My Journey as Fourth Kazekage

Mononobe Castle

Mononobe Castle was the seat of the prestigious Mononobe Clan, one of the most renowned noble families in the Land of Fire. As one of the three major cities involved in this strategic operation, Baki had personally traveled here to carry out his mission, determined not to disappoint Rasa's high expectations.

The plan from Sunagakure was straightforward.

By night, Sunagakure's ninjas would use their advanced ninjutsu to subtly control the selected high-ranking nobles of Mononobe Castle. These nobles, however, were not without their defenses. They employed rogue ninjas to guard their estates, but none of them posed a real challenge to Sunagakure's elite shinobi.

During the day, Sunagakure's forces would orchestrate the transportation of wealth from the city under the guise of merchant caravans.

Given the small number of Sunagakure's operatives—less than a hundred—there was no way they could move all the seized goods on their own. The use of merchant caravans was the most efficient method to ensure the goods' safe transport without drawing attention.

Mononobe was a bustling city with a thriving economy. Its merchant activity was so frequent that no one questioned the origins or destinations of the caravans moving in and out of the city.

As the days passed, Baki couldn't help but feel a growing admiration for Rasa's tactical brilliance.

In just three days, the wealth they had gained from Mononobe alone was staggering—enough to make Baki's greed flare.

The paper currency alone amounted to 700 million ryō—more than the entire annual allocation the Daimyō of the Land of Wind provided to Sunagakure.

And that was just the beginning. The riches they had seized included vast stores of grain, textiles, salt, iron, sugar, medicine, silver, gold, and priceless jewels.

Baki's thoughts were consumed with how he could transport every possible valuable back to Sunagakure.

With this haul, he was certain that Sunagakure would be free from financial worries for decades to come.

But even with such prosperity within reach, Baki's mind remained fixated on one thing: the battlefield at the front lines.

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Land of Fire

The Frontline Between Sunagakure and Konohagakure

The vast plains, once fertile and open, had long since turned into a barren desert, the landscape dominated by a colossal pyramid that loomed ominously. Sunagakure's shinobi patrolled the area relentlessly, ever watchful.

For the past three days, Konoha's shinobi had remained at a distance, wary of direct confrontation and careful to avoid any escalation.

Although the animosity between Konoha and Sunagakure wasn't as personal or direct as that with Kumogakure, tensions between the Five Great Nations had always been simmering. It was unrealistic to expect genuine harmony between their ninja forces, especially when there was so much history of conflict.

This time, however, Konoha's shinobi couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of disadvantage when facing Sunagakure's forces.

First, there was the matter of Danzo's actions, which provided Sunagakure with a valid pretext for aggression. Second, the recent invasions by Kumogakure and Iwagakure into the Land of Fire had put Konoha on high alert. With so many looming threats, they couldn't afford to provoke Sunagakure too much.

But today, there was a slight shift in Konoha's morale, as a legendary shinobi had arrived on the battlefield.

Bathed in the golden hues of the setting sun, Jiraiya, accompanied by Minato, stepped onto the field. Both of them fixed their gazes upon the massive seal that confined Gamaken.

Minato spoke, his voice tinged with apology.

"I'm sorry, Jiraiya-sensei, for allowing Ken-sama to remain sealed here."

Jiraiya shook his head, his expression dark as he studied the seal intently.

"No…"

He paused. His tone carried a sense of understanding.

"You did the right thing. Konoha can't afford to make any more enemies right now."

On their journey, Jiraiya had already been briefed on the ongoing situation, including the internal turmoil within the village. Tsunade's decision to leave Konoha in order to clear her mind had left him feeling unsettled.

These past few years, he had felt the distance growing between himself and Orochimaru, and now Tsunade, too, was slipping away.

But Jiraiya didn't show his inner turmoil. He maintained his usual, carefree demeanor, hiding the weight of his thoughts behind a playful smile.

"Let's get Gamaken out of here quickly. If we don't, Fukasaku-sama will never let me hear the end of it!"

As the two approached the seal, Sunagakure's patrolling shinobi immediately became tense. The air around them shifted as they prepared to engage, but when they recognized Jiraiya, their expressions shifted from suspicion to dread.

It was inevitable. The Legendary Sannin were too famous, and their reputation preceded them.

"Quick, inform Kazekage-sama! One of Konoha's Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya, is here!"

Jiraiya, unconcerned by the sudden tension, walked toward the seal and examined the intricate inscriptions carefully.

"This is strange. This seal actually severs Gamaken's connection to Mount Myoboku."

The Sunagakure shinobi present were only Chunin, and none were bold enough to challenge the presence of the Legendary Sannin. They simply stood by, watching in silence.

Minato, studying the seal as well, also nodded.

"Yes, I've never seen anything like this before. Even the records Kushina left me don't mention a seal like this."

Jiraiya nodded, his eyes narrowing with resolve.

"I see. In that case, there's only one thing left to do."

He quickly formed the hand signs for his summoning technique.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

A puff of smoke billowed in front of them, and in its wake appeared a short toad wearing a gray cloak.

Both Jiraiya and Minato greeted the toad with deep respect.

"Fukasaku-sama!"

The moment Fukasaku laid eyes on the enormous seal, he immediately understood the gravity of the situation. His gaze shifted to the inscriptions on the massive pyramid, and his expression turned serious.

"This is...?"

His reaction made both Jiraiya and Minato exchange curious glances. Minato spoke first, anxiety in his voice.

"Fukasaku-sama, is Ken-sama alright?"

Fukasaku nodded with a soft smile.

"Don't worry. Gamaken is fine. I can sense that he's still alive and well. But this seal... if I'm not mistaken, it uses Shukaku's unique power."

"Shukaku?!" Jiraiya and Minato exclaimed in unison.

They both immediately understood the implications.

Jiraiya muttered under his breath.

"I see… so it's the power of a Tailed Beast. I'd heard rumors that the Second Kazekage had conducted extensive research on Shukaku and even developed several formidable jutsu. Looks like those rumors were true."

Minato, however, was more focused on the immediate issue at hand. His expression tightened as he asked.

"Then, can we rescue Ken-sama?"

Without hesitation, Fukasaku nodded, his determination clear. He summoned another toad, a large scroll toad, which appeared beside him.

"Jiraiya, prepare the Sealing Release technique!"

"Understood!" Jiraiya responded immediately.

The scroll toad unfurled a massive scroll, and Fukasaku, with a series of swift hand seals, began to channel his Sage Chakra. He placed his hands on the center of the scroll, and at once, an array of mysterious symbols flew from it, spiraling through the air like chains. They shot toward the inscriptions on the pyramid, binding them and pulling them into the scroll.

"Sage Art: Sealing Release!"

At that moment, Sunagakure's reinforcements rushed in, making their presence known. Without a moment's hesitation, Jiraiya and Minato appeared before Pakura and Michikawa, intercepting them.

"Apologies, Sunagakure shinobi, but this war has nothing to do with Ken-sama. This is a dispute between our villages. Please allow him to return home."

Jiraiya's gaze landed on Pakura—a young, fierce, and beautiful shinobi. A mischievous grin crossed his face, his usual blend of arrogance and charm evident.

Michikawa hesitated, unsure of what to do, but Pakura's temper flared.

"Don't be ridiculous!"

Four fireballs materialized around her, spinning rapidly and merging into one massive sphere.

"Scorch Release: Blazing Wildfire!"

Pakura cried, and the enormous fireball launched toward Fukasaku.

Jiraiya and Minato hadn't anticipated such a swift and aggressive attack, but they immediately sensed the intensity of the heat—the very air around them seemed to burn.

"Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"

Jiraiya called, attempting to counter the attack with a defensive jutsu. But as the water jutsu neared the fireball, it evaporated into steam, unable to withstand the fiery onslaught.

"Leave it to me, Sensei!"

Minato called out and jumped to take the action.

"Summoning Jutsu: Triple Rashomon!"

With a resounding boom, three enormous demonic gates appeared before them. They stood like towering walls, blocking the oncoming attack.

The fireball collided with the gates, exploding with a deafening roar. The blinding light of the explosion engulfed the Rashomon gates, and though the gates absorbed the brunt of the blast, all three were shattered.

But it was already too late.

As the seal shattered, sand cascaded from the pyramid, revealing a weakened Gamaken, who staggered out from the ruins.

Fukasaku, undeterred by the ongoing battle between shinobi, focused entirely on the task at hand.

"I'm taking Ken back!"

With that, he vanished in a puff of smoke, disappearing from sight along with the said prisoner of Sunagakure.

Pakura clenched her fists in frustration, her anger mounting. Four more fireballs appeared around her, ready to launch.

"Damn you, Konoh!"

She growled but Minato, ever perceptive and calm in the heat of battle, observed the situation closely and asked.

"Wait a sec. Is your Kazekage not here?"

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