Chapter 319: Pakura's New Stance

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Beneath the cloak of night.

A montage of time and space. Between dusk and dawn...

Nearly half of Kumogakure was annihilated by Chibaku Tensei, its mountainous terrain transformed into a basin.

Hiruzen Sarutobi perished, Uchiha Madara was resurrected, and now sped towards the ruins of Uzushiogakure.

The Allied Shinobi Forces officially declared war on Konoha. Hampered by a dense minefield of exploding tags, the Earth Release Shinobi began a demining operation that very night.

Jiraiya led Konoha's one hundred most elite Shinobi in a surprise attack against the demining unit.

Upon receiving the news, the Fourth Raikage, A, rushed to the front lines. Simultaneously, the other three hidden villages, following their respective plans, launched surprise attacks on Konoha's vital economic and military strongholds and ports.

The Shinobi World was in chaos.

———

Konoha-Suna trade route.

Under the cover of darkness, ten Sunagakure puppet masters, led by Chiyo, raced across the desert.

Each was an elite puppeteer, capable of simultaneously controlling multiple puppets.

All were commoners, personally trained by Elder Chiyo into formidable warriors.

Ten elite puppet masters, combined with Elder Chiyo, who could wield the White Secret Technique: Ten Puppets of Chikamatsu, represented the pinnacle of Sunagakure's current Shinobi forces.

Working in concert, they could conquer, even destroy, a small nation overnight.

An equal number of Jonin attempting to stand in their way would likely meet the fate of being transformed into puppets.

This was even documented in the unofficial publication, Shinobi World Special Forces Rankings.

Comparatively, Kirigakure's Seven Shinobi Swordsmen were similar to Sunagakure's ten puppet masters. Though small in number, they were experts in decapitation strikes.

Chiyo, her hands behind her back, led the charge, her voice carrying over the whistling wind to the other ten puppet masters.

"Our objective is to capture the Konoha-Suna trade route's central police station and seize control. From there, we will launch an operation to expel the Konoha guard Shinobi stationed along the route."

"Didn't the Kazekage order us to eliminate all Konoha Shinobi?" someone questioned.

"The previous Kazekage's daughter still resides in Konoha. We must act with restraint," another puppeteer replied, acting as Chiyo's mouthpiece.

Puppet masters held a high status in Sunagakure. Unlike ordinary Shinobi, they could choose not to fully comply with the Kazekage's orders without fear of punishment.

"This is war. If it comes down to it, what if Konoha uses Princess Temari as a hostage?"

"If that happens, the village's interests will take precedence. But for now, we must act with restraint. Seize territory, but do not kill."

Sand whipped against their faces, blurring their vision.

Soon, the elite puppet masters arrived at the central police station.

To their surprise, it wasn't ablaze with light. Only a few searchlights rotated rhythmically atop the building, illuminating a desert seemingly plunged into eternal night.

Perhaps, due to the war, all the Konoha guards have been redeployed to the front lines?

If it was undefended, a bloody battle could be avoided.

Chiyo's puppet strings relaxed slightly.

This was the best outcome for both sides. No bloodshed. No bloodshed was good...

She commanded, "Spread out. Scout the interior. Prepare to take control and establish a defensive perimeter."

"Yes, Elder Chiyo!"

But before the puppet masters could disperse, an unexpected figure, backlit by a searchlight, slowly approached.

The sand and the backlight obscured the woman's face, leaving only her pale shoulders shining in the darkness.

Pale shoulders?!

Chiyo's pupils constricted. More lights flared, dispelling the darkness, revealing the newcomer—the last hero, Pakura.

And behind her, her student, Maki.

"Pakura... How can it be you?"

Chiyo instinctively lowered her hands, her hostility and vigilance vanishing.

She knew Pakura had died in Konoha, a fact she had tacitly accepted.

The political landscape of the Shinobi World was ever-changing. Yesterday, Sunagakure had needed a sacrifice, an offering of peace, to cooperate with Konoha, to develop their economy, to raise funds. In that situation, Pakura had become the unfortunate political pawn.

Chiyo had always felt a pang of guilt towards Pakura.

Sending their own heroine to her death—Sunagakure had lost its chance to forge a true Wind Will.

Their spine had been broken, their spirit scattered...

But now, a living, breathing Pakura stood before them.

Half a year had passed, yet Pakura's appearance remained unchanged.

In fact, nourished by the Will of Fire, her skin had become even fairer, more delicate, imbued with the unique charm and grace of a mature kunoichi.

Standing there, if one disregarded the Konoha headband, and imagined a precious fox-fur shoulder wrap instead—she resembled a noblewoman, steeped in power.

Very seductive.

What had happened to Pakura?

And Maki, that rare medical-nin trainee from Sunagakure's new generation—now wore a Konoha headband, standing defensively before Chiyo.

Pakura, seeing Elder Chiyo again, sighed softly. "It is me, Elder Chiyo."

"You're not dead. And you're wearing a Konoha headband." Chiyo suddenly felt a wave of despair, a profound sorrow not for Pakura's choice, but for the village she had dedicated her life to.

Sunagakure's decline wasn't due to a lack of talented Shinobi.

Too many had been culled by Baki's purges.

From Rasa's generation to the next... it only got worse.

Good birds choose their trees. Sunagakure's best Shinobi were all fleeing.

Sunagakure couldn't retain its talent.

Sasori of the Red Sand had fled. The medical-nin trainee had fled...

What did this mean? The true legacy of Sunagakure—now resided in Konoha?

Chiyo seemed to age another decade in that instant. She raised her puppet strings, her voice hoarse. "So, Pakura, Maki, what is your stance now?"

"To protect peace—that is my stance now, Elder Chiyo." Pakura stepped forward, the searchlight glinting off her headband, illuminating the Konoha symbol.

"Are you protecting Konoha's peace, or Sunagakure's?"

"The two are not mutually exclusive." Pakura sighed softly, her gaze hardening. "Stand down, Elder Chiyo! After tonight, a new day will dawn!"

That day, when Pakura had willingly walked into the Konoha to die, forced by Gojo Kaigetsu to live with a headband pressed to her forehead—she'd already been prepared. Perhaps, one day, she would willingly stand with Konoha, shedding her identity as a "Shinobi World Ghost," fighting as a Konoha Shinobi.

Now, on her thigh, the mark carved by Gojo Kaigetsu's Will of Fire still remained—Fighting for Konoha was practically an obligation.

During their—intimate conversations, Gojo Kaigetsu had also promised her a most precious treasure—a child.

For her future child to live with dignity in the Shinobi World, Pakura had also willingly sided with Konoha.

Suna heroine—what did that matter now?

What mattered was her new role—wife of the Fifth Hokage, Pakura of the Scorch Release.

"This is the Kazekage's order, and an action I personally endorse. Tonight, I must lead the special puppet master unit to occupy the Konoha-Suna trade route's central police station."

"Since you choose to defend Konoha's peace—stand down. I don't want to kill you. Leave now, and I will pretend you were never here. Go, live in a small, peaceful nation."

"This is your final warning."

Poof—!

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