Naruto: Starting from the time when the Six Paths of Pain was Kira Yoshikage

The other high-ranking Sand Ninja who participated in this secret meeting exchanged glances and, as if in perfect unison, wrote down their most suitable candidates for the Fourth Kazekage.

Soon, under the supervision of the two advisors, the candidate for the fourth Kazekage was determined.

After seeing the results, Chiyo turned to one of the participants in the meeting with a broad smile and said, "Rasa, it seems you are the one everyone hopes for. I hope you will not let everyone down..."

Rasa, a Jonin of Sunagakure, is a Magnet Release Kekkei Genkai ninja. Unlike the Third Kazekage, who is skilled in iron sand, Rasa is skilled in gold sand.

Rasa was not surprised at all that he was chosen as the Fourth Kazekage, because it was an inevitable outcome.

"However..." Chiyo paused for a moment.

However, this was the most suitable successor to the Kazekage chosen by their higher-ups, not the unanimous recommendation of the entire village. Therefore, if Rasa wanted to become the Fourth Kazekage, he had to deal with a very troublesome enemy. However, this enemy was not a ninja from another village, but rather the hero of his own village.

Pakura (叶仓), a ninja from Sunagakure with the Blazing Release bloodline limit, has made countless contributions to Sunagakure in battles against Iwagakure and Kirigakure. She is an extremely powerful ninja and one of the top fighters in the entire village.

He enjoys extraordinary popularity among the lower-ranking ninjas and ordinary people in Sunagakure, and is a strong contender for the Fourth Kazekage.

It could be said that... Pakura was a hero of Sunagakure, a beacon of light in the hearts of the villagers and lower-ranking ninjas...

However, as a hero, she was unable to participate in this high-level secret meeting that even Rasa could attend.

She was a qualified warrior, a qualified teacher, and a powerful figure revered by the lower-ranking ninjas, but not a qualified leader, and even more so, a hero collectively ostracized by the higher-ups of her own village.

To be honest, what the Sand Village, which was severely damaged at this time, needed was not a highly powerful hero, but someone who was slightly weaker but could help them quickly restore their economy.

Rasa's ability to control gold sand with Magnet Release was the key to the economic recovery of Sunagakure.

Therefore, compared to Yekura, Rasa is the most suitable candidate for the Fourth Kazekage.

Just as the higher-ups were discussing the matter, Ebizo dropped another bombshell.

"The Hidden Mist Village agreed to sign a cooperation agreement with us and has shown us sufficient 'sincerity'."

As he spoke, Ebizo took out a scroll and placed it on the table. Inside were the resources that Sunagakure Village lacked most.

This news caused a huge stir, and the entire conference room erupted in excitement.

This contract is different from a peace contract; it is a comprehensive development contract. Moreover, the supplies inside the scroll are exactly what Sunagakure, which has just experienced the Third Shinobi World War, desperately needs.

But those who could attend this secret meeting were not fools. There is no such thing as love without a reason in this world. Kirigakure could not have offered such generous conditions without ulterior motives.

As the old saying goes: "So, what's the price?"

What does Sunagakure need to give up to get all this?

Ebizo continued, "This is only a small portion; the rest will be handed over to us later. They have one condition..."

Everyone in the secret room stared at him, holding their breath and waiting quietly for him to reveal the answer.

"We must hand over Yekura to them, to the Mist Shadows..." Ebizo said with unusual heaviness.

As his words fell, the entire secret room ceased its heated discussion and instead fell into an eerie silence.

Yekura, an outstanding ninja from Sunagakure, may not be as dazzling as the Yellow Flash who instantly killed fifty Iwa ninjas, but she still shone brightly in many battles between Sunagakure and Kirigakure. Her Scorch Release could easily break through the Kirigakure's Water Release, rendering their signature Mist Shadow Techniques useless. She single-handedly suppressed the entire Kirigakure battlefield, making them unable to raise their heads.

The ninjas of the Mist could be said to hate her to the core.

If it were Sunagakure before the Third Shinobi World War, they would never hand over their hero, even if it meant fighting tooth and nail. Even if she didn't have the qualifications to become the Fourth Kazekage, she could still become the Fifth or even the Sixth.

Handing over the village's heroes would be tantamount to cutting off one's own arm. How could one explain this to the other ninjas? How could one explain this to the villagers?

But now... the ninja world needs peace... Sunagakure is too weak to fight anymore. Having experienced the Third Shinobi World War, Sunagakure was a defeated village and did not receive any reparations. The entire village is riddled with holes and cannot withstand further turmoil.

They need peace, development, and recuperation more than the Mist Ninja and the Rock Ninja.

"Gentlemen, please share your thoughts."

Ebizo looked around, and the high-ranking officials he saw all silently lowered their heads.

Although no one said a word, they had already made up their minds.

At this time, Sunagakure lacked everything: resources, money, land, people... except... it no longer needed heroes.

They knew it, they made a decision, but no one spoke up, because they were unwilling to take the blame for harming their companions.

Without betraying their comrades, Sunagakure couldn't fight, couldn't withstand the continued attacks from Kirigakure, and would lose any chance to develop. But betraying their comrades... once exposed, the person who made that decision would definitely not have a good end.

Finally, Ebizo could only turn his gaze to the future Fourth Kazekage: "Rasa, let you, who is about to become the Fourth Kazekage, make the decision on this matter. Consider it a test for you."

Upon hearing Ebizo's words, the others breathed a sigh of relief and all turned their gazes to Rasa.

For a time, Rosa Alexander.

Can he refuse in public?

Of course not. If you don't even have this much sense of responsibility and magnanimity, how can you expect others to trust you?

So he could only curse Ebizo in his heart, but on the surface he could only agree immediately.

How will Luo Sha choose?

There can only be one answer.

Poor Yecang, her fate was sealed from the very beginning.

No matter how loyal, powerful, or popular she is, she is destined to become a sacrifice in the exchange of interests between Sunagakure.

Being a ninja means being a pitiful person endlessly struggling in the abyss of betrayal and being betrayed.

PS: The original series did not have a specific timeline for Pakura's death. Theoretically, it was within the Konoha 50-year period, which was before the end of the Third Shinobi World War. However, I really can't understand the setting where Sunagakure was struggling with fighting on three fronts, so they reached an agreement with the Hidden Mist Village leadership that they could exchange peace by sending Pakura away to sacrifice herself. So I made a change here.

Even when you're already struggling, you still want to sacrifice a high-end combatant in exchange for so-called peace? Is this something a human being would do?

If Kirigakure doesn't abide by the agreement, wouldn't that be like giving away a high-end combatant for nothing?

Pakura's Scorch Release technique, which primarily uses the evaporation of water, is extremely effective against the Mist Ninja, which is why the Mist Ninja fear her. If they send their ace to their death, how can they possibly fight the Mist Ninja later?

The fact that the Mist Ninja stopped fighting the Sand Ninja after killing Pakura is enough to show that the Mist Ninja were just bluffing. They couldn't stand it themselves, and they didn't expect the Sand Ninja to be so stupid as to send over an ace. As a result, the Sand Ninja suffered a loss in silence.

The key is that Ebizo, the advisor of Sunagakure, is set up as a strategist. Even after retiring to the second line, he still controls the intelligence of the ninja world. This is something a strategist would do.