The night in Sunagakure was especially cold.
The strong winds in the desert swept through, their sound mournful.
Akasuna walked alone on the village's main road, sand and dust gently rising with his steps. His steps were steady, his deanor calm, and a faint smile flickered in his eyes.
The war between Sunagakure and Konoha had already lasted a year.
As one of Sunagakure's top puppeteers, he should have been commanding the battle on the front lines, but tonight he had returned to the village alone.
"There's an urgent military report that needs to be delivered to Kazekage-sama in person." He said to the Anbu guarding the Kazekage Building. His voice was calm, without a ripple.
The Anbu knew Akasuna. One could say, few in the entire Sunagakure didn't know him.
Akasuna was not only one of the village's foremost puppeteers but also a subordinate heavily relied upon by the Third Kazekage.
The Anbu on duty nodded, clearing the path. As he moved his foot, his pupils suddenly widened.
Three minutes later.
Akasuna entered the Kazekage Building. The corners of his lips turned up. Suture lines crawled across his forehead like centipedes.
The corridor was empty. The torches on the walls cast flickering shadows.
Akasuna's footsteps echoed on the floor. In this absolute silence, Akasuna could hear his own heartbeat, steady and strong.
He stood before the Kazekage's office door and gently knocked.
"Co in." The Third Kazekage's authoritative voice sounded from within the door.
Akasuna pushed the door open. The Third Kazekage sat behind a large desk, with border maps and various battle reports spread out before him. Even in the dead of night, he was still dressed in his neat Kazekage robes, wearing a straw hat.
"Akasuna?" The Third Kazekage looked up, staring in shock at Akasuna before him.
"Why are you here? Weren't you on the front lines? How dare you leave the battlefield without my orders!"
Akasuna bowed slightly and said, "Kazekage-sama. The situation on the front lines is complex, and I have important intel that I need to report to you personally."
Hearing Akasuna's explanation, the Third Kazekage's expression grew serious.
"What happened?"
Akasuna walked to the desk, his gaze quickly sweeping over the scattered docunts on the desktop. His posture remained respectful, but a subtle tension began to fill the room.
The Third Kazekage narrowed his eyes, staring at Akasuna before him.
Akasuna's voice lowered. "It's about our internal issues."
The Third Kazekage frowned. "Internal issues? Explain clearly."
Could it be that so Suna ninjas had defected on the battlefield?
Just then, Akasuna's right hand moved ever so slightly. The movent was so subtle it was almost imperceptible, but the Third Kazekage imdiately caught it.
"You..."
The Third Kazekage suddenly stood up.
Three poisoned senbon shot from Akasuna's sleeve, aid directly at the Third Kazekage's throat and heart.
At the sa ti, two humanoid puppets appeared behind the Third Kazekage, holding sharp blades, blocking the Kazekage's retreat from both sides.
The Third Kazekage's reaction was extrely swift. Almost at the mont the senbon shot out, black iron sand had already appeared around him, forming a barrier to block the fatal attack.
The senbon struck the iron sand, making a crisp sound before falling powerlessly to the ground.
"Akasuna, are you insane?"
The Third Kazekage was both shocked and enraged, as black iron sand swirled around him.
Akasuna was Chiyo's son, and his relationship with him was not shallow, he was the least likely person to betray him.
Akasuna did not reply. His hands were already spread open, his ten fingers connected to almost invisible Chakra threads, controlling the two attacking puppets.
A slight smile was present on his lips, his attack showing no hesitation or wavering.
"Why?"
The Third Kazekage questioned him while defending against the puppets' attacks.
Iron sand transford into countless fine needles, shooting towards Akasuna and the puppets.
Akasuna agilely leaped backward, simultaneously manipulating one puppet to block in front of him.
The iron sand needles pierced the puppet's body, but the puppet's movents didn't stop, continuing its attack forward.
"Why?"
Akasuna finally spoke, his voice cold. "Because too many ninjas have already died on the battlefield. Kazekage-sama, we don't want to keep fighting anymore, we want to go ho."
Akasuna's words made the Third Kazekage pause, and the iron sand's defense montarily faltered.
The puppet closed in, its sharp blade nearly slitting the Third Kazekage's throat.
The Third Kazekage said, "For the better developnt of Sunagakure, to gain more resources, we must fight Konoha to the end."
The Third Kazekage parried the attack, and the iron sand condensed into a giant shuriken shape, whistling as it slashed at one puppet, cutting it in half at the waist.
A flicker of pain crossed Akasuna's face as he said, "Resources? But to plunder these cold resources, the children of Sunagakure, my subordinates, have all died on the battlefield."
The Third Kazekage's brows were tightly furrowed, and a trace of grief flashed in his eyes. "War inevitably involves sacrifice, Akasuna. You should understand this better than anyone."
Akasuna's voice carried an uncontrollable anger. "Kazekage-sama, you sit in your office, casually discussing sacrifice. You have no right! They died because of you! My wife, my subordinates, all died because of you!"
Akasuna's attacks beca more ferocious, and countless scrolls simultaneously unfurled in the air.
A dense swarm of puppets appeared in the Third Kazekage's line of sight, causing his expression to subtly change.
"I understand your pain, Akasuna but betraying the village is not the solution."
"Stop, we can talk properly."
Akasuna's eyes beca hollow as he said, "It's too late."
He suddenly spread his hands to both sides, and the puppets, which filled the entire office, shot out dense steel wire nets, almost covering the entire space. At the sa ti, he quickly retreated, avoiding the coverage area of the nets.
The Third Kazekage imdiately ford a protective sphere of iron sand to enclose himself. The steel wire nets tightened, but could not cause damage in front of the iron sand's defense.
Akasuna's fingers danced rapidly, controlling the steel wire nets to constantly tighten, attempting to squeeze the iron sand's defense.
The iron sand sphere suddenly burst open, and a powerful impact shattered the steel wire nets.
The Third Kazekage floated in mid-air, surrounded by black iron sand, his eyes cold.
"Akasuna, since you insist on this, I will no longer hold back."
Akasuna sneered, "Kazekage-sama, you don't seem to have recognized the situation yet."
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