CHAPTER 352: KAZEKAGE NINJA-CHAPTER 141: EBB AND FLOW

"Sasori, why did you bring me to a construction site? Where is this?"

Yugito looked up to see endless ruins stretching before her eyes. Countless people were bustling about the worksite—some driving piles, some mixing mortar, others erecting scaffolding. The scale was massive, as if they were rebuilding an entire city.

"Sigh, this is the Hidden Rain Village."

Sasori sighed.

"What! The Hidden Rain Village!"

Yugito’s eyes widened. She could hardly imagine that this was actually a ninja village! This was clearly a pile of ruins!

Sasori nodded heavily.

"Half a year ago, Leaf ninjas launched a surprise attack on the Hidden Rain Village. In just one day, they conquered this place. Then Leaf did everything possible to plunder and exploit the Rain Village civilians, stealing almost all their living supplies."

Sasori’s tone revealed infinite sorrow.

"Afterward, Leaf used the Rain Village as a strategic stronghold and marched south to attack our Sand Village’s Moon Lake New District. Fortunately, they were defeated by our village’s Kazekage Rasa-sama, and the Leaf remnants retreated back here..."

"I heard about that. Rasa-sama was truly amazing."

Yugito excitedly pumped her fist.

"Later, the Sand army joined with remnants of the Rain Village’s Akatsuki organization to counterattack the Rain Village. Shimura Danzō, the Leaf ninjas’ commander, actually ordered his subordinates to set fires so he could escape smoothly. One great fire burned the Rain Village to bare ground..."

"What!"

Yugito’s mouth fell open in shock. She truly couldn’t imagine that ninjas could be so utterly heartless. This completely contradicted the "righteous ninja way" she upheld.

"When ninjas fight, why must they harm civilians? What wrong have the people done? What wrong have the masses done?"

Sasori looked up at the sky, two tears of compassion for heaven and pity for humanity dropping from the corners of his eyes.

"The Leaf ninjas really went too far."

The speaker wasn’t Yugito, but Matatabi within her.

"What bastards!"

Yugito’s face flushed red with anger. She had always stayed in the village with limited information. In Cloud Village, she couldn’t tolerate even bullying the weak or petty theft—she’d beat up anyone she caught doing such things. How much more so for such unconscionable evil as burning a city.

Sasori wiped the tears from his eyes and said slowly,

"Come with me."

Soon the two arrived at the edge of the Rain Village, where there was an endless tent area.

The tents were arranged in neat rows, the overall layout well-organized. Though numerous, they didn’t feel crowded or cramped at all. Children chased and played freely in the spaces between tents. Several kids sat in a circle, slapping thick paper cards on the ground.

"Oh! I flipped Danzō! You all have to give me yours."

One child raised both hands as if he’d won some game, while the other children looked dejected and reluctantly handed over their thick paper cards.

"Don’t wipe your dirty hands on the blankets, or your butt will pay for it!"

A woman shouted angrily.

Taking advantage of the clear weather, women hung out clothes and bedding while chatting about daily life. Everything was filled with the warmth of human life, giving Yugito a unique feeling.

"Hey, isn’t this Sasori? Aren’t you supposed to be on the Land of Fire front? How did you end up here?"

Yura said with pleasant surprise upon seeing Sasori.

"Oh, it’s Yura-san. I brought a friend to have a look. How’s the refugee situation here?"

Sasori asked.

"Ugh, don’t get me started. That Shimura Danzō really isn’t human. He had his fun setting that fire, but left us with a hundred thousand refugees. Rasa-sama had to take out the western front ninjas’ military supplies to plug this hole. Otherwise, when it rains, we can’t have a hundred thousand people sleeping in mud pits."

Yura said quite angrily.

"Hard work, hard work."

Sasori quickly consoled him.

"Do you know where Rasa-sama is?"

"Oh, he went back to Moon Lake New District to expedite supplies. Kazekage-sama approved twenty billion for Rain Village disaster relief. Pain leader converted most of the money into food and building materials. The two of them went to Hourglass Group to select supplies together—they should be back in a day or two."

"I see. Could you arrange a tent for my friend here? We’ve been traveling hard, so let her wash off the dust and rest."

Sasori

said.

"Of course! You two come with me."

Yura warmly beckoned them.

In the tent, Yugito watched Sasori wiping his neck with a towel and said firmly,

"I’ve decided. I’m joining the war!"

Sasori smiled broadly and grasped Yugito’s hand.

"Thank you. I thank you on behalf of the countless innocent civilians who died tragically at Leaf’s hands."

Damn, after all this effort, I finally got her,Sasori thought with inner excitement.

Yugito somewhat embarrassedly withdrew her hand.

"Then... let’s go to the Land of Fire front!"

"No, your battlefield is right here."

Sasori pointed at the ground.

"What do you mean?"

Yugito looked puzzled.

"Your opponent is Leaf’s Tailed Beast—the Nine-Tails!"

"What!"

"What!"

The first exclamation came from Yugito, the second from Matatabi.

"Can’t win, can’t win. That guy is viciously cruel—no point even talking about it."

Matatabi shook her head like a rattle drum.

"Of course, I won’t let you face it alone. We’ve already formulated a capture plan targeting the Nine-Tails. Come, let’s discuss it."

Sasori said with a smile.

Leaf Village, Hokage Building Office

"Bang!"

A large hand slammed down on the conference room desk.

"Hidden Mist Village is extorting us! Blackmailing us! We absolutely cannot agree. He wants Tailed Beasts? Fine! Let Yagura and that old coffin-stuffer come to Leaf

and take them themselves!"

Shimura Danzō was momentarily furious, the bulging veins on his neck visibly throbbing even from across the table.

Sarutobi Hiruzen calmly exhaled a puff of smoke.

"Danzō, don’t get excited. Didn’t you see Elder Koharu’s letter? It clearly states ’goods delivered, then troops deployed’—they won’t come to Leaf to collect."

"From your tone, it sounds like you want to trade away the Tailed Beasts?"

Danzō looked sideways at Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Sarutobi Hiruzen unhurriedly set down his pipe.

"I’m discussing this with you all, aren’t I? Orochimaru, Minato, share your thoughts and opinions."

Danzō was momentarily speechless with rage.

Mitokado Homura was visiting Hidden Rock Village, Koharu was visiting Hidden Mist Village, and Hatake Sakumo had been dead for half a year. Among the remaining three in Leaf’s current leadership, one was Hiruzen’s direct disciple Orochimaru, and one was his grand-disciple Minato. His own vote had no meaning whatsoever.

"I think trading is possible, but we must guard against Hidden Mist taking the Tailed Beast but not doing the work, or not putting their heart into it. If that happens, we’ll suffer a loss."

Orochimaru said.

"So we must do something with the jinchūriki."

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