The Kaguya Clan's rebellion came earlier than it should have.
Rasa's push was one reason.
The Uchiha Clan's rebellion had also given it another shove.
The Third Mizukage feared the Kaguya Clan would become the next Uchiha.
The Kaguya Clan feared the Third Mizukage already believed they were the next Uchiha.
That night, the entire Kaguya Clan poured out in full force and launched a night assault on the Third Mizukage.
And charging at the very front was Kaguya Mirror—the identity Rasa had created using the experience card.
"Mirror-senpai!"
A violent explosion erupted.
A terrifying shockwave spread outward in all directions.
Kaguya Mirror's body was almost instantly blown into pieces and scattered apart.
His blood did not even have time to clot before the high heat of the explosive tags reduced it to black ash.
Even Hidan's body couldn't withstand explosive tags.
Much less Kaguya Mirror.
One Kaguya ninja looked this way, tears streaming down his face.
"We absolutely won't let your sacrifice be wasted!"
"The Third Mizukage must die!"
"Our Kaguya Clan will definitely win!"
"The position of Mizukage will belong to our Kaguya Clan!"
Another Kaguya ninja said, "That's right! We absolutely cannot let Mirror-senpai down!"
…
…
A brutally bloody rebellion exploded within Kirigakure.
Its scale was even greater than the Uchiha rebellion.
Its casualties were even heavier…
But Rasa could no longer see any of it.
The moment Kaguya Mirror died, Rasa's consciousness had already returned to his own body.
"What a pity."
Rasa stood by the window, looking outside. Moonlight spilled over Sunagakure's land, dyeing it yellow.
The Third Mizukage had already relaxed his vigilance too much. He had looked down heavily on Kaguya Mirror. Combined with the Kaguya Clan's arrangements, that had allowed Kaguya Mirror to get close and detonate the explosive tags successfully.
To be honest, for a Mizukage to allow such an opening, Rasa felt the Third Mizukage had been far too careless.
That was what Rasa had thought at the moment of detonation.
But very quickly, he understood the reason.
The Hydrification Technique.
A man who was not of the Hozuki Clan—
Yet could still use the Hydrification Technique.
That was the Third Mizukage's true confidence.
At the moment the explosive tags detonated, the Third Mizukage had used Hydrification Technique in time and avoided most of the damage.
"Still, the Third Mizukage's Hydrification Technique seems a little different from the Hozuki Clan's."
"It's like he learned it, but not completely. Like he only learned half of it."
"Otherwise, that explosion shouldn't have hurt him much at all."
"But for me, the gains are already more than enough."
A thought rose in Rasa's mind.
Could the decline of the Hozuki Clan be related to this?
When he used the experience card this time, Rasa had not expected much from it.
He had only intended to gather intelligence, then use that information to spread rumors and drive a wedge into Kirigakure's internal structure.
But unexpectedly, the Kaguya Clan had already been standing right on the edge of rebellion.
"Once the Kaguya Clan rebels, Kirigakure's internal situation is bound to become a mess."
"And it won't matter whether the Third Mizukage wins or the Kaguya Clan wins. The result is the same."
"That means Kirigakure will have no choice but to pull shinobi back from the front lines."
"Right now, our Sand army versus Kirigakure's army is four to six."
"But as long as news from Kirigakure reaches the battlefield, our odds against them should rise to at least five to five."
"There may even be a chance for Sunagakure to sound the horn of a counterattack."
A trace of anticipation appeared in Rasa's eyes.
He had been maneuvering from the Kazekage's seat for so long.
With one hand, spreading rumors through Konoha.
With the other, driving division into Kirigakure.
He had done so much.
And yet all he had really managed was to slowly pull Sunagakure back from the edge, bit by bit.
Until now, Sunagakure had never gained any real advantage.
Its starting position had simply been too terrible.
But now, at last, he could finally see a sliver of hope.
Rasa immediately felt as though his whole body had lightened.
As if a massive boulder had been pressing down on his back all this time—
And now, that boulder had finally become much smaller.
"If nothing unexpected happens, then in a few days the news of the Kaguya Clan's rebellion should spread."
"Just like when the Uchiha Clan rebelled."
"But because Kirigakure is so remote, it may take longer."
"So all I need to do now is wait."
Rasa closed his eyes and rested for a while.
Before long, morning came.
He opened his eyes and came down from the third floor.
By then, Karura was already awake and preparing breakfast in the kitchen, so the task of looking after Kankuro had fallen to Temari.
"Father!"
The moment Temari saw Rasa, her face lit up with delight and she hurried over.
Even aside from the time Rasa had gone to the front lines, he was normally always in Sunagakure and always returned home at night.
But Temari slept early.
And Rasa often left early.
So the amount of time the father and daughter actually spent together was not much.
Rasa reached out and rubbed Temari's head.
Temari narrowed her eyes happily, clearly enjoying it.
"Temari…"
"Yes, Father?"
"Do you ever blame me for not spending enough time with you?"
Temari shook her head.
"Father, you're the Kazekage of Sunagakure. You have many very important things to do. I do want you to spend more time with us…"
"But I can't ask for that."
"What I want more is to grow up quickly so I can help share your burden."
Rasa remembered an idea that had occurred to him before.
"Temari, do you really want to help me?"
"Mhm! Father, you work too hard. If I can help you with even a little, then you won't be so tired."
"As it happens, there is something you can help me with."
Temari's eyes lit up.
"What is it?"
Rasa said, "I'm going to select some talented orphans and send them to Yashamaru for training. If you're willing, I'll send you there as well."
"There are two things I want you to do."
"First, train hard. Harder than all of them."
"Second, become their shadow."
Confusion appeared in Temari's eyes.
"Father, what does it mean to become their shadow?"
"It means making them follow you, trust you, and be loyal to you."
Temari thought for a while.
"So… subdue them and make them my underlings?"
"You can understand it that way."
Rasa nodded.
Temari immediately smiled and puffed out her chest.
"Then I understand, Father. Send me there. I'll definitely complete the task you give me."
"Oh right—should Kankuro go too?"
"What do you think, Temari?"
"I think he should come too."
Temari narrowed her eyes, clearly pleased.
After breakfast, Rasa arrived at the Kazekage Building and sat behind his desk.
The first thing he did was glance at the system panel.
[Name: Rasa]
[Identity: Fourth Kazekage]
[Ninjutsu: Eye of Detection, etc.]
[Taijutsu: Basic Taijutsu]
[Genjutsu: None]
[Bloodline Limit: Magnet Release - Gold Dust]
[Remaining Activations: 0]
[Remaining Points: 2060]
Rasa couldn't help letting out a soft sound of surprise.
"Why did my points suddenly increase by so much?"
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