Indeed, they are Hidden Sand Ninjas.
The Hidden Sand Ninjas truly embody the spirit of their leaders, surrendering always so swiftly.
Throughout the history of Kazekage and the high ranks of the Hidden Sand Village, they would seize any chance for benefits by launching wars, and when defeated, they would swiftly surrender.
Uehara Naraku received the intelligence he wanted, and with satisfaction, waved at them, saying, "Quickly relay the message to your Kazekage, and withdraw your personnel immediately."
After speaking, Uehara Naraku added, "Otherwise, when we eradicate the wandering ninjas of the Land of Rain, we will treat all other ninjas active in the Land of Rain as spies!"
"…"
A few Hidden Sand Ninjas exchanged glances.
Soon they vigilantly watched Uehara Naraku, retreating step by step, and once they were sufficiently far away, they quickly fled into the distance.
Uehara Naraku didn't care about their escape.
The Hidden Sand Village next door from the Land of Wind seemed to be up to something, besides the ordinary ninjas expelled by Uehara, a large number of Anbu were lurking in the Land of Rain.
He was still busy!
In the following time, Uehara Naraku was exceptionally diligent.
By a small river.
A Hidden Sand Anbu Ninja stretched out his hand to receive a descending eagle from the sky, cautiously extracting a scroll of intelligence from the eagle's claw.
When this Anbu saw the content of the intelligence, his face changed dramatically: "A command from the Kazekage has arrived, ordering us to leave the Land of Rain immediately."
"Is this a joke?"
His companion's face instantly turned displeased, "The Kazekage can't keep changing orders like this, we only infiltrated the Land of Rain a few days ago!"
"Exactly!"
Another Hidden Sand Ninja also spoke discontentedly, "The village always rallies for a war against the Land of Rain, and every time it ends halfway..."
"This is unavoidable!"
The Sand Village Anbu Captain sighed and earnestly explained, "It might be Shimura Danzo from Konoha's doing; whenever we make a move against the Land of Rain in recent years, Konoha delays our steps."
After speaking, this Anbu Captain fiercely punched the tree beside him: "Those Konoha bastards just want to stop our Hidden Sand Village from rising!"
Since the Hidden Sand Village's defeat in the Third Ninja World War, they formed an alliance treaty with Konoha, effectively becoming a vassal ally of Konoha.
Almost every Kazekage era seen the Hidden Sand Village become a vassal ally of Konoha because they always lost in wars.
Making the Kazekage willingly accept defeat was utterly impossible.
Especially the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, who was a shrewd leader relying on the Magnet Release to master the Gold Panning Technique, holding real power in the village, continuously engaging in small schemes.
Recently, the news of the Uchiha Clan's extinction in Konoha was spread, significantly reducing Konoha's strength, making it the weakest time for them.
The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, intended to use this opportunity to claim a piece of fertile land that could bring benefits to the Hidden Sand Village.
Of course, suggesting Rasa to take the initiative to attack Konoha and seize the Land of Fire's territory, he definitely wouldn't dare, afraid that Konoha might turn around and suppress them again.
Rasa set his sights on the Land of Rain.
Though Sarutobi Hiruzen was dissatisfied with it, he was unwilling to express opinions since treaties between great nations rely on the mutual exploitation of smaller nations' interests.
However, Rasa's several attempts against the Land of Rain had to be abandoned due to the strength of Hanzo or Shimura Danzo's resistance.
Now, Rasa hardly gets an opportunity due to Konoha's significantly weakened state intending to act tough towards the Land of Rain, but the attitude of The Hidden Rain Village seemed more formidable!
"The Hidden Rain Village sent out a powerful kid, actively expelling ordinary ninjas from our Hidden Sand Village, perhaps also intercepting and killing our Anbu. Among eleven Anbu squads, currently, only three can be reached..."
At the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Rain.
The Hidden Sand Village's frontline command base, Rasa's confidant Jonin Maki was diligently reporting the information he obtained and conveying his handling methods: "I have already ordered all other Anbu squads to temporarily retreat…"
"A kid?"
Rasa heard Maki's report, and instead laughed in fury, "Has the power of the village's ninjas declined to this extent? I haven't reduced the financial support for you at all!"
"Kazekage..."
Maki bowed his head nervously, not daring to look at Rasa.
The ninja cultivation in the Hidden Sand Village is elite education, yet they handed over an unflattering answer sheet now.
The few Jonin Captains executing missions into the Land of Rain were killed, ordinary ninjas were completely driven away; eleven infiltrating Anbu squads, now possibly only three remain...
"A bunch of trash..."
Rasa cursed then sighed: "Forget it, let's just withdraw them first! I'll personally visit and see what kind of genius ninja the Hidden Rain Village has!"
"Kazekage, this isn't a particularly rational decision."
Maki furrowed his brows, earnestly advising, "Your safety is above any village activity, I don't recommend Kazekage to take unnecessary risks..."
"What danger could a mere kid pose?"
Rasa waved his hand, knowing the situation in his own ninja village. Since being weakened by Konoha during the Ninja World War, there's little strong ninja left to choose.
For this reason, to encourage village ninjas to improve, Rasa repeatedly decreased the promotion criteria for Jonin, almost always providing Jonin treatment funds to support some Special Jonin.
Rasa looked back at Maki then suddenly spoke: "Bring Gaara over for me, I just want to see whether our ultimate weapon is qualified..."
"…"
Maki hesitated for a second, a trace of fear and unease surfaced on his face, deeply looking at Rasa, nodding towards him.
Gaara is the One-tailed Jinchuriki of the Hidden Sand Village.
All along, due to Gaara's unstable emotions, casualties often result from the One-tailed outbreaks inside the Sand Village, leading to increasing dislike towards Jinchuriki in the village.
Precisely for this reason, instead of being sent to the Ninja Academy, Gaara could only be personally taught by Rasa in Ninjutsu.
Last year Gaara, in a rage, killed the Chunin Yashamaru who had cared for him from childhood, he surprisingly began to control the One-tailed.
However, Maki knows a part of the truth.
At least Jonin Maki knows the assassination of Gaara by Yashamaru and the subsequent Anbu of Hidden Sand were sent by Rasa.
Now, the Hidden Sand Village's One-tailed Jinchuriki has finally become completely bloodthirsty, violent, and ruthless, like a beast ready to hunt at any moment.
Even Maki couldn't believe the look in Gaara's eyes was akin to a child of eight years old.
The expression on Gaara's face, seeming always on the verge of killing.
Moreover, he seemed to care little about who he killed at all.
Among events shaping the Jinchuriki, what terrified Jonin Maki the most wasn't the power of One-tailed, but Gaara and Rasa's relationship.
The two of them were father and son.
"Gaara, Kazekage wants to see you..."
Jonin Maki walked to a simple practice field, saw the red-haired little boy sitting all alone, tugging people's heartstrings.
However, Gaara didn't need sympathy.
"I understand."
Gaara slowly stood up as the yellow sand on the ground started to gather, forming a sand gourd on his back.
The yellow sand on the ground gradually dispersed, wafting a bloody smell.
Maki lowered his head to see the splattered scarlet bloodstain on the practice field, couldn't help asking, "Did someone try to assassinate you again? You didn't get hurt, did you?"
"Worried that I'll unleash that monster if I get hurt?"
Gaara raised his head slowly, laughed hoarsely, "Hahaha... In this village, how could anyone possibly hurt me!"