Naruto: Marionette of Suna

[Year 52, Sunagakure]

— Rasa —

"So who is the current Anbu Commander? Do you know anything about him?" Rasa asked.

Souei walked a step ahead. He glanced over his shoulder at Rasa. "Not much," Souei admitted. "He goes by the code name Rylan, which I think means 'the small king' in the old language. It's an inherited name meant for all the reigning Anbu Commanders. The idea is to be the small king that guides the winds surrounding the sands of the village in support of the Kazekage."

Rasa raised an eyebrow. "That's... poetic. Unexpected for a village like ours."

Souei shrugged. "Perhaps. But poetic or not, the role of an Anbu Commander is shrouded in secrecy. No one really knows what they do except for the Kazekage themselves. The identities of Anbu personnel are already A-Rank secrets. It goes double for the Anbu Commander, since they are privy to a lot of sensitive information that pertains to the village, and is considered an S-Rank secret instead. Anyone who knew the true identity of the Anbu Commander prior to him taking the position would have to swear an oath of secrecy, with death being the punishment for breaking it." 

"Harsh, but fair I guess." Rasa said, grimacing. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of unease. Even as a Jonin, the inner workings of the village's highest ranks often felt like an entirely different world. All he knew of shinobi politics were the things taught at the academy.

Their steps brought them to the centre of the village, where a large ovular structure stood. Rasa eyed the Kazekage Palace, a massive kanji for "Wind" painted in red that caught the sunlight. Rasa couldn't help but consider it as a beacon for all citizens of Suna.

As they approached the large double doors of the Kazekage Palace, two masked Anbu guards stepped aside silently, already expecting them. The pair made their way through the polished sandstone halls. The temperature inside was markedly cooler, with Rasa spotting seals written on the walls at even intervals. 'A seal for cooling the air perhaps? I guess certain precautions are needed to fight the desert heat.'

Rasa couldn't help but glance at the intricate carvings on the walls depicting the history of Sunagakure's founding. The first Kazekage stood tall in one mural, his hands raised as if to command the sands themselves. There were others of old and ancient battles held within the Land of Wind. One mural that caught his attention was of a massive war, where shinobi from Suna fought against a gigantic tanuki, made entirely out of sand with black and blue markings all over its body, with one tail behind it that smashed an entire contingent of Suna Shinobi with one swing.

Rasa was entranced by the image. The way that the mural depicted the invincibility of the creature was enthralling. Numerous jutsu's merely glanced off its hide, conventional weapons like swords or kunai that sank harmlessly to its sandy flesh.

'Such power. Is this the Ichibi? One of the tailed beasts?'

Rasa remembered Han's power back in Kamino. He also remembered the Kazekage's lessons about the Ichibi being the progenitor of the Magnet Release. He wondered if there was ever a way to harness that power. 'What did Souei call them, Jinchuuriki?'

A hand on his shoulder jolted him from his musings as Souei gave him a look of concern. "Hey you okay?"

Rasa gave a nod. "I'm fine." He then gestured to the mural. "I merely found it interesting. Nothing to be concerned about."

Souei studied him for a second before acquiescing. "Alright then."

Finally, they arrived at a modestly furnished office near the heart of the palace. Sitting behind the large desk was a tall man with spiky brown hair partially hidden beneath a turban. His outfit was a blend of practicality and menace—a long black cape draped over his shoulders, paired with grey pants and a dark brown vest. His face was obscured by a mask, leaving only sharp, calculating eyes visible. A long, curved scythe was strapped to his back, its presence unnervingly casual.

[Anbu Commander Image]

The man would look up, seeing both Souei and Rasa at the door before gesturing for them to enter. As soon as they did, Rylan made a quick one-handed seal. Faint glowing runes sprang to life around the walls of the office.

"A silencing seal. Anything we discuss here will not be heard outside the room." He clarified, as he inclined his head. "It's a pleasure to meet you both, Souei, Rasa. You may call me Rylan."

As Souei returned the greeting with a nod of his head, Rasa took a moment to study the man who held one of the most secretive and powerful positions in the village. Despite the scythe and the mask, there was something almost... subdued about Rylan. He didn't radiate the overwhelming aura of danger Rasa had expected from the Anbu Commander. Instead, he exuded a quiet, calculating confidence that was, in its own way, more unsettling.

"It's an honor," Rasa said finally, giving a slight bow.

Rylan inclined his head in acknowledgment. "The honor is mine, Rasa. I've heard promising things about you." His gaze shifted to Souei. "And, of course, about you as well."

Rasa resisted the urge to shift uncomfortably under the compliment, unsure if it was genuine or merely a formality. He was young by Jonin standards and still found it difficult to gauge the sincerity of people who wielded power.

"I assume the Kazekage has informed you of the true nature of your mission in returning here?" Seeing them nod in confirmation, Rylan continued. "Good, which means we can cut straight through the chase. I have members of the Special Investigative Task Force scouring through the academy and library to determine exactly which intelligence was stolen. Hopefully we can make counter measures depending on just what they know of our operations."

"How did they even get in? Despite having a spy, we have sentries stationed in every corner of the village. How did no one see them come?"

Rylan let out an audible sigh at Souei's question. "What I'm about to say is technically above your pay grade, but considering current circumstances, I'll make an exception. There are numerous hidden pathways and entrances around the village that could lead to the surrounding desserts. They were built by the First Kazekage when the village was first founded as contingencies just in case a quick escape was needed. One such tunnel is located beneath the hospital. Judging from these foreign shinobi's movements, that was the tunnel they originated from."

"But knowledge of these tunnels would be heavily guarded, wouldn't it?" Rasa questioned with a frown. "You even said that it was above our pay grade and we're Jonin. Which means the only people who knows about this are—"

"The higher ups of the village." Souei finished grimly. His eyes narrowed. "Which also means that the traitor is among them." 

Rylan's grim nod told them that the man had already come to the same conclusion. "Most of the higher-ranking shinobi are currently with the Kazekage in the Land of Rain. This gives us a unique opportunity to investigate their residences for anything suspicious."

Rasa exchanged a glance with Souei. The implications were staggering. A traitor among the village's elite? It was almost unthinkable. And yet, the logic was sound. Who else could pull these actions but them? Few people knew of Souei's mission to the Land of Vegetables, Rasa himself only learned of it after Souei had returned. But if the traitor was among the village's main council, then a lot of things suddenly made sense.

"That's where you two come in," Rylan continued. "I can't move openly against them. As the interim Kazekage, too many eyes are on me. But you two are merely rising stars of the next generation. You can move freely without drawing suspicion. If you find anything, we'll present the evidence to the Kazekage, who will handle the arrests personally."

Rasa's jaw tensed as he processed the task ahead. He wasn't naive enough to think the mission would be simple. Searching the homes of high-ranking shinobi wasn't just dangerous, but they also had to be discreet. If knowledge that a higher-ranking member of the village turned traitor, it would hurt the routing morale of every single Suna shinobi.

"Understood," Souei said firmly, breaking the silence. "Do you have specific targets in mind?"

Rylan handed over a scroll. "This contains a list of potential suspects. Focus on their private quarters. Look for anything unusual—correspondence, coded messages, maps of the tunnels. Anything that seems out of place."

Rasa accepted the scroll, his fingers tightening around it. "We'll get it done."

The conversation continued as they discussed logistics and precautions. Rasa found himself stealing glances at Rylan, trying to decipher the man's demeanor. Despite the dire nature of their discussion, Rylan remained calm and composed, his voice steady. It was clear he was used to operating in high-stakes situations.

When the meeting finally concluded, Rylan deactivated the silencing seal and stood. "Good luck," he said, his tone carrying a weight that made Rasa's chest tighten. "The future of Sunagakure may very well depend on your success."

As they left the office, the cool air of the palace gave way to the sweltering heat outside. Rasa shielded his eyes against the sun, glancing at Souei as they descended the steps.

"Well," Rasa said, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "This just got a lot more interesting."

Souei chuckled. "Interesting isn't the word I'd use, but sure. Let's see what we can dig up."

_____________________________

— Souei Matsuri —

A figure approached them as soon as they reached the double doors of the Kazekage Palace. He was a familiar man, though looking much older than Souei remembered.

"Uncle Ebizo?"

His uncle wasn't that old, but it was difficult to see as the man's face had weathered with age. Lines of wisdom and sorrow were present and his usual sharp eyes could no longer be seen.

"I'll meet you at Training Ground 8." Rasa said, breaking Souei's reverie. It seems his friend had noticed the family matter and opted to leave him to it. Rasa gave Ebizo a small nod of acknowledgement before heading off.

Ebizo gave a small smile at Rasa's retreating figure before turning to face Souei. "Walk with me, Souei. There is a matter we need to discuss. " 

Souei obliged, falling into step beside the elder as they made their way through the winding streets of Sunagakure.

As they walked, Souei couldn't help but take in his surroundings. The streets, though bustling, felt like they carried a heavier weight than usual. The villagers moved with purpose, but their eyes darted nervously as though they expected danger at any moment. The recent infiltration had shaken the entire village, and even those who didn't know the specifics could feel the unease hanging in the air.

"How are you, Souei?" Ebizo asked after a moment, his voice breaking the silence.

Souei hesitated. "I'm... doing alright," he replied. If he was honest, he wasn't entirely sure how he was doing, not after everything that had happened. The war, Chiyo's death, and now this new mission. It's been over two months since he had seen Rukia too. He misses her. 

Thankfully, Ebizo didn't press further, simply nodding as though he understood.

"When I heard you and Chiyo…" Ebizo shook his head as he sighed. "There's no easy way to say this, so I'm just going to head straight to the point."

Ebizo stopped walking and turned to face him. He looked Souei straight in the eye, and for a moment, the elder's presence felt as solid and immovable as the desert's great dunes. "After careful consideration with the clan's elders, It is decided that you shall be the next head of the Matsuri Clan, succeeding Chiyo's position."

Souei's breath caught in his throat. He blinked, certain he'd misheard, but Ebizo's expression was unwavering. "What? But I shouldn't be. Sasori is Aunt Chiyo's direct descendant. He's the one—"

"Sasori is the one who wanted this." Ebizo interjected firmly. "I've spoken with him about this. He doesn't see himself as a leader. That boy had always been too smart for his own good, but he lacks the temperament to guide a clan. He was the one who recommended your name to the other elders, saying you would be the perfect fit."

Souei was momentarily stunned. He didn't realize how much Sasori looked up to him.

"But I'm not ready," Souei said, his voice quieter now, almost pleading. "I... I can't be. I'm just—"

"Souei," Ebizo interrupted, his tone softening. "You made Jonin at 14 years old. You are the personal apprentice to the Centipede, one of Suna's most renowned shinobi. You were taught by Chiyo herself. You had walked into the jaws of death and emerged alive. Your efforts in the war earned you an A-rank threat designation from Iwa, and you have the respect of countless shinobi in this village. You have personal connections with the Hoku Clan and with the only other magnet release user in the village aside from the Kazekage. You are the perfect fit."

Souei opened his mouth to protest, to argue, but no words came out. His mind was racing, a storm of doubts and insecurities clashing with Ebizo's words. Memories of Chiyo surfaced unbidden; the warmth of her smile, the lessons she imparted, the pride in her eyes as she handed him her final gift.

He remembered her last words to him, spoken in the quiet of her workshop. "Take care of Sasori and Ebizo for me, Souei, you're the only one I can count on to protect them after I'm gone."

A lump formed in his throat as he realized what she'd meant. This was her final wish, her last act of faith in him. How could he refuse? How could he let her down?

Taking a deep breath, Souei closed his eyes, allowing the storm within him to settle. When he opened them again, only resolve remained.

"I'll do it."

_____________________________

AN: A new character introduced! Anbu Commander Rylan was first mentioned back in Chapter 36. 11 chapters later, he finally takes the stage. A new mission is revealed and Souei finally takes his place as Matsuri Clan Head. 

As always, advanced chapters on my patreon. Chapter 48 should be available by the time this chapter was uploaded. Just search up my name on the site.

Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!