Once the pleasantries were over, Kakashi couldn't help asking, "Kazekage-sama, is your village's shinobi conference being held tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow."
Teizawa's tone stayed even. "Yes. It starts tomorrow."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Kakashi's face.
"You'll rest in Sunagakure for a few days first. After the conference ends, I'll arrange the schedule you came here for."
"Whether it's genin exchange studies or chūnin exam preparations… we can talk about it then."
Kakashi fell silent for a moment.
He had too many questions.
Why this exact timing?
Why have Gaara act as the opponent, instead of you doing it yourself?
What is this so-called "representatives' conference" really for?
And…
Why do you want Gaara to stay in the village, even to the point of having him participate in a coup?
But when Kakashi lifted his head and met those eyes that looked like they could see straight through everything, every question died in his throat.
Not because he was afraid to ask.
Because even if he asked, there wouldn't be an answer.
Kakashi knew this type.
They only spoke when they felt like speaking.
Any probing was useless.
"So thank you, Kazekage-sama."
He dipped his head slightly, polite and distant.
Teizawa didn't bother responding to the courtesy.
He only lifted a hand lightly, resting it on the armrest of his chair.
"Yukui."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried cleanly to everyone in the room.
The door was pushed open, gently.
A figure entered with measured grace.
Yukui wore Sunagakure's standard women's uniform.
A deep-brown vest traced a slender waist. The inner collar lay open just enough to reveal a long, pale throat.
Her deep purple hair was neatly tied back, with a few loose strands by her ears that softened her delicate face.
She stopped at Teizawa's side and bowed, respectful and natural.
"Kazekage-sama."
Her voice was light, carrying just the right amount of meekness.
Teizawa tipped his chin.
"Take our honored guests from Konoha to the inn. Give them better rooms. Make sure they're comfortable."
"Yes."
Yukui turned to the Konoha group, shifted slightly, and made a "this way, please" gesture.
"Everyone, please follow me."
Kakashi nodded and started to step forward…
"Wait."
A low, suppressed voice cut in from the group.
Asuma stepped out, fists clenched tight.
His eyes were locked on the young man behind the desk, the one who'd never once stopped looking composed.
"Kazekage-sama."
His voice was rougher than before, like he was forcing something down as he spoke.
"I want to talk with you privately for a moment. If it's convenient…?"
Teizawa's expression didn't change at all.
He simply raised his eyelids slightly, eyes landing on Asuma's face.
"Oh?"
He arched a brow, and the faint curve at the corner of his mouth carried an unmistakable tease.
"What do you want to say to me?"
Asuma's breathing turned heavy for a beat.
Talk about what?
There was too much.
He wanted to ask what really happened to Kurenai.
He wanted to ask why she came back changed…
"I want to speak with you in private."
Asuma lowered his voice further, and there was almost a pleading edge to it now.
"Just a moment. I won't take much of your time."
Teizawa looked at him.
Calm, like he was watching a moth struggle in a flame.
Silence held for three seconds.
Then…
"Sorry."
Teizawa let the word fall softly.
"I'm busy."
Asuma's face flushed in an instant.
Not with shame.
With rage.
"You…"
He stepped forward half a pace, his whole body going taut.
He looked like he might lunge and grab Teizawa by the collar the very next second.
Teizawa still didn't move.
If anything, he looked even more relaxed.
"I know what you want to ask."
Teizawa spoke slowly, his voice quiet, but it hit like ice water thrown straight into Asuma's chest.
"But I can only tell you this…"
He paused, and the smile he gave was loaded with meaning.
"The woodland path you long for is now hung with the last remnants of white frost."
Asuma froze.
"What… does that mean?"
He was completely lost.
What woodland path?
What frost?
What is this guy even talking about?
His mouth opened, but the words stuck.
"Asuma!"
Kakashi's voice cut in, sharp with a rare urgency.
He grabbed Asuma's shoulder.
Hard enough that Asuma swayed slightly.
"Go back first."
Asuma whipped his head toward Kakashi, his eyes full of unwillingness.
Kakashi didn't argue.
He only squeezed Asuma's shoulder again, firm.
The pressure said it without words: Don't make a scene here.
Asuma's chest rose and fell violently for a few breaths.
In the end…
He drew in a deep breath and glared at Teizawa like he wanted to burn a hole through him.
Then he turned and strode out.
Kakashi dipped his head slightly.
"Kazekage-sama, excuse us."
Then he turned and followed.
Guy gave Teizawa a long, heavy look.
His brows were still locked tight as he turned and left as well.
The Konoha group filed out in order.
Near the end were Ino and Sakura.
Sakura kept her head down and walked fast, like she was terrified that if she stayed one more second, she'd start thinking too much again.
But Ino…
Ino lingered at the very back, her steps strangely slow.
Her pretty face was flushed, and her eyes kept flicking back.
Every time she turned, she met Teizawa's smiling gaze dead-on.
And every time, her heartbeat skipped.
Then skipped again.
"Ino!"
Sakura finally couldn't take it anymore. She spun around and grabbed Ino by the sleeve.
"Are you coming or not!"
"O… oh!"
Ino jolted back to herself, flustered, yanking her eyes away as she hurried after Sakura.
At the doorway, she still couldn't resist turning back one last time…
Teizawa was leaning into his chair, and at some point a teacup had appeared in his hand. He sipped leisurely.
Those eyes were still smiling.
As if every single thing had gone exactly the way he expected.
Ino's face went even redder.
The door finally shut.
Out in the hallway, the Konoha group followed Yukui in silence.
No one spoke.
Only Ino's heartbeat kept hammering inside her chest, fast enough to feel ominous.
…
Inside the office, Teizawa set his teacup down and looked toward the closed door, the curve of his mouth deepening.
"Interesting."
He murmured to himself.
"Asuma actually wanted to talk privately?"
He shook his head and let out a quiet laugh.
"Talk about what? Talk about how Kurenai went from a girl to a woman?"
He lifted his teacup and took another sip, savoring the fragrance.
"As if he deserves it."
Just then, the door was knocked again.
This time the knocking was urgent and patterned.
Three short, one long.
The emergency intel signal.
"Come in."
Teizawa set the teacup down, his expression returning to calm.
An ANBU shinobi flashed in.
"Kazekage-sama."
The ANBU dropped to one knee, voice pressed low.
"The target has appeared. Just as you predicted, they infiltrated from the northwest. They're currently entering the designated area."
"Based on preliminary observation, the numbers match your estimate exactly… four people."
"The traits match as well: one is very tall, one has a puppet on his back, one is carrying a strange weapon, and the other two don't look quite normal…"
He paused, then added, "Also, one of them has extremely strong sensory ability. Our people can only track from the absolute limit. We didn't dare get any closer."
A glint flashed through Teizawa's eyes.
Finally.
He leaned back slowly, fingers tapping the armrest in a steady rhythm.
The Akatsuki.
A four-man cell.
Iwagakure's one-billion bounty.
Ōnoki really is something.
He doesn't dare fight head-on, but he sure knows how to play dirty from the shadows.
One billion… that fits a miser like him.
Not too much, just enough to tempt the Akatsuki.
Not too little either.
Enough to buy a Kazekage's life.
Too bad.
He miscalculated one thing.
Teizawa's lips curled into a cold smile.
This is what I've been waiting for.
From the very beginning, he'd been setting this up.
Those thousand corpses in the canyon, Bunmatsu's life, Kurotsuchi's disappearance…
Ōnoki would keep every account.
How could that eighty-year-old fossil ever swallow that kind of humiliation?
Start a war openly? He wouldn't dare.
Retaliate in secret? Of course he would.
And the Akatsuki were the perfect blade.
After all, in the original story, Iwagakure and the Akatsuki had always been tangled in shady dealings.
All I can say is, good timing.
Cold light sharpened in Teizawa's eyes.
He'd been waiting for this day for a very, very long time.
(End of Chapter)
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