A middle-aged man, the head of a small ninja clan, sat inconspicuously in the conference room.
[I was really out of my mind back then, to actually be tempted by the Beni-yama clan and do those things. Once Lord Kazekage finds out, my clan will likely end up just like the Beni-yama clan.
What should I do?]
The middle-aged man had absolutely no thought of launching a coup. Even the Beni-yama clan had failed, and the ninja clan he belonged to was much weaker than the Beni-yama clan. There was simply no possibility of a successful coup.
It wouldn't even require Rasa to act personally; a single squad of ANBU ninja could exterminate the ninja clan the middle-aged man belonged to.
[What if I voluntarily turn myself in to Lord Kazekage?
No, that won't work.
Lord Kazekage definitely won't let me off.
The Beni-yama clan is the example.
Lord Kazekage hates evil as if it were his personal enemy and is ruthless. I committed acts betraying the village; how could Lord Kazekage possibly tolerate me? Turning myself in is just seeking my own death.]
Thinking this in his heart, a bitter smile couldn't help but appear on the middle-aged man's face.
[But if I don't turn myself in, my clan will sooner or later be found out.
The day we are found out is the day we die.
The only way to survive is just one: find an opportunity to flee the Sand Village with the whole clan, flee the Land of Wind, and escape to a hidden and remote place.
However, when will this opportunity come?]
The middle-aged man frowned.
[Waiting won't work; waiting will likely only result in extermination.
Therefore, only I can create it myself.
The Mist Village is already done for; they can't be relied on. Even if I provide intelligence, the Mist Village can't bring any substantial threat to the Sand Village and can't create an opportunity.
Small ninja villages are out of the question.
The Grass Village has become much more well-behaved after the Beni-yama clan extermination incident broke out.
Fearing Lord Kazekage's strength.
The Rain Village hasn't made a move for a long time.
The Hidden Rock Village needs to face the alliance of Konoha and the Mist Village.
Then only Konoha remains.
Konoha allying with the Mist Village must also have made preparations to act against the Sand Village. If the intelligence I provide allows Konoha to judge that they can take action against the Sand Village, they will definitely act.
In that case, it would be the opportunity for my clan to flee the Sand Village.]
The middle-aged man's eyes lit up.
A look of disappointment appeared on Rasa's face.
When he first heard the middle-aged man's inner thoughts, Rasa thought the man would repent, but he didn't expect the other party to be obsessed to the point of madness.
There was not a shred of remorse for what he had done before.
He was worried only because he was afraid of death.
His heart was filled only with thoughts of fleeing.
And to obtain an opportunity to flee, he was actually going to give important intelligence of the village to Konoha.
"To be able to attract Konoha to act against the Sand Village, the value of this intelligence must not be low."
"Absolutely cannot let him give it out."
Rasa decided that as soon as today's meeting ended, he would immediately take action against the middle-aged man's clan.
Another ninja clan, the situation was much smaller.
An old man, whose clan size was about the same as the Beni-yama clan, slightly weaker.
To the Sand Village, it was like the Aburame clan to Konoha.
[I was wondering why Lord Kazekage so resolutely disagreed with letting that Uchiha woman marry into my clan, rebutting several times. It turns out he had his eyes on her himself.
Sigh, Lord Kazekage is good in every way, just a bit too lecherous.
Back then, being so firm about not selling out Pakura, having his eyes on Pakura must also be one of the reasons.
Counting that Uchiha woman, now Lord Kazekage already has three wives.]
Thinking in his heart, the old man secretly sized up Rasa.
Suddenly, a thought arose.
[Right, since Lord Kazekage already has three wives, he shouldn't mind having one more. My granddaughter is very beautiful and has a lively personality; Lord Kazekage will definitely like her.
If Lord Kazekage marries my granddaughter, it will also be of huge benefit to my clan.
If she could give birth to an heir, and the heir inherited Lord Kazekage's Magnet Release, that would be even better.]
Rasa: "————"
Was his image in this old man's heart actually like this?
He married Pakura clearly for the sake of the village.
And dating Uchiha Hana was also to set a trap for the Beni-yama clan.
"Thinking of me like this, I am very hurt."
"Am I, Rasa, that kind of person?"
"————However, exactly how beautiful is this old man's granddaughter? To actually make this old man confident to this extent?"
Rasa decided to meet her if there was a chance.
Two ninja clans, the problems were big and small, but in Rasa's view, they were relatively easy to solve.
What really made Rasa feel troublesome was that elder.
That head of the small ninja clan planned to sell out the Sand Village to obtain an opportunity to flee the Sand Village.
But this elder had already sold out the Sand Village.
Shiro-Suna Koichi.
A senior ninja of the Sand Village, a contemporary of the Third Kazekage, participated in the First Great Ninja War, and established quite a few merits in the Second Great Ninja War.
One son died in the Second Great Ninja War.
His youngest daughter and grandson died in the Third Great Ninja War, which is this current ninja war, at the hands of Mist ninja.
His experience was somewhat similar to Chiyo's to some extent.
Previously, the one who strongly opposed Rasa fighting the Mist Village to the end was this person.
After Rasa had already made the decision, he still proposed selling out Pakura in exchange for peace.
Rasa thought Shiro-Suna Koichi was just simply weak and cowardly.
But now hearing Shiro-Suna Koichi's inner thoughts, Rasa realized that things were not that simple.
Shiro-Suna Koichi was driven by hatred for Pakura.
Shiro-Suna Koichi's youngest daughter was a contemporary of Pakura, and there was conflict between the two.
It wasn't very pleasant.
Later, when the war broke out, Shiro-Suna Koichi's youngest daughter went to the front lines, happening to be under Pakura's command.
She sacrificed her life not long after.
Shiro-Suna Koichi suspected it was Pakura's doing, so he held a grudge against Pakura.
He had secretly investigated before.
Even though nothing was found, Shiro-Suna Koichi remained very suspicious of Pakura.
Not long after, Shiro-Suna Koichi's grandson also went to the front lines, also under Pakura's command, and also died.
This made Shiro-Suna Koichi suspect Pakura even more.
Even without evidence, Shiro-Suna Koichi firmly believed that Pakura was the murderer who killed his youngest daughter and grandson.
Therefore, he hated Pakura very much.
This was the main reason he insisted so much on selling out Pakura to the Mist Village last time.
However, after intimate contact with Pakura, Rasa knew Pakura couldn't be that kind of person.
The deaths of Shiro-Suna Koichi's youngest daughter and grandson wouldn't have the slightest relation to Pakura.
Even less likely that Pakura deliberately killed them.
But Shiro-Suna Koichi insisted on thinking so.
After Rasa married Pakura, Shiro-Suna Koichi felt that using normal means, he could no longer overthrow Pakura.
Therefore, he secretly colluded with other ninja villages.