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BOOM!
The Raikage slammed the table, his declaration a thunderclap in the tense chamber.
From behind the banners, the Five Kage's bodyguards flashed forward, landing on the conference table in a blur of motion. Blades were drawn, tension snapping taut…!!!
Kankurō glared at Chōjūrō, who stood a full head shorter, the blade in the boy's hands nearly as tall as he was. It intercepted the twin swords of the 'Father' and 'Mother' puppets.
"Shorty… Your fuzz hasn't even grown in yet," Kankurō sneered. "Using a blade that long? Gonna throw out your back."
Chōjūrō's voice was soft, almost timid, but the words weren't. "D-don't underestimate me! I'm already seventeen!!"
Beside them, Temari's iron fan met Darui's broadsword with a screech of metal.
Facing off against Kurotsuchi, Shikaku Nara glanced over. "Temari. Your moves have gotten sharper since the Chunin Exams. My boy Shikamaru probably can't keep up anymore."
A faint pink touched Temari's cheeks. "Not at all, Uncle. Shikamaru is strong in his own way. I still have much to learn."
Kurotsuchi grinned, all teeth. "Hey, old man. They say you're the smartest guy in the shinobi world. Mind if I take a peek at your brain's wiring?"
Shikaku chuckled, unruffled. "Ah, Kurotsuchi, granddaughter of the Tsuchikage. You certainly know how to make a man nervous."
The mediator, Mifune, spoke up, his voice cutting through the standoff. "This is the venue for the Five Kage Summit, hosted by a neutral nation. I must ask everyone to exercise restraint."
"Shikaku. Inoichi. Stand down," Tsunade ordered, her voice flat.
"Temari, Kankurō. Back down," Gaara commanded, his eyes never leaving the Raikage.
"Ao. Chōjūrō. It's fine," Mei Terumī said calmly.
Ōnoki gave a sharp look to Akatsuchi and Kurotsuchi.
"Hmph!" The Raikage grunted. "Darui! C! Stand down!!!"
The bodyguards retreated, one by one, melting back behind their respective Kage.
The Raikage began his inquisition. "Konoha. Iwa. Suna. Kiri. The members of the Akatsuki… they were all originally missing-nin from your villages! Not only that, but some of you—including former Kage—have even used the Akatsuki!"
Gaara's brow furrowed. "Used them?"
"How in the hell are we supposed to trust each other?!" the Raikage boomed. "An alliance is a joke! Let's be blunt. I called you all here today to ask one thing: What the hell do you call 'justice'?!!!"
"Wait," Gaara interrupted. "What do you mean, 'used the Akatsuki'?"
"Don't play dumb, Kazekage! Go ask the old fossils in your village! Suna used the Akatsuki in the past! Hired them for your dirty work!!"
Ōnoki, defending his own past dealings, spoke up. "In today's era, the great nations are stable. Military contraction has replaced arms expansion. With tensions eased and wars few, shinobi—our primary military force—became a financial burden on the state."
Gaara's voice was cold, understanding dawning. "And one way to mitigate that risk was to employ mercenary organizations like the Akatsuki."
The Tsuchikage seized the logical out. "Cultivating elite shinobi requires massive investments of time and money. The Akatsuki were a pre-existing mercenary corps, professionals of war. They could be hired for a fraction of the cost, yielding optimal… returns."
The Raikage's voice cut through the justification like ice. "Spare me the pretty words, Tsuchikage!!! Sunagakure used the Akatsuki in an attempt to destroy Konoha. Orochimaru—whether he was part of the Akatsuki then or not—killed both the Kazekage and the Hokage as a result. You expect anyone to believe there wasn't a mastermind pulling strings?!"
His furious gaze swung to Tsunade, who had remained silent. "Hokage… I want to hear your take on this."
Tsunade, her chin resting on steepled fingers, didn't flinch. "Raikage. By 'mastermind,' you mean Danzō Shimura, the leader of Konoha's Root."
A rare, grim smile touched the Raikage's lips. "Straight to the point. I admire that. If that old fox Danzō were here, he'd be playing deaf right now."
Tsunade's eyes lowered. "At this point, there's no point hiding it… Danzō is dead."
"…What?"
Shock rippled across the faces of the assembled Kage.
Behind Mifune, Kabuto—disguised as a door-guarding samurai—allowed a faint smile to touch his lips. Oh? Has the first divergence point of this summit arrived?
Ōnoki leaned forward. "Lady Tsunade. Danzō is dead? Did I hear that correctly? A man who was practically the embodiment of the shinobi world's shadows… gone just like that?"
Mei's voice was cautious. "Lady Tsunade, could you provide details?"
"It happened about three months ago," Tsunade explained, her tone clinical. "Danzō suddenly vanished from Root's underground base in Konoha. Vanished without a trace. We later heard he'd used a 'living sacrifice' technique. He was running from something. But in the end… it wasn't enough."
Ōnoki pressed. "That sounds like a disappearance. Can you be certain he's dead?"
"To ensure Root members never divulged his secrets," Tsunade said, her voice hardening, "Danzō placed a 'Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal' on every one of their tongues. Shortly after he vanished, the seals on every single Root member… disappeared. That is definitive proof Danzō is no longer among the living. And to this day, we have no idea who did it, where it happened, or how they managed to kill Danzō without a sound."
A heavy, ringing silence filled the chamber.
Then, the Raikage smacked the table again, a bark of laughter escaping him. "Hah! Whoever did it… I can only say it serves the bastard right!!!"
Below the table, among the bodyguards, whispers broke out.
Kankurō muttered, "Who the heck is this Danzō guy? Sounds like the whole world's enemy."
Ao snorted. "Youth today. No sense of history."
Chōjūrō whispered, "Uhm, Ao-san… I don't know either."
"Quiet!"
"Danzō's death might be cause for celebration," the Raikage roared, bringing the focus back, "but the purpose of this summit is the Akatsuki! And to tally the sins of you four great villages for letting that filth grow so strong!!"
His accusing glare landed on Mei Terumī. "And the worst offender… is you, Kiri! Shut off from the world, living in isolation! There are even rumors that the Akatsuki's birthplace was your own 'Bloody Mist'!!!"
"..." Mei's elegant face tightened with visible strain.
Ao… she's not going to…
Mei sighed internally. "Very well. At this point, I'll speak plainly." She raised her head, meeting the Raikage's gaze. "I have reason to believe that the former Mizukage, Yagura, was being manipulated. That manipulation is what created the Bloody Mist era. And it is highly likely… this is connected to the Akatsuki. So, in response to your accusation, Lord Raikage… we have little ground to stand on."
The Raikage's triumph was savage. "So! As I thought! You four are all in cahoots with those bastards!! We in Kumogakure are the only true victims here! After Yugito, now my brother has fallen to their schemes! If you four can't give me a proper explanation—!!"
Ōnoki had finally had enough. "Raikage! I suggest you watch your tone!! Everyone else is practicing military downsizing, but you in Kumo are still on a full-blown arms race! Hoarding jutsu left and right! Hiring the Akatsuki was a necessary countermeasure against your aggression!!!"
"WHAT DID YOU SAY—!?"
"ENOUGH!!"
Tsunade's voice, sharp and commanding, sliced through the building clash between the two old warriors.
All eyes turned to her as she rose slowly to her feet.
"This mutual finger-pointing ends now! I am here representing Konohagakure for one purpose, and one purpose only: to find a solution."
The Raikage scoffed but sat back down, crossing his arms. "Hmph. Fine words. Let's see you solve this."
Tsunade turned her focus to Mei. "Lady Mizukage. Earlier, you mentioned the possibility of the former Mizukage, Lord Yagura, being manipulated. Can you elaborate on the suspected… method of control?"
Mei paused, then nodded. "This is a village secret. But since the Hokage asks… we suspect the manipulation was achieved through a Sharingan ocular technique."
Tsunade's eyes grew shadowed. "The Sharingan. And the timeframe?"
Mei calculated. "Roughly… soon after the end of the Third Great Shinobi War."
Just as I thought.
Tsunade's fist clenched tightly on the table.
"I see. In that case… I believe I know the identity of the one who manipulated Lord Yagura."
Mei's gaze sharpened instantly. "Who…!?"
Kabuto's smile widened. The second divergence point… is it here?
Tsunade's next words dropped into the silent room like stones.
"The same person responsible for the Nine-Tails attack on Konoha. The 'hero' who emerged from the ashes of the Kannabi Bridge during the Third War. The comrade of Hatake Kakashi—"
She took a breath, letting the name hang for a fraction of a second.
"—Uchiha Obito."
— "!?"
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