The howling wind carried a sky full of yellow sand, adding a touch of desolation to Sunagakure.
Inside the relatively grand Kazekage Building, a heated argument was taking place.
"What's going on with the Twin Oasis? Even the daimyo has sent me a letter about it..." Granny Chiyo asked Kazekage Rasa with visible irritation.
"Just some rogue ninja. I've already sent forces to deal with it. It'll be resolved soon." Compared to Chiyo's frustration, Rasa remained calm and composed.
The era when he had to rely on Chiyo had long passed.
Chiyo fixed her gaze on Rasa, who showed no reverence for her whatsoever.
Her tone softened slightly. "I may no longer be involved in Sunagakure's politics, but that doesn't mean I'm completely ignorant..."
Before she could finish speaking—
Rasa's eyes sharpened.
"Since the elder already knows, then there's no need for you to concern yourself with it. Under my leadership, Sunagakure will grow stronger."
For a moment, Chiyo looked at the aggressive Rasa... and felt a hint of regret.
"Forget it. You're the Kazekage—do as you see fit..." She sighed, turning to leave with a sense of disappointment.
As she reached the door, she stopped and added,
"But we are not Konoha."
Watching Chiyo's departing figure, a trace of mockery flickered in Rasa's eyes.
In just two months, the profits from the Twin Oasis had already reached the equivalent of the daimyo's annual financial allocation.
And now, they wanted him to give up this juicy piece of meat?
Impossible.
Konoha's strength came from devouring the wealth of the Fire Country.
Iwagakure and Kumogakure were also taking action. Sunagakure was already lagging behind Konoha—if they fell behind the other villages as well, they would have no place in the shinobi world.
On his last diplomatic mission to Konoha, Rasa hadn't succeeded in forming an alliance to attack the Land of Earth.
However, his allies had given him a blueprint for acquiring wealth.
At first, Rasa had doubted that Danzo would be so generous.
But seeing Konoha grow stronger by the day, he had no choice but to try.
And the benefits far exceeded his expectations…
At first, it was done in secrecy. Now, they had flipped the table and outright taken over the prosperous Twin Oasis, funneling its resources into Sunagakure.
As for the daimyo, the nobility, or the shinobi code? All had been thrown aside.
Unlike other villages that had to act covertly, Sunagakure had natural advantages—
They controlled their own checkpoints, their own trade routes… and they had allies supporting them from the shadows.
The construction of outposts in the Fire Country was nearing completion. The nobility ruled over the civilians, while shinobi kept the nobility in check.
The daimyo's power and prestige were being eroded without limit, while Konoha's grip over the Fire Country grew ever stronger.
Minato Namikaze had even established a massive new department within Konoha to oversee these outposts.
Danzo was appointed as the head and recruited six regional captains from the ninja clans.
At first, Danzo had been reluctant to take the position, but under Minato's insistence, he had no choice but to accept.
For the ninja clans, however, even the role of regional captain was fiercely contested.
Anyone with a shred of intelligence could see the long-term benefits and influence such a position would bring to their family.
The major clans poured out their resources, boosting the number of Konoha's registered jonin by more than two hundred.
Beyond showcasing their strength in the competition for regional captain, it was also a declaration of loyalty—completely siding with the Hokage.
Konoha was thriving, and no one wanted to be left behind. Even the Uchiha Clan was flexing their muscles, eager to take on more responsibilities for the Hokage.
This was closely tied to Minato's governing philosophy—
"Those who contribute more, receive more."
Concerns about the Hokage suspecting them of ulterior motives? That didn't seem to exist at all.
Just look at Root and Danzo.
The battle for influence had raged on for over two months.
With the latest meeting at the Hokage Tower finally concluded, the six regional captains and other key positions had been decided.
With the power struggle settled, everyone left satisfied.
"I never expected someone as reserved as Hiashi to argue so fiercely with Fugaku..."
Recalling the heated debate from earlier, Danzo once again reevaluated his impression of these so-called "manga characters."
"Elder, you could've stepped in to say something and put an end to the squabbling," Minato said with a wry smile, sounding mildly reproachful.
"You're the Hokage. That's your job."
Seeing Danzo's indifferent attitude, Minato could only shake his head.
"The Fire Country Oversight Department has just been established. I'll have to trouble you to oversee it."
"I've already laid out all the regulations over the past two months. Nono Yakushi can handle the operations. I won't be involved in minor matters."
Hearing this, Minato sighed inwardly.
"But she's also in charge of Root's transition into Konoha's administration. Can she really handle all this?"
Minato trusted Danzo's capabilities and continued to delegate responsibilities to him, but…
"That's why you should hurry up and find a proper department head. Stop dumping everything on me. I think Jiraiya would be a great choice..."
...
If the dozen or so clan leaders who had just left heard this conversation, they'd probably be spitting blood in rage.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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