Chapter 191: The Fifth Kazekage

As the door to the Kazekage's office was pushed open, a group of people walked in.

Leading them were familiar faces to Rasa. They were Chiyo and Ebizō from this future world. Both looked at Rasa with a mix of caution and inquiry in their eyes.

Behind the two elders were two unfamiliar men. Their identities were clear: they were the current leaders of the noble and commoner factions in Sunagakure and also the village's present elders. As for Michikawa and Pakura, according to the intel just received, the original Rasa of this future timeline had betrayed Pakura to Kirigakure and eliminated the Michikawa faction to solidify his position as Kazekage.

Ruthless indeed.

Behind those two men stood Baki, the current head of the Anbu, and beside Baki were Rasa's children: Temari, Kankurō, and Gaara.

It had to be said, Jinchūriki really did have incredible regenerative capabilities. It had only been one day, and Gaara could already get out of bed and walk on his own.

At that moment, everyone in the room was staring at the Kazekage seated before them with strange expressions. Although the person seemed to be the same, he looked far too young. Moreover, the intel from Konoha had left the people of Sunagakure full of conflicted thoughts.

Seeing this, Rasa set down the scroll in his hand and addressed everyone.

"Sit."

The four elders took their seats, while Baki, along with Temari and the others, remained standing at the side.

Rasa didn't waste time, as he didn't intend to linger here.

"I'll get straight to the point. I believe you've received some intel already. It's true, I'm already dead."

!!!

In an instant, everyone in the office had a sharp reaction. Even Gaara was startled, and Temari anxiously cried out.

"Dad... Father!"

Of course, Rasa had no intention of telling the truth. He wouldn't reveal his origin to this world's Sage of Six Paths.

He had already prepared what he was going to say next.

"Four days ago, while I was on my way to Konoha to meet Orochimaru, that bastard suddenly attacked me."

Understanding the cause, everyone was not only shocked but also erupted in anger.

"Damn Orochimaru..."

"We must avenge you, Kazekage-sama!"

"Konoha must pay the price!"

Only Elder Chiyo remained calm and asked,

"Then Kazekage-sama, what is your current state?"

That question instantly drew everyone's attention.

"Orochimaru, in order to strike against his former master, used the Edo Tensei to resurrect me."

"Edo Tensei!? You mean the forbidden jutsu invented by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama?"

Chiyo and Ebizō had once fought against the Second Hokage, so they naturally knew about Edo Tensei.

The two new elders, along with Baki, Temari, and the others, heard this and immediately concluded that the Kazekage must truly have died. Temari was unable to accept it, and her expression turned pained.

"Yes, however, I was fortunate to know the method of releasing Edo Tensei, and thanks to a special secret technique, I can now be considered temporarily truly revived."

"Truly revived!?"

"Temporarily!?"

This time, everyone in the room was once again stunned.

"Mhm, I'm not sure how long I can remain in this state. That's why I had Baki summon all of you here, only for one purpose. While I'm still alive and able to maintain stability in Sunagakure, I want to appoint a new Kazekage!"

!!!

Just when everyone thought they had reached the limit of their surprise, Rasa's next words sent an even stronger shock through the room.

"I've already chosen the Fifth Kazekage. It will be, Gaara."

At that moment, a collective gasp filled the office. Gaara's pupils contracted sharply. Temari and Kankurō stared at their father and younger brother in disbelief. Chiyo and Ebizō furrowed their brows in deep silence. Baki, however, seemed thoughtful. To him, this was actually a favorable decision. As Kazekage's confidant and Gaara's mentor, having Gaara as Kazekage would indeed be ideal. However, one major obstacle remained.

The two new elders immediately sprang to their feet and shouted angrily.

"I object! Kazekage-sama, not only is Gaara still just a Genin, but his identity also makes it impossible for him to become Kazekage..."

"That's right! Never in Sunagakure's history has a Jinchūriki become Kazekage. Gaara is far too unstable. He could lose control at any moment! Handing the village over to a ticking time bomb? I refuse!"

The atmosphere in the office instantly turned tense and hostile.

"Hmph."

Rasa merely snorted coldly and began to speak slowly.

"I think you're mistaken about something. I'm not asking for your approval. I'm informing you."

Chiyo and Ebizō's pupils narrowed; they could clearly sense Rasa's killing intent in that moment. But the two new elders still shouted.

"No... Kazekage-sama, the appointment of a new Kazekage isn't up to you alone. It requires the approval of the Council of Elders!"

"That's right! And let's not forget, you're already dead. Even when you were alive, you couldn't act with such impunity!"

Rasa narrowed his eyes, but his face returned to its usual relaxed expression.

"Hmph. Is that so? Then I suppose... I have no choice."

"What!!!?"

Shlunk!!!

Two golden sand spears pierced straight through the hearts of the two elders, pinning them to the wall with immense force. Bright red blood trickled down the gleaming spears as the men struggled in vain.

At that moment, everyone in the office froze. Even Chiyo and Ebizō stood up in shock, staring at Rasa in horror. His attack had been so fast that even they couldn't react in time, which meant that if Rasa wanted them dead, it would take only a heartbeat.

Baki, Temari, Kankurō, and Gaara all looked panicked and terrified.

But Rasa acted as though he had done nothing more than flick away a speck of dust. He spoke plainly:

"Baki, take care of the cleanup. Also, have the Anbu keep a close watch. These are extraordinary times, and we will take extraordinary measures. Anyone who tries to cause trouble during this period should be arrested immediately."

Baki was trembling as he looked at the corpses still hanging from the wall. He responded shakily.

"Y-yes... understood, Kazekage-sama."

Only then did Rasa turn his gaze toward Chiyo and Ebizō. As soon as he did, both of them grew highly alert.

Chiyo's expression darkened as she spoke.

"What? Does the Fourth Kazekage plan to eliminate us old geezers too?"

Of course not. Though they were old, both of them possessed Kage-level power. If they died as well, Sunagakure would truly be left without anyone capable. Rasa couldn't afford to touch them.

"No... I want to trade a piece of intel with you, to gain your support for Gaara becoming the Fifth Kazekage."

The two elders were taken aback.

Chiyo asked with a hostile expression.

"What kind of intel?"

"Of course, it's about your beloved grandson and the culprit behind the death of the Third Kazekage: Sasori."

!!!

In this future timeline, the death of the Third Kazekage remained an unsolved mystery. So when those words left Rasa's mouth, everyone present was shocked, followed by expressions of total disbelief.

That said, Chiyo from both timelines had already suspected as much, so she had always been prepared for this truth.

"Of course, if you're willing, I can go right now and capture Sasori... bring him to you... and let you reunite with your grandson."

"..."