My Journey as Fourth Kazekage

In the early hours of the morning, as the first light began to filter through the sky, the vast forest remained in peaceful slumber. But deep within the dense woods of the Land of Birds, a large group of ninjas, each wearing their village's headbands, moved swiftly through the trees. Their destination was clear—the village nearby.

The village, small but visible in the distance, had already been surrounded by ninjas from Sunagakure, Kumogakure, and Iwagakure. The three groups had formed a tense perimeter, each village keeping a careful watch on the others, their awareness of each other thick with caution.

At that moment, three figures emerged from the shadows of the forest in the direction of Kumogakure.

Leading the group was none other than the Third Raikage of Kumogakure. His muscular chest was bare, his imposing figure exuding a heavy, powerful aura that made the ninjas from the other villages swallow nervously at the sight of him.

"Am I really the first to get here? That old fool Ōnoki and the Fourth Kazekage are so slow,"

Raikage muttered with a grunt. Flanking him were his bodyguard, Darui, a skilled Jōnin from Kumogakure, and a young girl with a ponytail—Yugito Nii, the Two-Tails Jinchūriki from Kumogakure.

Before anyone could reply, an elderly voice rang out from behind them.

"Hmph! Old fool!? Raikage, you're not exactly a spring chicken yourself."

From the sky, three figures descended. The first was the small but dignified Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, wearing his signature Tsuchikage robes. He was accompanied by the Kumogakure Jōnin Kurobachi and the elderly Rōshi, the Four-Tails Jinchūriki.

The Third Raikage didn't even bother to respond to Ōnoki's words. He simply surveyed the area around him, his gaze sharp.

"Now it's just the Fourth Kazekage left?"

Ae asked, his voice carrying a hint of impatience.

Ōnoki, with a smirk on his face.

"Kids these days really don't know how to show respect to their elders."

Just then, a gust of yellow sand burst out from the forest, swirling toward the gathered ninjas. As the sand settled, the last of the three Kages appeared—a tall figure clad in the Kazekage robes: Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage. Behind him stood his trusted companions, Pakura and Michikawa.

Rasa surveyed the other Kages and their guards with a sharp, calculating gaze before speaking.

"It's only natural that the main act comes last."

Rasa grinned as he rubbed his robe.

"The main act!?"

Ōnoki sneered, his voice laced with mockery as he looked down at the young Kazekage.

"Kid, what makes you think you have the right to be the main act here? Do you honestly think you're above me?"

"Deserve?"

Rasa's expression remained unchanged, his calm demeanor never faltering as he met Ōnoki's glare. He then shifted his gaze to the Third Raikage.

"Let's get this straight. This time, it's your villages that are asking for our help, not the other way around."

"Are you sure you know what you're saying, brat?!" The Third Raikage's face twisted with anger, his muscles tensing as if ready to spring into action.

The tension in the air thickened immediately, and every ninja present braced themselves, sensing the volatile atmosphere ready to explode at any moment. Yet, Rasa remained unfazed by the Raikage's fury.

"What, is that not the truth? If it's not, then there's no reason for this Three Kages' Summit. We can all go back to our villages and forget this ever happened."

"Hah!!!"

The Third Raikage's pupils widened in pure anger. His fists clenched so tightly that they seemed ready to shatter with the force of his grip.

Darui, standing beside the Raikage, quickly raised a hand to stop his leader, saying.

"Raikage-sama, please calm down!"

Then, turning his stern gaze toward the young Kazekage of Sunagakure—who had provoked the Raikage so quickly—Darui spoke initiated the issue.

"Kazekage of Sunagakure, let's not forget that it was you who initiated this summit. If I understand things correctly, our objectives should align, so there's no need for this back-and-forth, right?"

Darui's words drew the attention of the Kages and their bodyguards, and the atmosphere shifted slightly.

Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, was momentarily taken aback by Darui's sharp insight. He nodded, acknowledging the point.

"It seems Kumogakure still has some smart people after all."

Ōnoki snorted, his disdain obvious.

"Well, if that's the case, let's not waste any more time."

With that, the tension of the initial exchange eased, and the Three Kages' Summit began in a slightly more relaxed manner.

The Kages, along with their respective bodyguards, proceeded to the heart of the village, where the meeting was set to take place.

Inside the village stood a traditional Japanese-style temple, its atmosphere somber and formal. Due to the absence of a neutral party and the deep mistrust between the villages, the meeting room was kept deliberately plain.

Three tables were arranged at the center, each symbolizing one of the three nations: Sunagakure, Kumogakure, and Iwagakure. Behind the tables, three massive statues of Buddha stood serenely, their peaceful faces now draped with flags displaying the emblems of the respective villages.

Creak!

The sound of the Kages settling into their seats, with their bodyguards standing at attention behind them, signified that the Three Kages' Summit had officially begun.

Ōnoki, known for his impatience and perhaps eager to assert his authority, was the first to speak.

"Before we begin, I need to clarify something. As the Raikage's bodyguard pointed out earlier, Kazekage of Sunagakure, are you truly aligned with us in purpose? This is a requirement before we can continue our discussions."

Rasa, sitting calmly in his seat, feigned confusion.

"Aligned in purpose? Tsuchikage, what exactly do you mean by 'aligned in purpose'?"

The Third Raikage, ever direct, wasted no time.

"Stop with the nonsense. Kazekage, does Sunagakure intend to join us in attacking Konoha?"

The bluntness of the Raikage's question shocked everyone in the room. However, Rasa remained composed, as by now, there was no reason to hide the truth.

"To us, the four great nations of the ninja world, Konoha..."

Rasa's voice slowed as he glanced briefly at the Third Tsuchikage and Raikage before continuing,

"Konoha is a formidable enemy. The Senju, Uchiha, Hyūga... If there's a chance to weaken Konoha, I'm sure no nation would turn it down."

Rasa's words seemed to alleviate some of the tension in the room. At least now, it was clear that all three sides shared a common objective, allowing the talks to move forward.

Ōnoki, never one to beat around the bush, cut to the chase.

"If you understand that, Kazekage, then why refuse our proposal to join forces?"

Rasa glanced at Ōnoki before responding, his tone measured.

"It's simple. As the leader of my village, I have to carefully consider what joining this war would bring to Sunagakure. While the idea of weakening Konoha is tempting, if it means putting my village's interests at risk, I'll need to think it over more thoroughly."

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