~ Support & Read 10 Advanced Chapters on My Patreon!

  <><><><>

  Since seizing power, Baki had been forced to rely on Suna's two elder advisors to solidify his position as Fifth Kazekage.

  But he khat these two, Chiyo and Ebizo, had never fully accepted him. As long as they lived, his rule would be—unstable. If they were still around when Temari came of age—who knew what kind of trouble they might stir up regarding the succession?

  He couldn't kill them—their status was too high, and killing them would alieheir supporters. He couldn't imprisooo many ninja were ected to them, regarding Chiyo and Ebizo as spiritual leaders.

  They were too deeply entrenched.

  So, if he couldn't kill them or imprison them, he had to—remove them.

  One Sunagakure, one Kazekage, one ideology, ohority! Baki couldn't tolerate two revered figures overshadowing his rule.

  And sending Chiyo and Ebizo to Konoha for a political marriage had additional bes. First, with them gone, he could finally take trol of the intelligework Ebizo had developed abroad.

  Sed, he could use this as propaganda, portraying it as a national disgrace! This would further justify a future war against Konoha—a war to "restore Suna's honor."

  And as for actually "rest" that honor by retrieving them?

  No Kage would ever tolerate the tinued existence of their predecessors within the vilge—except, perhaps, Minato Namikaze.

  Konoha's demands—they were almost too good to be true.

  Baki found it hard to fathom why Konoha would willingly take on the burden of Rōran, along with two—elderly liabilities.

  Perhaps—they were more ed with their—reputation than anything else.

  Well, if they wanted a good reputation, Suna would give them one!

  Baki cleared his throat, setting the tone for this—absurd political marriage.

  "This—requires further deliberation. However, I will—discuss this with them."

  "For Sunagakure's be, no one be above sacrifiot them, and not even myself, as Kazekage."

  "Therefore, I hope, Elder Gojo, that you will urge Temari to return. Konoha is not her home. Sunagakure is! Even though she is only five, she should return and fulfill her filial duties in a dignified manner, as a Sunagakure kunoichi."

  "The people of Sunagakure are also eager for her return."

  "I will vey your message, Kazekage-sama."

  A win-win situation!

  "Let's draft the agreement," Gojo Kaigetsu said. "We'll ehe Ryūmyaku is unsealed. However, if any—unforeseen circumstances arise, causing the Ryūmyaku to be destroyed, Konoha will not be held responsible. And Sunagakure will still have to fulfill its end of the bargain."

  "The—marriage wait. But the people of Rōran must be relocated to Konoha. All of them."

  Baki carefully inquired, "Of course. But what exactly do you mean by—unforeseen circumstances, Elder Gojo?"

  "For example, the seal might have—weakened over time, causing the chakra within the Ryūmyaku to—bee unstable. Upon unsealing, it might—explode, destroying the Ryūmyaku."

  "We will not be held responsible for su event."

  "…You worry too much, Elder Gojo," Baki said with a chuckle, masking his pt.

  'Just an ordinary in, after all. He doesn't uand the Ryūmyaku's power.'

  The Ryūmyaku tained enough chakra to rival a Tailed Beast's. And this chakra was gentle, pure, and easily harnessed. It had sustaihe Land of Wind feions, long before the era of ninja vilges.

  To think that a simple seal could cause it to—self-destruct.

  Ridiculous. If the Ryūmyaku was sile, Baki would offer his own mother's corpse for the political marriage instead.

  "No, you are too careless. Let's sign the agreement."

  Two copies were drafted and preseo the leaders. After firming the details, they sigheir names, and the agreement was made public.

  Now, anyone who wao maintain their reputation in the ninja world would have to abide by this tract.

  The Kazekage and the ag Hokage shook hands, each believing they'd e out on top.

  "A pleasure doing business with you."

  The handshake ended, and Gojo Kaigetsu said, "Let's depart immediately to apprehend The Missing-nin."

  "So soon?" Baki was surprised. "I've prepared a ba for you. And shouldn't we wait for the Uzumaki?"

  "o dey." Gojo Kaigetsu patted his ninja tool pouch. "The Uzumaki have already sealed the 'Unsealing Scroll' within this. We just o release it at the Ryūmyaku."

  'He came prepared.'

  Baki narrowed his eyes. "Very well. Since you're so eager, Elder Gojo, I won't dey you. I'll have the food prepared for your return. After ture The Missing-nin and uhe Ryūmyaku, we'll celebrate!"

  Led by Baki, the group quickly left the vilge, heading towards Rōran.

  —

  —

  Thump.

  A pair of ninja sandals nded firmly on the ground.

  "Sunagakure—I'm back."

  Sasori took a deep breath, the wind whipping sand against his fa—unpleasaion.

  But as a puppet, he felt nothing.

  Following Bck Zetsu's instrus, he avoided Suna's patrols and headed towards the prison where Bunpuku was held.

  Of course, he entered some resistance.

  Two guards, fulfilling their—minimal—roles, spotted him. "Who's there?!" they shouted.

  Sasori didn't bother responding. He summohe Third Kazekage puppet, using its Iron Sand to silently elimihe guards.

  They were dutiful, if—inpetent. They'd failed to use any jutsu but had at least mao send a warning signal.

  After his assion, Baki, having experiehe Oail's power firsthand, had increased security around Bunpuku, fearing that someone might try to use the Tailed Beast against him.

  He'd even moved the prison holding Bunpuku, Yasuke, and others to a remote location, far from the vilge.

  There, twenty-four-hour patrols were ducted, with five Jonin, oe Jonin, and dozens of in and Genin guarding the Oail Jinchuriki.

  Upoing the intrusion, the guards quickly spread out.

  The Elite Jonin, narrowed his eyes when he saw the intruder. "You—Akasuna no Sasori! And that puppet—the Third Kazekage?!"

  "What have you done?!"

  "Since you know who I am, to avoid any unnecessary flict, please step aside. My target is only the Oail Jinchuriki. I have no i in your lives."

  "Don't even think about it! Do you think you just waltz in here and take the Jinchuriki?"

  "Go inform the Kazekage-sama and request immediate reinforts! The rest of you, with me! Formation!"

  One of the Jonin quickly sped off, while the remaining ninja surrounded Sasori.

  "Wind Release: Great Wi!"

  Sue Jonin formed hand seals, smming his palm against his abdomen, and exhaled a massive, chakra-infused wind bst. It was fast, wide-ranging, and quickly enveloped Sasori, leaving him no room to escape.

  The other ninja also formed seals, enhang the wind with their own chakra, creating a massive, inescapable .

  If it hit, the would shred its target to pieces, instantly incapacitating them.

  But…

  This wasn't meant to kill Sasori.

  Sasori's expression remained unged. "Your jutsu—they're slow, and weak. Is this—all you've got?"

  He didn't even bother to dodge. He trolled the Third Kazekage puppet, using its Mag Release: Iron Sand Wall to block the wind attacks.

  Then, he pulled out another summoning scroll, releasing the chakra-armored One Hundred Puppets.

  The guards' eyes widened in disbelief as they were suddenly outnumbered.

  Iron sand rose from the earth, blotting out the sun.

  Boom…

  Boom…

  <><><><>

  Support & Read 10 Advanced Chapters. Ahead of the rest!

  https://p-atreon./dragonnx

  (Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)

  There is 9 Exg Fanfics already avaible on my Patreon!