Rasa's expression was serious, his focus on the youth before him deepening. Though he wore a calm facade, a cold trace of killing intent flickered in his heart.
Tamura Hao felt the sharp rise in hostility but paid it little mind. After a moment's thought, he said casually, "Your footsteps are heavier than Garō's. That suggests you're carrying something denser under your robes. Based on the subtle sound, I'd say you've armored your body with sand. Not just regular sand—something denser, heavier."
"I've heard the Third Kazekage was known for his Jiton—Magnet Release. His chakra's polarity allowed him to manipulate iron sand in combat, a technique derived from the Second Kazekage's studies of the One-Tail's powers. You seem to have inherited a similar kekkei genkai. Your bloodline must also be Magnetic Release."
"Compared to sand manipulation alone, Magnet Release is far more lethal. The Third Kazekage was regarded as the strongest in the history of the Sand, so if you've inherited his techniques, your potential shouldn't be underestimated."
"But here's the drawback—high-density magnetic materials may amplify your offensive capabilities, but they also make you more vulnerable. If you face Earth Release techniques that manipulate gravity or create magnetically resistant barriers, your iron or gold sand could be slowed or outright suppressed. Not to mention, if I set up a large-scale sealing formation beforehand, your chakra control over magnetic material could be disrupted."
"Your demeanor is calm, methodical, with a natural sense of authority. You strike me as ambitious, likely aiming for leadership. Given the strategic significance of Magnetic Release for the Sand right now, I'd guess your goal is to succeed the Kazekage."
"Also, you're clearly the leader of this delegation. Based on that, and your use of advanced jutsu, I'd say you're the direct disciple of the Third Kazekage. That level of trust isn't easily given. You wouldn't have been allowed to meet the Raikage otherwise."
"And one more thing—you and Karura exchanged quite a few glances over dinner. Based on her expression and your subtle gestures, I'd say you're romantically involved. From her shy demeanor, you haven't been together long."
Tamura Hao lifted his juice calmly, ignoring their stunned expressions. The bathwater's warmth, combined with the cool fruit drink, was utterly refreshing. It reminded him of lounging on a sunny beach, flanked by two beautiful women.
The three Sand shinobi remained silent. Rasa's hostility deepened. For the first time, it was aimed specifically at Tamura Hao, intense enough for Hao to feel it distinctly.
Though he betrayed no emotion, Hao committed the malice to memory. He was already planning to eliminate Rasa if the chance presented itself in the future.
"I'll need time to memorize the chakra thread technique," Hao said, changing the topic with a smile. "Let's meet again tomorrow."
As promised, Karura didn't have a scroll with the chakra thread technique on hand and would need to write it from memory after returning to the inn.
This little brother really is something, she thought. To deduce so much in such a short time…
A strategist-type ninja? Perhaps Lord Ebizō should have this kind of vision too!
"Thank you, Sister Karura!"
Tamura Hao grinned wider. Obtaining the chakra thread technique would be a huge gain, especially as he prepared to join the campaign against the Land of Whirlpools. If he could link the threads with explosive tags, his self-defense ability would improve drastically.
Ye Cang, meanwhile, stared into the bathwater, shaken. She felt as though the boy had dissected her completely with just a glance.
Are all Hidden Cloud ninjas like this… or is he a monster of an exception?
Please, let it be the latter!
The group finished their bath in silence. None of the Sand ninja felt like enjoying the entertainment city anymore and headed straight back to their hotel.
Once in the room, the three sat together without speaking.
Karura quietly began writing on a scroll she had purchased, but her mind wandered back to the young shinobi.
Does Kumogakure really educate their youth so well?
"Should we try to contact him again?" Ye Cang asked, spinning a kunai idly. The boy had shocked her, not with strength, but with sheer intellect. His analytical ability far outstripped most jonin she knew. A future where he held a key position in the Hidden Cloud seemed inevitable. Intelligence gathering on such a person felt necessary.
Karura paused in her writing, considering the boy again. Friend or foe? I hope not the latter.
After a long silence, Rasa finally shook his head.
"We're not trained for that kind of subtle interaction. If we engage further, he'll only gather more information from us. Someone like him—if he wants to hide something—will mislead us intentionally. He might even disguise his identity or create a false persona. It's not worth it."
The three of them specialized in battle, not in espionage. And being in Kumogakure, many of their usual tactics couldn't be employed.
"Will he be involved in the Whirlpool campaign?" Ye Cang asked again. Though still a child, the boy's intelligence alone could influence battle outcomes.
"He might tag along with senior shinobi to gain experience, but he won't be involved in command," Rasa replied, frowning. "No matter how sharp he is, he's still a child. The Raikage wouldn't entrust him with actual decision-making authority yet. War is no game—not even we are fully trusted with those decisions."
Suddenly, Rasa sighed.
"Our Sand Village is being too reactive in this war."
He was fully aware that by letting other nations drive the operation in Uzushiogakure, they were already at a disadvantage.
But they had no choice. What they needed was the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques—especially those that could perfectly suppress the One-Tail.
The Ichibi, despite its magnetic chakra nature complementing their desert homeland, was notoriously unstable. Its chakra had innate sealing and anti-sealing properties, making it highly resistant to ordinary suppression methods.
Even the Third Kazekage's Iron Sand couldn't fully restrain the beast. Although Rasa's Gold Dust could counter Iron Sand to a degree through sheer mass and magnetic interference, he lacked the strength and chakra reserves to subdue the One-Tail alone.
Even now, with a jinchūriki in their village, they had not achieved perfect control.
More troubling was the numerical disadvantage. Sunagakure possessed only the One-Tail, whereas Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure each had two. Konoha, though possessing only the Nine-Tails, held the most powerful of them all.
Rasa had never even witnessed the Ichibi unleashing a true Tailed Beast Ball, the massive chakra cannon said to rival a bijūdama in destructive force.
Could the One-Tail even use the Tailed Beast Ball? he wondered.
If it couldn't, their village was severely disadvantaged. In future wars, jinchūriki would be central to battlefield supremacy. With Tailed Beast Balls capable of leveling terrain, ordinary shinobi would be left helpless.
To compete, they had to master tailed beast control—and sealing was the key.
Meanwhile, in the Raikage's office, the Third Raikage furrowed his brow as he read a report just handed to him by an Anbu. His gruff face twisted into an annoyed scowl.
"This brat's getting out of hand. He met with foreign shinobi in the village without prior authorization. If it were anyone else, they'd be in jail already."
"What did he do this time?" Tutai asked, glancing up from his own pile of reports.
"See for yourself."
The Raikage tossed the document at him, though a faint grin tugged at his lips. His tone belied his amusement.
"Rasa... The Fourth Kazekage…"
Tutai muttered as he read through it, his expression thoughtful before a smile spread across his face.
"In such a short encounter, he deduced all of that?" Tutai exhaled. "He's sharper than I expected."
This boy was shaping up to be a perfect successor—not just to the village's legacy of strength, but also as a strategist capable of guiding the next generation. Perhaps, one day, he would not only serve the Fourth Raikage… but train him.