Here, the difference in skills is small and it is very motivating to push your limits. Judging by how satisfied Pakura looked after each of our training sessions, despite the numerous bruises, contusions, and even fractures in some cases - my iryonin skills allowed me not to be distracted by such trifles - this was true for her as well.
Given the low number of S-rang fighters in Suna, this was nothing surprising.
But on the third day, Pakura was visited by a persistent little girl who turned out to be a student. Naturally, not just like that, but with a demand to train her, at once breaking the existing rhythm and grabbing a very decent piece of time from the kunoichi.
But I didn't have time to be upset by this development - having sorted out the situation in a few days, Orochimaru didn't just sit back and started negotiating with Suna's elders, trying to stabilize the village's power, which had been shaken by the Kazekage's escape and the death of a third of the Council.
Having resigned not too long ago, the Third Kazekage had set his sights on the throne again, and none of the elders liked it.
Not even the Hero of Suna could sit on the sidelines and Pakura was forced to get involved in Sunagakure's political life.
The enormous surge of popularity and respect among the armed forces that the acquisition of two of the three great swords of the Mist had brought her - implying that Pakura had killed their owners, not me, as had been the original plan - made the kunoichi a much more likely candidate for the wind kanji hat.
Incidentally, it was a strange situation, where the morale of the village was very high as a result of the recent exploits and just a huge blow to the prestige of the enemy, but at the same time, the vacuum created among the top of the government, as well as the circumstances of this vacuum, inspired uncertainty among the residents.
The council was eager to fill the void as quickly as possible and in just three days had brought in two new elders, including, to my surprise, Sasori's father. Things were rapidly moving towards a new election.
To Orochimaru's credit, he had defiantly and completely disengaged himself from Sunagakure's simmering political intrigue, declaring to everyone and anyone that it was a personal, internal affair of the Sands and Konoha in no way claimed to have a say in it, only wishing to reaffirm previous agreements and nothing more.
Given that the Sunovans wanted the same thing and had already felt the increase in the number of available missions, and with them the imminent arrival of new cash flows, the presence of the delegation was received in a decidedly positive way.
Orochimaru was not going to stay with his allies for long - as soon as the renewed Council of Elders officially confirmed all the agreements, the embassy quickly packed up and left the same day, wishing them a successful election of the Fifth Kazekage and confirming their words.
Naturally, I joined them, having accomplished the task of making friends with Pakura, and at the same time practicing with an equally strong opponent.
Before I said goodbye to the kunoichi, I even arranged for her to visit me in Konoha when things in Suna had settled down and we could fight on a properly sealed training ground, without such deterrents as the danger of mortal injury.
Given the specialization of high-level ninjas in inflicting the heaviest possible damage on their opponents to ensure that they are incapacitated or killed, Pakura was enthusiastic to try my invention in practice, and even started talking about the possibility of buying one for herself as soon as the opportunity arose.
The epic with Suna was over, and I was finally on my way home.
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