Hey guys, here is the new chapter hope you will liked and read thru everything.
With the battle that will decide the next Kazekage and the world moving forward, who will be the winner: Crystal or Gold sands
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After months of uninterrupted combat on the borders, of sleeping with one eye open, and of carrying the tactical responsibility of having changed the fate of the Elemental Nations at Kanzaki, the natural walls of the village finally rose before him.
Beside him, Pakura and Sasori maintained a respectful silence, though their eyes scanned the surroundings with the calm of those who had reached the village where they could finally relax. The three had departed as promises, but they returned as living legends.
However, Daigo did not feel the weight of fame or the anxiety of the upcoming combat.
There was no trace of nervousness in his pulse or agitation in his chakra. He knew he would fight Rasa at dawn, and he knew, with a cold and absolute conviction, that he would win
. It wasn't a matter of arrogance or underestimating the wielder of the Gold sand; it was a logical conclusion based on his effort and strength.
He had faced death, he had seen the limit of what a man like Minato could do, and he had returned. Rasa, though formidable, represented an era that was no longer sufficient to survive what was coming.
Before presenting himself to the Council of Elders or locking himself away to meditate for battle, Daigo detoured toward the civilian housing areas.
He wasn't going to seek advice, approval, or comfort. He went because, despite his power and tactical coldness, he missed them. The war had kept him away from his family for a time that felt like an eternity, and the memory of his mother was the only thing that kept him composed enough to keep bringing victories to Suna.
He reached the modest adobe house, a construction that had resisted decades of sandstorms.
He pushed the door open without warning, letting the creak of the hinges announce his arrival. The aroma of dried spices, cumin, and jasmine tea enveloped him immediatelya violent contrast to the smell of blood and metal from the battlefields.
"Ilsa?" Haru's voice resonated from the back of the house, loaded with a peace and relaxation that made Daigo feel a surge of envy toward his father.
"I think the wind has blown the door open again; you should check the latch."
"That's your job! I told you it was opening, and you haven't fixed it since you got back," Ilsa said.
A woman with a serene face, dark skin, and ash-gray hair emerged from the kitchen, drying her hands on a linen apron.
She stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes widened with a mixture of shock and a joy so pure it seemed to illuminate the room.
"Dai!" Ilsa exclaimed, running toward him with an energy that defied her age.
Daigo received her in a firm embrace, allowing his combat armor still dusted with the earth of foreign lands to brush against his mother's simple clothes.
He closed his eyes for a moment, inhaling the scent of home he had longed for while sleeping in military camps. In that embrace, he wasn't the "Crystal Demon"; he was simply a son coming home.
"You're taller, and your hair has grown too," Ilsa said, pulling back slightly to study his face with trembling hands, noting the new scars and the maturity etched into his features and his missing eye.
"You've been away so long, son. The reports that reached the village... they said you did incredible things, but I just wanted to know if you were eating well."
"I'm back, Mom. Don't worry I been eating good. Let's go see Dad; I'll tell both oh you everything I've done," Daigo replied with a soft smile, the first he had shown in weeks.
Both walked to the back of the house where Haru was "living the life," sitting in a chair with a small table by his side, a drink in hand, and an umbrella to hide from the sun.
When Haru saw him, he approached and placed a heavy, calloused hand on Daigo's shoulder. The pride in his gaze was a physical force. There was no need for grand speeches; in Suna, love was expressed through presence.
They sat at the wooden table, polished by years of use, and Ilsa rushed to serve him a hot meal, completely ignoring that her son was now one of the most dangerous and discussed shinobi in the world. To her, he was still the boy who needed to be fed after a long journey.
"Eh, that patch doesn't look bad on you. I still remember when Pakura and Sasori brought you back to camp... how do you feel?" Haru asked, looking at him.
"Normal. It doesn't affect me anymore. Besides, I look cooler with my crystal eye. What have you been doing, Pop, since you got back to the village?"
"Nothing. Just taking my precious time with your mother. Maybe you'll have a little brother or sister soon," Haru said with a grin.
To his pain, however, a swift smack hit the back of Haru's head, leaving him rubbing the spot.
"Stop dreaming. You know it's very hard for me to have another child. Having Daigo was already a miracle; another would be a gift," Ilsa said with a pout.
"Yeah, sorry. But hope is the last thing to loss, and I think Daigo needs a little brother," Haru insisted.
At this, Ilsa only sighed before looking at Daigo with a very kind smile that actually made Daigo a bit nervous.
"Oh, I just remembered something. Haru told me about a friend you have... what was her name? Pakura? Why haven't you introduced her to me?" Ilsa asked.
Daigo shot daggers with his eyes at his father, who simply began whistling and looked the other way. Daigo surrendered to his mother's gaze.
"Oh, Pakura-chan should be at her house. If you want, I can tell her to come by tomorrow so you can talk to her," Daigo said.
"Perfect. I'll prepare a banquet for our guest tomorrow!"
"Ilsa, I don't think that will be possible tomorrow. Remember why Daigo came back from the war," Haru said, causing Ilsa to remember and nod sadly.
"Don't tell me you both are worried about me," Daigo asked, looking at them while sipping his tea.
"How could we not be, Dai? This is a battle where, if you win, you will be the leader of the village at the age of fourteen. It's a responsibility neither your father nor I ever thought of having," Ilsa said.
"I feel the same. I know you're strong and your name is known throughout the ninja world, but are you sure you can beat Rasa in the desert where Gold sand is everywhere?" Haru asked.
"I understand why you feel that way. But there is no way I'll lose to Rasa. He is strong, but my Crystal is too much for his sand, though it will be a quite interesting battle."
Ilsa looked into his eyes, searching for a trace of the youthful arrogance she usually saw in ninjas, but she only found a calm and protective certainty.
"Be careful," was all she said, stroking his hand. "I don't care about the Kage hat. I only care about you, my son, and that you are happy. Don't let that hat pull you away from us or from sitting at this table to eat."
"I think the same," Haru confirmed.
"Thanks for your trust. Tomorrow, your son will make history by becoming the youngest Kage in the world."
After spending the day with his parents, recovering a bit of the humanity the war had stripped away, Daigo headed to the Administrative Tower that night. As he approached the command center, the atmosphere changed. The warmth of home was replaced by an electric tension felt in the air.
The Council of Elders was in permanent session, and the news of Kirigakure's counter-offensive against Konoha surprised everyone.
The reports were active, showing Kirigakure attacking with everything, even sending many of their clans into the Land of Fire.
However, in everyone's eyes, Orochimaru had managed to halt all of Kirigakure's advances with his brilliant mind, making things difficult for the Mist. Now, everyone feared Suna would lose against this new version of Konoha.
"Orochimaru is a monster!" a councilor shouted as Daigo entered the room. "He has stopped almost all of the Mist's advances in the East in no time! And here we are, allowing our two best warriors to kill each other for a title. It's madness! We should cancel the duel and send Rasa and Daigo to reinforce the border immediately."
"No," Rasa's voice resonated from his spot at the back of the room. He was leaning against a pillar, observing Daigo's entrance with an indecipherable gaze.
"If we both go without a Kazekage, we will divide our ninjas into two factions: mine and Daigo's. Tomorrow's battle will establish a winner who will guide the war forward. I believe Daigo thinks the same as I do."
Daigo walked to an empty seat, sat down, and looked at everyone.
"Orochimaru won't attack us yet," Daigo said.
"If what you say about the Mist and Konoha is true, it is the perfect time to choose a new Kazekage. Rasa is right; with one of us victorious, the village will be united, and the plans will be better."
Rasa nodded, stepping into the center. His eyes met Daigo's.
"You seem very sure of yourself, Daigo. Almost as if the result were already written in the sand and you were already the new Kazekage."
"It's not overconfidence. It's that I know I can beat you. Even though you are strong, you've already seen how my Crystal works and how powerful it is. And while I respect you as a ninja, the hat will be mine," Daigo stated.
At those words, everyone watched as the two seemed to fire laser beams from their eyes at one another.
That night, while the village slept under a mantle of icy stars, Daigo rested in his old room. But outside on the walls, a shadow loomed.
Hidden by the darkness of the night and the shadow of the moon, a figure emerged from the ground, observing everything.
"The Crystal boy... he's quite curious, isn't he? Even He is interested," the shadow said.
"Of course He is interested. He is a prodigy who has broken the cycle of mediocrity in this village," the shadow replied, as if two people were speaking.
"The Shōton is an element that shouldn't have this scale of power, but he has taken it to a level that defies the logic of the five basic elements. If he defeats Rasa, the balance of power will tip dangerously toward the desert. Even the other villages won't have as much potential as Suna."
"Do we intervene?" the shadow asked. "We could weaken one of the two to ensure chaos."
"No. He wants to see how far Daigo's light goes. He wants to see if it is a flame He can use or a fire He must extinguish. If he becomes Kazekage, he will be a most valuable pawn or a most interesting obstacle for the Plan. For now, just observe and collect data. Tomorrow we will see what the Crystal is truly made of."
The first ray of sun hit the crests of the dunes, tinting the desert a metallic orange that would soon become the color of battle.
The desert in front of the village was completely desolate of any life; only two figures stood a short distance apart, facing each other.
The walls of the village were packed with ninjas, civilians, and everyone in the village who didn't want to miss the battle that was about to take place.
Many placed bets, while others were interested in the change this battle would bring to the village.
On one part of the wall, both of Daigo's parents observed alongside Sasori, Chiyo, Ebizo, and Pakura whom Daigo had introduced to Ilsa.
Everyone had only one thing on their minds: they wanted Daigo to win.
In the desert, with the two combatants:
Rasa was already ready to begin. He wore his high-resistance combat robes with his sand fan on his back.
At his feet, the ground was already beginning to vibrate, and small particles of Gold Dust began to filter through the sand, shining like fallen stars under the rising sun.
Daigo was also ready. He didn't wear heavy cloaks or unnecessary protection. Just his pants, his headband, and his hair loose; he didn't need anything else.
His determination could be felt in the environment like static electricity before a lightning storm.
They stopped twenty meters apart. The silence in the valley was so deep that the hiss of the wind brushing the rocks could be heard.
"I hope you're ready and don't hold anything back, Daigo?" Rasa asked, with a smile that mixed adrenaline and the respect of a rival.
"I'm already more ready than ever, and don't worry, I'm going all out," Daigo replied. He extended his right arm, and with a dry crack that broke the silence, a blade of pure crystal transparent and so sharp it seemed to cut the very air sprouted from his forearm.
"I have a proposal for you before we begin. Do you want to hear it?"
"Why not? What proposal do you have?"
"The loser of this battle must kneel and serve the other as an assistant in leading the village for the rest of their life. Do you accept?"
Rasa expanded his hands to the sides, and the ground beneath his feet exploded. Tons of Gold Dust surged from the depths like an unstoppable tide, covering the desert with a blinding glow.
"I accept your proposal! Whoever loses serves the other for the rest of their life. Daigo, I challenge you to a battle for the position of Kazekage!" Rasa declared.
"I accept the challenge, challenger."
In that instant, time seemed to stand still. The gold and the crystal were about to collide, and with that clash, the fate of the Third Great Ninja War would change its course forever.
End of Chapter