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My Journey as Fourth Kazekage 144
🕑 Added 2025-04-11 16:00:13 +0000 UTCChapter 144: Shinobi Sect Training
It had only been half a month since the last Desert Flower Festival. Due to the arrival of the priestess from the Land of Demons, Sunagakure had once again become lively. The villagers were delighted, seeing this as a sign of the village’s growing prosperity.
Coming from Kumogakure, the shinobi named Darui passed through the Main Gate and immediately saw the bustling, joyful crowd along Sunagakure’s main street. Behind him, five other shinobi wearing Kumogakure headbands curiously observed the village. They were the delegation sent by Kumogakure to negotiate an alliance with Sunagakure.
For all six of them, this was their first time in Sunagakure. Their eyes carried a mix of caution and curiosity as they carefully observed this mysterious village, wanting to commit every detail to memory.
And yet, Sunagakure’s first impression on them was unexpected.
According to Kumogakure’s intelligence, Sunagakure was supposed to be an extremely harsh environment—a village nestled in a valley, plagued by strong winds and sandstorms, with a dry climate and severe water shortages, devoid of life, like a barren wasteland.
But what they saw now told a different story.
Lush trees grew along the cliffs, patches of flowers and grass flourished between buildings, and the village seemed anything but desolate. Instead, it was full of life. Darui could even catch a faint scent of summer grass in the air. The faces of the villagers were filled with smiles, their eyes shining with hope for the future.
This made Darui understand why Raikage-sama was paying such close attention to Sunagakure’s sudden rise.
With this thought, he turned to the Sunagakure shinobi leading the delegation and said,
“Baki-san, Sunagakure seems quite lively today.”
Since the Raikage had sent a trusted aide, Sunagakure naturally couldn’t be disrespectful either. As the head of the ANBU, Baki had personally taken charge of welcoming the guests from Kumogakure and Iwagakure.
Hearing Darui’s comment, Baki replied without turning his head,
“It’ll be even livelier tomorrow. The priestess from the Land of Demons is coming to visit our Kazekage-sama.”
“The Land of Demons? I’ve heard that your Kazekage-sama helped eliminate the legendary demon, Mōryō. I wonder if that’s true?”
Baki had no interest in answering. He knew full well that Darui was only feigning ignorance. Given Kumogakure’s intelligence capabilities, there was no way they didn’t know what had happened in the Land of Demons.
So, he simply said,
“That doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the purpose of your visit.”
Darui chuckled.
“Indeed, it doesn’t. However, we’ve long admired the priestess from the Land of Demons. I wonder if we might have the opportunity to meet her tomorrow?”
Baki, of course, would not agree.
“I’m afraid that won’t be possible. The priestess is here specifically to visit Kazekage-sama. There are no other arrangements.”
“What a pity.”
Darui sighed, appearing genuinely disappointed. Then, as if shifting topics, he asked,
“Well then, would it be possible for us to participate in tomorrow’s festivities? We’d love to join in on the excitement.”
The group stopped in their tracks as Baki turned to scrutinize the six shinobi before him.
Darui remained unfazed and smiled.
“What’s the matter? Is there a problem? Or is Sunagakure planning to confine us to our rooms during negotiations, forbidding us from going outside? That doesn’t seem like proper hospitality.”
Baki narrowed his gaze and coldly replied,
“There is no problem. However, after the festival, I expect to see all of you in your rooms. Otherwise, we will arrest you on charges of espionage.”
“Espionage? Hey! You Sunagakure shinobi are going too far! What do you take us Kumogakure shinobi for?!”
A Kumogakure jōnin with a large afro immediately shouted in protest.
Baki’s expression remained unchanged.
“Until we are allies, you are enemies.”
!!!
Baki’s blunt words stunned the Kumogakure shinobi, and their anger flared further.
Fortunately, Darui raised a hand to calm his agitated comrades.
“Understood. By the way, has Iwagakure’s delegation arrived yet?”
“They arrived even earlier than you. Last night.”
Darui didn’t ask where they were staying. Instead, he simply nodded.
“Then, when will we be able to meet Kazekage-sama?”
“The day after tomorrow. For the next two days, Kazekage-sama will first be meeting with the priestess.”
“I see.”
---
Dragon Oasis
In the lush green forest, atop a ground covered in thick grass, Rasa, Chiyo, Ebizō, Bunpuku, Pakura, Michikawa, Hana, and Honoka sat in a circle with their eyes closed, slowly refining their chakra.
To an ordinary observer, their bodies might have seemed unchanged, but Tagitsuhime, floating nearby and watching everything, had a look of surprise in her eyes.
She could clearly perceive that the pure, life-filled green senjutsu chakra within Rasa’s body acted as a conduit, forming invisible threads that connected everyone’s chakra.
Through this connection, Rasa’s senjutsu chakra was transmitted into the others’ bodies. The result was that a faint trace of green senjutsu energy was now mixed into the pale blue chakra they were refining.
This was the very method Tagitsuhime had described—the same method once used by the Sage of the Six Paths, who distributed chakra to others so that they, too, could wield its power.
The Sage had called it Ninshū—the Shinobi Sect.
It was one of the most ancient forms of training.
Even Tagitsuhime herself had gained awareness of senjutsu energy through this method, receiving the White Snake Sage’s blessing.
Four days earlier, Rasa had summoned her and expressed his desire to meet the White Snake Sage, hoping to find a way to help Sunagakure’s shinobi quickly master senjutsu.
With the White Snake Sage’s approval, Tagitsuhime had provided the method of Ninshū as an offering.
In doing so, she had also secured a justified reason to stay.
Her ability to sense senjutsu energy was even greater than Hana’s, and her experience in Ryūchi Cave’s senjutsu training made her invaluable in helping Rasa’s group detect potential issues during their practice.
For example, at this moment, while the other seven showed no problems in their training, Bunpuku, the jinchūriki, suddenly appeared to be in pain. Dark purple chakra began to swirl around him, resisting the flow of senjutsu energy.
Seeing this, Tagitsuhime’s ribbons fluttered through the air, severing the chakra links between them.
The eight others slowly opened their eyes. Since this wasn’t the first time, no one reacted with surprise.
Bunpuku, however, pressed his hands together in apology.
“My apologies, Kazekage-sama. Shukaku still despises this power.”
Although Bunpuku was a kind-hearted jinchūriki in every way, he was no Naruto. Shukaku’s centuries of anger toward humans for capturing and exploiting him made true reconciliation impossible.
And with Bunpuku’s nature, unless absolutely necessary, he wouldn’t forcefully extract Shukaku’s chakra.
“I see. Then there’s nothing we can do about it.”
Rasa sighed and nodded. Then he turned to Tagitsuhime and asked,
“So? Did any of us make mistakes in our training?”
