[Chapter Size: 2200 Words.]
Third Person POV
Lands of Iron, 43.
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"Well, there's no point in starting to cry over the past, unless someone can go back to change a few things. No, what we do is deal with reality as it is at this moment," said the Kazekage after everything.
"In the end, Konoha also suffered from this... After all, Minato himself became someone who questioned the village's decisions," Rasa said. "Hiruzen must be regretting it in his corner, excluded from the village, while Danzō is rotting in his grave, whatever hell he may be in," he added.
"Even though Suna had set up an ambush for Minato, they still all ended up dead, well... almost all of them," the Raikage couldn't help but comment, looking directly at Rasa.
"You talk as if it were easy... we tried everything back then. It was at that moment that Minato showed his abilities. Not even the reports had suspected his apparent affinity with light... they didn't state the real monster he was. In the end, yes, we all paid for it. I was defeated and perhaps only left alive, maybe out of mercy, which I still don't understand why. Meanwhile, of Konoha's forces, only a few remained, those that he, the boy, ended up letting live."
"Our reinforcements arrived shortly after, but they ended up being useless. I was already unconscious, and they found Minato simply trying to kill Orochimaru the entire time. And even though Suna's forces were there, the boy simply seemed to ignore them, while he kept killing Orochimaru and attacking our village's forces whenever it suited him. He didn't even care about being surrounded."
Rasa didn't fail to murmur. Certainly, the boy was extremely arrogant at that moment — so arrogant that it was humiliating for them. Minato didn't even seem to see any difference with all of Suna's reinforcements there. He simply kept attacking Orochimaru and occasionally attacking them, eliminating more and more forces as if he were playing. What kind of ninja plays with his life while trying to kill him? At least, that was how he thought back then.
Now I understand why Minato was so arrogant. He was simply a monster that everyone understood too late.
"We all made mistakes. There's no point in trying to place the blame on someone," the Mizukage said. "After all, everyone here faced Minato, with the exception of Kiri in the Second World War. Wasn't it already enough of a sign that he could simply attack an entire Iwa camp alone? Wasn't it enough that he could fight against the Four-Tails jinchūriki? And then throw S-rank jutsus against Hanzō of the Salamander, at only what, 13 or 14 years old?" the Kazekage said, looking at Han, the jinchūriki.
He simply narrowed his eyes and said nothing.
"Wasn't it enough that he could fight directly with you, Lord Tsuchikage, here in the middle of the sky?", the Mizukage's eyes fell on the Tsuchikage before returning to the Raikage. "Wasn't it enough to see that your father had been injured by a boy, after he beat him? Even if it wasn't much, he had already shown that he was faster than your father in the middle of a Second War. Wasn't it enough that he could also absorb bijūdama and take them elsewhere? Wasn't that incident in Suna enough, when he stole the antidote and left with Suna's greatest forces trying to stop him, yet still escaped?", the Mizukage finished with a pause, but soon spoke again.
"Everyone here has had contact with him. Everyone knows what a danger he is. So there's no point in blaming others. We are not here to remember the past, we are here to correct it. Otherwise, why did everyone gather here today, right?"
With those words, everyone nodded. The Mizukage, despite being young, showed himself to be wise and precise. Even A, who still remained extremely stressed, couldn't help but agree.
"The problem started with Konoha. He even went against his own village and managed to bring it down. He also brought instability, even outside the village. We expected to attack them at this moment. What caught us by surprise was the arrival of the Uzumaki clan along with them, when Konoha embraced them, while keeping their former lords out of the village's decisions. After what happened, Konoha always seemed more defensive, even cowardly. We saw this when, even after a blow dealt by Minato, no one wanted another war."
"However, with the boy's actions, this is changing. And it will be a danger to all of us. It will only be a matter of time before they begin to take our territories. Konoha will have more than enough power for that."
"The problem now is not only Minato Namikaze. Yes, that is true," he replied. "Don't you find it strange that all of his companions, suddenly, are at the peak of power? Much more than in the Second War? I don't think they hid their abilities. Although many already showed themselves to be elite ninjas, what we saw in Uzushiogakure certainly says otherwise. In the span of a year, a year and a half, to change that much? How is that possible? And they say that now, three years after the Second War, they have become even more powerful. If the rumors are true, we are in serious trouble."
"Tsk... I find it strange that all of them are connected to him. No one else in Konoha had this leap in power. Those below them are still only Sakumo or the Third Hokage, who is no longer involved with the village's political activities and decisions, as far as I know, but is still a force that Konoha can use. That's why they kept him alive."
"The boy has some secret, a great secret. I'm not saying this just because, incredibly, all of his wives are from extremely powerful clans of Konoha, but it seems they knew exactly where to improve each of them. It can't be a coincidence that everyone around him improved like this. Maybe we will never find out what is happening. The strength they showed in Uzushiogakure may have been a stroke of luck, or Minato Namikaze really has a secret. But I don't think we will find out. Our focus is simply to try to balance the world again, and we don't have much time to think about that," the Mizukage said.
"So we are here in this meeting precisely to find a way to destroy Konoha. Just talking won't help, we can't do this without a good plan...", the Raikage spoke reluctantly, wanting to slam his hand on the table and break it.
"As I said before... That's why we will need some help," the Mizukage said.
"Do you think hiring some mercenaries or rogue ninjas will help us destroy Konoha?", the Tsuchikage asked.
That made the Mizukage open a smile behind his mask. "Don't worry about that. After all, more than that, we will have some powerful mercenaries. I know a powerful organization recently created in the Hidden Rain Village. Someone with a unique power, who will surprise all of you, will be among the leaders of the organization, as well as some ninjas who, from what I've gathered, are traveling the world alone and without loyalty to the villages. They will also be a good addition to the army against Konoha. But there is a third unique force that has been in contact with me in recent months. I'm sure it will be the turning point in our war."
Everyone looked at him with some suspicion.
"You said that the strength of Minato's wives may not be a coincidence, but we can also prove this point by keeping an eye on those three students, since Minato Namikaze has become the leader of a team of two genin and one chūnin. Their chūnin is the son of Sakumo Hatake — there is also an Uchiha, but nothing noteworthy — and a civilian girl. However, if Minato can really turn ninjas around him into legendary and feared shinobi, then we will see it through these children."
"But that doesn't matter now. We have Minato and his wives to face, and not just them. Konoha still has Sakumo Hatake, a former Hokage, it has the entire Uzumaki clan, two Sannin — with the third having been banished — and all the elite ninjas we already know. Konoha already surpasses the other villages by far. I know, we've been repeating this the whole time. And, as I said, there is a third force that can help us."
Those words from the Mizukage hung in the air before everyone.
In the sky, Minato couldn't help but narrow his eyes. He was listening to the entire conversation, while Hanabi was able to read lips. Even with the Mizukage wearing a mask, she could see the words coming out of his mouth through its movement.
"That Takeshi Manaka is very quiet, letting the Kage talk the entire time," Minato commented.
He couldn't see like Hanabi, but he could sense and even hear their conversation in his mind, as if he were in the middle of the meeting.
"He is neutral. He cannot interfere in this. Even with all those men against Konoha, he would not act against Konoha, due to the chance of the village requesting retaliation against the Land of Iron. Because of that, he cannot side with the villages against Konoha either. All he is doing is organizing a meeting with the guarantee that the Land of Iron would not get involved in the war and would not choose a side. He will not reveal his secrets and will not give his opinion. He is only there to ensure that the Kages do not kill each other. He also provides a neutral territory for them to meet."
"Do you have any idea which force they would be using to try to join the four nations?", Hanabi asked.
Minato still kept her pressed against his body in the sky.
"Well, there are many mercenary organizations in the world, it's hard to predict which ones they would call. But, given the hint, there is only one organization they could call in the Land of Rain. It's someone I was looking for. In fact, I spoke with sensei before we came here... so I'm a bit surprised that they ended up forming the Akatsuki."
"Akatsuki?", Hanabi looked at him in surprise.
"Yes. A small organization that formed and was born within Ame. It is not necessarily part of Hanzō's forces, but rather a separate organization, which Hanzō should work with as an ally..."
Nagato and his friends' mistake was thinking they wouldn't be betrayed... and they were. Danzō collaborated with Hanzō and set Nagato against the Akatsuki organization. But also, certainly, Madara and Zetsu, (or Obito) must have had something to do with it, since they insisted on breaking Nagato by making him see his precious companion die in front of him...
"As for rogue ninjas... there are many who could be called. There are immortal beings wandering around, beings who have even fought against Hashirama and survived," Minato said.
'There may not be Deidara, Itachi or Kisame among the rogue ninjas at this time, but those two immortal pairs still exist. Sasori could very well be a rogue ninja from Suna right now. He should already have the body of the Third Kazekage... Kakuzu should also be out there looking to make money.
"But the third force...", Minato murmured.
Suddenly, he saw something coming at high speed along the ground, coming from the south.
"That is...?", Hanabi also noticed.
"It's him, isn't it?", Minato asked, while Hanabi felt that force traveling through the earth, advancing through the Zetsu army, keeping the place protected as it entered the castle.
"Speaking of the third force... here they are," the Mizukage said in the middle of the meeting, while pointing near the door.
Everyone immediately watched as a white mass began to emerge from the ground, frightening them all. The guards immediately advanced, placing themselves in front to protect their Kages, as they were visibly alarmed at not having sensed that creature emerging from the stone floor.
Zetsu opened a smile at everyone. "Hello," he said cheerfully, making the situation even more bizarre.
"What is that? How did no one sense this?", the Tsuchikage looked somewhat alarmed. His guards also seemed uneasy. No one had felt the presence of that being that was now standing there.
"Don't be so alarmed," a voice came directly from the door, and more Zetsus began to emerge from the ground.
Even Takeshi stood up, leaning slightly forward, stunned. "How did they get in here?!"
"Don't worry, I am not your enemy here...", an elderly man dressed in black and using a cane to walk advanced toward them, while his eyes glowed red. Behind him was Orochimaru, who followed somewhat cautiously — and it didn't seem to be because he was facing four Kages.
"You don't mind if we join the meeting, do you?", the old man said in a calm tone.
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