Seeing that Gaara only stared at it, but didn't pick up the document, the daimyo's envoy didn't waste words.
He pulled a second item from inside his robes: an investigation report. His face turned grave as he spoke.
"Kazekage, this report is not from your Sunagakure ANBU investigation. It is from the daimyo's own covert inquiry."
"According to this report, Teizawa began amassing money through various channels as early as five years ago—and then distributed all of the illicit gains to the colleagues around him…"
"In just a single year, his illegal proceeds exceeded one billion ryō."
"That same year, he began colluding with rogue shinobi, specializing in kidnapping and coercing nobles and wealthy merchants in order to collect enormous 'mission payments.'"
"Under his incitement, more and more shinobi and wandering samurai living in desperate conditions became his personal death-sworn followers."
"And it was also from that year onward that a saying began spreading throughout Sunagakure—and even all of Wind Country…"
"Teizawa—if you ask, he delivers."
At that, the envoy lifted his head and looked straight at Gaara, whose expression had grown unusually severe.
"Do you need me to keep going, Kazekage? Some things don't require me to spell them out. I believe you understand them better than any of us."
"To the daimyo, Sunagakure is the military armament department he trusts most under Wind Country."
"But now, the daimyo has suffered humiliation and threats at the hands of his own subordinate…"
"And everything Teizawa has done is rapidly slipping beyond Sunagakure's control."
"If you don't press him down in time, he will absolutely become a major threat to Sunagakure—and to Wind Country itself…"
"You saw it in the Kazekage's office today. Of the jōnin who participated in the trial, at least half ignored you, the Kazekage, as if you didn't exist. They ignored our judgment as well—and instead defended Teizawa."
"That means…"
"In those shinobi's eyes, there is only Teizawa!"
"I have no doubt that if Teizawa had raised his arm and called for it, not only would the shinobi in the hall have revolted on the spot—those outside your office would have stormed in and started killing as well!"
"Even if Teizawa had no intention of rebelling… he already possesses the ability and strength to do it."
Listening to the envoy ramble on and on, Gaara suddenly let out a quiet sigh.
The envoy's meaning was simple.
Teizawa had to die—otherwise the daimyo would never feel safe.
And this time, the envoy hadn't summoned him here to discuss anything.
He was here to make Gaara intervene—help the daimyo execute Teizawa.
After a brief silence, Gaara finally picked up the document on the table and glanced through it. He shook his head with a weary helplessness.
"Since the daimyo already knows that touching Teizawa will cause unrest in Sunagakure… why choose to act at a time like this?"
Beside him, Temari narrowed her eyes and demanded coldly, "Does the daimyo not understand how dire Sunagakure's situation is right now?"
"If unrest breaks out inside the village at this moment, it could even affect Sunagakure's standing among the Five Great Ninja Villages!"
Kankurō looked at his sister, then at Gaara.
Something felt off.
Was his big sister… being too protective of Teizawa?
That guy was already threatening Gaara's seat as Kazekage, wasn't he?
The daimyo's envoy smiled, unconcerned.
"Before I came, the daimyo had already made his decision. Once this matter is concluded, he will increase financial support to Sunagakure, so the village will have nothing to worry about…"
"On the other hand… if the Kazekage refuses to deal with Teizawa, the daimyo will no longer provide Sunagakure with any funding support at all…"
"I trust Kazekage-sama knows which choice to make!"
What?
Gaara's pupils tightened again as he stared at the envoy in disbelief.
That was a naked threat.
Sunagakure sat in the desert. Life was hard to begin with.
If the village lost the daimyo court's funding support... it would be catastrophic.
Temari's brow knitted even tighter.
On one side was Teizawa.
On the other was Sunagakure—the village she had sworn to protect.
Her thoughts spiraled.
Maybe… letting him escape was the best choice.
At a moment like this, even becoming a missing-nin was better than losing his life.
Whoosh—
Just then, an ANBU member wearing a mask appeared abruptly.
"Kazekage-sama, something terrible has happened!"
"Thousands of shinobi have gathered in the plaza in front of the Kazekage Tower, and the prison holding Teizawa has been seized by dozens of jōnin!"
"What?!"
The sudden report caught Gaara and Temari completely off guard. Their eyes widened.
Even Kankurō—who'd barely had any presence a moment ago—gaped in shock, mouth hanging open.
Only one thought filled the siblings' minds.
Teizawa… had he gone insane?
How could he dare?
The daimyo's envoy's eyes lit up. The corner of his mouth flicked into a faint, crafty smile.
"Kazekage, it seems the daimyo's concerns have already become reality!"
In his eyes, Gaara—the jinchūriki—was unquestionably the strongest in Sunagakure.
As long as Gaara acted, Teizawa would die. No question.
Now, Teizawa had conveniently given Gaara the perfect excuse to strike.
Teizawa… was going to die tonight.
…
At the same time, in the plaza before the Kazekage Tower. shinobi who had moved immediately the moment Teizawa was imprisoned, along with more than a thousand shinobi troops, stood in neat ranks across the square.
Every shinobi had a red scarf tied around their shoulder.
At the front of the force—made up of genin and chūnin—stood more than a dozen jōnin and over thirty chūnin.
And facing the troops were three elite jōnin.
"Tokiri? That's great—so Tokiri-sama is one of us too!"
"Otofū? She was Lady Pakura's guard back then! Why is she here too?"
"Lord Satetsu? You're going to fight for Teizawa-sama as well? That's amazing!"
As the voices rippled through the formation, the three elite jōnin showed little reaction.
After sweeping their eyes over the crowd, the only female among them—Otofū—tilted her head slightly and looked up at the night sky.
She was one of Pakura's old subordinates.
After Pakura's death, she'd been suppressed by the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa.
From then on, she'd been pushed to the margins—ignored, unwanted.
She'd even fallen into poverty, unable to secure missions.
Five years ago, Teizawa had appeared before her.
He'd given her a new goal.
A new direction…
Her lips moved in a whisper, her gaze hardening into something unshakable.
"Sunagakure's sky… should've changed a long time ago."
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