"Lord Amado, what brings you here?"
Naruto left a shadow clone to continue training the youngsters and appeared beneath the shade of a tree. Amado had already been there, observing for quite some time.
"Just came to see Kawaki," Amado said, turning his head to look at the man who had suddenly appeared beside him.
"Is that so?" Naruto glanced at him.
"The Five Kage Summit seems to have convened. Is Your Excellency not attending?" Amado inquired, offering him a cigarette. "Care for one?"
Naruto accepted it. Although this man made him feel somewhat uneasy, he dared to accept a single cigarette. "I'm not one of the Five Kage. What qualification do I have to attend?"
"Your Excellency is too modest." Amado lit his cigarette, the rising smoke blurring his features.
"Your Excellency's technology, are you interested in making a deal?" Naruto asked, a small flame igniting on his index finger, lighting his own cigarette in a different manner. He wasn't being entirely truthful; a short while ago, the Seventh Hokage had already sent someone to invite him to the Five Kage Summit, and he had dispatched a shadow clone to attend.
"Hmm?" Amado looked at him, puzzled. "With Your Excellency's strength, you don't seem to need these things, do you?"
"My world's technological level lags far behind this world's. The people under me need these things," Naruto explained. This was another purpose for his visit to this world: to bring back this world's advanced technology to develop the Land of Dragon. After all, the Land of Dragon currently lacked resources and manpower. Without finding ways to compensate, it would be difficult to advance his plans. Controlling the Land of Tea and the Land of Rainbows was one such compensatory measure, but it would take a considerable amount of time to yield results.
"Technological development isn't achieved overnight. It requires a substantial foundation to be laid..."
"I can give you a promise. On the premise of not harming my own interests, I will agree to one condition of yours, even if it means attacking one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, excluding Konoha," Naruto stated his terms directly. His world and this world only had a time difference of about twenty years; the technological gap wasn't that severe. Many of the advanced technologies in this world already had nascent forms in his own.
"...Alright." Amado looked at him deeply, exhaled a puff of smoke, and directly agreed to the exchange.
Hokage Tower.
The Seventh Hokage was holding an online meeting via video conference with the other four Kage, discussing how to deal with the Kara organization. Nara Shikamaru stood beside him, offering strategies. Naruto Shadow Clone Ichimei, however, stood in a corner, not appearing in the Five Kage's video feed, quietly listening to their conversation.
"...According to Amado's intelligence, since Kara's base is located in an alternate dimension, the [Teleportation Devices] used for entry and exit are distributed in various locations. However, according to reports from our scouts, those devices have all been destroyed, likely by Code." Nara Shikamaru presented the intelligence gathered during this period. "Clearly, they anticipated our actions and took countermeasures."
"Is there only one base?" the Fourth Tsuchikage, Kurotsuchi, asked.
"We have also investigated other related facilities, but have found nothing," Nara Shikamaru shook his head.
"Can we only predict the enemy's objective and counterattack?" the Sixth Mizukage, Chojuro, frowned. "Do we know their objective?"
"There are two speculations. First, to retaliate against those involved in the subjugation of Otsutsuki Isshiki. Second, through the Ten-Tails, to once again cultivate a [God Tree]."
Hearing this, all four Kage couldn't help but frown. The Ten-Tails, for them, survivors of the Fourth Great Shinobi War, was a term they were unwilling to recall.
"The situation is extremely grave. Therefore, the Five Great Shinobi Villages must work together more closely to find Code in the shortest possible time," the Seventh Hokage said.
"Kumogakure is willing to contribute its strength, but I have a question," the Fifth Raikage, Darui, spoke up. "That scientist named Amado, can he truly be trusted? Of course, we fully trust Konoha, but after all, that fellow belonged to the enemy camp not long ago."
"To be honest, including myself, none of us trust him one hundred percent," the Seventh Hokage admitted. "But one thing is certain: for now, the intelligence he has provided is all true."
"I understand," Darui nodded.
"The remnants of Kara are a problem, but Momoshiki... or rather, Boruto, who is about to become Momoshiki." Gaara paused slightly. "I know this sounds cruel. When Boruto becomes Otsutsuki Momoshiki, can you bring yourself to subjugate him?"
Everyone's eyes focused, awaiting the Seventh Hokage's response.
Indeed, time and power are the greatest agents of change... Hearing Gaara's words, Shadow Clone Ichimei, standing to the side, couldn't help but sigh inwardly. The Gaara who once championed "great love" had also become so adept at scheming. To use the weight of the situation to force a father to make the choice of killing his own son, it was truly...
"Of course! I will do everything in my power to stop him, in the name of the Hokage!" the Seventh Hokage had just made his pledge when Shadow Clone Ichimei appeared beside him, placing a hand on his arm to stop him from saying more.
"Although I know this falls within your jurisdiction, I still want to say, you all are truly shameless."
"Your Excellency from another world, what do you mean by that?" Gaara frowned.
"You and I both know what I mean." Shadow Clone Ichimei looked directly into his eyes. "Let's not even talk about whether Boruto will become an Otsutsuki. Even if he does, whether to act or not is the Seventh Hokage's own decision, not a choice made under your coercion. Are you people, who bear the name of Kage, full of shit? You don't even dare to guarantee you'll act yourselves, yet you pressure others to act? Disgusting!"
"Your Excellency from another world, please watch your words!" Gaara said sharply.
"Believe it or not, I'll head to Sunagakure right now." Shadow Clone Ichimei's eyes narrowed, a hint of killing intent flashing within them.
"..." Gaara instantly fell silent. The other Kage chose to remain spectators.
"Calm down! Calm down!" The Seventh Hokage grabbed his arm and shook his head slightly.
Shadow Clone Ichimei glanced at the expressions of the Kage on the screen beside them and instantly lost interest. "I'm leaving."
Bang~
Gazing at the closed door, the Seventh Hokage looked at the silent Kage and gave an awkward smile. "Perhaps, we should adjourn today's meeting for now?"
"This is troublesome..." Code propped his chin on his hand, sighing helplessly. The difficulty of removing the [Limiter] had skyrocketed. This was not good news for him.
"My advice is to directly gouge out Amado's eyes," Eida said. "He's very smart. The more time you give him, the trickier things will become. I even suspect he already predicted the current situation, which is why he hid in Konoha so early on."
"Forget it. I'm not an idiot like Delta, to go to Konoha alone for this and put myself in danger. That would be putting the cart before the horse," Code shook his head. "Speaking of which, do you hate Amado that much? Gouging out someone's eyes, that's not something a beautiful woman should say," he asked curiously. "Is it because he modified your body?"
"That's only one of the reasons," Eida didn't elaborate further, instead turning the question. "Do you like me?"
"To be honest, a little," Code admitted frankly. "But this should be an illusion created by your ability, right?"