[TL/N: New Book -
Anime Group Chat in a Doomsday World!]
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"What!? A creature as powerful as a tailed beast!?"
"And yet obey human commands!?"
In a confidential conference room surrounded by high-ranking officials, Granny Chiyo stared at Rasa, her face marked by shock.
Perhaps it was the frequent occurrence of unbelievable events in this world that led Chiyo to believe Rasa was neither hallucinating nor lying.
Ebizo, seated nearby, fell into deep contemplation.
This matter was no trivial issue.
In fact, it was so significant that plans to attack Konoha and other priorities had to take a back seat.
In the current ninja world, tailed beasts were akin to nuclear weapons possessed by each village.
You might not use them often, but having one was essential.
The village or nation with more "nuclear weapons" naturally held more power and influence.
The room quickly filled with lively debate.
The entire conference room buzzed as the council began a heated discussion over the implications of Rasa's revelation.
Finally, Granny Chiyo brought the room to order, her voice cutting through the commotion.
Although her title was "elder," her authority in the Sand Ninja Village rivaled—even surpassed—that of Rasa, the Kazekage.
In fact, Rasa had ascended to the Kazekage position on Chiyo's recommendation, a testament to her influence in the village.
Chiyo fixed her eyes on Rasa and asked, "Are you certain you can invite the dimensional merchant here to negotiate a deal?"
"I'm absolutely certain!"
Rasa nodded emphatically.
Now that he was a trader, he had access to the dimensional merchant through Rotom on his phone.
"Hmm..."
Chiyo fell silent, lost in thought.
Moments later, she broke her silence with a decisive tone:
"Since Orochimaru has betrayed us, there is no reason to continue with the plan to attack Konoha."
"Instead, we will inform Konoha about Orochimaru's plan to attack them. Let them tear each other apart!"
"I can already imagine that old fox Sarutobi losing sleep over the thought of his apprentice scheming against Konoha!"
She let out a cold chuckle, a hint of vindication in her tone.
Then, Chiyo added:
"Send word to Baki, who is currently in Konoha. Inform him that the plan has changed. He should participate in Konoha's Chunin Exam without stirring up any trouble."
"Yes, ma'am!"
A subordinate promptly acknowledged the order and rushed out of the room.
But before the messenger could leave, Chiyo called out:
"Wait!"
Turning toward Rasa, her expression calm yet resolute, she asked:
"Rasa, can you confirm when the dimensional merchant will be available for a transaction?"
"This..."
Rasa hesitated briefly, pulling out his Rotom Phone.
"If we have high-quality offerings for the deal, I can contact the dimensional merchant right now."
His words subtly hinted at their readiness to wager all of the Sand Ninja Village's secret ninjutsu on this trade.
While Rasa himself specialized in Magnetic Release, Granny Chiyo, unbound by bloodline limits, had mastered countless secret techniques unique to the Sand Ninja Village.
Many of these were forbidden jutsu passed down from the first and second Kazekage, knowledge stored only in the minds of the village's elder leaders, Chiyo and Ebizo.
It was this wealth of expertise that cemented their high status within the village.
After a brief pause, Chiyo nodded firmly.
Just as Rasa trusted her leadership as an elder, Chiyo had unwavering confidence in Rasa, her protégé and the third Kazekage's direct disciple.
"Alright, then proceed with the application for the trade."
Encouraged by Chiyo's approval, Rasa immediately tapped the option on his Rotom Phone.
A moment later, a pop-up appeared on the screen: [Please wait while the dimensional merchant reviews your transaction request...]
Seconds later, the message updated:
[Dimensional Merchant Crocodile has accepted your transaction request and will arrive at your location within three days. Please prepare accordingly.]
"Three days!?"
Rasa's lips curled into a faint smile as he read the message.
He immediately turned to Chiyo and reported: "The merchant has confirmed. The transaction will take place within three days!"
"Three days!"
Chiyo's eyes sparkled with determination as she swiftly issued a new command to the messenger ninja: "Hold off on notifying Konoha for now!"
"Wait until after we've completed the transaction with the dimensional merchant. Then inform Orochimaru of his plan to attack Konoha!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, Granny Chiyo turned to face the senior officials of the Sand Ninja Village. Their confused expressions did not faze her. She tapped the table lightly and began to explain: "The reason we planned to go to war with Konoha was solely because the Land of Wind has been providing less and less support to the Sand Ninja Village."
"Our goal in attacking Konoha was to demonstrate the strength of Sand Ninja Village to the daimyo of the Land of Wind."
"But..."
"Since attacking Konoha is no longer feasible, we must find another way to showcase our power to the daimyo!"
"You mean..."
Ebizo, standing beside Chiyo, quickly caught on to his sister's line of thinking.
"Exactly!!!"
Chiyo laughed heartily, her eyes gleaming with cunning.
"Since we can obtain incredible Pokémon from dimensional transactions—creatures as powerful as tailed beasts—why not display their strength during the Chunin Exam?"
The room fell silent for a moment, and then a collective realization swept over everyone present.
Yes!
The purpose of attacking Konoha was to prove their worth. But possessing tailed beast-level combat power would serve the same purpose without the need for war.
This approach would maintain their alliance with Konoha, avoid unnecessary sacrifice, and spare lives.
Moreover, it carried no downside except for possibly drawing attention to themselves as competitors against other ninja villages.
Almost instantly, Granny Chiyo's proposal was unanimously approved by the Sand Ninja Village's high-ranking officials.
As for whether they could exchange enough Pokémon through dimensional merchants?
Chiyo had no doubt!
As one of the five great ninja villages, the Sand Ninja Village had undergone generations of transformation and innovation under the guidance of brilliant leaders, accumulating a wealth of powerful ninjutsu.
None of the four first-generation Kages who rose during the era of Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara and founded the other great ninja villages were ordinary men!
Though subsequent generations might have fallen short of their ancestors' glory, the heritage they left behind was sufficient to maintain the village's standing in the ninja world.
But...
Just having ninjutsu wasn't enough.
Having experienced a dimensional transaction himself, Rasa understood what kinds of items qualified for redemption points.
Without hesitation, he ordered the entire village to collect items with unique powers, such as explosive tags and space scrolls.
Although these were common tools in the ninja world, they somehow held value in dimensional transactions, much like ninjutsu.
Regardless, it was clear: No recent accounts of dimensional merchants or transactions had surfaced.
While it was possible that other traders deliberately kept such dealings secret, it was equally likely that the Sand Ninja Village was among the first to make contact.
If they still failed to seize this opportunity to elevate their village, expand their territory, and dominate the desert, decades of political maneuvering would amount to nothing.
With the collective efforts of the Sand Ninja Village, they quickly amassed a large number of ninjutsu scrolls, many of which were meticulously reproduced.
Of course, some prominent clans initially attempted to withhold their own techniques. But in a close-knit village where everyone knew one another's resources, such attempts were short-lived.
When these clans were exposed, they retariated by accusing others of hiding their "treasures" as well.
Under the scrutiny of mutual suspicion and collective accountability, the entire Sand Ninja Village became surprisingly unified. Not a single clan managed to withhold its assets.
Eventually, the Elders Council of Sand Ninja Village unanimously decided that all materials—including unreproducible ninjutsu stored in their minds—would be offered for trade under Rasa's name.
This decision would ensure that Rasa's standing within the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce advanced by leaps and bounds, enabling access to even more miraculous products.
Once the village's fortunes and status improved through these transactions, the other leaders would not hesitate to seek benefits from Rasa.
For the ninjas of Sand Ninja Village, any sacrifice that advanced the well-being of their village was seen as justifiable—
Even if it meant sacrificing their own families.
The power known as time swept across the world like a raging torrent, transforming everything into something entirely different.
One month later,
Konoha Village.
Today marked the final round of the Chunin Examination in Konoha Village! Dignitaries from the Land of Fire, the Land of Wind, and even surrounding countries had gathered in the Leaf Village.
In the auditorium of the final venue, many notable figures from smaller nations were in attendance! The Daimyo of the Land of Fire sat in the prime viewing position, enjoying the best seat in the house.
As the host of the Chunin Examination, both the Hokage and Kazekage occupied special viewing spots.
Sitting next to the Hokage, Rasa, who exuded a completely different temperament, slowly removed his hat and turned his gaze toward the Third Hokage—who, despite his age, had stubbornly held onto his position and earned the title of "Doctor Ninja."
"It's quite lively," Rasa remarked first.
The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, smiled faintly and replied, "You certainly have a lot of work ahead of you, Kazekage."
"Hahaha..." Rasa seemed to ponder something before chuckling in response.
"It really is a lot of work, my apologies. Even my life seems to be at stake."
"Fortunately, it seems God is on my side."
"..."
Upon hearing Rasa's response, the Third Hokage fell silent for a moment, deep in thought.
After a long pause, he spoke again.
"Konoha will not simply overlook Orochimaru's betrayal."
"Konoha will certainly help you seek justice for the wrongs done to Sand Ninja Village."
"Ah, hahahaha! As expected, the Third Hokage is truly respected by the entire ninja world."
Rasa smiled and pursed his lips.
"But..."
"It's no longer necessary."
"We will settle the debt of Sand Ninja Village ourselves."
"Because I'll personally want to thank Orochimaru!"
In an instant, a powerful aura radiated from Rasa. It was a presence that would even surprise seasoned veterans like Hiruzen.
The Hokage's face showed a flicker of surprise, but upon recalling Orochimaru's secrets, his eyes narrowed. He slowly lowered his hat to cover his face completely and spoke in a calm tone:
"So, that's truly your intention. Thank you, Sand Ninja Village, for your hard work."
Despite his words, Hiruzen's mind was set—he would never allow Orochimaru to fall into the hands of another ninja village.
After all, Orochimaru held many of Konoha's secrets, including forbidden jutsu unique to the village. These were things no other ninja village could obtain.
Rasa had obviously been aware of this from the beginning. Noticing Hiruzen's sudden disinterest in further conversation, Rasa regained his composure under the watchful eyes of several ANBU members near the Hokage.
"Hahaha, let's watch the game, Third Hokage."
After all, today's main event was not the two of them seated in the high platforms.
With the enthusiastic cheers of the crowd, the Chunin Examination, hosted by Konoha, finally began.
Of course, there were a few minor surprises during the proceedings.
The most unexpected moment came when Uzumaki Naruto, the so-called "destined child" of this world, missed the opening ceremony due to his excessive training.
He then found himself chased by a herd of cattle, but he pushed through his own limits and forced his way to the venue.
The entire sequence was both extravagant and comical, drawing laughter from the audience.
But what was truly shocking was this:
This seemingly goofy figure, who appeared to be nothing more than a crowd-puller, had caused a massive upset!
He defeated Hyuga Neji, the genius of the Hyuga clan in Konoha!
The battle wasn't particularly flashy, but the frequent use of strange and unexpected moves set the whole venue ablaze with excitement!
...
...
"This kid..."
In the stands, Rasa suddenly narrowed his eyes.
Although it was only for a brief moment, the overwhelmingly evil and powerful aura emanating from the boy immediately caught his attention.
"If my guess is correct, that kid must be the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, right?"
Hiss~
"Konoha is truly bold, allowing their Jinchūriki to participate in such a public competition..."
"If they're not careful and he goes berserk..."
Realizing the identity of Uzumaki Naruto, Rasa couldn't help but take a sharp breath.
This situation was entirely different from sending Gaara.
The reason Sand Ninja Village allowed Gaara to take the Chūnin Exams was to provoke a berserk episode, unleash the One-Tailed Shukaku, and wreak havoc on Konoha.
But due to the recent changes in their plans, Gaara had to remain a participant in the finals.
Even so...
The thought of a tailed beast no longer intimidated Rasa.
He couldn't forget the number he saw displayed on his points balance during the dimensional transaction.
300,000.
A staggering total of 300k points!
With just 60,000 points, he could purchase a Pokémon rivaling the strength of a tailed beast. That sum alone would be enough to provide the Sand Ninja Village with five tailed beast-level combatants!
Rasa's eyes narrowed slightly as he turned his attention to Hiruzen, who had risen to preside over the event. A faint, knowing smirk appeared at the corners of his mouth.
---
Meanwhile...
Because Sasuke, the last remaining orphan of the Uchiha clan, had yet to appear—and most of the audience had come specifically to see him—Hiruzen was left with no choice but to postpone Sasuke's match.
The Third Hokage then moved the schedule forward to the third duel:
Kankuro of the Sand Ninja Village versus Aburame Shino from Konoha Village.
Unfortunately, both of them were relatively obscure compared to their teammates, garnering little attention from the crowd.
As a result, the audience wasn't particularly enthusiastic, merely hoping for the match to end quickly so they could see Sasuke's much-anticipated duel.
But what they didn't know was...
In five minutes, they would fall silent, captivated, and compelled to witness this battle with reverence.