Chapter 514: Application For The New Phase Of Wood Style Research And Human Experimentation

Logically, the Land of Wind should have incorporated it into its territory long ago, yet the reality was precisely the opposite. During the previous two Shinobi World Wars, none of the successive Kazekage had ever shown any intention of targeting Roran, and there had been very few even tentative contacts.

As for the reason behind this, Rasa had privately asked the two elders, Chiyo and Ebizo, but both had merely shaken their heads, saying they did not know the inside story.

Rasa suspected that the truth was probably a secret passed down exclusively from one Kazekage to the next, and with the sudden disappearance of the third Kazekage and his own hasty succession, that line of inheritance had been broken with him.

Now, throughout the entire Land of Wind, perhaps only the current Daimyo still knew the truth behind it.

Rasa planned to send someone to sound out the Daimyo's position in the coming days.

If the Daimyo raised no objections, or if there were no untouchable taboos involved, then he intended to completely swallow this piece of meat that had practically been delivered to his doorstep.

As for a legitimate justification, he had already prepared one.

According to his intelligence network, around two and a half years ago, a man named Anrokuzan had suddenly arrived in the Ancient Kingdom of Roran.

This man's origins were unknown, yet he excelled at climbing the political ladder. Within a remarkably short period, he rose to a high position and became Roran's Prime Minister.

Less than a year after he assumed office, the previous Queen of Roran suddenly died of illness.

'Anrokuzan?'

Rasa silently repeated the name to himself several times, and the more he thought about it, the more something felt off.

Just hearing the name made it sound suspicious, carrying the unmistakable air of a treacherous usurper!

And then there was the former Queen of Roran. She could have died sooner or later, yet she just happened to pass away less than a year after you, Anrokuzan, arrived.

How could there be such a coincidence in this world?

You must have been the one who poisoned her!

Even if you weren't, you will be!

When the time came, he could dispatch troops to Roran under the banner of upholding justice for the Land of Wind's friendly neighboring state and eliminating the traitor on behalf of the current Queen Sara.

It would be entirely legitimate and fully justified. Not only would it give him the moral high ground, but afterward he could also find an opportunity to permanently absorb the oasis into his own territory, killing two birds with one stone.

And he, Rasa, would finally achieve an overwhelming victory.

However, another matter deserved attention; according to recent intelligence reports, traces of Sasori had apparently appeared near the Ancient Kingdom of Roran.

Sasori of the Red Sand.

The moment that name came to mind, Rasa's brows immediately knitted together deeply.

Sasori had once been the Village Hidden in the Sand's greatest pride, a genius puppet master, the beloved grandson of the two elders Chiyo and Ebizo, and the junior whom the third Kazekage had valued above all others.

Before the outbreak of the Third Shinobi World War, Sasori had served as one of the third Kazekage's personal guards, and he had disappeared at the same time as the third Kazekage.

At first, everyone had believed he had met the same fate as the third Kazekage. The Village Hidden in the Sand had even mourned the loss of this prodigious talent for a time.

However, when the war had just begun, Konoha had publicly and explicitly declared that Sasori of the Red Sand was the murderer of the third Kazekage. Although Rasa had publicly denounced the accusation, he had secretly taken note of it.

Afterward, he conducted an extensive private investigation, and the deeper he looked, the more uneasy he became.

Although he found no direct evidence, every clue pointed in the same direction: Sasori was the prime suspect.

And if Sasori truly was still alive, then it could almost be stated with absolute certainty that he was the real murderer of the third Kazekage.

For the village's former pride to become the traitor who murdered the Kazekage, if such a thing became public, it would deal a devastating blow to the morale of all ninjas of the Village Hidden in the Sand. Worse still, Sasori was the biological grandson of the two elders.

Rasa hesitated; he could not decide whether he should tell Chiyo and Ebizo that Sasori had apparently resurfaced near Roran.

Nor could he determine what to do if Sasori really was, as Konoha had claimed, still secretly connected to the two elders, or worse, had acted under their orders.

After a moment, Rasa let out a long breath. He decided to leave that thorny issue untouched for the time being and deal with the pressing matters at hand first.

Half a month later, the members of the International Supervisory Committee would arrive.

At the closing session of the international conference, the representatives of the Five Great Ninja Villages had drawn lots in public to determine the order of inspections. The Village Hidden in the Sand had been unlucky enough to draw the very first position.

Following the Village Hidden in the Sand, the second village to undergo inspection would be Konoha.

...

Meanwhile, in Konoha, inside the Hokage's office.

After Shinichi finished recounting everything that had taken place in the Land of Iron, the third Hokage had not even had a chance to speak before the usually expressionless Danzo Shimura unexpectedly offered him a rare compliment.

He said that Shinichi's performance at the conference had been outstanding, his methods exceptionally skillful, and that his style of handling affairs bore a strong resemblance to that of the second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.

The moment those words were spoken, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the third Hokage, immediately felt somewhat displeased.

I haven't even spoken yet; what are you talking about?

Nevertheless, Hiruzen was an experienced veteran. Not the slightest emotion showed on his face. He simply offered words of encouragement to everyone in the delegation before instructing them to return and rest well without concerning themselves with other matters.

The group acknowledged the order and withdrew. However, just as they reached the doorway, Shinichi suddenly turned back, took a document from inside his robes, and respectfully presented it with both hands.

The third Hokage accepted the document, glanced briefly at the title on the cover, but did not open it immediately. He merely nodded slightly as he watched everyone leave.

Only after the office door had closed and the room was left with just himself and Danzo did the third Hokage finally open the document.

The instant he unfolded it, his gaze froze.

After a moment, he continued reading. As he read, his brows alternately furrowed and relaxed, and by the end, an unmistakable trace of barely suppressed delight appeared in the corners of his eyes.

Seeing his expression, Danzo Shimura grew even more curious and asked, "What's wrong, Hiruzen? What remarkable thing has that kid handed you this time?"

The third Hokage did not answer immediately. Only after reading the document from beginning to end did he let out a long breath, hand it over, and say, "See for yourself."

Danzo took the document and opened it. The expression on his face quickly became identical to the third Hokage's moments earlier.

There, written boldly in the title, were the words: "Application for the new phase of Wood Style research and human experimentation."

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