"Ran…? Did she really mean that?"Uchiha Liuhua stared at him, disbelief written all over her face."She's saying the Third Kazekage—the one hailed as the strongest Kazekage since Sunagakure's founding—vanished inside his own village?"
Ran nodded calmly, confirming that she hadn't misheard a single word.
Just as she'd heard it—A Kage-level powerhouse had disappeared from his own ninja village without a trace.
It was an utterly explosive revelation.
It was like hearing that the president of a superpower had an accident in his pants—shocking, sure, but still within the realm of embarrassment.But if someone said the president had vanished from the heavily guarded White House itself?
That was a full-blown catastrophe.
"So… what do we do now?"Liuhua murmured, almost to herself, before lifting her head again.
"Ran, you keep Ye Cang under continuous Sharingan control and escort her toward Konoha. I'll return immediately and report this to the Third Hokage."
In Liuhua's judgment, Ye Cang couldn't be killed.
First, this wasn't wartime.Second, Ye Cang was an elite jōnin of Sunagakure—and she'd come to the border specifically to search for the missing Kazekage. Given the circumstances, her actions were understandable.
If Sunagakure lost a Kazekage and an elite jōnin on top of that…The Sand Village would lose its mind.
After weighing everything, Liuhua decided to hand the matter over to the Third Hokage—Sarutobi Hiruzen—and let him deal with it at the highest level.
"I'm heading out," Liuhua said, flashing a hand sign before leaving."And behave yourself, Ran-kun. No getting handsy with the girl, okay?"
"Wait, Liuhua-nee!"
She paused and turned back."What is it, Ran?"
"If Danzo-sama happens to be in the Third Hokage's office…" Ran said evenly, "please say a few extra words."
Liuhua blinked."You… want me to pass along a message? Since when are you connected to Shimura Danzo?"
"When you get there," Ran replied calmly,"just say: 'Danzo-sama, it's good that you're here as well. Uchiha Ran specifically asked me to share this intelligence with you.'Then explain the situation with the Kazekage and Ye Cang. That's all."
Liuhua stared at him for a moment—then broke into a sly grin.
"You're really wicked," she chuckled."…But I like it."
"The situation's urgent," Ran urged."If you delay another day or two, the Sand ninja will definitely start reacting."
Liuhua glanced back at Ran one last time, raised an eyebrow teasingly—and vanished in a blur.
What does she even take me for…Ran sighed helplessly before lowering Ye Cang from the tree.
Honestly—With her bound like this, if he had a carrying pole, he could've hauled her away like livestock.
Shaking the ridiculous image from his mind, Ran lifted Ye Cang and slung her over his shoulder.
Completely dominated by Dreamlike Mortal World, layered atop Sharingan genjutsu, Ye Cang had already regained consciousness—But she had zero control over her body.
Her condition felt incredibly strange.
She was fully aware.She could sense the outside world.But she couldn't mobilize chakra, couldn't move her body—Except for her eyes.
"This is the Uchiha's Sharingan," Ran said calmly as he walked."Even without the Mangekyō, I'm special among my clan. The only reason you can move your eyelids right now is because I'm allowing it. Otherwise, you'd be lying there like a corpse."
As she listened, Ye Cang rapidly analyzed the situation.
First—these two Uchiha didn't intend to kill her.Second—the Uchiha woman had disappeared, likely returning to report this matter.From this, Ye Cang concluded that the Kazekage's disappearance probably had little to do with Konoha.
As Ran carried her forward, he noticed her blinking repeatedly.
"I know what you're thinking," he said lightly."But I can tell you this much with absolute certainty—the disappearance of your Kazekage has nothing to do with Konoha."
Ye Cang blinked again.
"Have you ever considered," Ran continued,"that it might've been the work of someone he knew… or even a decision he made himself?"
That… is possible.Ye Cang's thoughts churned.
Sensing her silence, Ran knew she had begun calculating on her own.
He's right, Ye Cang admitted inwardly.It's strange that no one in the village suspected the Third Kazekage was taken by someone familiar… or that he left voluntarily.
It couldn't be voluntary, she reasoned.If he left on his own, he would've left a message. And no foreign ninja could've breached Sunagakure's defenses and abducted him.
Which means… it had to be someone he trusted?
Ye Cang felt like she was closing in on something.
But at the same time, a new problem emerged.
Ebizo and Chiyo were loyal to the Third Kazekage to the bone—there was no chance they'd harm him.Bunpuku had no ambition to become Kazekage.Sasori of the Red Sand had long since vanished.The remaining elders and elite jōnin lacked both opportunity and motive.
"Wait—hold on!"
Ye Cang's heart jolted.
I think… I know.
"Ye Cang," Ran said evenly,"You don't need to worry about your life. Our villages are still under a ceasefire agreement. If Danzo-sama is convinced, the worst outcome is that Konoha demands some compensation before releasing you."
She barely registered his words.
Of course she wasn't going to be killed—If they wanted her dead, she would've died long ago.
A terrifying hypothesis was forming in her mind.
Who benefits the most…That person is always the prime suspect.
Without question—
Rasa.
With the Third Kazekage gone, every elite jōnin—including herself—had been dispatched to the borders to search.Meanwhile, Rasa, already possessing Kage-level strength, remained stationed at the village's core—immovable.
In an emergency, the elders could appoint a temporary Fourth Kazekage.And with Rasa already holding the center…
The probability of him becoming the interim Fourth Kazekage was frighteningly high.
By the time they returned to the village, Rasa could already be firmly seated as the Fourth Kazekage.
Damn it…Was all of this really Rasa's scheme?Did the elders get dragged into it too? No… no way… right?
Even though it was still only speculation, Ye Cang couldn't ignore how plausible it felt.
Damn it, damn it!How can Sunagakure ever grow strong with people like this in charge?!
Then another thought struck her.
And me?What am I now?
A bargaining chip between villages?A political achievement that legitimizes Rasa's rise to power?
Her mood plunged.
Not only had the Kazekage position slipped permanently beyond her reach—Her rival Rasa might ascend in her place.
Worse still—
She herself might become the stepping stone that helped Rasa officially become the Fourth Kazekage.
If her suspicions were true…She couldn't even voice them without shattering Sunagakure's unity.
Damn it… why did this have to happen to me?!
Unconcerned with the storm of thoughts raging in the woman over his shoulder,Uchiha Ran continued his steady march toward Konoha, calm and unhurried.