My Journey as Fourth Kazekage

Guided by two Anbu ninjas, Rasa traversed the vast desert for an entire day and night. The endless dunes stretched out before him, and after a long journey, he finally arrived at the astonishing city hidden in the desert's oasis.

The city stood in stark contrast to the barren surroundings. Towering buildings reached into the sky, scattered throughout the vast expanse of the city. In the center, lush greenery spread across the area, completely masking any trace of the desert. It was as if the city was a perfect, dreamlike oasis—something out of place in such an arid land. It was a sight that defied expectations, a bustling metropolis unlike anything one would imagine in the heart of the desert.

The city was home to countless residents of the Rōran Kingdom, who lived amidst the incredible transformation of the once desolate area.

"!!!"

Both Anbu ninjas gasped in shock as they took in the sight before them. Their surprise was palpable.

Rasa, puzzled by their reaction, turned to them. "What's wrong? Haven't you been to Rōran before?"

The two Anbu ninjas, codenamed "Cat" and "Viper," wore masks decorated with cat and snake patterns, respectively.

Cat was the first to speak, still visibly stunned.

"Kazekage-sama, I came to Rōran three years ago, but back then, the city wasn't nearly as prosperous. The change is unbelievable. No, it's more like the entire city has transformed into something completely different."

Viper, equally astonished, nodded in agreement.

"Yes, Kazekage-sama. I was here four years ago, and at that time, there were no tall buildings, and the city was far less impressive. It's hard to believe that such a massive transformation could occur in just three years."

As the two continued to discuss their shock, Rasa suddenly sensed something amiss. Between the towering buildings, a network of pipes connected them, and within these pipes, invisible chakra threads flowed. The chakra appeared to be directly linking the residents of Rōran—almost as if some unseen puppeteer was controlling them.

"Puppets?"

Rasa murmured, a realization dawning on him.

In that instant, he understood what was happening. Could it be that the rogue ninja from the future world had arrived in this time? If he recalled correctly, the rogue ninja from the future was named Mukade, and he was also a master puppeteer.

Noticing Rasa's strange expression, the two Anbu ninjas exchanged glances, their curiosity piqued.

At first, the two Anbu ninjas hadn't noticed anything unusual, but as elite jōnin, their keen senses quickly caught on after observing the scene more closely. Their faces drained of color, and their shock was evident.

"Is this the village's puppetry technique? How is this possible?"

Cat whispered, his voice tight with disbelief.

"Such a large number of puppets—are you serious?!"

Viper added, his voice trembling.

Puppetry was a closely guarded secret technique of Sunagakure, and it should have no place in Rōran. The sheer number of chakra threads was staggering, indicating that the puppeteer had somehow turned the entire country into puppets, with a number likely in the tens of thousands. It was a horrifying realization that this was no ordinary puppet show.

In that instant, it became painfully clear to the Anbu ninjas why the Kazekage had come to this country. Had Sunagakure's puppetry techniques been leaked? Had someone from their own ranks betrayed them?

Rasa, however, wasn't fazed by the shock that had gripped his subordinates. He calmly issued his orders.

"Go investigate everything about these puppets, but stay out of sight!" he instructed firmly.

"Understood, Kazekage-sama!"

The two Anbu ninjas vanished into the shadows without hesitation.

As the Anbu went off to gather information, Rasa remained still, his mind working over the situation. His gaze wandered across the vast landscape of Rōran, analyzing the puzzling scene before him.

A breeze stirred the sand at his feet, and as it flowed outward, countless grains spread across the desert, gradually filling the entire Rōran Kingdom. At the same time, Rasa sent out strands of his chakra-infused sand. It seeped into the pipes connecting the buildings, its particles attaching to the chakra threads that pulsed through the city.

This technique, known as Sandsense, was one of Rasa's personal creations. It stemmed from his mastery over sand manipulation, which had been perfected through years of constant communication and collaboration with his wife, Karura.

Like him, she also possessed the ability to control sand, and their combined knowledge had allowed Rasa to create advanced sand techniques—many of which were derived from the legacy of the Second Kazekage, who had pioneered sand-based combat.

With a focus, Rasa activated his Sandsense, tapping into the sand particles he had scattered throughout the city. His heightened sensory ability allowed him to perceive everything within the entire Rōran Kingdom, including the presence of the elusive Dragon Vein Chakra.

"Found it!"

Rasa smirked. Although he had brought the Anbu with him on this mission, there were some tasks Rasa preferred to handle on his own. This was one of those moments.

In the blink of an eye, Rasa's body dissolved into sand, his form scattering and reforming as he vanished from sight.

This was yet another technique born of his mastery over sand manipulation—the Sand Body Technique, which allowed him to transform into pure sand and travel swiftly without leaving a trace.

At his current level of power, Rasa wasn't invincible, but he was certainly one of the top-tier figures in the ninja world. When there was something he desired, he didn't need to consult with its owner—he would simply take it.

His power was undeniable, much like the meteorite of Hoshigakure, whose brilliance shone across the world.

In just a few minutes, Rasa, using the feedback from his sand-based sensory ability, pinpointed the location of the sealed Dragon Vein Chakra in Rōran. The source was found at the tallest tower in the kingdom, a majestic structure that soared dozens of stories into the air. Its European architectural style was striking, featuring brilliant glass windows etched with an image of the Virgin Mary.

This tower also served as the royal palace of Rōran. At its peak, a mysterious hexagonal structure stood, surrounded by a network of pipes. The immense chakra radiated from this hexagon and was distributed throughout the entire country via the pipes that snaked across the land.

Beneath the tower, hundreds of meters underground, a massive puppet manufacturing facility existed, enveloped by thick pipes. In this underground chamber, puppet-like creatures—resembling large insects—were produced, their bodies charged with purple chakra from a colossal machine. Once activated through chakra threads, these creatures moved autonomously, ready to carry out their master's will.

From his concealed position, high above the pipes, Rasa focused his attention on the heart of the facility—the central machine, the pipes, and most importantly, the sealing mechanism that contained the overwhelming chakra. His keen sensory ability pinpointed the immense chakra radiating from this location.

The immediate issue, however, was how to avoid detection by these puppets. While Rasa didn't consider the puppets, or even the rogue ninja Mukade from the future, to be a significant threat, he found it irritating to be disturbed during his absorption of the chakra.

It seemed he would have to deal with Mukade first. Rasa resolved to leave the task to Cat and Viper, his two Anbu companions. With their strength, they could buy him enough time. There was no rush. The Dragon Vein Chakra was right where he wanted it, and it wasn't going anywhere.

Just as he prepared to move forward with his plan, however, his sand-sensing ability detected something unusual. Someone was coming up the spiral staircase above him.

Rasa quickly concealed his presence, blending into the environment as he waited to see who would emerge.

A beautiful, mature woman appeared at the top of the staircase. She was dressed in a deep crimson gown, the kind worn only by the queen of Rōran, and topped with a white hat. She hurried toward the center of the chamber.

The puppets showed no reaction to her presence, which only seemed to deepen Rasa's curiosity. The woman was nervous. Her movements agitated as she made her way toward the central sealing mechanism of the Dragon Vein Chakra. She formed a series of intricate hand seals before pressing her palms against the sealing stone.

"Dragon Vein Seal: Destruction!"

As the words left her lips, a wave of energy, similar to the chakra of the Dragon Vein, surged into the seal. The chakra from the Dragon Vein visibly dissipated from the surrounding machines and pipes, and the puppet production facility ground to a halt as if it had suddenly lost its power source.

The woman exhaled a sigh of relief, clearly glad to have halted the flow of chakra—though her sense of calm was short-lived.

Just as she relaxed, a voice came from behind her, sending a chill down her spine.

"Your Majesty, could you kindly explain why you are here?"

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