10 Chapter 10: Voice

When Rasa was about to leave the meeting room, the door suddenly opened abruptly.

….

"Kazekage-sama! There's a big commotion outside!" - (Jonin)

Everyone in the room looked at each other and decided to go see what's happening.

–Kazekage building, Rooftop–

"What's going on here?" - (Rasa) said after seeing the huge crowd of people below them.

"Preserve the peace! Preserve the peace! Preserve the peace!" - (People) chanted these words again and again.

Rasa hopped on his gold sand and hovered above the crowd so that everyone could see him.

"What's the meaning of this?" - (Rasa)

"Kazekage-sama, we trusted you!" - (Civilian 1)

"We believed that you could change the fate of our village! But why are you resorting to war now?!" - (Civilian 2)

"Do you really want our village to collapse?!" - (Village 3)

Many more grievances were shouted at Rasa. These people still haven't heard the news about the agreement of the daimyos and Rasa doesn't have any intention of telling them. He will continue what he started.

Ever since the civilians learned about the war when Rasa announced it a week ago, they've been distressed and worried. It's been more than a decade since the last war ended but they still remember their comrades who died for nothing. All it caused them was suffering and regret. Right now, their village is on the verge of collapse and they couldn't believe the leader they trusted is going to risk everything without even trying the alternative.

A decade ago, the same thing happened in Konoha. Even though they came out of war victorious everytime, the people just couldn't accept the lives they lost. Because of this, the people protested and the higher ups didn't have a choice but to make Hiruzen step down on his position as Hokage and passed the hat to Minato.

And for Suna, a village that lost every war, what the people are feeling is even greater than that of Konoha's. What's more, one wrong step and their village is done for. So for the past week, they gathered together and they came to the conclusion that they need to voice out their hearts and form a protest.

"Everyone! I understand what you're feeling. But do not fret. Unlike the previous wars, we will be victorious this time." - (Rasa)

"All the Kazekages had promised that! But none of them were able to fulfill it! - (Elderly Civilian)

"Everyone. All I'm asking is for you to believe in me one last time. When this war ends, I promise that our village will return to its former glory, more glorious than it ever was." - (Rasa)

But even after saying that, the crowd didn't stop. They continued to rain him with words.

…

"Silence!" - (Rasa) yelled but no one listened.

"I said, SILENCE!" - (Rasa) repeated himself, but this time he released the pressure of his chakra that almost rival that of Shukaku. Indicating that he's not having it anymore and he's really angry.

The crowd got silenced and some of them almost suffocated, even the council was affected.

"From this moment forth, I will put the whole village under martial law! All of you are to obey me without any complaints until the war ends! All of those who disobey will be sentenced to death!" - (Rasa)

"W-What do you think you're doing?! You have no power to declare martial law all by yourself! You're clearly crossing the line here, Rasa!" - (Member 2) bravely reminded Rasa while dropping the honorifics.

Rasa looked towards him with a glare that can pierce through someone's soul. Seeing this, Member 2 was taken aback.

Right now, Rasa is really angry. He had done everything he could to hold the village together and prevent it from collapsing. Sometimes, he didn't even sleep just to make sure everything is alright and functioning properly, but that is not enough to satisfy his people. As time goes by, he feels like everything he had done was for nothing. He's really getting tired of it. The only way for him to turn these around is through war. But the people don't understand that, none of them understand.

When he was about to leave, a small rock was thrown at him. But with his senses and reflex, his sand caught it easily. Not long after, many more rocks were thrown with boos coming from the people. In their minds, this is the worst Kazekage they've ever had. A Kazekage who will not hesitate to control the masses just to realize his selfish wish.

Rasa is getting crazy day by day. The only way for him to vent his frustration and anger was when training with Gaara. But now, Gaara can just kill whenever he wants. He abandoned everything after his wife died so that he could focus more on the village, the village he swore to protect. But he didn't notice that it was slowly eating him, devouring his sanity every second.

As more people began to show their discontent towards him and their conviction to stop the war no matter what, boiling with anger, Rasa snapped.

"YOUUU!!! IS THIS HOW YOU REPAY ME!!!" - (Rasa) said with veins bulging on his face to his neck.

All Rasa's reasoning was cut off, all he has in mind is how these people, who he had served for more than a decade, treated him.

He lifted his arms upward and the gold sand inside his gourd moved above the crowd. With all his might, he swung his arms downward, followed by his sand.

Seeing this, all the people under the sand couldn't move. As the sand falls on to them, threatening to drown and crush them to death, they pray in their mind for someone, somewhere, to save them or at least defeat Rasa before he brings destruction to their village.

Everyone closed their eyes, accepting their fate. They waited and waited but the pain they're expecting didn't come.

When they opened their eyes, they saw a blood colored structure that was hovering above their heads and protecting them from their inevitable deaths. The structure above them didn't even budge in the face of their Kazekage's sand, the same sand that could easily overpowered a tailed-beast.

….