After a while, the two girls finally stopped crying and wiped away their tears.
Hana, visibly excited, turned to Rasa and said,
"Rasa-sama, how did you find Honoka-nee? I thought I'd never see her again in this lifetime!"
Honoka, being the older sister, gently patted Hana's head. Her calm demeanor contrasted with Hana's bubbly excitement, but the joy in Hana's smile made it clear that Rasa hadn't lied.
Honoka, who was usually quiet, didn't express her emotions as openly as Hana, but her grateful gaze toward Rasa spoke volumes.
"I'll explain everything soon. For now, take Honoka and find a place to sit."
"Okay!"
Hana naturally led Honoka to sit below Chiyo and Ebizō.
Rasa then turned to the curious faces in the room and began speaking.
"Let me introduce these two girls. This one is Honoka, and this one is Hana. They are both survivors of the Uzumaki clan."
At this revelation, Chiyo and Ebizō, who already knew about Hana's origins, weren't too shocked. However, they were surprised that Rasa had managed to find another Uzumaki survivor besides Hana. On the other hand, Pakura, Michikawa, Karura, and Baki were utterly stunned.
"The Uzumaki clan? That Uzumaki clan?"
Michikawa exclaimed in disbelief, his eyes eagerly scanning Hana and Honoka. His intense gaze made Hana nervous, but Honoka stepped in, shielding her younger sister like a protective guardian.
"Yes, there's no other Uzumaki clan in the shinobi world," Rasa confirmed.
Pakura, Michikawa, and Baki all took a deep breath. They understood the significance of the Uzumaki clan—their ability to suppress tailed beast chakra and their mastery of powerful sealing techniques were exactly what Sunagakure lacked.
However, Rasa's next statement left them even more puzzled.
"Before I continue, there's something I must make clear. I brought Hana and Honoka to the village not to turn them into jinchūriki. I want you all to understand this. In fact, I have no plans to create any more jinchūriki in the future."
This declaration left everyone except the two elders and Sēramu, who didn't fully understand what a jinchūriki was, utterly shocked.
Michikawa was completely baffled
"Why? Every other village has jinchūriki. If our village doesn't, we'll be at a significant disadvantage in future battles."
This reaction highlighted Michikawa's old-school shinobi mindset—cold and ruthless.
"The reason is simple. I've already discussed this with Chiyo-sama and Ebizō-sama. Creating a jinchūriki is far too dangerous and painful. As the Kazekage, I won't allow any child in this village to endure such risks."
Michikawa's face dimmed. While he understood the dangers and suffering involved in creating a jinchūriki, he couldn't help but worry. Without a tailed beast as a weapon, how would Sunagakure fare against other villages' jinchūriki in future wars?
Sunagakure was already facing a shortage of talented individuals. Now, without the power of a jinchūriki, wouldn't our future enemies have even fewer obstacles to overcome?
Seeing this, Rasa understood that it would be difficult for someone like Michikawa to accept giving up the tailed beast. He decided to address the room directly.
"What are your thoughts on this?"
For a moment, the office fell silent.
Karura naturally supported her husband. Her gentle smile was filled with encouragement for his compassionate decision. Baki, as Rasa's trusted aide, would follow whatever Rasa decided without question. However, both of them knew their opinions wouldn't carry much weight in this discussion.
At that moment, Chiyo, the most senior figure present, spoke up coldly.
"I support the Kazekage's decision. Hana has exceptional talent in medical ninjutsu. I can train her to become a kunoichi no less skilled than Princess Tsunade. Turning her into a jinchūriki would be a waste of her potential. Besides, Hana is now my disciple. If anyone dares to mistreat her, they'll have to answer to me."
Though her words were icy, everyone could sense the protective tone behind them. Hana, moved to tears, exclaimed, "Chiyo-obaa-san!!!"
Ebizō, seeing this, also voiced his support.
"The Kazekage is right. I've witnessed the dangers of creating a jinchūriki since the time of the Second Kazekage. The suffering and discrimination that jinchūriki endures during their growth are unbearable for most. Such tragedies should not be repeated in our village. Therefore, I also support the Kazekage's proposal."
With both elders backing Rasa, the decision was practically settled. However, Rasa turned his gaze to the final person: Pakura.
Pakura, caught off guard by Rasa's look, snorted proudly and said,
"Don't underestimate me. I would never do something that harms my comrades!"
With a three-to-one majority, the decision was clear.
Michikawa, realizing his opinion no longer mattered, reluctantly conceded.
"Very well. From now on, all plans related to creating a jinchūriki in the village are abolished."
Due to the advanced age of the current jinchūriki, Shukaku's host, secret preparations for selecting and creating a new jinchūriki had been underway. Rasa's declaration put an end to all of that.
After making his decision, Rasa moved on to the next matter without delay.
"Now, onto the second issue: Honoka's arrangements."
He turned his gaze to Honoka, who was now looking much more at ease, and Hana, who was beaming with happiness.
"Hana, I'm entrusting this to you. Honoka is new to the village and unfamiliar with many things. As her younger sister, I want you to take care of her. The two of you will live together from now on."
Hana, thrilled by this, nodded vigorously and said,
"Don't worry, Rasa-sama! I'll take good care of Honoka-nee!"
"Good. Ebizō-sama, Honoka has exceptional talent in sealing techniques. I'd like her to become your disciple. What do you think?"
Ebizō had no objections.
"Understood, Kazekage-sama. I'll ensure Honoka receives proper guidance."
"Excellent!"
Hana was even more excited than Honoka herself.
"That's amazing, Honoka-nee! Ebizō-jiisan is just as incredible as Chiyo-obaa-san!"
This time, Honoka didn't object to Rasa's decision. She understood that he was protecting her and Hana. With the village's two most respected elders as their mentors, no one in Sunagakure would dare to harm them.
She politely bowed to Ebizō.
"It's an honor to meet you, sensei!"
Ebizō nodded in satisfaction.
"No need for formalities. You'll come with me after this."
Rasa then continued.
"Additionally, I have a task for Ebizō-sama."
"Please go ahead, Kazekage-sama."
"I'd like you to develop a barrier technique—a large-scale barrier that can protect the entire village."
This request puzzled everyone. Given Sunagakure's natural terrain, such a barrier seemed unnecessary. The desert itself provided ample protection. However, they trusted that Rasa had his reasons.
"Understood. I'll look into it."
"Good. Now, for the final matter. However, I can't discuss it yet. Please return here tonight at eight o'clock. I'll explain everything then."