047 Reborn as the Third Kazekage

Everyone knew that while Danzo's words were harsh and cold-blooded, they were undeniably true.

"So… what do you all think… would be the right… time to end… this war?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked with a hint of helplessness.

"I think your idea of stationing troops in the Land of Rain was good… just two years too early," Arashi said, looking toward Mitokado Homura, who was known for his strategic analyses. Arashi trusted that Konoha's advisors had already considered the possibilities.

"At most… two and a half years," Homura replied after finishing his nearly cold skewer of chicken skin, taking a moment to think.

"Then… two and a half years it is," Hiruzen finally conceded. His sense of justice had lost to the harsh reality. As Hokage, he couldn't gamble the lives of Konoha's children.

"I have another proposal," Danzo interjected.

"Move the military exercise from the border of the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning to the Land of Rivers instead. Also, increase its scale—perhaps claim it's a ten-thousand-strong operation, though only three thousand will actually participate."

"Why?" Rasa asked directly.

"Because there are several secret Kirigakure outposts in the area. Their growing scale has become troublesome, and they've been harassing our borders. This is the perfect opportunity to eliminate them," Danzo said, slashing his hand through the air, exuding killing intent.

Arashi nodded in agreement. Deploying six thousand troops to deal with Kirigakure's outposts would be an easy win. It was also an excellent opportunity to test the reorganized ninja squads and new recruits. Only bloodied ninjas could truly be ready for battle.

Hiruzen, still caught up in his earlier thoughts, gave a faint nod of approval and said, "Danzo, you'll handle the organization." Then, he silently returned to drinking.

Arashi turned to Rasa.

"Delegate your current tasks to Yurami. I'll leave Yashamaru to assist him. You will oversee this military operation. Once it's over, return to the village with me. I have other plans for you."

"Understood," Rasa responded with a salute, showing his willingness to follow orders.

"Now that the serious matters are mostly settled and the food is nearly gone, why don't we move on to the next item on the agenda?" Arashi said with a mischievous grin.

"And what might that be?" Hiruzen, slightly tipsy, asked.

"How about a few rounds?" Arashi suggested, his grin widening.

"Oh! A few rounds, huh?" The two men exchanged knowing looks and burst into laughter, their earlier discussions of war and politics momentarily forgotten in the lighthearted atmosphere.

...

The next morning, following the official inauguration of the new Amegakure leader, Kongō, Hiruzen and Arashi jointly issued a peace declaration. They called on Iwagakure and Kumogakure to exercise restraint, end the war, and spare the world from further suffering.

Both leaders agreed to hold a large-scale military exercise in the Land of Rivers three months later, involving ten thousand troops, as a means of ensuring military stability in the region encompassing the Lands of Fire, Wind, Rain, and Rivers. The new Ame leader, Kongō, expressed his support by pledging 800 troops to bolster the effort. This declaration became known as the "Wind-Fire-Rain Declaration."

The move left both Onoki and A feeling perplexed. The true intentions of these three Kage remained unclear, prompting both sides to halt their hostilities and instead deploy spies to gather intelligence. For now, the shinobi world entered a fragile state of peace, though no one believed it would last long.

Both Arashi and Hiruzen were satisfied with this temporary truce, agreeing to meet again in the three months.

While Hiruzen led his team back to Konoha, Arashi stayed behind. Rasa gave him a tour of the Hourglass Group's factories and introduced him to worker representatives. Standing before the gathered workers, Arashi delivered an impassioned speech.

"You are the backbone of Sunagakure's economy, the vanguard of our village's progress. Your hard work and dedication will be justly rewarded. I, Arashi, promise that all workers who achieve senior technician status will enjoy housing, education, and related benefits in the Lake Tsuki New District. Together, we can build a brighter future!"

The workers were inspired by his passionate words, vowing to work harder, reduce defects, and contribute to the growth of the Hourglass Group.

Afterward, Arashi held a high-level meeting with the group's executives.

"My visit has two purposes: first, to pay my respects to Hanzo of the Salamander, and second, to announce two key decisions for the Hourglass Group." He looked around the room, his gaze settling on Rasa. Seeing his focused expressions, he continued.

"First, there will be personnel changes. Elder Chiyo has repeatedly expressed that her age and declining energy make it difficult to continue leading both the Intelligence Department and the ANBU. After discussions with the review committee, it has been decided that Rasa will return to the village to take over as head of the Intelligence Department. The ANBU will be disbanded and its functions integrated into the Intelligence Department. Its operatives will either join the Intelligence Department or be reassigned to the newly formed Operations Division, led by Akasuna no Sasori."

Arashi pointed at Yurami. "Yurami will take over as general manager of the Hourglass Group, with Yashamaru as deputy general manager."

Rasa, Yurami, and Yashamaru stood and saluted.

"We will follow the village's orders."

Noticing Rasa sneaking a glance at Karura, Arashi added with a smile, "Karura will also return to the village, taking a position in the Intelligence Department. Her specific role… we'll decide later." Karura blushed and pinched Rasa's thigh under the table, but Rasa maintained his composure, pretending not to notice.

After the meeting, Arashi announced the second major decision: a shift in the group's business strategy.

"In the next two years, we'll expand into retail markets across the nations. If the mountain won't come to us, we'll go to the mountain," he declared.

This plan electrified the room. By establishing retail outlets in Konoha, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure, the Hourglass Group aimed to mitigate the decline in demand from the end of the war.