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In the laboratory of the Sunagakure Puppet Research and Development Department, the faint scent of machine oil, fresh wood, and a certain special Chakra metal permeated the air. Sayo was focused intently on carving Sealing Formulas into a semi-finished complex component; this was an important part of upgrading his "mirage" energy transmission System. The pocket body cultivation furnace on his wrist continuously emitted gentle energy, allowing him to maintain an extremely high level of concentration.
Suddenly, the laboratory door was pushed open violently, interrupting the focused atmosphere. The person who entered was a Chunin researcher from the Research and Development Department, whose face was pale, breathing ragged, and eyes filled with disbelief and indignation.
"Lord Sayo! It's bad!" The researcher's voice was slightly distorted by agitation.
Sayo frowned slightly and put down the tool in his hand: "What happened? Tell me slowly."
"It... it's the news sent back by Jonin Baki... regarding the negotiations with Kirigakure..." The researcher swallowed hard and said with difficulty, "Those bastards from Kirigakure... they... they have proposed compensation conditions..."
"What are the conditions?" Sayo's heart sank slightly, and he had an ominous premonition. Kirigakure being willing to discuss compensation was in itself very unusual.
The researcher's voice was filled with trembling and anger: "They... they said... unless we, Sunagakure... abandon Lord Pakura and hand her over to Kirigakure for disposal... otherwise, there is nothing to talk about!"
"What?!"
Sayo stood up straight abruptly, and the precision carving knife in his hand snapped with a "crack" as he unconsciously crushed it! A cold rage, like the rumbling of the earth before a volcanic eruption, instantly surged from the deepest part of his heart and swept through his entire body!
The air in the laboratory seemed to freeze, and the temperature plummeted. Chakra around Sayo's body overflowed uncontrollably, forming an invisible pressure that made the Chunin researcher's face turn even paler, forcing him to take a step back involuntarily.
"Abandon Pakura... hand her over to Kirigakure for disposal..." Sayo repeated these words, each syllable sounding as if it had been dredged from an ice cellar, carrying a bone-chilling cold. In his black pupils, the original calm and wisdom were replaced by extreme shock and rage.
The scene of the bloody battle at East Sea Bay flashed through his mind instantly—Pakura, surrounded by Scorch Release fireballs, standing like a scorching sun in front of the Ao unit, burning away powerful enemies and protecting her home! That was Sunagakure's hero! A comrade who fought side by side!
And now, the Village high-level officials were actually considering using her life to trade for the enemy's compensation?!
"Lord Kazekage... and the Elders... what is their attitude?" Sayo's voice was terrifyingly suppressed, like the dead silence before a storm.
"The information sent out says... the high-level officials... the high-level officials seem to be... hesitating... 'deliberating'..." The researcher's voice grew lower and lower, and he hardly dared to look into Sayo's eyes.
Deliberating?!
These two words were like a fuse igniting dynamite, completely detonating the rage that had been building up in Sayo!
"Deliberating?!" He roared lowly, his figure instantly turning into an afterimage, rushing out of the laboratory directly. He didn't even have time to use the door, instead violently smashing through the window nearby, turning into a gust of wind and heading straight for the Kazekages Building! He left only the researcher behind, trembling with fear.
The door to the Kazekages Office was pushed open with a loud "bang," even hitting the wall behind it and bouncing back, showing the uncontrollable, violent rage of the person who pushed it open.
Inside the office, the Fourth Kazekage Rasa was discussing with several core Elders, including Chiyo and Ebizō, obviously also troubled by Kirigakure's conditions. Sayo's sudden intrusion, along with the unmasked, almost tangible rage-filled Chakra surrounding him, made everyone present freeze.
"Jonin Sayo?" Rasa furrowed his brows, displeased by Sayo's rude intrusion, "What is the matter that has you so flustered?"
"Lord Kazekage!" Sayo didn't even bow. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared fixedly at Rasa, his voice trembling slightly from extreme rage, "I heard that Kirigakure has proposed a condition! Trading Pakura's life for compensation?! Is this true?!"
Rasa's face darkened, and the atmosphere in the office instantly became extremely oppressive. Ebizō sighed and looked away. Elder Chiyo's lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, it turned into a silent sigh.
"Sayo, watch your status and tone." Rasa's voice was cold, carrying the dignity of a Kage, "This matter concerns the overall situation of the Village and is currently under deliberation."
"Deliberation?!" Sayo stepped forward abruptly, meeting Rasa's gaze without flinching, "What is there to deliberate?! Pakura is a hero of Sunagakure! When she was bleeding and fighting for the Village at East Sea Bay, where were those Kirigakure scum?! Now that we have won, we are going to use a hero's blood and dignity to trade for compensation doled out by the enemy?! What kind of logic is that?!"
His voice grew higher, filled with heart-wrenching questioning: "If we abandon Pakura today, can we abandon anyone tomorrow? The day after tomorrow, can we even abandon the reason for protecting the Village?! What difference is there between such a Sunagakure and those bottomless bandits?! Is such a Village still worth protecting?!"
"Sayo! Insolence!" Rasa slammed the table and rose abruptly, his powerful Chakra pressure bearing down on Sayo like a mountain, "What do you know?!"
He pointed out the window, his voice also becoming agitated, yet carrying a deep sense of exhaustion and helplessness: "Look at this Village! The compensation for Kikyō Mountain is like a great mountain pressing down on our heads! The treasury is empty! The rewards for Ninjas have been reduced again and again! We can barely even pay out pensions! What are we supposed to use to maintain the Village's operations? What are we supposed to use to feed so many people? What are we supposed to use to deal with the next crisis that might arise?!"
"Pakura is a hero, I know!" Rasa's voice carried a hint of imperceptible pain, "But I am the Kazekage! I must be responsible for the survival of the entire Village! If... if sacrificing one person can bring in funds to let the Village catch its breath, and can avoid the sacrifice of more people... no matter how painful such a choice is, I must consider it!"
"That is not sacrifice! That is betrayal!" Sayo roared, interrupting him, his eyes filled with disappointment and anger, "The money traded for a comrade is stained with blood in every cent! Even if such a Village survives temporarily, it has lost its Soul! Lord Rasa, how is what you are doing any different from those who forced Konohas White Fang to his death back then?! Do you want to let Lord Pakura become the second White Fang?!"
"Shut up!" Rasa was completely enraged. The terrifying Magnet Release Chakra was almost about to overflow out of control, and the metal objects in the office began to tremble slightly.
The Wind Release and Earth Style Chakra around Sayo's body also reacted fiercely, resisting the Kazekage's pressure without giving an inch. In the air, it felt as if invisible forces were colliding violently, emitting a sizzling sound.
The two glared at each other, and the clash of ideologies reached its peak at this moment. On one side was the reality and the overall situation that a Kage must face, and on the other was the belief and bottom line of a Ninja that must not be tarnished.
Elder Chiyo and Ebizō looked extremely grave, but neither could interject for a moment. This intense dispute had long since exceeded the scope of superior and subordinate; it was a violent collision regarding the choice of Sunagakure's future path.
Sayo looked at Rasa, the anger in his eyes gradually turning into a deep disappointment and coldness. He finally said, word by word: "If the Village ultimately decides to accept this condition, I, Sayo, will be the first to refuse! Unless I die, no one is to touch Senior Pakura!"
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