Shiro struck an incredibly handsome pose, his back to the three children, and spoke amidst their worshipful gazes.
"That's right, I am Shiro, the Third Kazekage of Sunagakure, a man who combines unparalleled beauty, wisdom, and strength."
The three children: "Wow~~~~"
Konoha Ninja: "..."
*Heh, the Third Kazekage of Sunagakure is truly... unique.*
Hatake Sakumo muttered silently in his heart, but he couldn't allow the eccentricity to distract him from the critical issue.
"May I ask why the Kazekage is present here?"
"I don't believe I need to report my personal whereabouts to you."
Facing Hatake Sakumo's persistent inquiry, Shiro made it clear he had no intention of answering. He released the oppressive aura of a peak Kage-level shinobi, enveloping Sakumo and his companions in a suffocating wave of killing intent.
What could he say? What *was* there to say!
Should he admit he came to the Land of Rain to steal children? If the news spread throughout the ninja world that the newly appointed Kazekage of the Land of Wind went alone to a small country to abduct war orphans, wouldn't he be laughed to death?
There was no choice; he had to maintain his silence. As long as it wasn't Sarutobi Hiruzen—that old monkey—who showed up today, no one here had the power to force him to explain himself.
Facing the crushing pressure emanating from Shiro, cold sweat began to stream down the faces of Hatake Sakumo and his two subordinates.
Compared to Sakumo, the two accompanying background ninjas were already weak-kneed and dared not move an inch. The fact that they could still remain standing proved that their Jonin rank was earned and not bought.
As Shiro prolonged the release of his pressure, only Hatake Sakumo remained standing firm, still possessing the strength to grip the hilt of the short blade on his back.
But if the pressure continued, Sakumo didn't know how much longer he could last before his instincts forced him to attack. Just as he prepared to strike first in a desperate gamble, he suddenly felt his body lighten. The surrounding pressure abruptly vanished.
Hatake Sakumo let out a silent sigh of relief. It seemed the Kazekage before him had no intention of silencing them permanently.
"Go back and tell your Hokage that Sunagakure has no intention of being enemies with Konoha at this time. This encounter happened solely because I was preparing to return to my village, but you simply moved your front lines too fast."
"Yes, Lord Kazekage. I will certainly relay your message."
"Wait a moment."
Just as Hatake Sakumo was about to lead his team away, Shiro's voice stopped them—or rather, it focused entirely on Sakumo. As for the other two, they were clearly cannon fodder who never even appeared in the anime, so Shiro ignored them.
"Young man, I have high hopes for you!"
"Are you interested in learning about Sunagakure's Talent Acquisition Program? It includes housing, marriage arrangements, and a complimentary large gold bar."
Hatake Sakumo: "(´ﾟωﾟ)?"
"Heh, thank you for your high regard, Lord Kazekage, but I have lived in Konoha since childhood. My loyalty lies with the Leaf; I will absolutely not leave."
Although Hatake Sakumo had already cursed Shiro dozens of times internally for the sheer absurdity of the offer, he maintained a respectful tone. Seriously, why would he leave the lush, flourishing Konoha Village for Sunagakure, a place where not even birds dared to shit?
*I, Hatake Sakumo, would rather die! Commit seppuku! Than go to your sandbox!*
"Alright, that's a pity. However, remember that Sunagakure's gates will always be open for you should you change your mind."
With that, he extended his right hand and used his Magnet Release to condense a golden card in his palm.
The top of the front side read: **Sunagakure Talent Acquisition Program.**
The center featured the four characters: **Special Talent.**
The back was covered in tiny, dense script. A closer look revealed various benefits and entitlements, including luxury housing, signing bonuses, spouse matching, childcare, and full medical coverage—everything imaginable.
Shiro had written down every conceivable benefit to sweeten the pot. As for whether they could be fulfilled, that didn't matter right now; the goal was to plant the seed of temptation.
The golden card slowly floated through the air and landed in Hatake Sakumo's hand.
"Keep this safe. This is only for special talents. It's made of solid gold, very valuable."
To be honest, Hatake Sakumo really wanted to throw it back, but he felt that was impossible given the power gap. Throw it away later? But it was made of solid gold. Although ninjas earned a lot from missions, especially a ninja of Sakumo's caliber who could earn millions from a single S-rank mission, he wasn't luxurious enough to throw away gold bars.
Alas, he could only tuck it into his flak jacket for now.
***
The rest of the journey encountered no further obstacles.
After safely crossing the border out of the Land of Rain, Shiro rendezvoused with the waiting Sunagakure shinobi.
Filled with anticipation... Fusae and the three children embarked on the final leg of the path to Sunagakure, where a new life was about to begin.
In fact, when Fusae learned that Shiro was the Third Kazekage that night, her shock was far greater than that of the three children.
Unlike the innocence of children, as an adult, she understood the immense prestige and political power held by the Kages of the Five Great Ninja Villages.
What puzzled her deeply was why Shiro, the Kage of a Great Village, would remain alone in the Land of Rain and then personally escort them away.
If he had only come for her and Nagato, she would have certainly suspected that their Uzumaki clan identity had been exposed, and Shiro was seeking them out to exploit their bodies for sealing jutsu or as Jinchuriki vessels.
After all, the Uzumaki clan's constitution... was extremely valuable for research.
But Shiro had been accompanied by two other children before finding them.
Could the other two children also be members of a ninja clan left outside their village?
But she had never heard of a bloodline limit ninja with blue-purple hair or orange hair.
Could it be... could it be... a new mutation?
Of course, it was also possible she was overthinking things entirely.
Shiro might truly have just rescued the children out of kindness and...
...was simply coveting her body!
***
"We've arrived."
As Shiro's voice rang out, the gates of Sunagakure appeared before them, carved into the massive stone walls of the canyon.
The fatigue on the faces of Fusae and the three children finally began to ease after days of travel.
Unlike the steel jungle of the Land of Rain, and unlike the surrounding forests of Konoha, Sunagakure was nestled deep among mountains, completely surrounded by natural rock formations. This effectively blocked the invasion of sandstorms, leaving only one narrow opening at the entrance.
It was easy to defend and difficult to attack. Of course, no one ever successfully attacked it, save for a certain explosive brat decades later, so the interior of Sunagakure was historically very safe.
"Lord Kazekage!" (x2)
The gate guards were visibly excited to see their Kazekage return; after all, their backbone was back.
Soon, the Anbu and the Elder Council, having received the news, also arrived to greet him.
"You all go home and wait for me; I'll be back shortly."
Shiro said this gently to Fusae and the four children. Simultaneously, an Anbu ninja stepped forward and led the group away to their temporary quarters.
Later, in the Sunagakure Meeting Room.
Shiro was sitting at the Kazekage's desk, reviewing the accumulated affairs of the past few days.
Three massive stacks of paperwork practically buried him alive.
"Argh!!! Why am I being reported on things like a leaky roof at someone's house? Do they think I'm Sarutobi Hiruzen, who micromanages everything?"
Just then, the door creaked open.
Chiyo and Ebizo walked in.
Their eyes met Shiro's. It seemed they had arrived at an inconvenient time, but since they were already there...
"Ahem, Lord Kazekage."
Shiro, who had been buried in paperwork, looked up and saw Chiyo and Ebizo. His gaze lingered especially on Ebizo.
His previously dull eyes suddenly lit up with a predatory gleam.
He immediately put on a friendly, beaming smile and looked at the two elders.