Chapter 153: Chaotic Situation

Rasa's strategy was very effective.

When Baki openly stated that Kumogakure and Iwagakure had come under the pretense of negotiations but had secretly spied on Sunagakure during its festival, even attempting to kidnap the young master of the Sand Clan, Kumi; Sēramu-sama's daughter, Sara; and the commoner girl, Kanna, the anger in the hearts of Sunagakure's people was instantly ignited.

Everyone shouted and clamored to drive out these ninjas from Kumogakure and Iwagakure.

The accumulated hatred among the Five Great Shinobi Villages since their establishment was enough for the people of Sunagakure to make a decision with their eyes closed. Moreover, Sunagakure held clear evidence of Kumogakure and Iwagakure attempting to undermine the village.

This outcome was somewhat unexpected for Darui and Tsuchi, especially given Sunagakure's strong and dismissive attitude during negotiations. Even now, they had yet to receive an audience with the Kazekage.

Was Sunagakure merely bluffing, or did they truly not fear the wrath of Kumogakure and Iwagakure?

Neither side knew for sure, but that didn't mean they were doing nothing.

In just one night, they reported everything that had happened back to their respective villages. At the same time, they mobilized the spies they had planted within Sunagakure to spread rumors and cause unrest.

By dawn, the vast majority of Sunagakure's people were already aware of the previous night's events.

Although they stood on the side of their village, their fear of war left them deeply uneasy, especially after learning that their village might soon face an attack not only from Kumogakure and Iwagakure but also from Konoha.

At dawn, inside the Kazekage's office. Because of last night's events, Rasa had not gone home to rest.

Pakura and Michikawa had originally intended to return as well, but under Rasa's orders, they had remained at the Dragon Oasis to continue their training. Rasa had already sensed the severity of the situation, so he alone would not be enough to handle the possible crisis ahead.

He had to ensure that the two of them mastered senjutsu energy in the shortest time possible.

As Rasa sat in deep thought, a knock came from outside. Karura entered, bringing Miroku and Honoka with her.

Both Karura and Miroku had evident concern on their faces. Honoka, though maintaining her usual cold demeanor, had a look of quiet concern in her eyes, revealing her inner unrest.

"Rasa-kun, I brought you breakfast!"

With the gentle care of a wife, Karura placed the prepared bento on the table. She did not ask about what had happened in the village, she simply did what a wife should do.

Rasa still wore his confident smile as he said,

"Thank you for your effort."

At that moment, Miroku stepped forward and asked,

"Rasa-sama, is there anything I can do to help you?"

Seeing this, Rasa reassured her,

"It seems you've all heard about what happened in the village last night. But don't worry, for now, everything is still under my control."

Hearing Rasa say this, Miroku finally let out a sigh of relief. However, remembering what Kamiya had told her the night before, she gathered her courage and said,

"Rasa-sama, although I don't like Mizuo, I think his suggestion makes sense. Therefore, as the Shrine Maiden of the Land of Demons, I request an alliance between Sunagakure and our Land of Demons!"

At these words, the two people in the room were both taken aback.

This time, Rasa did not refuse. Instead, he sincerely expressed his gratitude.

"Thank you, Miroku."

Seeing that Rasa accepted her goodwill, Miroku smiled happily, but soon her expression turned to disappointment.

"It's a pity... I have to leave this afternoon."

Rasa smiled.

"It's okay. I'm already working on solving the transportation issue. Once it's resolved, traveling between the Land of Demons and Sunagakure will be much easier. Then, you can visit me anytime, and I might even go to the Land of Demons myself."

"Really?"

"Of course, it's true."

Standing nearby, Karura, as Rasa's wife, found it strange to see her husband making a promise with the Shrine Maiden. However, the Shrine Maiden was as innocent as a child, so she didn't overthink it.

"I will have Sēramu coordinate the follow-up matters with you. However, you must also prioritize your safety. Starting this afternoon, I will assign Daikoku, Ishiyuu, and Koishi to guard you closely. All three of them are jōnin of Sunagakure. With them by your side, I will feel more at ease."

"Mm-hmm!"

In the afternoon, with a bright smile, Miroku departed from Sunagakure alongside her attendants.

---

In the following days, although Sunagakure outwardly returned to its former peace, the situation in the entire shinobi world began to stir once again. This time, Sunagakure had become the central figure.

First, the events that took place in Sunagakure spread throughout the shinobi world. Although both sides had their own versions of the story, any keen observer could see that Iwagakure and Kumogakure had shifted their focus toward Sunagakure.

As a result, the war between Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Konoha came to a complete halt.

Konoha, sensing the strange atmosphere, did not take the opportunity to counterattack. Instead, they chose to lie low and recover from their wounds while waiting for the right moment to strike.

After all, Konoha and Sunagakure also had deep-seated grudges.

Meanwhile, Iwagakure and Kumogakure began working in unspoken agreement to pressure Sunagakure, demanding that they hand over the assassin responsible for killing the shinobi sent to negotiate.

Under Rasa's orders, Sunagakure responded to their pressure in the simplest way possible, by adopting a firm stance while stalling for time as long as they could.

And so, the days passed. Soon, a week had gone by.

Darui and Tsuchi, who had remained in Sunagakure, were no fools.

After several rounds of negotiations, they quickly realized that Sunagakure had no intention of handing over the so-called culprit.

This made them sense something unusual about Sunagakure's attitude. The village did not seem the least bit afraid of going to war with two major shinobi villages.

What frustrated them even more, in this entire week, they still had not met Sunagakure's young Kazekage. It was as if, in the Kazekage's eyes, their plans were utterly insignificant. This left them with an overwhelming sense of helplessness and a growing anger at being treated with such disregard.

Fortunately, at that moment, a piece of good news arrived. The Daimyō of the Land of Wind had sent an envoy to Sunagakure.