Later that evening…
It wasn't even six o'clock yet, but the winter sun had already dipped below the horizon, leaving only a faint glow over the land.
A sudden sandstorm erupted in the eastern region of the Land of Wind, causing an unexpected delay.
As a result, the Third Kazekage had departed later than planned and had to increase his pace along the way.
Accompanied by two elite jōnin from Sunagakure, he had set out yesterday morning and crossed the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire by today.
Now, they had entered the western territory of the Land of Fire, still some distance from Konohagakure.
Wearing the traditional Kazekage cloak and hat, the Third Kazekage led the way, his movements appearing effortless. The two elite jōnin followed closely behind.
In the original timeline, during the Kazekage retrieval arc, both Kakashi's and Might Guy's teams had traveled at full speed from Konohagakure to Sunagakure, completing the journey in three days.
This current group would likely take around two and a half days, and they hadn't even exerted themselves fully.
...
Along the main road leading to Konoha—
Wait… what is that?
His hand subtly clenched within his long sleeve.
Invisible iron sand spread out, swiftly erasing markings hidden within his line of sight.
A timed jutsu? No… Sunagakure's coded messages.
"Could it be… Sasori?"
The Third Kazekage's mind surged with possibilities.
Just days ago, he had received a confidential letter from Sasori, informing him of an upcoming mission to capture the Three-Tails jinchūriki. If successful, they would meet outside Konoha, where Sasori would personally deliver the captive.
Noticing imperceptible shifts in the sand across the terrain, the Third Kazekage quickly deciphered the hidden message:
Mission accomplished.
Two simple words carried an immense weight.
Even with decades of experience in the ninja world, the Third Kazekage couldn't help but feel a tremor of excitement.
That brat from Kirigakure—Yagura—was really a jinchūriki?
And Sasori… he actually captured him alive?!
Capturing a village's jinchūriki meant securing a Tailed Beast!
Ever since the First Five Kage Summit, when Hashirama Senju had distributed the Tailed Beasts, their ownership had remained unchanged.
But now… at this very moment… one was in his hands!
"Kazekage-sama?"
One of the accompanying jōnin noticed the Third Kazekage coming to a stop and hesitated before asking,
"Are we resting here for the night?"
"Yes."
The Third Kazekage nodded. "We'll continue to Konoha tomorrow."
"Understood."
Go to Konoha?
Compared to obtaining a Tailed Beast, the Chūnin Exams were nothing more than a children's game!
Once he secured the jinchūriki from Sasori, he needed to return to Sunagakure immediately and make the situation an unchangeable fact.
By the time Kirigakure realized what had happened, by the time the other villages reacted, he would have countless ways to maneuver politically.
Would he extract the Three-Tails for personal use? Or trade it for land and resources?
The Third Kazekage envisioned multiple possibilities.
He would not only surpass his predecessors in strength—he would surpass them in accomplishments as well!
...
Leaving behind a Sand Clone.
Just like Water Clones, Sand Clones would automatically disperse if they traveled too far from the original body.
Before dissolving, the clone ordered the jōnin to return to Sunagakure immediately, citing urgent matters.
The fewer people who knew about this, the better.
Lately, Sunagakure had been plagued by a string of traitors—
All of them were insignificant pawns! Yet the true threat, the one who must exist, remained elusive!
It was impossible that such a figure didn't exist. Impossible that he couldn't find them!
Even his most trusted guards weren't fully trusted.
Under the cover of secrecy, the real Third Kazekage departed alone.
Following the coded instructions from Sasori's message, he moved swiftly and covertly toward the meeting point.
...
Northeast.
His footsteps were silent as he traversed the land at high speed, his chakra manipulating iron sand to scan and erase any remaining coded messages along the way.
This was no mere trip to observe children playing at the Chūnin Exams.
This was a matter of state.
The Third Kazekage gradually pushed his speed to its absolute limit.
...
And then—
He arrived.
Slowing his pace, he came to a stop before the one who had been waiting.
The puppeteer immediately bowed respectfully. "Kazekage-sama!"
"You are?"
Meeting the greatest Kazekage up close and preparing to hand over a target of immense value, the puppeteer struggled to contain his excitement.
"Kazekage-sama! I am Takusaburō."
One of the Sunagakure jōnin leading the team at the Chūnin Exams—Sasori's assigned superior.
A jōnin of Sunagakure. His name had been listed in the Chūnin Exam delegation's roster.
The Third Kazekage recognized him but was puzzled.
Why was Takusaburō here instead of Sasori?
Glancing around, he saw no sign of Sasori—or his distinctive short puppet.
Only this jōnin and a specialized capture puppet known as Black Ant.
Frowning slightly, he asked, "Where is Sasori?"
"Sasori… he…"
Takusaburō hesitated, then, noticing the Kazekage's darkening expression, quickly spilled everything.
Adding a touch of exaggeration, he explained, "He said he had no patience to wait for you. Since the mission was complete, he left first. He told me to remind you to deliver his reward upon your return."
"…"
A brief silence fell.
Like the calm before a storm.
Takusaburō lowered his head hastily, afraid of being caught in the Kazekage's wrath.
But for now, Sasori was not the priority—the Tailed Beast was.
Within Sunagakure, Sasori had always been arrogant. That much was not new.
The brat's puppet mastery was indeed unmatched.
Just like this capture-type puppet, Black Ant, which paired with the offensive Crow and the defensive Salamander.
Sasori's latest contributions to Sunagakure.
If given proper funding, an elite puppet brigade outfitted with such weaponry could significantly elevate Sunagakure's strength.
Unfortunately… he was Chiyo's grandson.
Suppressing his irritation toward Sasori, the Third Kazekage stepped past Takusaburō.
His sharp eyes noticed the bloodstained fabric on Takusaburō's shoulder. "Your injury?"
"This… I was wounded while helping Sasori capture the jinchūriki."
Pain burned through his body as Takusaburō seethed. "Kazekage-sama! This jinchūriki is incredibly strong!"
A wound identical to Pakura's.
The Third Kazekage acknowledged it with a slight nod. "You did well. Rest and recover."
Takusaburō, deeply moved by the Kazekage's rare words of praise, responded, "Yes! Thank you, Kazekage-sama!"
Now, the real priority.
"Is the jinchūriki inside?"
"Yes!"
The Black Ant puppet had a hollow, barrel-like body with a locking mechanism sealing its captive.
The Third Kazekage needed to see the truth with his own eyes.
"Open it."
Takusaburō, unaware that he had already been sentenced to death, complied.
As the puppet's locks clicked open—
"Water Release: Coral Water Cannon!"
A high-pressure water jet shot out at supersonic speed—
Tearing through Takusaburō—
And striking the Third Kazekage directly!
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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