Rasa was just about to raise the favorability of the eight people in front of him from eighty to one hundred when he suddenly heard a knock on the door.
The sound interrupted his operation.
Curious, he pushed open the stone door, glanced at the ground, and thought as he walked upward.
"That's strange. I'm in the basement, yet the sound seems to be coming from above. Who is knocking so loudly?"
The higher Rasa went, the louder the knocking became.
By the time he moved the floor tiles and appeared in the room, the sound resembled a drumbeat.
"I'm here. No need to knock so hard."
As Rasa said this, the knocking rhythm changed from dong! dong! dong! to a slower, more hesitant dong...dong~dong.
When he opened the door, the person in front of him was not who he had expected.
Rasa had assumed someone with great physical strength was knocking so forcefully.
Instead, it was a woman, standing perfectly straight, like the best student from his previous life's elementary school.
She wore a black windbreaker and a rabbit mask, but even so, Rasa could tell from the shape of the coat that she had a well-proportioned figure.
Her body was tightly wrapped, with only her pale neck and delicate feet exposed, revealing flawless skin.
Observing her, Rasa wondered why this beautiful member of the Shadow Guard had come.
From her attire, he immediately recognized, through Rasa's memory, that she belonged to the Wind Shadow Guard, whose rank was formidable.
Before he could speak, the high-ranking Shadow Guard member suddenly bowed deeply, forming a perfect ninety-degree angle.
Rasa was momentarily stunned.
What was going on here?
The Shadow Guard answers only to the Kazekage.
They are the Wind Shadow's personal guards.
Even ordinary Shadow Guard members bow only slightly to Elder Chiyo.
But from her actions just now, it appeared this woman had intended to kneel fully on both knees in respect.
At the moment her knees bent, she seemed to recall something and restrained herself, switching to a deep bow instead.
Even if Rasa might become the future Kazekage, it was just a possibility—nothing was decided.
Even if he did become Kazekage, Shadow Guards wouldn't need to kneel fully; one knee would suffice.
Seeing the woman bow deeply and remain motionless, Rasa wondered if she might be a little… eccentric.
Outside, a crowd had gathered.
Windows that had been closed now revealed cracks, with curious eyes peeking through.
Rasa, who disliked being treated like a spectacle, felt as if he were a monkey on display.
His mouth twitched in irritation.
The woman remained oblivious, bowing like a statue.
Grinding his teeth, Rasa suddenly grabbed her slender left hand, pulled her inside, and shut the door.
The crowd outside murmured among themselves.
Soon, rumors spread that Rasa might become the next Kazekage.
While the Shadow Guard was mysterious, longtime Sand Village residents already knew of their existence.
Yet news of the Third Kazekage's disappearance had not reached civilians or many Genin.
Rasa turned to speak when he heard a loud bang!
He immediately guessed what had happened.
Sure enough, the woman was kneeling, forehead pressed to the floor, gloved hands flat against the ground—a sign of deep respect.
She whispered in a gentle, firm, slightly fanatical voice:
"The deputy commander of the Shadow Guard, Jonin Hanori, pays her respects to Master Rasa."
Rasa froze mid-step.
The name Hanori was familiar—he had seen it in the system list.
No wonder he hadn't recognized her; she was the deputy commander, and their encounters had always been one-sided.
He felt both embarrassed and gratified.
Embarrassed, because he hadn't expected favorability over 80 to elicit such reverence.
Gratified, because he was human—and even in an "equal" society, hierarchy existed.
Seeing a beautiful woman pay him such respect naturally pleased him.
In an instant, his thoughts flashed by, but his feet paused only briefly before he stepped forward.
Although he had never faced such a situation himself, his past experiences in stories and media guided him.
Rasa briskly approached, bent down, and helped Hanori up, saying warmly:
"Commander Hanori, please rise. I am just an ordinary jonin. How could I deserve this?"
He also noted, mentally: Her arm feels so soft, even through clothes and bandages.
Earlier, he had grabbed her arm to pull her in, but it had been too quick to notice. Now he had time to feel it properly.
Hanori had no idea what he was thinking.
Even if she did, with her favorability at 80 points, she would not have cared.
Seeing his action, her cold heart softened.
Sweetness filled her chest, her throat tightened, and a hint of emotion appeared in her eyes.
Rasa awkwardly looked at her. She remained motionless, staring at him.
This wasn't how it was supposed to go.
Logically, she should have spoken. But she only stared.
Though her mask hid her expression, her red eyes revealed her feelings.
Rasa forced a smile. Is favorability above 80 really this powerful?
He hadn't checked descriptions beyond 50 points.
Rasa gestured toward a chair:
"Ms. Hanori, please take a seat."
"No, no, Master Rasa, please don't call me that! I can't bear it. Just call me Hanori—or however you like!"
She waved her hands frantically, her voice panicked.
Rasa nodded after a brief pause:
"Very well, then I'll call you Hanori."
She obediently sat down.
Her legs were straight and symmetrical, hands neatly on her lap, waist upright.
Rasa poured a glass of water and offered it with both hands.
Hanori quickly stood, bent down, and respectfully accepted the cup with both hands.
"Uh… why don't you remove your mask?"
"I'm so sorry, Lord Rasa! I'm used to wearing a mask and coat whenever others are present. I'll remove them immediately!"
Her reaction was like a loyal minister hearing an imperial decree—exaggerated many times over.
She reached for the mask but paused, noticing the cup in her right hand.
Realizing it, she set the cup down, then removed the mask with both hands and pulled off her windbreaker.
"Wait—I didn't mean… never mind."
Rasa waved weakly. She was already undressing; stopping her was pointless. And it was only her outer layers.
She removed her coat, gloves, and all bandages from her arms.
Rasa watched intently.
The more she revealed, the brighter his eyes became.
The reason was simple: Hanori's true beauty was finally visible.
Her charm, once hidden beneath layers of clothing, now shone freely.
She was like a ruby buried deep in the desert.
Hidden for years, its brilliance unknown.
But now unearthed, it dazzled—so striking that one glance would be unforgettable.