014 Reborn as the Third Kazekage

"Ahh, this is amazing!" Rasa sighed contentedly, lying completely submerged in the hot spring. The sulfuric scent in the air seemed to ease his every muscle as he let out a satisfied groan.

"If you're enjoying it, then soak a little longer," Arashi said nonchalantly, pouring himself a small cup of sake. Tilting his head back, he downed it in one go before casually picking a peanut from the plate in front of him and popping it into his mouth.

This wasn't Sunagakure but the Land of Rivers, which lay sandwiched between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire. Due to its limited military strength, they had aligned itself with Konohagakure early on, losing its own combat capabilities in exchange for security.

Arashi's diplomatic convoy had picked up Rasa and Pakura at Ishi Fortress, and the group of more than thirty was heading toward Konohagakure. When they passed through the Land of Rivers, they were warmly welcomed by its leader, who offered the famous hot springs as a gesture of hospitality. Arashi, tired of the constant dust and grit of the desert, gratefully accepted the offer.

(T/N: I'm not sure if it's the author being careless or if it's just me overthinking, but they keep referring to the Land of Hot Water when it should clearly be the Land of Rivers, based on the world map. There's no way it could be anything else geographically. Yet, the text keeps mentioning hot springs and other things tied to the Land of Hot Water. I've already deleted most of these inconsistencies, but some parts still feel odd no matter how much I edit.)

"By the way, Rasa, I have a favor to ask," Arashi said, leaning back.

"Don't, please. You're the Kazekage now. If you're this polite, you'll give me a heart attack. Just tell me what you need."

"Could you lend me some of that gold dust you've been hoarding?"

Rasa immediately sat upright, his expression twisted into a grimace.

"I worked so hard to gather that gold dust! I was planning to use it to refine my Gold Sand Jutsu—"

"I know, I know," Arashi said soothingly, raising his hands in a placating gesture.

"But I'm in a tough spot. The village just finished a war, and there are so many bereaved families to compensate, war orphans to care for, and infrastructure to rebuild. On top of that, our Daimyō is so stingy he's cut our funding. I've got no other choice. Just consider it a loan, alright?"

Rasa sighed but then broke into a grin.

"Don't even say that. If it's for the village, you can sell me off piece by piece if you need to."

Arashi couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion. The man in front of him, the future Fourth Kazekage, was destined to be a tragic hero. In the original timeline, after the Third Kazekage mysteriously disappeared, Sunagakure was thrown into chaos. The village poured all its resources into searching for him but to no avail. With no leader, Sunagakure became vulnerable to internal strife and external threats. Rasa rose to power during this time, using the Magnet Release Gold Dust Technique he had learned from the Third Kazekage to suppress rebellions and protect the village.

Despite the constant funding cuts imposed by the Land of Wind Daimyō, Rasa used his ability to gather gold dust to single-handedly sustain the village's economy. Later, he sealed the One-Tail, Shukaku, into his newborn son, Gaara, sacrificing his family for the village's safety. Rasa's dedication to Sunagakure was unparalleled, yet he met a cruel fate, assassinated by Orochimaru.

But in this lifetime, Arashi vowed that such a fate would not repeat itself.

Those who light a fire for others must not freeze to death in the snow!

"Rasa," Arashi said, his voice firm. "I want to create a new department, and I want you to lead it."

"What department?"

"The Bureau of Mining."

Rasa blinked, stunned.

"Here, Kazekage-sama, have some more. This is our specialty—hot fish. The meat is tender, and the flavor is exquisite. You must try it!" The Tanigakure leader, eagerly placed food on Arashi's plate, his demeanor excessively courteous.

"If you have a request, just say it. With how polite you're being, I'm starting to feel uncomfortable," Arashi said, seeing through his intentions.

The Valley Leader sighed heavily, setting down his chopsticks.

(T/N: Tanigakure (Literally meaning: Village Hidden in Valleys) is the hidden village of the Land of Rivers.)

"To tell the truth, I do have a problem, and I'm hoping Kazekage-sama can help."

He began recounting the tale. A group of cultists worshiping a "Jashin" had appeared in Tanigakure. They were violent, ruthless, and frequently raided the village, even kidnapping children. Despite numerous attempts to eradicate them, their leader's mysterious abilities made him nearly untouchable. Several high-ranking ninja had fallen trying to stop him.

Initially, the Valley Leader had planned to seek help from Konohagakure, but the war had left them too preoccupied. Now, with the Kazekage present, he hoped Arashi could eliminate the cultists. He even promised a reward of ten million ryō upon success.

"Jashin cult? Could it be that Jashin cult?" Arashi's thoughts immediately turned to Hidan, the infamous immortal.

"What abilities does this cult leader have?" Arashi asked.

The Valley Leader's face turned pale. After a moment of hesitation, he finally whispered, "The most terrifying thing… is that he can't be killed."

...

In a dimly lit cavern, 

Dozens of black-cloaked cultists knelt before a grotesque statue. The figure had the face of a ravenous demon, sharp fangs, and held a scroll in its mouth. In one hand, it gripped a red triple-bladed scythe; in the other, a slender spear. Its surface was covered in blood-red runes, as if painted in fresh blood.

Before the statue were five wooden stakes, each tied with a child. Four of them were already lifeless—one decapitated, one impaled through the heart, one with a shattered skull, and one disemboweled. Blood pooled across the floor.

The lone surviving child thrashed desperately, terror in his eyes as muffled cries escaped his gagged mouth.

A purple-robed elder stood before the statue, hands dripping with blood as he chanted in a low voice. An eerie energy began to gather, the statue's hollow eyes glowing red, as if awakening.

Blood from the floor flowed toward the statue, which absorbed it greedily. The runes covering its body grew even brighter, detaching and writhing like serpents. The elder's chanting quickened, and the "snakes" slithered faster, coiling around the surviving child.

Suddenly, the elder cut a nearby cultist's hand, letting the blood drip onto the child's head. He then drew a strange symbol beneath the child—a triangle inside a circle. The child's body convulsed, black-and-white markings appearing on his skin.

The elder's expression turned maniacal as he plunged a dagger into the child's chest. To everyone's shock, the cultist next to him dropped dead instead.

"I've done it!" the elder howled with crazed laughter. "Another servant of Jashin has been born!"

The cultists erupted in cheers, bowing fervently.

"Another one, huh? So, there's more of you. Mind pointing them out?"

A voice suddenly cut through the chaos, silencing the cavern.

"Who's there?" the elder snarled, pointing toward the entrance.

"Me? Let me introduce myself," Arashi's voice echoed.

"Magnet Release!"