Kapitel 243: Ch243. New Kazekage 1
Temari, in numb satisfaction and quiet horror, watched as the jacket behind Rasa, the very same jacket Pakura discarded at the start of the fight burst into what she suspected was some sort of clone and in one fluid motion slit her father's throat before he even realized it. Only when he already dropped to his knees, his lifeblood flowing out of his neck did the clarity return to Temari as the realization hit her hard. Her father... lost.
Owlishly blinking, a bewildered "Ughh?" left her lips, her brain refusing to accept that her horrible father was dying in front of her very eyes. "Is it... over?" Temari turned to Chiyo in confusion, noticing the old woman had the same expression of utter bewilderment she herself most likely sported. "Just like that?"
Temari couldn't wait for the answer from the village elder, however. She heard a choked sob next to her and realized Kankuro was also present. It was her duty as his older sister to give him at least some measure of support. She turned around and hugged her younger brother who stared at the corpse of their father with an empty look.
It was then that Temari gained a small understanding of what it means to be a ninja. How easily one's life could be lost no matter how strong one was. As she comforted Kankuro, her eyes suddenly gained determination as her mind processed the entire event.
She absolutely refused to be just another nameless corpse on the field! Not like that!
Chiyo was completely flabbergasted. She knew the fight barely started. Both combatants barely exerted a small percentage of their chakra reserves. The battle was just starting! Until it wasn't. Until it was over before it even really started. She expected a massive ninjutsu fight. She expected an awe-inspiring and arena-shattering clash of titans. She expected anything but...
A knife to the neck.
The worst and most humiliating way to go when facing a famous ninjutsu expert. A sign that it didn't even take ninjutsu to kill you. And yet... Chiyo had to applaud Pakura's move.
Pakura chose cold and brutal efficiency. Dispatching her enemy in a way that let her ready and relatively fresh for another fight.
With this one fight, she not only gained the position of the Kazekage but also cemented it beyond anyone's doubt. She reminded everybody of her power by cornering Rasa while only scratching a surface of what her bloodline could do. Every single ninja knew facing the unknown was dangerous. When the said unknown could vaporize you in an instant? Chiyo doubted there was anyone who would try to directly scheme against Pakura unless there is some convenient buffer to absorb damage should the plans go awry.
Most importantly, Pakura has subtly shown ruthlessness and cunning that would stop many of the clan heads from acting out even if they had a scapegoat. Slighting Rasa's throat was a message.
'Piss me off at your own peril.'
Rasa, for all his good points, was a calm man with a peculiar kind of brashness. He was straightforward and if she were to be honest, he was not cut out for politics.
Pakura on the other hand?
She just finished off borderline S-rank ninja with a plan she weaved from the very start of the fight. She not only accomplished that but also ensured nobody got even an inkling of what she was planning despite the presence of so many high-ranking ninjas of Suna.
'Healthy mix of fear and respect... That's how you want to rule, eh, girl?' Chiyo sighed, knowing the following years in the Suna Council won't be easy. Her eyes glanced at the Wind Daimyo who, contrary to the expectations, didn't look as jubilant as at the start of the fight. 'Maybe…'
In the center of the stands, Mikumi, the Wind Daimyo, watched Pakura with a conflicted gaze. The way Pakura dispatched Rasa hit him like his fifth wife after she found him doing that cute little maid she promptly sacked only to have her return as one of his concubines because he really appreciated her nimble tongue.
And damn did that slap hurt!
One would think she would get the hint considering she was his TWELFTH-concubine-turned-FIFTH-wife. Apparently not...
Troublesome power-hungry woman.
The real reason why Mikumi felt uneasy at the way Rasa died was a bit hypocritical. Even he could understand that. Ninjutsu was cleaner, seemed less cruel, less ruthless. He knew that Pakura using her bloodline would be either infinitely more painful or instant, depending on how fast Pakura would decide to vaporize the man. It would have been a cruel way to go but there would be no gore and blood for civvies like him to get upset about. It looked way better than seeing Pakura's clone coldly slit Rasa's throat, his blood gushing out, covering the sandy ground in a red blanket.
Mikumi was not stupid. He knew Pakura wanted power over Sunagakure and he also knew the Uzushio Trading Company would have a degree of influence in the village through the new Kazekage.
And that was fine. As long as Rasa was out of the picture and no foreign ninjas tried to separate his head from his body, Mikumi was totally okay with losing some of his control over Sunagakure. He knew the Suna council probably won't see it like that. They would expect him to lash out, demand, threaten, whatever, just to get Pakura under his thumb. They will expect him to try to reel Pakura in, giving them a chance to grab more influence for themselves and their clan.
Alas... he would have liked to think he was smarter than that. This little display of cold-heartedness from his favorite scorching hot kunoichi just enhanced his resolve to not mess with Pakura and her new rule unless it somehow threatened his entire nation.
Plus, pleasing the Uzushio Trading Company seemed like a good way to bolster both diplomatic relations with the Uzumaki AND make his nation richer. Oh, he could almost see the money rolling it!
Pakura wouldn't be worse than Rasa. Not by a long shot. Their meetings in the last two months gave him ample time to both observe and test Pakura's skills in diplomacy, economy, and politics. Three things Rasa sorely lacked. Rasa was a prime example of why power shouldn't be the only deciding factor for the Kazekage election.
Mikumi never wanted power or even the rule, to be honest.
When the battle for the position of the Daimyo started between his remaining nine siblings, he went to the countryside, making it abundantly clear he wanted nothing to do with it. He was a prince! That had to count for something! Or so he thought. He was wealthy enough to live in luxury for his entire life, indulging in debauchery with the prettiest women of the Land of Wind. Life was good!
Until his nine siblings offed each other, leaving only him as the last heir to the throne. Life got bad. Real fast.
Responsibilities pilled up, his free time dwindled, assassination attempts started... Honestly, the only thing that was still keeping him in the position of the Daimyo was the fact his head would roll if he stopped and all the nobles willing to offer him their very eager daughters... well, his life of debauchery was the ONLY thing he was NOT willing to compromise on. He was happy as long as he had a willing woman under his table while he did his paperwork. He was happy as long as an eager and naked wife lying in their bed greeted him at the end of his busy day, offering herself for his relaxation. He was happy when he woke up to a nice warm sensation from his lower member.
He was happy as long as he had his women eager to please him, no matter if it was to get more power for their families, further their ambitions, or simply to live their lives in luxury. Mikumi long ago saw that he was just a human being and decided to enjoy his life without trying to chase some imaginary dominance over other nations.
His entire life depended on a fine balance between fulfilling his responsibilities, which kept him alive in considerable luxury and his state running, and enjoying his life to the fullest alongside all his mistresses, concubines, and wives. Rasa was threatening this balance by just existing with his utter stupidity and the man didn't even know it! That's why Mikumi hated him to the core.
As such, why would he care about who ruled Sunagakure as long as they did right by their duties to the Land of Wind?
Still... Mikumi made a mental note to never piss Pakura off lest it would be his throat she slit the next time she gets the urge to soak the ground in something red. Hey, he was the Daimyo, not a God! He knew his limits!
Kapitel 244: Ch244. New Kazekage 2
Pakura impassively gazed at the dead body of the previous Kazekage that was still leaking blood and staining the ground with it. This was her revenge against the man who sent her to certain death. And yet...
Pakura decided she didn't really feel satisfied. Not by a long shot. In fact, she didn't feel almost anything now that Rasa's corpse was rapidly cooling off in front of her.
It honestly put a sincere smile on her face.
She never really felt shackled by a desire for revenge but now she was certain. Now she knew for sure she didn't care either way if Rasa lived or died. She didn't kill Rasa because he wronged her. No... that didn't matter to her anymore. She killed him for Rei. For his plan to proceed.
Lifting her gaze towards the stands, Pakura quickly found Rei staring at her in silent amusement, measuring her reaction. Despite all that aloof indifference he excluded, Pakura spent enough time around him to notice the slight sign of underlying worry in his expression. It lifted her mood... to see he really cared. To see she mattered to the man she loved.
Their eyes briefly met and yet, for anyone observing them, it would be as if the world stilled into a deafening silence while they shared a silent intimate conversation. Not even a full second later, Pakura pulled her eyes away, back to Rasa's body while her lips formed a small frown.
Sighing, Pakura was well aware of the silent crowd watching her without any cheer. For them, this was not a happy day. This was the day their Kazekage died. For most of them, this was a sad day. They understood why's and how's. They were also ninjas and this was a part of their lifestyle. They would learn to adapt under the rule of the new leader, namely her. Pakura only hoped her next actions won't irreversibly alienate some of the more important members of Sunagakure. She would loathe killing her own men. Especially the valuable ones.
Pakura raised her right hand, aiming it in the direction of Rasa's body and before anyone could even muster a thought of protest, the sandy arena suddenly lit up like a furnace when a massive scorching ball of the size of a three-story house appeared right on top of Rasa's corpse, vaporizing it alongside with everything in the immediate surrounding.
Waves of heat rolling on pressurized whiplash of wind impacted the arena and while the audience only experienced the barest minimum of the attack, they still found themselves having to shield their eyes and bodies from both the heat, bending their knees, and anchoring their feet into the ground to not be swept away by the echoes of the raging wind.
In this one attack, Pakura expended more chakra than in the whole fight against Rasa, causing the total decimation of the arena. Her purpose, however, was fulfilled.
Not even ashes remained of Rasa.
...
Pakura leisurely walked towards Rei, slightly shaking her hips in a tempting but not overbearing manner as she completely disregarded the fearful and resigned glances she received from the wary Suna ninjas. They didn't expect her to be so vicious as to not leave even a body for a funeral.
Pakura wasn't afraid of betrayal though. This was the world of ninja where the strong ruled and Suna ninjas lived under Rasa until now. Another seemingly ruthless and no-nonsense murder-happy leader was something they could cope with. It was something they knew and accepted long ago. This way, at least, nobody would try giving her grief by openly defying her as they would know there are consequences to certain actions.
That's why she could ignore the few hateful glares in the crowd. They were almost pathetic, to be honest. As if she cared that her impromptu incineration class pissed somebody off. Idiots...
"You just couldn't resist offing him with a kunai, could you?" Rei amusedly asked Pakura as she arrived at the center of the stands, ignoring the Daimyo who wisely stayed quiet.
"I am not sure I know what you mean." Pakura chuckled.
"Oh, get off it, woman," Rei playfully rolled his eyes. "You could have thrown the Jutsu that incinerated Rasa's corpse at the start and there would be a high chance Rasa would fall for it, not expecting something of that scale right off the bat. You and your pride," He mock-sighed, "even refusing to use Emerald for this fight."
Pakura could only blush at the admonishment from her husband, knowing he was right.
"Rasa always bitched and moaned about my fighting style when we were jonins. He always mocked me for using kunais too much and said I should focus solely on my bloodline in this utterly cocksure self-absorbed condescending tone that could piss off even a monk." Pakura awkwardly shrugged, "I think this was poetic justice. Plus I didn't want to just steam-roll him. He was a leader using overwhelming power. I wanted to show I am different in my approach."
"If you are su-" Rei was about to reply when a childish roar interrupted him.
Chiyo was taking Temari and Kankuro to see the new Kazekage, hoping to introduce them now that they belonged to Pakura. The law about the Grudge Match for the Hereditary Ruling Position was a brutal one. The Sabaku clan made it so in order to prevent others from trying to use it against them, after all. Not only did a clan or person need a majority in the council voting in favor of it on top of Daimyo's approval... both parties put forward the highest stakes which made many people think twice before trying to go this route.
Namely, their families.
While the Sabaku clan was not affected at all, Rasa's children now officially belonged to Pakura with their social status suddenly becoming a very flexible thing. Pakura could do anything from adopting them as her own to making them into servants or even slaves. Nobody could complain because it was all in the scope of the law. What was previously added to discourage challengers from attempting to make use of the very law now could quickly become the undoing of the Sabaku siblings. Not that Gaara had anything to fear from Pakura. In this one instance, his special status was actually a boon rather than a curse.
Chiyo didn't want to see Kankuro, one of her quite gifted students, reduced to a slave because of Pakura's vindictiveness. She wanted the boy to continue in the art of puppetry and as such, she made it her mission to talk with Pakura while introducing her new charges. While Chiyo remembered Pakura from all these years ago and the woman didn't seem the slavery type but one simply never knew in the ninja world.
That's why the world spun in front of Chiyo when the very first thing Kankuro did after seeing Pakura's back was to tear himself from Temari's grip and charge at the killer of his father, roaring in rage while brandishing a kunai like a maniac. It would have been funny too if the foolish kid didn't trip in the middle of his charge and almost slit his throat on his own kunai.
Temari's heart leaped to her throat as the world slowed down, making her watch the pointy end of the kunai approach Kankuro's neck without being able to do anything about it. Only Pakura's quick reaction stopped the offending steel a half-inch from the boy's skin as she forcefully flipped him on his back, tearing the weapon from his hand.
"This," Pakura lazily waved the kunai in front of the frightened, hyperventilating Kankuro, "is a weapon. Not a toy." She admonished, adding a bit of her killing intent.
Rei could only marvel that for some reason, in Sunagakure, scaring kids witless with killing intent was deemed a totally good way to make kids attentive. 'And they wonder why the kid likes to wear make-up...'
Temari shook herself from the horror she felt and instantly ran in front of Kankuro, shielding him with her body, "Please! He didn't mean it! Please forgive him!" She pleaded while the Suna ninjas watched with bated breath how this would unfold.
Pakura snorted. 'Didn't mean it? Yeah, right. The next time I run somebody through with a kunai I will also proclaim I did not mean it and everything will be just peachy, won't it?' Taking a good look at the young blonde though... Pakura saw something interesting there.
"Tell you what, girl. You now belong to me. I might not like it but since I did challenge your father, I take you as my responsibility. I can pardon your idiot of a brother and even help strengthen the jinchuuriki's seal so he can sleep during the night," The more Pakura said, the bigger and more hopeful Temari's eyes became, "but I want something in return." Temari gulped, deep down knowing she would accept no matter what in order to help her brothers. Pakura started to really like the determined look in the girl. She reminded her of younger Maki. It was then she decided... "I want you to be my personal kunoichi."
Temari's jaw dropped while the winds caressed the speechless spectators as yet another bomb was dropped in the already too eventful day.
As for Pakura... She only grabbed the Kazekage hat and leisurely put it on her head, enjoying the silence as she smiled at grinning Rei. "Ah... I could get used to this."
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