Kisame and Elder Genshi left together under heavy escort—though everyone knew it was really surveillance. With Jinpachi already gone, Yagura couldn't afford to lose another name on the Sand's list. If even one more person escaped, the Sand would have every excuse to demand far worse terms.
Not long after they departed, Yagura made an announcement that sent a ripple through the entire village.
He was forming a suicide squad to strike back at Konoha.
The news spread like wildfire.
"The Mizukage is finally hitting Konoha! Suicide squad!"
"About damn time!"
"Those Leaf bastards betrayed us after taking everything we gave them. Unforgivable!"
"Exactly. We can accept losing to the Sand—that's just war. But Konoha? They took our gifts, called themselves our allies, then stabbed us in the back and tried to make us look like the villains. That's pure fucking cowardice."
The hatred for Konoha ran deeper than the hatred for the Sand. The Sand had beaten them fairly. Konoha had pretended to be friends while planning to throw them away.
Rasa smiled inside Goki's body.
Provocation successful.
He quickly ran the numbers in his head.
The Versus Points Exchange Card had already pulled 2,000 emotion points from Danzo. Ebizo's rumor team had added over 1,000 more. After the first round of thirty draws, he still had points left. Once this Mist operation kicked off, he'd be very close to another 3,000.
A small regret crossed his face.
Too bad we already signed the peace treaty with Konoha. I could've dropped more rumor cards. Updating the Ninja Kill game might work instead—people love fresh content.
Still, stopping the war was worth far more than a few extra points. The Sand Village needed peace to rebuild.
Rasa decided the Hoshigaki Goki body had done everything it could.
He walked out into the open, raised a kunai, and drove it straight into his own throat.
Blood sprayed. The body collapsed.
Rasa's consciousness snapped back into his real body.
The next morning.
"Lord Husband."
Pakura stood ready in full gear outside the Kazekage Tower.
Rasa kept signing documents without looking up.
"Stay home, Pakura. I'll handle the Mist reparations this time."
She blinked.
"But we agreed I would go. You have too much work here already. Let me—"
"I have other business outside the village anyway," Rasa cut in. "I'll take care of both at once. Besides, I know exactly how much you've recovered. You need more rest."
He finally glanced up with a small smirk.
"Your performance two nights ago left me… unsatisfied."
Pakura's face turned bright red.
"Lord Husband! We're in your office!"
"It's my office. No one else is here. Relax."
He chuckled.
"Go home. The war's over, but we still have plenty to do."
"…Fine."
She hurried out, head down.
Rasa pulled out a mission scroll—the Wolf Spider Bandit Group. A small crew of only about a dozen, but they'd caused more destruction across the Land of Wind than groups three times their size. Mostly former rogue ninja and powerful non-shinobi fighters. Perfect live targets for testing Arc-Moon Sand Dune.
That evening, Yatagarasu soared high above the desert. Rasa sat cross-legged on its back, golden sunlight washing over him.
Below lay a quiet-looking village beside a small oasis lined with date palms. Peaceful at first glance.
It wasn't a village.
It was the Wolf Spider Bandits' stronghold. Every "villager" was actually a slave they had captured.
Inside one of the larger huts, two bandits laughed loudly while stuffing their faces with stolen meat and cheap sake.
"Being a bandit is the best life!"
"Take whatever you want, fuck whoever you want, no village rules, no mission reports, no giving most of the pay to some old bastard sitting in an office."
"Exactly! We're strong—why the hell should we bow to anyone?"
Suddenly both men frowned at the same time.
A stranger was casually walking down the main street like he owned the place. They had never seen him before.
One bandit sniffed the air and growled.
"I smell ninja stench!"