"Stop! Stop! Stop!"
Rasa hurriedly shouted for them to stop.
He couldn't bear to watch anymore—he really couldn't.
Do you even know this is wasting something priceless?
Hearing Rasa's shout,
Inuzuka Ryoha reached over and turned off the tap.
This stuff was all money.
Although Rasa still didn't understand what Inuzuka Ryoha's true purpose was, those several large crates of water were something he desperately wanted.
"Lord Kazekage, calm down. How could Konoha possibly send us clean water? There must be a trick."
A Sand ninja beside Rasa quickly reminded him.
That's right—how could something like a pie just fall from the sky?
Calm down.
Calm down.
Rasa, you have to stay calm.
"Inuzuka Ryoha, your schemes have already been exposed. Take your rotten water and get out of here."
The moment Rasa said that, the Sand ninja behind him, along with Pakura, all looked at him like he was an idiot.
Are you stupid? Do you even know how short Sand Village is on water?
And now you're pushing away water delivered right to your door.
Inuzuka Ryoha spread his hands helplessly.
"Well, looks like this deal's a loss. Eimaru, dump all the water. Let's take some sand back instead—at least we'll earn something, right?"
"Woof woof."
Eimaru tilted his body, and nearly ten tons of water from the four large tanks on his back came pouring out.
It was instantly swallowed by the endless desert. Under the blazing sun, some of the water didn't even reach the ground before turning into white mist and drifting into the sky.
Then Eimaru started digging furiously at the sand, determined to fill all four crates—otherwise, wouldn't this trip be for nothing?
At that moment, every Sand ninja at the canyon entrance stood frozen like statues.
"It… it… it really got dumped."
First came disbelief, then unbearable agony.
One Sand ninja collapsed to his knees in pain.
"Once, I had so much water right in front of me, but I didn't know how to cherish it. If I were given another chance, I'd definitely hold onto it tightly and say those five words with all my heart…"
"Give me another bucket!"
Then came madness.
"Hahahahaha!"
"Hahahahaha!"
Rasa kept laughing like a fool.
What did I just do? I personally destroyed a fortune—something priceless to Sand Village.
I'm a sinner of Sand Village.
I'm not worthy of being the Kazekage.
I shouldn't have even been born.
If I hadn't been born,
I wouldn't have met my teacher.
If I hadn't met my teacher, my teacher wouldn't have died.
If my teacher hadn't died,
Sand Village wouldn't have ended up like this.
When someone ruins a massive deal with their own hands, this is what happens— the older generation calls it: losing your mind.
Slap.
Seeing Rasa on the verge of going insane, Pakura didn't hesitate and slapped him across the face.
"Pakura…"
Rasa didn't expect that at such a critical moment, the one who saved him would be Pakura. He had even suspected her before—thinking about it now, he really was awful.
"Say something! If you don't, even the rest of the water will be gone."
Rasa: Damn it, Pakura, give me back my emotions.
"Stop! Stop! Stop!"
"Don't pour it anymore. Inuzuka Ryoha, how much is this water? We'll take all of it."
"But someone just told me to get lost."
"I'm sorry. I was wrong."
Inuzuka Rinko smiled faintly. Looks like Karura trained her man quite well.
"First, you still have to pay for the water that was just dumped."
"Why? We didn't dump it!"
"Because you didn't buy it, we had to dump it."
"You—"
Rasa: Is this even a negotiation? This is straight-up banditry.
"We'll buy it. But how can we be sure your water has no problems?"
Rasa asked.
That had been his concern all along.
Even though they'd been at peace for two years, who would dare drink water sent by an enemy village?
"You Sand ninja have plenty of people. Just pick a couple of suicide squad members to test it. Do you really need to ask me that?"
Rasa: Damn it. If you know, just keep it to yourself! If you spell it out like that, how am I supposed to arrange it?
Inuzuka Ryoha: Oh, you should've said so earlier. I thought you genuinely didn't know. What a mess.
"Leave the water and go."
"Leave it how? Where are your containers?"
"You're selling water and not even providing barrels?"
"We're selling water. Why should we give you barrels?"
"You win."
In the end, this was a deal neither side was satisfied with.
Officially concluded.
Inuzuka Ryoha left the water, took the money, and as for whether it was poisoned or not—that problem was left for Rasa to deal with.
"Oh right, we'll be back next week. If you need more, line up early. We support individual purchases too—you don't have to go through the Kazekage."
"Bastard! This is Sand Village—I am the Kazekage!"
But Inuzuka Ryoha and Inuzuka Rinko had already disappeared.
All that remained was Rasa, a pile of water stored in all kinds of containers (How would a desert region even have large storage containers?) and a group of Sand ninja staring with shining eyes.
I've been working so diligently—surely I'll get a share of this water, right?
...
"Forward."
"Back."
"Left."
"Right."
"Turn around."
"Dance a little."
"Uncle, you've gone too far."
Uchiha Kamito was using small stones in his hand to train his nephew's evasion skills.
But those commands—made Uchiha Itachi feel deeply embarrassed.
His small face puffed up like a steamed bun.
"Oh? Why is our little Itachi angry? You're about to enter the ninja academy—aren't you excited?"
"Hmph, no I'm not. And stop squeezing my face."
"Nope, I'm going to keep squeezing it. I'm your uncle, after all."
Uchiha Kamito realized that young Itachi was actually very cute.
The way he turned out later definitely wasn't his fault—it must've been that damn Uchiha Fugaku.
How did you even raise your kid?
Uchiha Fugaku: My son, I'll raise him however I want.
Itachi struggled desperately, but at just five years old, how could he escape Uchiha Kamito's clutches?
"Sensei, I'm here."
"Oh, Shisui, you're here. What is it? Another question?"
"Yes. I want to ask—how should I throw shuriken to hit an enemy's back? I've noticed that attacking from the front is too easily blocked."
"That's easy."
Uchiha Kamito casually took out three shuriken and tossed them forward with ease.
They flew toward a large tree ahead.
Clang, clang—after colliding midair, they formed strange arcs, and all three ended up striking the back of the tree.
"Got it?"
"Got it."
Teaching geniuses really is effortless. They ask questions when they have them, and once you demonstrate, they understand immediately.
Easy and comfortable.
He'd heard that Hyūga Hiyasu was being tormented to death by Might Guy.
That won't do.
I should go pay a proper visit to my dear brother.
"Shisui, come out with me. I'll show you someone impressive—probably just a few years older than you."
"Yes, Sensei."
Uchiha Itachi's eyes darted around. I want to go too…
But to ask that annoying guy?
Then suddenly, he realized he had been lifted into the air.
"Hey! Let go of me! I don't want to go!"
"Sorry, that's not up to you."