Summer of Year 33, July 15th
The Land of Hot Springs, near the ruined remnants of the former Yugakure.
A dark-skinned, burly man in his late fifties, his straight hair extending down to his shoulders, stood waiting beneath the shade of a massive, open-faced canopy erected on the scorched earth. He wore a pristine white Kumogakure forehead protector pulled tightly across his brow and a traditional black hat that split outward into two distinct directions, forming a sharp 'Y' shape. A rectangular, gold-colored ornament was pinned across the bridge of his nose. Beneath a high, open-collared uniform shirt, he wore heavy mesh armor, covered by a white Kumo flak jacket adorned with rows of specialized military medals across his left chest. His right shoulder was encased in heavy, overlapping plate armor. With his arms crossed tightly over his chest, the Second Raikage stood like an immovable boulder, waiting.
Positioned directly behind him were two towering figures who shared an almost identical, monstrous appearance. Everything about them was symmetrical, save for the exposed kanji characters etched into their respective shoulders—the word Silver (銀, Gin) branded into the left, and Gold (金, Kin) into the right to match their silver and gold hair. They possessed massive, hyper-muscular builds that loomed over every other shinobi in the vicinity. They wore standard Kumo forehead protectors pinned over their brows, framed by jagged, double-horned headpieces that protruded wildly out of their long, unruly manes. Their uniforms consisted of custom Kumogakure flak jackets featuring reinforced black borders, worn over sleeveless, high-collared purple tunics and a pair of simple wrist-guards.
Flanking the brothers was a terrifying vanguard of five hundred elite shinobi from the Kinkaku Butai—one of the most bloodthirsty and powerful divisions in Kumogakure's history—followed closely by one hundred of the Raikage's personal honor guards deployed to oversee the historic alliance.
Suddenly, slicing through the shimmering summer heat waves along the southwestern horizon, several dark silhouettes began to materialize.
Leading the Konoha delegation was Senju Tobirama, the Second Hokage. He marched forward clad in his trademark navy-blue Senju battle armor, a thick ruff of white fur framing his collar and segmented armor guards shielding his shoulders. In place of a standard headband, a customized Happuri faceplate engraved with the Konoha insignia framed his severe features. Shadowing his steps were his six hand-picked disciples, followed by a disciplined detachment of five hundred Konoha shinobi—three hundred of whom belonged to the main branch of the Senju clan.
As Tobirama stepped into the neutral zone from the Konoha perimeter, the Second Raikage uncrossed his arms and took several heavy steps forward to meet him.
"I trust there are no hidden tricks or underlying schemes woven into the text of this treaty, Hokage," the Raikage spoke grimly, extending a massive hand to offer a welcoming handshake.
"The exact same sentiment could be echoed from Konoha's side," Tobirama commented indifferently, his crimson eyes locking onto the Raikage's gaze as he firmly clasped his hand in return.
The Hokage and the Raikage stood frozen, glaring deeply into each other's eyes for just under a minute, testing each other's internal resolve before the Raikage finally broke the silence, letting out a booming, hearty laugh.
"HAHAHA! Welcome, Senju Tobirama! It has been entirely too long since our last meeting, has it not?"
"Indeed... we have not crossed paths since we each ascended to our respective mantles," Tobirama replied smoothly. "But I am certain you have heard just as many reports regarding my movements as I have heard regarding yours."
"Heheh. As calculating as ever, Tobirama—no, excuse me, Hokage," the Raikage chuckled, his eyes shifting past the leader's shoulder to evaluate the six disciples and the Konoha vanguard. "I see you brought quite an impressive entourage to my doorstep. Tell me, are you here to sign a peace treaty or initiate a war?"
The Raikage joked freely to cut through the suffocating tension, though he simultaneously flared his massive chakra signature, sending a heavy wave of energy outward to signal his own troops to maintain discipline. The atmosphere between the Konoha and Kumo forces was thick enough to choke a lesser man; an undercurrent of raw battle intent and lethal bloodlust leaked continuously from both sides of the line.
…
"Kinkaku-sama, this is not the optimal moment to strike," a Kumo operative whispered frantically from the shadows directly behind the Gold and Silver Brothers. He wore a purple Kumo headband, a white flak jacket, and reinforced arm guards.
"Why don't we bide our time until they lower their guard to share the ceremonial sake? I have already successfully laced the vessels and the alcohol with our acquired chakra-dispersion poison."
As the Hokage and Raikage engaged in their formal greetings, the deep-cover Iwa spy tracking the Kinkaku Force noticed that Kinkaku and Ginkaku's fingers were actively twitching with manic, violent excitement.
Registering the Raikage's warning chakra pulse, Kinkaku and Ginkaku silently reeled in their bloodlust, narrowing their eyes. They offered each other a brief, microscopic nod of agreement. The spy was right; this was not the perfect opportunity to strike. The Hokage and his Konoha elites were operating at a hyper-vigilant level of awareness, and the Raikage's guards were equally alert. It was far wiser to let the formalities settle, play the part of obedient soldiers, and strike when the wine began to flow.
…
"Hahaha! Where were we? Well, my apologies for that," the Raikage boomed, waving a dismissive hand as they crossed into the shade of the canopy.
"My subordinates were merely a bit too eager to see the Hokage in physical person. After all, your reputation precedes you—renowned as the fastest ninja on earth, not to mention the creator of a literal plethora of advanced Ninjutsu and Kinjutsu."
"…I must also apologize for my own subordinates' brief lapse in composure," Tobirama countered. "However, I can clearly perceive that you and Kumogakure are operating with sincere intentions regarding this historic alliance."
"Of course! Whatever bloody conflicts we endured in the past were born of localized misunderstandings; such friction can easily be smoothed over with time," the Raikage grinned, leaning forward. "In fact, why don't we inaugurate a joint Chunin Selection Exam next year? It would provide an excellent domestic platform to exchange vital intelligence, structural resources, and trade goods."
"Hmm." Tobirama raised his crimson brows slightly. He crossed his arms, his right index finger tapping in slow, rhythmic contemplation against his forearm armor.
'A joint Chunin Exam…' the Hokage analyzed internally. 'The foundational logic is sound. If we innovate the curriculum a bit further—adding a grand-scale, open tournament phase where foreign Daimyōs, influential nobility, and wealthy civilians can witness the matches firsthand—this will heavily stimulate Konoha's economic prestige. Furthermore, it will grant us a controlled administrative window to accurately gauge Kumo's hidden military strength... and the same could be achieved by Kumo against us.'
"We will evaluate this proposal with the utmost seriousness following the conclusion of the ceremony," Tobirama stated aloud as he maintained his unreadable expression. "We can finalize the administrative details during a formalized, sit-down summit."
"Oho? Hahaha! Splendid! That sounds entirely reasonable," the Raikage chuckled, shifting his massive frame toward the center of the pavilion. "Then let us proceed directly to the formalization of our covenant!"
Tobirama offered a curt nod, shadowing the Raikage's steps toward a heavy wooden table resting at the exact center of the open tent.
Two identical, pristine sheets of parchment lay upon the wood, catching the midday sun. The Raikage claimed the side of the table marked by the heavy embroidery of the Kumogakure insignia, while Tobirama occupied the opposing flank beneath the crimson emblem of Konoha. Behind each leader, their respective honor guards fell into tight, disciplined lines. For an alliance born of a brutal war of attrition, every shinobi present remained fully armored; on the surface, however, no unsheathed weapons were visible.
"Very well. The text of this alliance treaty has been drafted precisely according to the specific protocols and mutual agreements we negotiated beforehand," the Raikage announced, his voice echoing under the canopy. "Are there any supplemental clauses you wish to implement before we render this document permanent law?"
Tobirama lightly brushed his fingers along his jawline, deep in thought. Then, extending his hand outward with the palm facing the sky, he pinned the Raikage with a sharp gaze.
"Why don't we formally incorporate the conditions for the joint Chunin Exam you proposed moments ago? Let us establish it as a recurring event—perhaps once every two or four years? We can maintain administrative flexibility to adjust the specific intervals and tactical parameters later."
The Raikage's eyes widened in genuine surprise before his features rapidly hardened into a grave seriousness. "Are you playing games, Hokage? While I did float the concept casually, I never anticipated you would attempt to codify it on a whim. Furthermore, within Kumogakure's governance, systematic changes of this magnitude require a prolonged, formal deliberation with my council members."
"But you command the absolute sovereignty as the Raikage to bypass those channels and enforce this decision yourself. Do you not?"
"…Mechanically? Yes, I possess that authority," the Raikage replied with pride as he crossed his arms. "But that is simply not my style of leadership, Tobirama. I am well aware that you prefer to absolute-control and dictate every microscopic facet of Konoha's administration by your own hand, but I refuse to mirror you. In fact, I utterly despise such despotic methods of running a village. You should have realized by now that my query regarding extra conditions was purely an act of administrative formality."
"And your executive decree to freeze the Kinkaku Force's advance across the border to execute this treaty wasn't an act of despotism?" Tobirama retorted seamlessly.
"That was a calculated, collective resolution achieved by our village council," the Raikage snapped back while tightening his jaw. "Though I wield the final stroke of the pen, I maintain a sacred respect for the strategic choices, insights, and opinions of my subordinates."
"So, are you attempting to imply that you secretly desired to sustain this pointless war between our people?"
"Do you truly believe I would be standing across from you right now if I didn't desire this peace? Enough with the empty sophistry, Tobirama. Do you wish to bind our villages in a historic alliance, or are we wasting our breath?"
"Well," Tobirama murmured, a microscopic glint of satisfaction passing through his eyes. "It is far from my jurisdiction to interfere with the domestic bureaucracy of your village… let us finalize the covenant. I have meticulously reviewed the established parameters, and the text remains without error."
"Hmph! Well, it is a rare pleasure to converse with someone of equal geopolitical standing, annoying though you may be," the Raikage grunted, his irritation fading into a rough respect. "Regarding the joint Chunin Exam, we can iron out a separate pact later. Draft your specific parameters, and we will cross-examine them against our internal council's findings."
"...So, you were fully intent on ratifying the joint exams from the very beginning," Tobirama observed, crossing his arms with a look of mild displeasure at being politically managed. "It appears you had already made the decision within your heart before you ever stepped beneath this tent."
"Hmph! What do you know of my heart?" the Raikage scoffed with complete indifference. "This is a matter of upholding the sacred rule of law and setting a baseline of formality for our culture. Even if every major administrative choice ultimately aligns directly with my personal will, if I choose to execute those decisions without actively informing, debating, and receiving the explicit approval of my council every single time, I will establish a toxic precedent. I would be inviting future generations to abuse this executive power. Who can predict what manner of unhinged, power-mad Raikage might ascend to this throne in the centuries to come? It is infinitely wiser to endure these tedious bureaucratic processes and solidify unyielding traditions now, purely to safeguard our lineage from a future catastrophe."
The Raikage's words echoed with an unintentional irony. As he finished speaking, he raised his hand, bit down hard on his right thumb to draw a stark bead of crimson, and slammed his palm directly onto the parchment, binding Kumogakure to the treaty.
Tobirama froze momentarily, the Raikage's philosophical warning striking a deep, analytical chord within his mind.
'…Setting examples to constrain the future generation…' Tobirama mused, his gaze drifting over the ink. 'Should I also implement such restrictions? No... the sheer volume of high-level intelligence, clan disputes, and administrative operations that cross my desk requires a rapid, decisive hand. Utilizing a divided council for every minor law will only bleed away vital momentum and catastrophically hinder Konoha's military growth. The future Hokages… I maintain absolute, unwavering faith that the future leaders of the Leaf will be just as hyper-capable and fiercely loyal as we are.'
He raised his eyes, his stern gaze softening for a fraction of a second as he looked past the table to watch his six young disciples standing proudly at attention.
'Yes, believe in the young leaves of Konoha. They are all capable and promising youths.'
Steeling his heart, Tobirama mirrored the Raikage's movements. He bit his own thumb, drawing blood, and pressed his palm firmly against the text of the alliance. The two leaders smoothly exchanged the documents, repeating the blood-seal protocol to render both copies absolute law.
With the text fully codified, two decorative, lacquered cups of ceremonial sake were presented to the heads of state.
"For the eternal peace and unyielding prosperity of Konoha," the Second Raikage announced, hoisting his vessel high into the air.
"For the eternal peace and unyielding prosperity of Kumo," Tobirama echoed, lifting his cup in kind.
Their eyes locked across the table one final time in a silent acknowledgement of the monumental shift in global power they had just orchestrated. Without a hint of hesitation, the Raikage threw his head back, gulping down the entire contents of the cup in a single, massive draw.
Tobirama followed suit, draining his cup completely as the poisoned liquor slid smoothly down his throat.
No sooner had the warm, bittersweet fluid slid down his throat than Tobirama's finely tuned sensory instincts screamed in alarm. He violently spat the sake from his mouth, his crimson eyes widening in shock.
Puchi!! SPLASH!!!!
"Ugh… you… Kinkaku…!"
A strangled gasp ripped from the Second Raikage's throat. His eyes bulged as a bloodied arm cloaked in boiling, rust-red chakra burst violently out from the center of his chest.