Naruto: Reborn as Yagura Karatachi

After the usual round of diplomatic pleasantries with Kirigakure...

Rasa secretly set out for the Hidden Mist.

He didn't bring Gaara along.

Even when Kirigakure tried to play the "help control your Jinchūriki" card, it didn't work—because no one in their right mind would trust the Mist.

Objectively speaking, Rasa's reasoning and actions were sound.

He stepped onto the Land of Water's territory and, accompanied by a guide, arrived at Kirigakure.

Even though intelligence had long confirmed the changes happening in the Mist, seeing it with his own eyes still made Rasa's face darken three shades.

Leaving Sunagakure for Kirigakure felt like leaving a rural backwater for a coastal metropolis.

He was received by Kirigakure's shinobi at a small pavilion in a mountain villa just outside the village.

There, he was stunned by the old man sitting in front of him.

"Well, well. Lord Kazekage."

The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, lifted his teacup and gave it a little wave.

"Long time no see."

Ever since the Treaty of Capitulation that followed the Third Great Ninja War—where Ōnoki had strong-armed Rasa into signing an agreement favorable to Iwagakure and the war effort—the two hadn't crossed paths.

Just seeing Ōnoki again brought back all the bitterness from their last encounter.

Being forced to lower himself and come to Kirigakure was already unpleasant enough.

Rasa kept his expression steady, responding with businesslike politeness laced with surprise.

"Tsuchikage? What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Ōnoki sipped his tea, smiling slyly. "I'm here for the same reason as you—gold-digger."

He paused, then added, "Oh wait, not exactly the same. I knew you were invited by the Mizukage. You didn't know I was invited too."

What was supposed to be a two-Kage summit had suddenly turned into a three-Kage summit.

And worse, from the moment it began—perhaps even earlier—Kirigakure and Iwagakure had already put Sunagakure at a severe disadvantage.

Rasa, slow to speak but sharp of mind, immediately sensed how dangerous this meeting had become for Suna.

"That's not exactly something to be proud of, Tsuchikage."

A weary, somewhat teasing voice came from behind Rasa.

Yagura gave both guests a nod in greeting, then casually dismantled Ōnoki's statement.

"You didn't want to come at first. I had to pull out the 'Kazekage will be there too' card and put on this big show just to get you here."

This was only Rasa's second meeting with Yagura.

While the kid didn't seem to have grown much in height over the years, the way he grated on Rasa's nerves had only intensified.

"Watch your mouth, Fox Boy."

Ōnoki called Rasa "gold-digger." Yagura got "Fox Boy." And for the record, the Raikage's nickname was "Bad Kid."

Yagura didn't mind the nickname one bit. Compared to "gold miner," it sounded much cooler.

"And what do you call the Hokage in private?"

"That monkey Sarutobi?" Ōnoki snorted. "Haven't settled on one. You got a suggestion?"

"Old Monkey?"

Ōnoki shot it down without hesitation. "Too lame. Try again."

Said as if the nicknames he'd given them were any better.

Yagura stopped bantering with Ōnoki and turned to the still-standing Rasa.

"Please, have a seat, Kazekage."

"Yes, yes!" Ōnoki boomed, almost like he wanted to steal the spotlight. "Don't be shy! Fox Boy's doing pretty well for himself these days! The tea he's serving is top shelf—have a few cups!"

Rasa considered, then nodded toward Ōnoki.

"I'd be rude to refuse."

Yagura, unfazed by their subtle power plays, quietly took his seat.

No matter who wanted to play host, the true purpose of this summit was clear from the start: to divide up Sunagakure's interests.

That was the very bait that got Ōnoki to attend.

Kirigakure needed an ally to help carve up Suna without backlash. Taking the whole of Suna for themselves might not overburden the Mist, but it would certainly provoke hostility from Konoha, Kumogakure, and Iwagakure.

Which conflicted with Yagura's next move.

As the host, Yagura opened the discussion. "Lord Kazekage, may I ask—why didn't Gaara come with you?"

Rasa gave a formal nod. "The child is still struggling with control over his Tailed Beast. He's been injured. I feared the risk of a rampage would bring harm to Kirigakure, so I left him behind."

A convenient excuse.

If Gaara could rampage in the middle of Kirigakure and still make it back to Suna alive, Rasa would've brought him in a heartbeat.

But that just wasn't realistic.

Yagura's last visit to Suna had already triggered a Shukaku incident. (Though these days, rampages were practically routine in Suna.)

Bringing Gaara to Kirigakure? Not happening.

Before Yagura could steer the conversation further, Rasa cut in, hoping to strike first before the meeting turned into a looting party between Kiri and Iwa.

"Since Tsuchikage is here as well, I'd like to ask the Mizukage a question—with you as witness."

Ōnoki chuckled.

At this point, Kiri and Suna were vying for his favor. He came to divide Suna's spoils, yes—but there was always room to shift tactics and undermine Kiri instead.

In short, Ōnoki had the best seat in the house. He could sit back, watch the fight, and negotiate for a better deal with whichever side prevailed.

For now, siding with the underdog might pay off.

"I'd be honored," he said with a nod.

Rasa hadn't come unprepared.

"We all know that the war we lost began with the death of the Third Kazekage."

His voice sharpened, gaze fixed on Yagura.

"Before his death, he sent an S-rank mission—secretly—to one of our top jōnin. That man is now a missing-nin: Sasori of the Red Sand. The mission was to capture a Jinchūriki from Kirigakure. You, Mizukage."

"And yet here you are, alive and well. Sasori fled after the Chūnin Exams and before the Third Great Ninja War broke out—and he fled to your village."

Ōnoki let out a low chuckle.

So that's what happened to the strongest Kazekage?

The timeline connected everything. Before this, no one—Ōnoki included—had linked Sasori's defection with the Third Kazekage's death.

Yagura raised a brow.

"Mm. That's right. The Third Kazekage was killed by me and Sasori."

Smart men didn't waste time denying the obvious. Hearing Ōnoki's knowing chuckle, Yagura saw no point in hiding it.

"He wanted the Tailed Beast. I wanted to survive. Sasori didn't want to stay in Suna. Your predecessor appointed the wrong man."

Rasa stood. "You killed the Kazekage and started the war! That led all three of our villages to suffer a crushing defeat!"

Yagura remained still. "The defeat came because the three of you couldn't even beat Konoha together. That's the real reason."

Gold-Digger, you're outmatched by Fox Boy.

Ōnoki gave Yagura a long, amused look. Rasa's attempt to drag him down didn't work. Neither did Yagura's verbal jab at Iwa. Ōnoki didn't care.

The war was ancient history. What mattered now was the present—and the future.

"Besides," Yagura added, "before, during, and after the war, we've already compensated Sunagakure."

This was old news. And now Rasa was just dragging out a cold case?

How long had he been Kazekage? And only now he was uncovering this "secret mission" of the Third?

No one bought that.

During the war, Suna and Kiri signed a non-aggression pact. Kiri even provided Suna with resources. If Rasa had revealed this then, it would've backfired—possibly pushing Kiri toward Konoha.

After the war, Kiri granted Suna interest-free loans to rebuild. That aid had turned into a dependency—a poison wrapped as a gift.

And now Rasa dared to call it a "conspiracy"?

Ōnoki stepped in, sounding like a mediator—but his words had sharp teeth.

"I've heard about Kirigakure's recent actions against Sunagakure. If Kiri wants to show good faith, I suggest halting all such operations permanently and working toward a friendly alliance. That way, Suna won't have to expose what really happened to the Third Kazekage. It could... tarnish your image."

In other words, both sides had nukes. No one wanted to be the first to launch, because the other might retaliate.

Rasa's heart sank.

He didn't believe that the death of the Third Kazekage was worth this little leverage.

But Yagura was unmoved. It sounded nice—but it was just words.

No one was actually bound to these verbal agreements.

Kirigakure could promise to stop. But would they really?

Rasa could promise to stay quiet. But would he?

And more importantly, Yagura didn't consider this "nuclear option" much of a threat at all.

"I refuse."

Rasa spoke first, staring directly at Yagura. "There's more. When you invited me here, you promised help with our Jinchūriki's control issues. Kirigakure must provide support."

Yagura nodded without hesitation. "No problem."

Rasa, sensing a chance, pushed further.

"Also, half of Kirigakure's annual earnings in the Land of Wind must be handed over to Sunagakure."

"One-tenth."

"Forty-five percent."

"Only a five percent drop?" Yagura scoffed. "Fifteen percent."

"Forty."

"Twenty."

"Deal."

"Good. Kirigakure will hand over twenty percent of its yearly earnings from the Land of Wind."

Not that it mattered. The Land of Wind wasn't nearly as rich as the Land of Fire. And this was Kirigakure's income, not the Land of Water's.

Yagura casually handed off a chunk of profit in exchange for stronger bargaining power.

"That twenty percent will go to Iwagakure."

"Sure—wait, what? Iwagakure?!"

Rasa nearly agreed outright, but the sudden twist made him bite his tongue.

Yagura turned to Ōnoki with genuine sincerity and open palms.

"Yes. Iwagakure gets the share."

After all, if there was one thing Iwagakure needed most right now—it was money.

What could Sunagakure possibly offer Iwagakure? Nothing.

Since Yagura was bold enough to risk exposing that matter just to win Iwagakure's support, then Ōnoki had no qualms accepting the benefits.

He decisively sacrificed Sunagakure's interests in exchange for gains for himself—and for Iwagakure.

And frankly, the so-called leverage Rasa was relying on? Ōnoki hadn't taken it seriously from the start.

Even the fox brat had clearly caught on to that.

Which only proved that the golden boy didn't measure up to the fox boy after all.

"An extra ten percent? No problem!" Yagura declared with a grand sweep of his hand, promptly increasing the offer by another ten percent to secure Iwagakure's support.

His decisiveness made Ōnoki feel a bit of sour envy.

While Iwagakure was still pinching pennies, Kirigakure was throwing money around like it grew on trees—just casually tossing away ten percent of the Land of Wind's national revenue.

If he'd pushed just a little harder earlier, asked for another ten or twenty percent, could he have walked away with even more?

What a shame, really.

But as a seasoned warlord of the shinobi world, Ōnoki understood the value of cutting losses—and the discipline of taking profits at the right time.

He'd managed to walk away with thirty percent of the benefits just by running his mouth. If he kept pushing, Kirigakure might start expecting Iwagakure to give something back.

So it was time to stop while ahead.

Hands tucked into his sleeves, Ōnoki leaned back into his fishing-spot neutrality. At least in appearance.

But after this round of back-and-forth maneuvering, it was clear his so-called neutral stance had shifted toward Kirigakure.

Yagura and Ōnoki's alignment delivered a cruel truth to Rasa—the Third Kazekage's death meant nothing.

Even if he hadn't realized it before, he certainly should have now.

When it came to who got played the hardest during the Third Shinobi World War, Sunagakure was second. Konohagakure took first.

Once the truth got out, only Sunagakure and Konoha would be furious. And with Konoha already cozying up to Sunagakure, Yagura wasn't worried in the slightest.

To be more precise, only the shinobi of Konoha and Sunagakure would be angry.

The common folk? They wouldn't care. Years of Kirigakure's honeyed propaganda had dulled their senses. Most rational people wouldn't throw away their current lives over such a small grievance.

"Kirigakure has no wish to see Sunagakure's people suffer," Yagura said calmly, retaking the initiative. He laid out his terms clearly to Rasa. "As long as Sunagakure and Kirigakure remain permanently allied, I'll drop this matter—and never bring it up again. I'll also help your Jinchūriki, Gaara, master the power of Shukaku."

In other words—

As long as Sunagakure was willing to become Kirigakure's loyal puppet, Kirigakure wouldn't punish them. In fact, they'd help strengthen them.

Ōnoki pretended not to hear the deeper implication.

He had already expressed his position. He'd done absolutely nothing and still walked away with thirty percent. That was plenty.

"You! Wishful! Thinking!"

Rasa spat out the words through clenched teeth and sprang to his feet.

"Sunagakure is one of the Five Great Hidden Villages! We don't need Kirigakure's help!"

And with that, he turned and stormed off, ignoring both Yagura and Ōnoki.

'The Kazekage is still too clear-headed,' Ōnoki thought, watching Rasa's angry back as he left.

But clarity, in Rasa's case, only brought more pain.

Still, sentimentality aside, Ōnoki had never gone easy on weaker opponents. Lest anyone forget, it was he who ambushed Sunagakure back in the day and dragged them into war.

Yagura turned to Ōnoki. "So? What now, Tsuchikage?"

Ōnoki laid out his bottom line with a laugh.

"Hahaha, you sly brat—you've pushed me too hard. I don't have the strength to help you, Mizukage."

He was making his position clear: he'd stand by and shout the occasional slogan of support, but if Yagura wanted actual military assistance, it was going to cost extra.

"I understand. The Raikage isn't easy to deal with," Yagura replied calmly.

He hadn't expected Ōnoki to do anything anyway.

Why did he choose Iwagakure as an ally instead of Konohagakure or Kumogakure?

Because right now, Iwagakure was the weakest of the five great nations—overlooked and ignored.

In the post-war years, the spotlight had been on Kirigakure, Konohagakure, and Kumogakure. Iwagakure? Nowhere to be seen.

But Iwagakure wasn't weak enough to be lumped in with the small nations either. Their allegiance still held weight.

By joining forces with a lesser enemy and surrounding the greater ones with numerous friends, Kirigakure could gradually weaken the stronger players.

Bored of playing subtle games with this clever little fox, Ōnoki asked,

"So—have you decided who the next Kazekage will be?"

If Rasa stayed in power, there was no doubt he'd drag Sunagakure into an all-out feud with Kirigakure.

So if Kirigakure wanted Sunagakure to become its loyal subordinate, they'd have to replace him.

Yagura froze slightly under Ōnoki's sharp gaze, feeling a chill run through him. He propped up his face with one hand and answered,

"Yeah. I've decided. Gaara."

"Rasa's kid?"

He's only seven, and an unstable Jinchūriki at that.

Ōnoki recalled what kind of situation Yagura had been in when he became Mizukage.

He also thought of that Deidara kid and chuckled through his nose.

What's there to be smug about? Give Deidara a few more years—he'll be just as good as you.

It wasn't clear whether Ōnoki was laughing at the idea of someone younger than him being the future Fourth Tsuchikage, or at something else.

Yagura lifted his face, his violet eyes narrowing in a confident smile.

"I set the record for the youngest Kage ever—now I'll be the one to break it."

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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