from Iwagakure and Kumogakure? How strong are they?"

Pakura and Michikawa both furrowed their brows at the question.

They didn't try to act tough, instead speaking candidly.

"They're very strong. If it was just the partial Tailed Beast transformation, I wouldn't be too worried. But when they go into full Tailed Beast form, their power becomes nearly uncontrollable. The best we can do is delay them."

Michikawa continued, his voice grave. "Facing those chakra beasts, if it weren't for the Star Release chakra you gave us, Kazekage-sama, we'd truly be in serious trouble. The Tailed Beasts are the ultimate weapons, the symbol of a nation's power. Sunagakure also needs its own Jinchuriki."

Michikawa's words immediately captured everyone's attention.

Sunagakure did indeed have its own Jinchuriki—Bunpuku, the host of Shukaku. However, he was already far too old and unfit for battle. This made Michikawa's words all the more pointed.

A new Jinchuriki meant the death of the previous one and the rise of another "monster."

Baki's eyes shifted toward Rasa, who was likely the only one in the village fully aware of Bunpuku's condition.

Rasa understood why Michikawa would be thinking this way.

Compared to the limitations of human power, the Tailed Beasts, born as natural chakra monsters, had the potential to drastically change the outcome of battles. It wasn't surprising that every ninja village coveted them.

"Selecting a Jinchuriki should not be rushed; choosing the right candidate is no simple task,"

Rasa remarked with a stern voice. Michikawa nodded in agreement, clearly understanding the gravity of the situation.

This was indeed the truth.

Suppressing the chakra of a Tailed Beast was no easy feat. It took more than simply picking a random person to host its power.

Rasa then shifted the conversation.

"How's the meeting location?"

"It's a nearby village. We've surveyed it multiple times, and neither Iwagakure nor Kumogakure has interfered with our reconnaissance. It seems relatively safe for now, but we can't afford to let our guard down."

Pakura paused, then added.

"So, does this mean we won't have to fight anymore?"

Rasa shook his head.

"The fight must continue. However, whether our enemies will be Iwagakure, Kumogakure, or Konohagakure depends entirely on the outcome of this summit."

Pakura and Michikawa exchanged uneasy glances. They certainly didn't want to be caught in a war with either Kumogakure or Iwagakure.

The more they fought against ninjas from other villages, the more they could sense the relative weakness of their own forces.

Compared to Kumogakure and Iwagakure, which boasted vast amounts of talent and even wielded Tailed Beasts as weapons, Sunagakure's high-level combat forces were noticeably lacking. Their only advantage came from exploiting Konoha's vulnerabilities.

Noticing the concern in their expressions, Rasa reassured them.

"Don't worry. The fact that the Raikage and Tsuchikage have agreed to attend this summit shows that they share my views."

The two nodded in understanding, the weight lifting off their shoulders as their anxiety eased.

One couldn't help but admire Rasa. With his calm and steady leadership, they felt more confident, even in such turbulent times.

From their perspective, if they were in Rasa's position as the Kazekage, would they have been as composed in the face of such chaotic circumstances?

The conversation eventually shifted away from the summit, and Pakura spoke with a sly smile.

"Oh, by the way, there's a letter from that organization called Akatsuki. It's addressed to you, Kazekage-sama."

She pulled out a scroll and tossed it to Rasa.

Pakura wasn't privy to the contents of the letter, as it was specifically for the Kazekage's eyes only. Still, curiosity naturally gnawed at her.

Rasa froze for a moment as he caught the scroll. When he opened it, his expression shifted to one of bemusement.

"How cute~. They are really naïve."

Rasa muttered under his breath, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. But his amusement faded quickly as he made up his mind.

"If the leader of this Akatsuki organization wants to meet me, I'll give them a chance. Respond to them: if they have the guts, they can come to our Sunagakure camp after the summit tomorrow."

He tossed the scroll back to Pakura and the others. After a quick glance, they understood the contents.

With a curious look, Pakura asked.

"So, what exactly is this Akatsuki organization? When they appeared three days ago, I was surprised. But why does their leader seem so... childish?"

Baki stepped in to explain.

He recounted the origins of Akatsuki, sharing that their stated goal was to promote peace within the ninja world, and they intended to do so through nonviolent means.

At this revelation, both Pakura and Michikawa were momentarily stunned.

Such an ideal was rare, almost unheard of, in the ninja world.

Intrigued, Rasa leaned forward and asked.

"Have any of you met members of Akatsuki? What do you think of their strength?"

Michikawa paused for a moment, carefully considering his response.

"They're all very young. Their leader is quite powerful, but the others are... fairly average. However, the sheer number of their ninjas is impressive. Who would've thought there was such a mercenary organization in the Land of Rain? Given Hanzō's nature, how could he have allowed Akatsuki to exist?"

"I've heard that Hanzō hasn't been seen in public for a long time."

Baki added.

"I wonder if..."

Rasa frowned, shaking his head.

"Since Yahiko is still alive, Hanzo shouldn't have died. If things were following the original timeline, even my transmigration wouldn't have altered that."

Just then, a ninja rushed into the tent.

"Kazekage-sama, the Raikage from Kumogakure has arrived."

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