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My Journey as Fourth Kazekage 148
🕑 Added 2025-04-15 16:00:06 +0000 UTCChapter 148: Sand vs. Cloud and Rock
"There's so many people!"
On the bustling street, two girls, Sara and Kanna, were holding hands, their eyes sparkling as they watched the lively crowd, the busy shops, vendors, and street food. They walked here and there, clearly overwhelmed by all the sights.
Behind them, Kunmi, who looked like an adult, was closely following the two girls. Though Kunmi looked serious, his relaxed posture suggested that he was quite happy inside.
At that moment, the smell of grilled meat caught Sara’s attention before she excitedly ran through the crowded streets toward it.
It was an outdoor barbecue stall. The owner, with a cheerful smile, was turning the skewers, the sizzling meat glistening with oil. A small table nearby was filled with people, eating happily, their faces greasy from the food. Seeing Sara approach, the plump owner warmly asked:
"Would you like to try some?"
Curious, Sara pointed at the sizzling meat and asked.
"Uncle, what is this?"
"This is Sunagakure’s specialty: roasted camel. Would you like to try it?"
"Eh, camel meat? Can you eat that?"
"Of course! It tastes great!"
At this point, the girl named Kanna, who had been quiet, asked curiously,
"Sara, didn’t Roran have roasted camel before?"
Sara scratched her cheek, speaking.
"I’m not sure, but I’ve never eaten it. My mother never let me have things like this."
Kanna smiled and said,
"I see. Well, you have to try it! Uncle, can we have three servings?"
"Sure! Just a moment."
Soon, three portions of roasted camel meat were served. Sara hesitated at first, but after tasting it, she quickly started eating happily.
Compared to Sara, the daughter of Sēramu, and Kunmi, the son of Michikawa, Kanna, a commoner, was more sensitive to others' opinions. She noticed that Kunmi was eating slowly and, thinking it was because he didn’t like the food, asked.
"Is something wrong, Kunmi? Not liking it? If you're not used to it, you don’t have to force yourself."
Kunmi gave her a strange look but then quickly responded,
"No, it tastes great. My father always taught me to chew slowly when eating; it’s better for the stomach!"
"..."
Kanna was slightly surprised but then realized Kunmi's background and understood.
Sara, who could relate, chimed in,
"When I was in Roran, my mother’s maids would always make me behave like a proper lady. They wouldn’t even let me make noise while eating. It was no fun at all. It’s much better to eat meat like this!"
Hearing this, Kanna couldn’t help but think that perhaps being a commoner wasn’t so bad after all. She didn’t have to follow all the rules like Sara and Kunmi did.
Just then, Kunmi suddenly asked,
"So, do you have any plans for the evening?"
"Why?"
Sara and Kanna both looked at Kunmi curiously. Kunmi thought for a moment, and a hint of expectation appeared on his serious face as he said:
"I’d like to invite you both to my house."
"Eh, is that okay?"
Kanna was a little excited. As an ordinary commoner, she had always been very curious about the life of the noble family in the village, especially the Sand Clan. Meanwhile, Sara directly agreed.
"That sounds great! Anyway, my mother won’t be home for the next few nights, so I’ll be bored. Oh, we should bring a gift when we visit for the first time, right?"
"Right, right!!"
Kanna also realized.
Kunmi immediately waved his hand.
"No, no, you don’t have to bring anything. Just your presence is enough."
"This won’t do! You can’t visit a classmate’s house for the first time without a gift!" Kanna said stubbornly.
Sara’s eyes lit up. Having once been a princess, locked in the palace and unable to step outside, she was now incredibly curious about this vibrant life. She immediately made a decision.
"I’ve decided! Kanna, today our mission is to pick out a gift for our visit to Kunmi’s house! Let’s go!!!"
"Yeah, let’s go!!!"
Seeing Sara and Kanna so excited, Kunmi’s serious little face broke into a smile before he followed closely behind them.
As the three of them rejoined the crowd, not far from where they were, in a small alleyway, two ninjas wearing Kirigakure forehead protectors were lurking in the shadows, watching the direction the trio had gone.
"Is it them?"
"That's right! The boy with black hair is the only son of Sunagakure’s high-ranking member, Michikawa. The red-haired girl is the daughter of the former Queen of Roran and now Sēramu’s only daughter. If we want to gather information on Sunagakure quickly, targeting these two kids is the best approach."
"Got it. Leave it to me."
With that, the two ninjas disappeared into the wall, vanishing from sight.
---
On the other side of Sunagakure, in a room at a certain inn.
In the dark room, Tsuchi, the leader of the Iwagakure ninjas, had secretly arrived.
Sitting across from him was a man with a nose reddened from alcohol, his whole body reeking of liquor.
Compared to the impromptu move made by Kirigakure, Iwagakure had clearly been preparing for this moment for some time. Since the Kusagakure incident, they had already sent spies into Sunagakure to investigate the orphan of the Uzumaki clan.
"Did you investigate what Tsuchikage-sama wanted you to?"
"The Uzumaki clan’s orphan?"
The other responded.
The man didn’t disappoint Tsuchi.
"I found her. The girl’s name is Hana, and she’s now a disciple of Sunagakure’s elder, Chiyo, living with her."
"Chiyo, huh? She's quite a troublesome old woman. Is there a way to get to the girl?"
Tsuchi asked.
"Sorry, it was possible before, but recently, this girl suddenly disappeared."
"Disappeared? What do you mean?"
"Just what it sounds like. It seems Sunagakure has realized your purpose and hidden the girl away."
"Can you find where she’s hiding?"
The man looked at Tsuchi for a moment before Tsuchi took out a small bag from his pocket and tossed it in front of the man. The man opened it, and after examining its contents, his face showed satisfaction.
"Sorry, I couldn’t find her, but I have another piece of special information."
"What information?"
"You must have heard about the green miracle that appeared in Sunagakure, right?"
"Huh? What does that have to do with the girl’s hiding place?"
"Heh, it’s quite simple. I found something."
The man said as he pointed in a direction.
"In that direction, around Sunagakure, there’s a strange oasis where there was once only desert. Perhaps all the secrets you’re looking for lie there. But I can’t guarantee anything since I don’t have the courage to go near it."
Tsuchi’s pupils contracted, and he nodded as he stood up.
"I understand. Thank you for your hard work. Here’s your reward in gold."
After saying that, Tsuchi’s figure gradually faded, disappearing into the floor.
What Tsuchi didn’t notice was that the man, instead of acknowledging the gold on the table, smiled eerily, his pale skin taking on an unsettling quality. As the two of them left, white spores clung to the soles of their feet.
