Inside the Kazekage's office, Rasa was nursing a headache.
The Elder Council's response had left him little room to maneuver.
Opening over three hundred Genin slots was something he had initially rejected outright. However, once the matter was tied to the joint Chūnin Exams and the preparations for the elite ninja academy, prolonged negotiations forced his hand.
As Kazekage, Rasa had no choice but to compromise.
Shiraishi's original proposal—just over two hundred slots—had, under Ebizō's maneuvering, expanded directly to three hundred.
In exchange, future graduation numbers from the public academy would be capped at fifty per class.
The newly established elite ninja academy, however, would have no graduation limits at all.
That was the blade of compromise.
From Ebizō's perspective, securing a guaranteed fifty graduates per year was already a victory—especially after obtaining three hundred Genin slots in one sweep.
Though these Genin were weak for now, they represented fresh blood aligned with the Elder Council. After all, their very existence as ninja depended on the public academy.
Rasa understood the Council's intentions clearly.
But as Kazekage, he could not afford to lean entirely toward one side. Offering concessions to the Elders was part of maintaining equilibrium.
The Elder Council was notoriously difficult to deal with—especially with Chiyo and Ebizō still alive. Rasa had no choice but to continue this delicate dance.
That did not mean he wanted to destroy the public academy.
In truth, Rasa admired Konoha's educational model more than anyone.
A system that elevated civilian-born ninja to challenge clan monopolies—something other villages could only envy.
Yet reality was cruel.
With the elite academy's creation, the Elder Council had effectively become the symbolic representatives of civilian ninja, while Rasa himself was branded as the figurehead of elite clan education.
That label would not fade anytime soon.
And with Shiraishi now serving as one of the public academy's core leaders, the boy would inevitably become a political asset in future Kazekage succession struggles.
Rasa saw it all clearly.
Ebizō's timing had been impeccable—leaving him no room to refuse.
All he could do now was wait for the joint Chūnin Exams to conclude, then resume his long-term contest with the Elders.
Still—
One concern gnawed at him.
Yamaji Jushin's health was rapidly failing.
She did not have much time left.
And when she was gone, leadership of the Yamaji clan would fall to Yamaji Ryōko.
The battle at Kikyo Pass had worsened Jushin's old injuries. Though she and Ebizō had endured until the fighting ended, the clan matriarch's remaining lifespan was painfully limited.
The future of the Yamaji clan—and by extension, the Sand-Release Three Lineages—now rested on Reiko.
For Rasa, that prospect was deeply unsettling.
This distant relative was, frankly, a liability.
Yet once she became the clan's true power holder, he would have no choice but to cooperate with her.
Another tragedy of the Sand-Release lineages.
As for the Arakawa clan, their heir, Arakawa Maru—recently taken in as Rasa's student—showed little promise as a leader.
One incompetent successor after another.
And against this backdrop, Shiraishi's existence had become glaringly conspicuous.
As Rasa sank deeper into thought, there was a soft knock at the door.
"Come in."
"Gaara… you look exhausted."
No—Karura.
When his wife entered, Rasa's expression softened immediately. Toward her, he showed none of the hardness he wore for the world.
"Drink some hot tea," Karura said gently, handing him a cup. "You've been pushing yourself too hard."
"The Kazekage's seat," Rasa sighed, "may be the hardest position among the Five Great Villages."
"I disagree," Karura replied calmly. "The Hokage's burden is heavier. Konoha is surrounded. Every decision must account for countless interests. The Uchiha, the Hyūga—those clans are far more domineering than the Sand-Release lineages."
Her reassurance did little to ease his mind.
Still, Rasa stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her.
"Karura," he said quietly, "do you still want to have more children… for me?"
The recent parade of incompetent heirs had struck a nerve.
In that moment, Rasa made up his mind to plan for the next generation himself.
"…Yes," Karura answered softly.
Just then—
Knock. Knock.
The moment shattered.
At the doorway stood Shiraishi.
Karura's cheeks flushed faintly as she slipped past him and left the office, while the boy froze in momentary confusion.
Rasa cleared his throat.
"Cough. What brings you here?"
"It concerns the academy's funding," Shiraishi replied, regaining composure instantly.
He placed a stack of documents on the desk—reports detailing months of unpaid salaries for several instructors.
The issue had been endlessly passed around by the upper administration.
Unable to resolve it himself, Shiraishi had come directly to the Kazekage.
Many of the teachers who remained at the public academy did so not for profit, but out of commitment to education.
Most were civilian-born.
They empathized deeply with the students' circumstances.
But ideals did not pay for food.
Several months without pay had pushed them into genuine hardship.
"They can take missions," Rasa said curtly. "Or assist at Kikyo Pass. This is wartime—compensation is available."
His tone was sharp, impatient.
A bureaucrat's answer.
Shiraishi adjusted his glasses, nodded calmly—
—and turned to leave without another word.
Outside the office, his expression darkened.
Rasa's response reflected the broader attitude of Sunagakure's leadership.
The public academy was being allowed to wither.
Indifference masquerading as necessity.
He was the Kazekage.
Did he truly lack any sense of long-term balance?
Civilian and clan interests had to coexist—not annihilate one another.
Shiraishi was no politician.
But the fragments of memory within him had taught him enough to understand this.
Disappointment settled heavily in his chest.
If the Kazekage would not act—
Then he would find another way.
"You're going to the Land of Wind's capital?"
The capital city—where the Wind Daimyō resided—was another oasis not far from Sunagakure. Compared to the harsh desert village, it was a thriving commercial hub.
Most Sunagakure ninja rarely went there unless on assignment.
But Shiraishi needed funds.
And opportunity.
"Not just for salaries," he replied evenly. "The academy needs repairs. Facilities need upgrades. All of that requires money."
The public academy had reached a breaking point.
And if no one else would save it—
Then he would.
If you want to read more, join my Patreon/kazama677
I will drop 1 bonus chapter for every 50 Power Stones