Inside the conference room, discussions were buzzing, generally divided into three viewpoints.
One was the radical faction.
The radical faction felt that they must completely crush the Mist army. To whatever extent the Mist Village made demands on the Sand Village back then, the Sand Village must now do the same to the Mist Village.
Back then, the Mist Village threatened the Sand Village to hand over Pakura and pay huge war reparations.
Now the Sand Village should demand the Mist Village hand over Juzo Biwa, Yagura Karatachi, and Jinpachi Munashi, and also pay huge war reparations.
The second was the conservative faction.
The conservative faction felt the radical faction was too conservative. They felt that given the current relationship between the Sand Village and the Mist Village, it had already reached the point where one side must die. Without destroying the Mist Village, they couldn't eat or sleep in peace.
Therefore, if they were to fight, they should completely crush the Mist Village.
Let the Mist Village disappear from the ninja world, just like the Uzumaki Village back then.
Take all the Mist Village ninja captive as slaves, and let them use Water Style every day in the great desert of the Land of Wind to improve the desert environment.
Only a very small number of people feared Konoha.
"Konoha is too strong."
"Hiruzen Sarutobi's title as the Professor isn't fake, and the strength of the Sannin goes without saying. They just haven't appeared on the frontal battlefield yet. Once they appear, who can stop them?"
"The Mist Village has already allied with Konoha. I think we should quit while we're ahead."
"Peace is the most important."
But such voices were quickly completely drowned out; hardly anyone listened.
Rasa made the final summary.
"Everyone, I have heard all your voices. The two viewpoints have differences but also similarities. I will seriously consider, weigh them, and formulate the final strategy."
"Let's end here for today. Meeting adjourned."
After the meeting ended, Rasa kept Ebizo alone.
"Lord Kazekage."
Rasa asked, "Ebizo, regarding the follow-up on the Beni-yama clan, how is the investigation going?"
"Answering Lord Kazekage, besides the Beni-yama clan, the matter of selling out village intelligence also involved some civilian ninja. I have already brought them under control."
"Is there a list?"
Ebizo took out a list.
Rasa glanced at it, closed it, and handed it back to Ebizo.
"Ebizo, include the Gofuu clan as well."
Ebizo was stunned for a moment.
"The Gofuu clan?"
"Correct."
Rasa nodded and said.
"I received news that the Gofuu clan, like the Beni-yama clan, also participated in selling out village intelligence, and they are currently plotting something."
"Send ninja to observe the Gofuu clan in secret."
Ebizo frowned slightly.
"I didn't expect the Gofuu clan to do such a thing. I remember back then, when the Gofuu clan had nowhere to go, it was our Sand Village that took them in, allowing them to drag out an existence until now."
"Lord Kazekage, rest assured, I will definitely send people to monitor them closely."
Rasa added a sentence.
"Observe in secret, don't act rashly and alert the enemy. Since this Gofuu clan wants to betray the village, I want to use this opportunity to see if we can strike at the ninja village collaborating with the Gofuu clan."
"We can't waste this Gofuu clan in vain."
This was the reason why Rasa wanted Ebizo to personally monitor the Gofuu clan.
Compared to ANBU ninja, Ebizo's experience was richer, and his ability in this aspect was stronger.
Ebizo nodded.
"Yes, Lord Kazekage."
Watching Ebizo leave, Rasa glanced at the time on the One-Day Mind Reading Card; not much was left.
Rasa then went directly to find Shiro-Suna Koichi.
Shiro-Suna Koichi was somewhat surprised by Rasa's arrival.
"Lord Kazekage?"
"Senior Shiro-Suna."
Rasa walked in and said, "I saw Senior Shiro-Suna wasn't in very high spirits at the meeting. Is it because I didn't agree to Senior Shiro-Suna's suggestion before, so Senior Shiro-Suna is dissatisfied?"
Shiro-Suna Koichi quickly denied it.
"Lord Kazekage must be joking. Doesn't the current situation prove that Lord Kazekage's decision back then was correct?"
"If we had surrendered back then, how could the Sand Village have today?"
"Pakura would have also sacrificed in vain."
"I just feel that I really am old. My ability and insight are not quite up to par. I'm afraid I can no longer be competent for this position of elder. I ask Lord Kazekage to select a worthy and capable person."
But Rasa knew this wasn't Shiro-Suna Koichi's true thought at all.
[Tsk tsk tsk, you are the Kazekage, how dare I have any dissatisfaction?
I'm just a mere elder.
You and Pakura are a family. The Sand Village is your family's Sand Village. I am just an outsider. It's useless even if I say anything, why should I say it? I would only be humiliated by you, why bother?]
"Elder Shiro-Suna, you are joking. We just have different viewpoints, but the starting point is the same, both for making the Sand Village better. I also know Elder Shiro-Suna's ability."
"The village still needs Elder Shiro-Suna, and I also still need Elder Shiro-Suna."
Shiro-Suna Koichi's eyes flickered, then he sighed deeply.
"Being so highly regarded by Lord Kazekage, what else can I, Shiro-Suna Koichi, say? I will definitely do my best in the position of elder to put Lord Kazekage at ease."
[Rasa, oh Rasa, before you paid absolutely no attention to me, showed absolutely no respect to me as an elder and senior. Saying these things now, it's too late. I am already disappointed in you.
Also already disappointed in this village.
Pakura deliberately caused the death of my youngest daughter, and then caused the death of my grandson. This hatred is irreconcilable.
If I don't kill Pakura, what face do I have to live?
As Pakura's husband, you will absolutely never stand on my side.
Even knowing Pakura has great guilt.
I have no attachments left in this village.
Danzo's side is already prepared.
I will personally bring Danzo's people into the Sand Village.
The Sand Village will suffer a huge blow.
But, I didn't let the village down; it was the village that let me down first.]
Rasa glanced at Shiro-Suna Koichi.
He didn't expect Shiro-Suna Koichi's collaborator to actually be Danzo of Konoha.
But thinking about it, he felt it was reasonable.
Danzo clearly wasn't the Hokage, yet he always felt he had to do the Hokage's work.
And felt that Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't do well enough, didn't do enough.
Therefore, he styled himself as the Root of Konoha, the Darkness of Konoha, comforting himself that he was the one who was truly wholeheartedly for Konoha's good.
For Konoha, he could do anything, didn't need any reputation, could bear infamy.
For Konoha, he could sacrifice everything.
He was Konoha's true hero.
His capacity was much larger than Hiruzen Sarutobi's.
Danzo was exactly the kind of person who liked to do such things everywhere.
Shiro-Suna Koichi's inner thoughts continued.
[Soon, soon. In two days, Danzo's people will come.
Just wait, Rasa.
You will pay the price for your lechery.
This is the retribution for you marrying Pakura.]