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Exchanging Ninjutsu between different villages…
A barely spared Konoha's first proposal a thought. Expanding the venue to hold more spectators? Kumogakure could manage that easily; it was only a question of how fast they wanted it done.
The second point was what mattered.
Even if they kept secret arts, forbidden techniques, and Bloodline Limits off the table, this was still no trivial issue.
His gaze moved slowly across the faces of Konoha's representatives.
"The original reason for holding this tournament was 'exchange.' We're just turning that into something concrete," Roshi said.
"The contestants' ranks and techniques are already restricted. Most of them only know D-rank or lower jutsu."
"The exchange is confined to that level."
"And each village will choose which specific techniques to offer."
Tsunade's lips curved into a faint, teasing smile. "So? Or does Kumogakure still need Konoha to back you up on the negotiation items?"
A picked up the written proposal from Konoha.
"Kumo accepts," he said. "For the remaining details—Dodai, you'll take point. Samui, Darui, stay and assist."
The Raikage turned to leave, and Roshi followed to show him out.
"No need for Konoha's guest rooms. I'll stay with my people in the Venue District," A said.
Roshi simply nodded and didn't press the matter.
They left the Hokage Building together and were nearing the village gate when the Raikage finally spoke again. "This plan—was it your idea?"
"Tsunade will honor a bet and treat shinobi from other villages, but she wouldn't decide on something like this."
"And it definitely wouldn't be those two Advisors."
"The only one with that kind of nerve is you, Roshi."
Roshi answered, "I wouldn't call it 'nerve,' Lord Raikage. With basic low-level ninjutsu already leaked all over the place, this level of exchange is just a gesture."
A gesture of closeness, of trust—of Konoha showing its willingness to move even closer to Kumogakure.
If you wanted to talk about real nerve, you'd have to go back to the Fourth War, when Tsunade asked Kumogakure to help Naruto control the Nine-Tails. The man who agreed on the spot to hand over Kumogakure's secret arts—the Fourth Raikage, A—that was nerve.
Kumogakure loves to snatch things—secret arts, Ninjutsu, and even Bloodline Limits.
But when it's time to give, the Fourth Raikage can be just as bold.
"If this doesn't count as nerve," Ay said, resuming his pace, "the ninja world wouldn't have spent decades at war."
They approached the entrance to the Venue District.
Piles of unused timber and stone slabs—leftover from constructing the arena—were still scattered around.
A veered off, his attention caught by the lumber.
"Does Kumogakure's lodging here have a training area?" he asked.
"There's a practice ground right next to the arena," Roshi replied.
"These materials—no one needs them anymore?" A pointed at the stacked beams.
"…No."
Ay bent down and closed one hand around a heavy beam. Muscles bunching, he hoisted it onto his shoulder. After testing the weight, he grabbed a second and laid it across the first.
Roshi stepped back, out of the arc of the swinging timber.
"Should I get you an actual barbell?" he asked.
"Ask Darui what weight I use," A said, the beams balanced across his back as he turned away.
He figured Darui might take the opportunity to consult Roshi.
After a few steps, he added over his shoulder, "Samui's fine too."
With that, A strode deeper into the venue district.
The Kumogakure shinobi on duty spotted him and hurried over. A didn't slow; he continued on with the beams, disappearing quickly into the shadows between the buildings.
By the time Roshi returned to the Hokage Building, the meeting was still going.
Samui stood by a corridor window; at the sound of footsteps, she turned.
"Dodai-san and Darui are still inside, along with your two advisors," the Kumogakure kunoichi reported.
Even if the advisors had been convinced by the phrase "low-level jutsu," they still insisted on overseeing the exact terms.
All the better—let them handle the tedious details.
Roshi stepped up beside her. "Lord Raikage went to the venue district."
"That fits his style."
"He took two beams along for a workout."
Samui sighed.
"So I came to ask what training weight he usually uses."
Samui turned and headed out.
Roshi followed.
Today, the Kumo kunoichi walked faster than usual—through the corridor, down the stairs, out of the building and onto the street. Her pace never slackened.
Only when they reached a spot where no one else was in sight did she stop and turn.
"Roshi-san."
"You didn't mention the jutsu exchange beforehand."
In the light, her blue-green eyes looked pale, like a frozen lake.
"Correct," Roshi admitted.
"Had Lord Raikage rejected the proposal," Samui said, "relations between Konoha and Kumogakure could have soured."
She paused, as if weighing her next words.
"When one side offers closer ties and gets refused, the rift that opens is often harder to mend than one born from simple conflicting interests."
"Roshi-san, that was dangerous."
Unusually for her, open displeasure colored her voice.
"Hardly a wise move. If you'd told me in advance…"
"Or," her gaze locked on his face, "with Iwagakure and Hidden Mist both courting Konoha, did you decide Kumogakure no longer warranted the same caution?"
Roshi shook his head. "No. Kumogakure is Konoha's most important ally—these past years have proven that."
"Everything we do now is built on that solid bond."
"Precisely because of that, Konoha chose to draw us even closer."
Samui answered without missing a beat. "Lord Raikage only wished to know how committed Konoha truly is to the alliance."
"Whether Kumogakure might, in some unseen future, be…"
She left the thought hanging.
Her eyes stayed fixed on him.
A breeze swept through the alley, kicking up a few dead leaves.
"Next time…" Samui drew a slow breath, her composure settling back into place. "Roshi-san, please…"
She let the rest fade, unspoken.
She was a Kumogakure jōnin, high-ranked and privy to village secrets.
He was a Konoha jōnin, a man fit to be Kage, someone who could decide what should remain hidden.
How could every matter be announced in advance?
The reminder settled over her, and her voice softened.
"Sorry, Roshi-san…"
Roshi looked at her and shook his head.
"No, it's my fault," he said. "I underestimated how this might affect our friendship."
Samui studied him; the irritation in her eyes eased away. "No, it was mine…"
"No." She abruptly changed direction. "Actually, Roshi-san, you are somewhat to blame."
She turned toward the mouth of the alley.
Her voice drifted back on the wind.
"Prepare a return gift—an apology present."
—
The wind tugged at his robe and slapped against his cheeks. Ōnoki's gaze pierced the thin clouds, sweeping across the endless forest below.
Deidara, astride a giant clay bird, flew at his side.
The blond boy leaned forward, shading his eyes with one hand as he peered down.
"We've reached the Land of Fire, yeah!"
At that moment, a speck of light flared amid the trees.
Then a second, a third—points of light trailing along their route, forming a broken line of glimmers across the canopy.
"Old man."
"I see it." Ōnoki stopped in mid-air, hovering.
Below, as the lights flashed, Konoha ninja began appearing in the forest clearings.
Deidara's hand was already at his tool pouch; his fingertips pinched off a lump of clay and started kneading it.
"Shall we go down and say hello, yeah?"
Ōnoki didn't answer.
Just then, two ninja dressed in Iwagakure uniforms appeared among the Konoha group, apparently explaining something; a few moments later, the assembled Konoha ninja dispersed.
But the lights flashed several more times—this time, the universal ninja signal granting safe passage.
Ōnoki's mouth twitched.
Already setting up aerial defenses, Konoha.
He didn't know the exact system, but at the very least, they could detect approaching units in the sky.
Even now, they showed no sign of relaxing.
"Let's move."
Ōnoki reactivated his jutsu and drifted forward through the air.
Deidara curled his lip as the huge clay bird beat its wings to follow.
They flew on. Below them, dense forest thinned into neat fields, then roads, then scattered houses.
More and more Konoha shinobi appeared.
They stood on rooftops, perched in branches, lingered in roadside shadows—no hostility, no attempts to block them, just silently tracing their path with their presence.
Until, atop a tall tree, another shinobi appeared.
"Land, Deidara."
"Aren't we heading straight to Konoha's Venue District? Yeah…" Deidara had noticed it too. "It's that guy."
He remembered all too well the one who'd made Ōnoki stumble—especially since he'd gotten chewed out afterward for no reason.
Just thinking about it made his fingertips itch.
"You're no match for him," Ōnoki sneered. "So by all means, try.
"His jutsu can disrupt airflow. Go on, Deidara, toss your clay down—let's see what happens."
Deidara didn't flinch; he reached straight for his tool pouch.
Ōnoki rapped him sharply on the top of the head.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
"Tch… Old man, didn't you tell me to try? Yeah!"
"Since when were you so obedient?"
Grabbing Deidara by the collar, Ōnoki hauled him down. The clay bird burst into white smoke, and they touched down in a clearing beside a cedar.
Roshi dropped from the canopy. "Lord Tsuchikage, thank you for making the long journey."
"The Raikage, Mizukage, and Kazekage have all arrived and are settled in the Venue District," he reported.
Mainly, the Raikage had gotten there first and chosen to stay, so the other two had simply followed suit.
Now Ōnoki would do the same.
"Take me straight to Iwagakure's quarters."
Roshi led the way a few steps, then asked, "Does Lord Tsuchikage have any hobbies?"
Ōnoki's eyes narrowed. "Oh? Konoha's suddenly this considerate?"
"We gave the Raikage gym equipment, and the Kazekage fishing rods and a pond—we can't play favorites."
Ōnoki's curiosity was piqued. "What about the Mizukage?"
"The Mizukage made no requests."
Ōnoki was quiet for two seconds. So asking for something… was that a way to deepen ties, or a way to test Konoha's attitude?
"Then get me some dango."
"Understood."
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