Yasha Rei pouted and acted coquettishly.
At the same time, she glanced at her sister's chest, her eyes lingering with a subtle envy.
After seeing her sister's perfectly shaped breasts, Yasha Rei grew more confident in her own future development.
Karura rested her snow-white chin in her hand, her elbow on the table.
The motion pressed her full breasts together, forming an alluring and graceful curve.
Even though she wore conservative clothing, the gesture revealed a deep, enticing cleavage.
Karura herself didn't realize how seductive she looked.
Instead, she gazed at her younger sister with affectionate eyes and a gentle smile.
That fleeting glance from Yasha Rei had been quick and subtle, but as a Jonin, Karura noticed instantly.
How could she possibly miss a look that lasted less than a second?
To her, her younger sister was both adorable and amusing.
She wondered how long it would take for Yasha Rei to grow to her size.
Would she then complain daily about sore shoulders or the difficulty of dressing?
Thinking of this, Karura shifted slightly closer to the table, her soft body leaning forward.
Carrying such a weight on her chest every day was tiring, even for a senior ninja like her.
In a secret chamber beneath a house in the Sand Village—
Despite being underground, the room was bright and well-lit, resembling a typical office.
At the desk sat a woman dressed in a black windbreaker and a rabbit mask.
Beside her were two tall stacks of documents, towering higher than her seated figure.
Suddenly, another woman appeared three meters in front of the desk, wearing a yellow windbreaker and an eagle mask.
She raised a stack of papers above her head with both hands and bowed slightly.
"Commander Hanori, the results of the investigations by Shadow Guard Teams 3, 4, and 5 have been delivered."
Hanori didn't respond or even glance up.
She continued writing, fully absorbed in her work.
The Shadow Guard woman remained bent over, papers still raised.
By all reason, she should have simply placed them on the desk.
But she dared not.
Even from three meters away, she stood frozen in place.
Deputy Commander Hanori had a reputation for being strange.
She always covered herself completely, never exposing any skin.
Though she usually spoke softly, if any man stepped within three meters of her, she would become hostile—and within one meter, she would attack.
Though this woman had joined less than six months ago, she had already heard the stories.
A few years earlier, when Hanori first assumed command, dozens of men—some from noble families, others veteran Jonin—had been hospitalized for crossing that line.
Yet none dared retaliate. They could only curse their misfortune and keep silent.
Over time, even female members of the Shadow Guard kept their distance.
Privately, many whispered rumors:
Commander Hanori must suffer from severe misandry, or perhaps an intense form of mysophobia.
The scratching of a pen finally stopped.
Hanori lifted her head, her lavender eyes reflecting the female Shadow Guard member still bent forward, papers in hand.
Her gloved index finger twitched lightly.
The papers floated from the woman's hands and settled neatly in front of her.
Hanori flipped through them and let out a quiet sigh.
"As expected, nothing useful. It seems Rasa was right—the Third Kazekage was likely murdered and hidden away."
The bent woman froze instantly.
Her pupils shrank, her heartbeat racing.
She had already suspected this when she received her orders earlier that morning, but like everyone else, she had refused to accept it.
They all told themselves the Third Kazekage must simply be acting strangely, perhaps disappearing without notice.
But now, hearing Hanori's words, she understood the truth.
The Third Kazekage was dead.
Hanori quickly skimmed through the rest of the documents and set them aside.
"Ayame, notify all Shadow Guard teams searching outside the village. Tell them to abandon the search and return immediately."
Ayame nodded stiffly.
Her neck felt rigid, almost frozen.
The Third Kazekage had truly been murdered.
What fate awaited the village now?
To the people of the Sand, the Kazekage was the very sky itself.
And the Third—believed to be the strongest—was their sun, a sky that would never collapse.
That sun gave them hope, the courage to endure the harsh and unforgiving desert.
As Ayame stepped away with stiff, heavy movements, Hanori sighed softly but remained silent.
The ninja world was cruel. Accidents could strike at any time.
Hanori turned back to her desk but suddenly paused, her expression puzzled.
Seeing nothing unusual, she shook her head. Yet a strong feeling welled up inside her, forcing words to escape:
"It would be a good thing if Rasa became the Fourth Kazekage and our leader."
Ayame stopped dead in her tracks.
Her mind replayed Hanori's earlier words, then this sudden declaration.
In an instant, she pieced it together.
Despair gave way to hope.
Her steps grew light again, carrying her quickly toward the exit.
The sky of the Sand had collapsed, but perhaps a new sun was rising.
Hanori, unaware of Ayame's thoughts, was startled by her own words.
After a moment's reflection, she muttered self-mockingly:
"Though I've had little contact with Rasa… it's a pity such a man of courage and vision lost to Aoki."
She stood and walked toward the bookshelf, as if searching for something, but her hand faltered.
Beneath her mask, hesitation flickered across her face.
"No… I shouldn't interfere. Sand Village needs the strongest. If I help Rasa, it won't be fair."
But then, her eyes blazed with sudden conviction.
"No—I was foolish. Rasa is the only one suited to lead. Only he can be the Fourth Kazekage!"
"Yes, I decided this during the council meeting. Why am I doubting myself now? I was a fool!"
Thankfully, no one else was there.
If other Shadow Guards witnessed their calm, elegant commander behaving this way, they would surely believe it was an illusion.
At the same time, Rasa had already raised the average favorability of the eight people before him to forty points.
He continued exchanging fruits to further strengthen their loyalty.
Ten seconds later, Hanori slapped her forehead and exclaimed:
"Really? Why am I wasting time alone? How could I forget to summon shadow clones earlier?"
"If Lord Rasa receives information late, it will be my fault!"
"If I commit such a sin, even a lifetime of service wouldn't be enough to atone!"
Meanwhile, Rasa's favorability rating among the eight surpassed sixty.
He smiled in satisfaction, continuing his efforts.
Moments later, Hanori summoned five shadow clones. Together, they clapped their hands in unison:
"Lord Rasa is the savior of Sand Village! Only he can be Kazekage!"
"I will recognize no one else—not even if the Third Kazekage returned!"
"Only by following Lord Rasa can we save Sand Village from destruction!"