Ichibi was gone.
He vanished right in front of our very eyes.
"Why didn't the Kazekage stop him?" I muttered.
Naruto shook me by the shoulders.
"Shit's getting real!! Fucker!" he screamed in my face.
We were surrounded…
No — all I could see were Konoha Jounin vests, standing in front of me like a tall wall.
And on the other side of that wall…
I could feel it.
Anger.
Confusion.
Betrayal.
Chūnins were swarming the arena, herding the Genin and blocking access to the infirmary.
"You let the Ichibi loose! Why didn't you activate the seal, Kazekage!?" I heard Hiruzen roar.
"Nobody told me anything about a fuckin' tailed beast drama party," Mei-sama scoffed.
"This is all a huge misunderstanding," the Kazekage stated calmly.
"Misunderstanding or not," Shikamaru's father, Shikaku, stepped forward, "there's a Jinchūriki with a personality imprint on the loose. We have to take action."
"Let me remind you—if you touch even a hair on Gaara's head, there will be WAR!" the Kazekage snapped, raising his voice for the first time.
"I won't let your operatives roam my village over my dead body. Your child is now a rogue shinobi!" Hiruzen fired back.
"He is not, until I say he is rogue. You will let me retrieve my tool — if you wish for peace, Sarutobi!"
"Mind your tongue, Rasa! You think you can blackmail me in the name of peace? Remember what happened in the Second War?"
Both Kage flared their chakra.
Suddenly… it felt like a one-ton boulder had dropped onto my head.
My breath caught. My legs trembled.
So this is…
The weight of two Kage clashing.
I felt… puny.
Then I looked at Naruto.
He stared back at me with a weird expression.
"You sick or something?" he asked, scoffing.
This guy... has so much chakra he's unfazed.
Life sucks.
Then a third chakra burst out.
It felt hot.
Like I was about to become a grilled Uchiha.
The Mizukage stepped in between them.
"Why don't you boys calm down and settle this like civilized people, hmm?" Mei-sama said smoothly.
"Get out of my way, woman!" the Kazekage barked.
Hiruzen glared at Mei-sama.
But the beam of lava from the Mist didn't flinch.
If anything, her fire burned hotter.
That was it.
We were this close to war.
Cough.
The Naras used the tension gap to speak up.
"We could make a joint squad to… um…" Shikaku fumbled.
"To hunt down?" Hiruzen stroked his beard.
"To retrieve?" the Kazekage — Orochimaru-in-disguise — hissed.
"To rescue?" Mei-sama flicked her hair.
"Yes. That," Shikaku straightened up. "Gaara won't get far with the barrier around the forest. The only way out is full beast mode — and that'll give away his location. So, he's unlikely to go there unless pushed."
"What are you suggesting?" Mei raised an eyebrow. "You want us Kage to shake hands and go on a mission to find Mina the cat?"
She flicked her fan to cover her smirk.
"They've got a bitch-ass cat too?" Naruto asked.
"How do you call a cat a bitch?" I groaned.
Naruto scratched his head.
Then again… this is the ninja world.
It could be a ninja dog pretending to be a cat…
Or the other way around…
Or… something else entirely.
I felt lightheaded.
"Yes and no, my lady," Shikaku continued. "What I suggest is… we form a team of three — from the Genin who are still standing. We still have excess contestants for the finals. If they return with the Jinchūriki, they earn their place. The others are cut."
What the fuck is happening?
"This is absurd," Kakashi finally spoke up.
"Hokage-sama, we can't send Genin to hunt a Jinchūriki!"
Mei-sama leaned in to whisper something to Zabuza.
"This sounds rather interesting," the Kazekage — no, Orochimaru — said with amusement.
All heads turned.
"Yes… I can agree with your marvelous plan," he added.
His Orochi-ness was leaking.
"Are you sure… Kazekage?" Hiruzen asked with narrowed eyes.
He stayed silent.
Apparently, the Kazekage didn't like repeating himself.
He turned to Mei-sama.
"I don't see a problem with that," she shrugged.
"But I do have one condition. If the barrier is destroyed, the One-Tail manifests, or the team dies… all the Kage present here will join forces to eliminate the threat."
Everyone nodded.
The wall of Jōnin split open, and the three Kage looked down at us like livestock.
"Kankuro," the Kazekage chose.
"Chōjūrō," Mei-sama nodded.
Hiruzen looked at me and Naruto.
And I saw it — the pain in his eyes, trying hard to stay hidden.
Like always… the flimsy veil they call peace was wearing thin.
Once again, he had to choose.
Once again…
"Uchiha," Hiruzen called.
Of course.
Of course. It's always...
The damn Uchihas.