Sunagakure’s Predicament

After learning of Sunagakure’s situation, Rasa’s first thought was of Pakura. But with the village’s emotions in turmoil, he had no room to consider what lay behind the matter. Yashamaru and Baki’s messages had sounded extremely urgent, so Rasa left the Capital of the Land of Wind without even informing the Daimyo of the Land of Wind.

Driven by his anxiety, Rasa and his group returned to Sunagakure in only half a day.

After Rasa returned to Sunagakure, the tense atmosphere in the village eased somewhat. At the very least, the helpless villagers had found someone to rely on.

Lord Kazekage should help us solve this problem, right?

Most people held such thoughts and placed the pressure on Rasa, the Kazekage.

As for the One-Tail Jinchuriki, it was less important than the lack of supplies. Once this matter was resolved, they could ask Lord Kazekage for a solution.

Upon returning, Rasa immediately questioned Baki, Yashamaru, the Anbu, and the higher-ups about what had happened.

After hearing everyone’s reports, anger rose in Rasa’s heart. He first cursed Pakura, the leak, inwardly a few times, then asked the others with a troubled expression,

"The Daimyo did not agree to my proposal, but Sunagakure cannot leave the Yasunori Trading Company. Have any of you come up with a good solution?"

Everyone exchanged glances, then lowered their heads, afraid Rasa might look at them.

This matter was too thorny. It seemed impossible to resolve it perfectly.

The Yasunori Trading Company had suffered devastating losses, so its withdrawal from the Land of Wind was unavoidable. Although they should stand on Sunagakure’s side, even Baki deeply sympathized with the trading company.

Over the years Suna-nin had cooperated with the Yasunori Trading Company, the company had helped them greatly. Many Suna-nin had also accepted its missions and had a favorable impression of it.

For teams guarding caravans and surveying mineral veins in the desert, the Yasunori Trading Company treated its Suna-nin guards very well. After missions ended, it even gave them gifts. Many experienced Suna-nin would pound their chests and swear that no employer had ever treated them as well as the Yasunori Trading Company.

After hearing what the Yasunori Trading Company had suffered, many Suna-nin were indignant. Though the other party was the Daimyo of the Land of Wind, they still hoped the Fourth Kazekage would give the company a satisfactory explanation.

"None of you came up with anything?"

Fury simmered beneath Rasa’s low voice. He turned to look around at the so-called higher-ups. Several days had passed, yet they had not thought of even one solution. Even an immature idea would have shown they had been thinking about Sunagakure’s predicament, but what had these people been doing these past few days!?

"Go invite the two Advisor Elders."

Rasa spoke helplessly. Before retiring, Ebizo and Chiyo had respectively overseen Sunagakure’s puppet and Medical Department forces, while the other had controlled its intelligence department. After growing old, they had handed over all their authority and gone off to enjoy life.

To be honest, Rasa did not want to bring out these two. If he needed the Advisor Elders, it meant that even he, the Kazekage, had no way to resolve the matter.

But the current situation was indeed difficult to handle, so Rasa could only grit his teeth and invite the two Advisor Elders.

After the Anbu went to fetch them, they soon returned with two people behind them. When the Suna-nin higher-ups saw Ebizo and Chiyo, they all rose to greet them. These two had the greatest seniority in Sunagakure.

Ebizo casually asked, "Fourth Hokage, what happened?"

As for Chiyo beside Ebizo, her mind did not seem to be here at all. A few days ago, she had fought her grandson with Puppet Technique, and now all she could think about was how to persuade Sasori to return.

In their Puppet Technique battle, Chiyo had lost completely, whether in puppet control or puppet modification. But Sasori had shown no intent to kill her. It was as though he had come purely to show off. After destroying her Chikamatsu Ten Puppets and saying a few words, he had left directly.

Thus, Chiyo had no mind to concern herself with Sunagakure’s affairs. Even after arriving at the meeting hall, her thoughts were filled entirely with Sasori.

"Both of you, this concerns Sunagakure’s safety, so I had no choice but to ask you to help us devise a plan."

Rasa helplessly explained what had happened during this period to Ebizo and Chiyo, then continued, "Sunagakure absolutely cannot leave the Yasunori Trading Company. If trade with them is cut off, Sunagakure’s villagers may not even have food to eat."

Sunagakure was located in the desert and had nearly a hundred thousand people. The supplies consumed each day were an astronomical amount. Among the surrounding nations, only the Yasunori Trading Company could afford to provide them.

Ebizo could tell from Rasa’s words that the trip to Daimyo Manor had likely not gone well, so he asked, "Fourth Hokage, can we purchase supplies from other merchants in the short term?"

"I am afraid we would have to purchase them from farther away, and Sunagakure’s current funds are probably insufficient."

Rasa looked troubled. In their trade with the Yasunori Trading Company, they had used mineral veins to settle their debts. All remaining funds had been invested into developing Sunagakure’s reforms. Sunagakure’s predicament now had two aspects: first, they had no money; second, if they spent their money buying supplies, the ninja training program would have to stop.

One meant dying immediately, while the other meant dying slowly in the future!

After hearing Rasa’s words, Ebizo and the Suna-nin higher-ups also fell silent.

"Fourth Hokage, what does the Daimyo mean? Is there truly no room for compromise?"

After Ebizo asked this, Rasa immediately recalled his awful experience at Daimyo Manor. Anger instantly rose in his heart as he said,

"That idiot Daimyo is trying to force Sunagakure to its death."

Rasa then took a breath and slowly explained the Daimyo’s intentions, emphasizing that the Daimyo of the Land of Wind wanted to cut funding again and assign missions to Konoha.

"What? How could the Daimyo do such a thing!?"

"What is that stupid pig incapable of doing? Lord Kazekage, Daimyo Manor’s actions are a betrayal of the alliance agreement!"

"Lord Kazekage, let’s negotiate again. This time, we’ll go find the Daimyo together. If that still doesn’t work, then—"

After hearing Rasa’s words, the Suna-nin higher-ups in the meeting hall exploded like fire meeting hot oil.

There were two sources of funding for a Ninja Village’s development: funds allocated by the Daimyo and income from missions. But now the Daimyo had slashed twice at Sunagakure’s vital arteries of development and wanted to drive away the Yasunori Trading Company. How could the Suna-nin higher-ups endure this?

"Fourth Hokage, it seems the Yasunori Trading Company and Daimyo Manor cannot coexist."

Ebizo sighed and slowly said, "It is time to make a choice. If this drags on, Sunagakure will suffer the most."

His words meant Rasa should make a choice quickly. Yet under these circumstances, all the Suna-nin higher-ups knew perfectly well which side they should choose.

One side was a trade partner they had worked with for years and shared a solid foundation with.

The other was a fool who deeply distrusted them, constantly sought ways to cut their funding, and even wanted to give missions to Konoha.

The Suna-nin higher-ups and Rasa all had a clear answer in their hearts.

But abandoning the alliance agreement with the Daimyo of the Land of Wind was no small matter. Rasa had not expected Ebizo to say such a thing so casually, and for a moment, he did not know what to choose.

"Advisor, this matter… I’m afraid it isn’t appropriate…"

Rasa spoke with difficulty. If they abandoned their alliance agreement with the Daimyo, Sunagakure would lose its legitimacy and funding support. Although the Daimyo of the Land of Wind had cut the funding again and again, it was still an enormous sum.

The One Village One Nation system had been established decades ago and was recognized by every nation in the Ninja World. Ninja Villages were a nation’s military guarantee. Aside from Small countries completely dependent on major nations, many other countries possessed their own Ninja Villages.

If Sunagakure was the first to step forward and break this system, it could cause considerable unrest.

The Daimyo was, after all, a nation’s supreme ruler. If Sunagakure did this, it might provoke the displeasure of other nations’ Daimyos and even trigger war.

"After all, you are the Kazekage, while I am merely a retired old man, Fourth Hokage." Ebizo shook his head. "This is only a suggestion. You are Sunagakure’s Kazekage. You must consider the villagers and every side, then make the most appropriate choice."

Rasa silently nodded upon hearing this, then turned his gaze toward Chiyo. "Advisor Chiyo…" He felt that Grandma Chiyo had been unusually quiet today, but she had experienced two Shinobi World Wars, so Rasa still wanted to hear her opinion.

When Chiyo heard Rasa call to her, she froze for a moment. After remaining silent for a while, she finally said, "Fourth Hokage, sometimes things must be abandoned. It is difficult for anything to be perfect."

After saying this, Chiyo left. Though Ebizo was puzzled by his sister’s state, he still made the same choice as Chiyo.

"Then, Fourth Hokage, we will take our leave first."

After saying this, Ebizo also left the meeting hall.

After the two Advisors departed, everyone fell into silence. This was indeed a difficult choice. No one dared make the decision to abandon their alliance agreement with the Daimyo lightly.

But if they gave up the Yasunori Trading Company, Sunagakure would inevitably fall into chaos. Even if they suppressed it through force, Sunagakure would decline from that point onward.

They would have no funds for development, no source of missions. Externally, they would offend the renowned Yasunori Trading Company, while internally, the Daimyo would no longer give them missions.

"I am Sunagakure’s Fourth Kazekage. It is my responsibility to protect the village and ensure Sunagakure prospers. After I make my next decision, none of you are to object. I alone will bear the consequences."

Rasa slowly spoke these words. Upon hearing them, the other Suna-nin higher-ups immediately guessed what he intended to do.

"Lord Kazekage."

"Lord Kazekage, I support your decision."

".I do too, Lord Kazekage."

Yashamaru, Baki, and the others looked at Rasa with worry. They naturally knew what Sunagakure would face once Rasa made this decision, and that Rasa, as Kazekage, would bear the greatest pressure.

"Go contact the people from the Yasunori Trading Company."

Rasa’s tone was resolute, allowing no one to question him.

"Heh, he still did it. Lord Sasori guessed correctly."

After receiving the intelligence, Morihei laughed. He immediately arranged for a subordinate to leave Sunagakure through a Secret Passage and deliver the news to Daimyo Manor in the Land of Wind.

Second update!

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