The year 47 of the Konoha calendar.
This year, both Sasori and Yubi were already 15 years old.
Both had become "indispensable figures" in the current Sunagakure.
Sasori not only held a key position in the Anbu but had also become a Kage Guard.
Yubi was the head of the Village's Medical Department and possessed the ability to lead Sunagakure toward a better future.
This was something the Village higher-ups had long acknowledged.
Since Yubi stepped down from the battlefield, he had been busy with Village affairs for the past few years—though he had some leisure time for self-cultivation, it wasn't abundant.
Everything he busied himself with was to ensure his plan could proceed smoothly.
To push progress to the step of the Third Kazekage's death.
However, over these years—whether from intelligence gathered by the Village or his own experiences traveling outside—he had been paying attention to the trends in the Ninja World.
He was also "verifying" certain timelines from the memories in his mind.
For example, in the year 43 of the Konoha calendar, Uchiha Shisui was born.
In the year 44, Kakashi should have been promoted to Chunin.
Might Guy had just graduated from the Ninja Academy.
Then the year before last, year 45, Sakumo Hatake committed suicide.
At that time, Konoha clearly wanted to suppress this news, but later—it was still discovered by the various Great Ninja Villages.
It was just that the intelligence the outside world received had some delay.
How Sasori reacted upon hearing this—Yubi wasn't by his side at the time, so there was no way to know.
Only when he met up with him later, Sasori said, "Konoha—is nothing more than this."
One must know that although the Second Great Ninja War made Konoha's Three Legendary Sannin famous—it was undeniable that Sakumo Hatake was definitely the key force that allowed Konoha to resist other Ninja Villages and hold out until the end.
Especially in the final great war between Konoha and Kumogakure, just hearing that the person leading the team was Konoha's White Fang made Kumogakure lose their nerve beforehand, their Battle Intent diminishing.
To say the name of Konoha's White Fang made the entire Ninja World tremble with fear might be a slight exaggeration.
But it also proved from another angle the terror of this god of slaughter.
Even though Yubi and Sasori were participants in the Second Great Ninja War, by the time they took to the battlefield, the war was already nearing its end—they simply couldn't compare to a powerhouse like the White Fang, who fought his way through from start to finish.
What they experienced—in comparison, was just a small ripple.
The most ironic thing was that the White Fang's death, or rather the losses he caused Konoha due to a mission, was far less than the battlefield gains he had already brought to Konoha—yet in the end, even the companion he had saved was accusing him.
In victory, he was the Village's hero, receiving cheers—
But with a failed mission, no matter how brilliant he was, he would immediately suffer the scorn of ten thousand people.
This was the environment and atmosphere of most Ninja Villages.
Sunagakure was the same.
It wasn't hard to see from the old-school higher-ups led by the Third Kazekage—everyone was very pragmatic.
For a Ninja with greater ability, the requirements were conversely more demanding, with almost no room for tolerance.
They were all being ruthlessly utilized by the Village; in the end, they were just tools.
Yubi's final conversation with the Kazekage also indicated that if he insisted on defying the Third and displeasing him, then even if Yubi had brought everything to the Village—the Kazekage could make him fall into "Hell" in a short time.
His image within the Village and in the eyes of the villagers—would change drastically.
It wasn't hard—just a slight emphasis on some flaws in Yubi's mission execution or, like the White Fang, making the Village suffer a loss.
Even if everyone's fondness for Yubi, this "Genius," was great, it had its limits.
Once—twice—perhaps by the third or fourth time, Yubi would no longer be able to have a foothold in the Village.
"Year 46—Itachi is born, Uchiha Obito and the others graduate—"
"This year is the turning point for the outbreak in the Ninja World."
In the hospital office, Yubi pondered silently.
He not only wanted to use this Third Ninja World War to make Sunagakure completely prosper.
He also wanted to rely on this Ninja World War to make a name for himself along with Sasori, gaining a solid foothold in the Ninja World.
Otherwise—judging solely by military merits and resumes, there was indeed still a certain gap between them and Rasa.
In the short term, even if the Kazekage was gone, a successor wouldn't be elected so quickly—therefore, once the war broke out, he and Sasori had to make a name for themselves in a short time and prove to everyone—their dominance on the battlefield.
"The factory is almost finished—in another period of time, production can begin. From the Village's intelligence, the other four Great Ninja Villages have clearly noticed the existence of the 'New Medicine'."
"Among them—Konoha's movements are the fastest, but unfortunately—the Medicinal Herbs on the market have been almost entirely harvested by us. Even if they want to research and imitate them, they have no raw Materials. Furthermore, the war is coming soon—"
"There is simply no time for them to do research."
The timing—was grasped perfectly.
Thinking of this, Yubi's lips curled up.
At this point, nearly a month had passed since the Kazekage went missing.
The Sunagakure higher-ups finally began to feel uneasy and realized something was wrong, because no matter the situation, the Kazekage couldn't suddenly leave the Village for so long.
Everyone began to think in the direction of whether the Third Kazekage had been killed.
It had to be said—they were too slow.
By now, the Village had already begun to secretly send out personnel to various parts of the Ninja World to search for the Kazekage's whereabouts, while focusing their "suspicious gaze" on the other four Great Ninja Villages.
Because in the eyes of Chiyo and the others, even if they were unwilling to believe it, the facts were right before them—and as for who had the ability to kill the Kazekage, besides these four Great Ninja Villages, they couldn't think of anyone else.
The number one suspect was precisely Konoha, who had a major grudge against Sunagakure and was the most likely to take out the Kazekage. Some personnel sent out by the Village began to specifically investigate the other Great Ninja Villages, looking for clues related to the Kazekage.
But others weren't fools; no matter how tightly Sunagakure kept the lid on the news, such a thing would be exposed sooner or later—
In short, on the surface, Sunagakure now presented a scene of prosperity, with the entire Village and its people immersed in the joy of the economic takeoff brought by the new industry.
But only the higher-ups knew very well how much of a dilemma the Village was currently in.
Knock, knock.
At this moment, Yubi's thoughts were interrupted as someone knocked on the door.
"Come in."
Yubi called out.
"Karura is here." Shiori pushed open the door, only poking her head in to give a reminder.
"Oh?"
Yubi's expression changed slightly, and he immediately stood up and walked out of the office to greet her.
Soon, in the corridor at the hospital entrance, he saw the pregnant Karura and Yashamaru accompanying her.
"Yubi."
Seeing Yubi, Karura, who was sitting on a chair, showed a smile and tried to stand up with difficulty, but was stopped by Yubi.
"You're pregnant now; you shouldn't make too large a movement."
After saying that, Yubi glanced around, "Where's Rasa?"
"He has things to attend to—besides, I'm just here for a check-up; there's no need for him."
Karura said gently.
"Scumbag—"
Yubi cursed inwardly.
His own wife was running around with a big belly, and yet this Rasa didn't seem to care at all.
It was a bit too heartless.