In Sunagakure, within the Kazekage's office.
Sōmi was looking at the Third Kazekage with an unusual expression, while the Kazekage himself wore a rare awkward look on his face—much like divorced parents caught by their child while dating someone new.
After all, Sōmi had made a casual remark at the time. Karin's mother wasn't particularly stunning in terms of beauty, merely average, but her gentle and soft-spoken demeanor left an impression.
Moreover, as a nursing mother, she naturally stood out in certain physical aspects.
What Sōmi hadn't expected was that the Third Kazekage would genuinely be drawn to someone like her. Could it be that he had a latent mother complex since childhood?
"Ahem! Ahem!"
The Kazekage coughed forcefully, attempting to dispel the tense atmosphere in the office.
It had all started when, after work one day, he inexplicably found himself wandering to the house where Karin and her mother lived, under the pretense of an official visit.
Unexpectedly, Karin displayed an unusual affinity for him, and he, in turn, found himself deeply fond of the chubby little infant.
One visit led to another, and before long, Karin's first spoken word turned out to be "Daddy."
Both the Kazekage and Karin's mother were taken aback at the time, and that very night... the Kazekage came to understand certain truths.
For instance, philosophical insights: towering peaks offer their thrill, gentle hills their comfort; forest paths invite exploration, while vast plains beckon for galloping. Every landscape has its unique charm.
Or simple physical principles: to generate heat and achieve the desired effect in a humid environment, one must apply vigorous friction.
Or even the familiar phrase often heard in queues: "Someone's taken the spot up front, but there's still plenty of room inside..."
The Kazekage's boundless energy that night was, of course, aided by her unique healing abilities.
The intoxicating, soul-stirring experience had firmly tethered the Third Kazekage's heart to the mother-daughter pair.
Naturally, such matters were not for outsiders to know.
Even if the Kazekage were aware of Sōmi's internal ridicule, he would likely respond with composure: If this is what it means to be a hero of the ninja world, then I am willing to bear the titles of "Hero of the Ninja World," "Pride of Sunagakure," and "Widow's Champion."
"Sōmi!"
"The quantity of that secret medicine is still rather limited..."
"If we're to consider it one of our village's trump cards, the current stock feels a bit too thin..."
The Kazekage had adjusted his mindset. He was still capable of distinguishing between personal matters and official business.
"Don't worry. This is just the first batch of samples."
"I still have plenty of raw materials on hand. With sufficient funding, we can produce at least several hundred doses of the secret medicine!"
Sōmi put away his teasing expression and responded earnestly.
"Good!"
"With several hundred doses of this secret medicine, and a newly trained group of death soldiers, they'll become our sharpest blade when the war reaches a stalemate!"
"Even Konohagakure will be forced to suffer a significant loss!"
The Third Kazekage was overjoyed. Although ninja schools had been established in both Ryukawa District and Asuka District, with free enrollment for all civilians, the production rate of geniuses was still a matter of chance.
Without exceptional Kekkei Genkai or hereditary traits from prominent clans, the likelihood of a genius emerging from the civilian population was exceptionally low.
However, if the goal was simply to train a large number of Chūnin and a few Special Jōnin, the odds were much higher.
"You previously mentioned that Cursed Seal. Is its effect really that remarkable?"
The Third Kazekage asked about another topic with keen interest.
"Of course!"
"Under normal circumstances, an ordinary Chūnin who activates the Cursed Seal can achieve power comparable to a Special Jōnin."
"However, the Cursed Seal is extremely dangerous. If the process fails, it could result in death."
"Therefore, only those with a combination of strong will, sufficient strength, and great potential can be granted the Cursed Seal."
"Otherwise, it would merely waste our village's resources and manpower."
Sōmi laid out the pros and cons of the Cursed Seal in a straightforward manner.
"I see..."
"What would happen if we combined the Cursed Seal with the secret medicine?"
The Third Kazekage's eyes gleamed as he posed the question.
If the combination of the secret medicine and the Cursed Seal could elevate a Chūnin's power to the level of a Jōnin, then crafting a hundred-strong suicide squad for behind-the-lines assaults could...
No matter which village they faced in a decisive battle, the enemy's reserves would be utterly incapable of withstanding such an attack...
As the Kazekage's thoughts raced, the light in his eyes grew even more intense.
"Teacher..."
"I've considered that idea before, but unfortunately, based on experimental data from Orochimaru, when a ninja in the Cursed Seal state consumes the secret medicine, the two overwhelming forces would clash violently and cause an explosion!"
"A Chūnin-level ninja simply cannot control such power..."
"Even managing one of these forces requires careful selection among Chūnin."
"Finding someone capable of mastering both is not impossible, but the losses incurred in the search would be unbearable for us."
"Our Sunagakure already has a smaller ninja reserve compared to other villages."
"The expanded enrollment in our schools from recent years has yet to yield results."
Sōmi spoke eloquently, pointing out the impracticality of the idea.
"That's true..."
"And according to recent intelligence, the other ninja villages have adopted similar measures to ours."
"They've also increased military spending, whether on ninja schools, secret technique acquisitions, or ninja tool procurement, matching us step for step."
"The Land of Artisans has been enjoying booming business these past two years!"
"Our village's foundation is still thinner compared to the other villages..."
The Third Kazekage sighed deeply. Although Sunagakure had risen significantly, it was still far from dominating the ninja world.
Especially given the current intricate and volatile state of the ninja world, if Sunagakure were to unwittingly provoke a scenario where it faced a four-nation alliance, even with Sōmi and Sasori present, the Kazekage doubted the village could withstand such pressure...
This was precisely why Sōmi had been so cautious recently. With the Fire Country and Water Country forming an alliance, and the Earth Country allying with the Rain Country, any misstep could lead to the worst-case scenario.
Of course, if Sōmi were only concerned with his personal survival, there was no one in the current ninja world he truly feared.
But his goal was to lead Sunagakure to stand above all other villages and become the ultimate ruler of the ninja world!
Not to become a stray dog, hiding in the shadows, licking its wounds, and waiting for a chance at revenge.
Author's Note:
This chapter was flagged and had to be revised four or five times before it could be released. Apologies for the delay.
Sigh! This process is so troublesome.
To avoid such issues in the future, I'll try to write in a more stream-of-consciousness style.
I'll also include some fragmented sentences at the end of chapters. Readers can piece them together with the story as they see fit.
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