The Kirigakure Building had been rebuilt, and along with it, the highest council of power in the shinobi world—the Kage Summit—was once again being convened.
Unlike the noisy, divided meetings of the past—where every village leader clung to their own agenda—this session was enveloped in silence. The representatives from the Four Great Villages all had their eyes fixed on one man: Mizukage Yuki Yoru.
The Akatsuki uprisings, the Fourth Great Ninja War, the shattering of the moon, the reappearance of the Sage of Six Paths—within just a few short years, the shinobi world had weathered countless calamities. And through it all, the existence of Yuki Yoru had been the unshakable pillar—the anchor in a storm-tossed age.
If not for him, the shinobi world wouldn't merely have been in turmoil—it would have been completely lost, its people trapped in the eternal dream of the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
"Our Sixth Hokage made many grave mistakes," said Akimichi Torifu, the new representative of Konoha, his tone heavy with remorse. "Those errors brought great suffering not only to you all, but to the entire shinobi world. For that, I offer my sincerest apologies."
He bowed deeply to everyone present.
After taking office, Shimura Danzō had ruled Konoha with an iron grip, turning the village into a silent accomplice of the world's chaos.
Now, with Uchiha Obito defeated by Yuki Yoru, both the Sixth Hokage Danzō and the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen had vanished without a trace. Only after their disappearance had Konoha finally begun to recover from Danzō's oppressive reign.
Beside Torifu, Nara Shikayoshi lowered his head as well, his face filled with guilt.
But the others in the room met their apologies with cold, expressionless gazes.
Uchiha Obito… Shimura Danzō… Sarutobi Hiruzen…
When one looked closely, most of the people responsible for plunging the world into chaos had come from Konoha. Even if some had turned rogue, the village still bore undeniable responsibility for the state the shinobi world was in today.
"According to the information provided by Lord Mizukage," said Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, his tone grave, "Shimura Danzō and Sarutobi Hiruzen were not seen on the final battlefield. Does Konoha have any intelligence on their whereabouts?"
"This…" Nara Shikayoshi sighed, shaking his head helplessly. "Unfortunately, we do not. But with Uchiha Obito already defeated by Lord Mizukage, even if the Third and Sixth Hokage harbored some secret plot, they wouldn't dare act on it now."
"That still makes them a potential threat," Dodai's tone was cold: "Konoha must issue official bounty notices for both Shimura Danzō and Sarutobi Hiruzen—and cooperate with Lord Mizukage's forces to hunt them down."
Realizing his tone might have sounded too forceful, Dodai quickly turned toward Yuki Yoru and added more cautiously:
"Lord Mizukage, I mean no offense or presumption. It's just that both Danzō and Hiruzen possess immense power—one could even say they stand at the very pinnacle of the current shinobi world. Without the aid of your Shinigami and Quincy troops, we would have little hope of subduing them."
Dodai's words were not without reason. In the present world, true powerhouses were few and far between. Konoha, once the mightiest of villages, was now in ruins, and the others had suffered similar fates. Only Iwagakure still had its aged Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, standing firm.
"I understand what you mean, Dodai-san."
Yuki Yoru inclined his head slightly, signaling that there was no need to explain further.
"The Sixth and Third Hokage have indeed committed unforgivable crimes. If Konoha is willing to designate them as rogue ninja and publicly issue their bounty, then as an ally, Kirigakure will naturally not stand idly by."
At those words, excitement lit up the faces of the delegates from Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and Kumogakure alike.
Akimichi Torifu could only sigh, nodding in resignation.
"Lord Mizukage, you jest."
Akimichi Torifu straightened his back and spoke solemnly, "Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō have committed unforgivable crimes. As acting Hokage of Konoha, I hereby declare both of them wanted criminals, ranked S-class on the bounty list!"
"Anyone who can provide information about their whereabouts—or better yet, capture or kill them—will be rewarded handsomely by Konoha!"
"Good! Well said, Lord Torifu!"
"Now that's how a true acting Hokage should sound—nothing like that Danzō fool before you."
"With this order, there'll be no place left in the shinobi world for those two old bastards to hide."
As soon as Akimichi Torifu officially declared the two men as rogue ninjas, everyone's expressions brightened with satisfaction.
However, Torifu turned toward Yuki Yoru and spoke with a respectful tone, "Lord Mizukage, I have one more… rather presumptuous request."
"Speak freely," Yoru said calmly.
"With the Hokage having defected, Konoha is now in ruins. We are in desperate need of someone capable to act as the pillar holding the village together…"
He glanced toward Nara Shikayoshi beside him before continuing slowly:
"I am old and lack the resolve and strength to bear such a responsibility. After discussion among Konoha's remaining council, we have agreed that the most suitable person for the position… is the captain of your Fourth Division."
"You want Tsunade to become Hokage?" Yoru raised a brow, clearly surprised.
"Yes."
Nara Shikayoshi nodded firmly. "Lady Tsunade possesses unparalleled strength. She serves under you as the captain of your Fourth Division and was once one of Konoha's legendary Sannin. In both power and prestige, she is the perfect candidate to become Hokage."
"So, we hope you will approve our decision—allowing Lady Tsunade to become the Seventh Hokage of Konoha."
The room fell into a brief, stunned silence.
They actually dared to suggest that?
Everyone present exchanged strange looks. Tsunade was openly one of Yuki Yoru's people—everyone knew it. For Konoha to now choose her as their next Hokage… wasn't this basically offering the village's sovereignty to the Mizukage on a silver platter?
Yet, when they thought it through, Ōnoki and Dodai couldn't help but inwardly praise the move.
Konoha's current condition was well known to all: Danzō's twisted rule had nearly destroyed the village. The once-proud Konoha elites had perished, resources were drained, and less than a tenth of its former fighting power remained.
The Uchiha Clan was annihilated—the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Fugaku, had died in battle.
The Hyūga Clan was wiped out—their leader, Hyūga Hiashi, had also fallen.
As for the Akimichi, Nara, Yamanaka, and Aburame clans, their conditions were only slightly better, but most of their elite shinobi had perished back in the Third Great Ninja War—slain by Yuki Yoru himself. What remained were merely a few aging veterans and untrained youths.
And after the devastating rain of moon fragments, Konoha's current strength wasn't even on par with that of a minor nation.
In such a weakened state, if any other power in the shinobi world discovered their vulnerability—or grew greedy—the war that had just ended could easily erupt again.
But if Konoha allied itself under Kirigakure's wing… that would be another story entirely.
"Letting Tsunade return to be Hokage…" Yoru chuckled softly, amusement flickering in his eyes. "You people really are bold. Aren't you afraid she'll end up giving away everything Konoha has left?"
He paused for a moment, then said lightly, "Very well. I'll speak to her about it—but the final decision will rest with Tsunade herself."
Hearing that, Akimichi Torifu and Nara Shikayoshi exchanged a look of delight.
They hadn't yet prepared how to convince Tsunade, but as long as Lord Mizukage agreed, they were confident they could make it happen.
At that moment, Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, suddenly shifted the topic. His eyes gleamed sharply as he looked straight at Yuki Yoru and asked:
"Lord Mizukage, now that the war is over and the shinobi world lies in ruins, you—being both its leader and architect of this new era—what are your plans for its future development?"
"The development of the shinobi world should still depend primarily on each nation's own circumstances,"
said Yuki Yoru calmly. "I can only provide assistance within certain limits."
As soon as his words fell, the room was filled with approving murmurs. Many nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Although Yuki Yoru now stood at a level beyond the mortal realm—his power rivaling even that of the legendary Sage of Six Paths—politics was not something that could be resolved by sheer strength alone. The fact that he was willing to grant each nation sufficient autonomy was, to everyone present, the best possible outcome.
"However," Yoru continued, his tone shifting slightly, "I must remind all of you—although Uchiha Obito has been executed, the crisis facing our world has not yet come to an end."
At those words, the smiles on the faces around the table froze, replaced by confusion.
What?
Obito was already dead—what other threat could possibly remain?
"The Ōtsutsuki Clan."
Under everyone's stunned gaze, Yoru calmly uttered the name of the hidden menace.
"You may not fully understand what kind of existence the Ōtsutsuki truly are, nor why I regard them as a threat of the highest order… Kiri, distribute the documents."
'Yes, Lord Yoru.'
Yuki Kiri stepped forward and began handing out files to the representatives of the Five Great Nations, as well as to the other delegates attending the conference.
Curious, the crowd began reading through the documents—only for their expressions to change drastically after a few lines. Eyes widened in disbelief, and gasps filled the hall.
"The Ōtsutsuki Clan… are the ancestral clan of the Sage of Six Paths?!"
"Even their weakest members are at the level of the Six Paths—and they devour entire planets for sustenance?!"
"Are you saying… such monsters have already set their sights on our world?"
The room erupted in a flurry of shocked voices—some filled with awe, others with fear.
They had all witnessed the terrifying power of a single Six Paths–level being. Uchiha Obito alone had nearly wiped out the entire shinobi world.
And now Yoru was telling them that within the Ōtsutsuki Clan, even the weakest possessed that same godlike level of power—creatures that literally fed on the energy of entire worlds.
The idea was so overwhelming, so absurdly terrifying, that many of those present felt their hearts tighten with dread.
Of course, deep down, many still clung to a certain reassurance:
Even if the sky were to fall, Lord Mizukage would be there to hold it up.
After all, it was thanks to Yuki Yoru that they had survived the last war. Without him, none of them would even be alive to hold this meeting.
But the devastation that war had brought—the countless dead, the nations left in ruin—was something no one wished to experience again.
One by one, their eyes turned toward Yuki Yoru, silently questioning the authenticity of this so-called "threat."
Yet, logically and emotionally, they all knew—Yoru had absolutely no reason to lie to them.
Finally, Dodai spoke up, his single remaining eye fixed firmly on Yoru.
"Lord Mizukage," he said slowly, his voice resolute, "what is it that you want us to do?"
"Whatever you command, we will do everything in our power to see it done."
During the last great war, he had personally witnessed the Fourth Raikage and the Eight-Tails' jinchūriki being captured by Uchiha Obito.
Among all the nations, Kumogakure had suffered some of the most devastating losses.
The village could no longer withstand even the slightest blow.
And now, with a new crisis looming, Dodai, as the one now responsible for Kumogakure's leadership, had no choice but to prepare countermeasures in advance.
But for them, in their current state, what options did they truly have—other than relying on Yuki Yoru?
None.
There were no other options left.
"Kirigakure can provide assistance to some degree," Yoru said, his tone calm and measured. "But in the end, you must still rely on your own strength."
"But we…" one of the delegates muttered, his expression dimming.
With the state their nations were in, they weren't even qualified to be cannon fodder—how could they possibly rely on their own power?
Before Yoru could respond, Yuki Kiri—who stood quietly beside him—spoke up instead.
"The power of spiritual power is different from chakra," she explained. "It is born from one's own soul, and when combined with Lord Yoru's power, it can form immense strength. As long as you have faith—as long as you believe in Lord Yoru—you, too, can awaken tremendous power from within yourselves."
"Faith?" someone repeated doubtfully.
"Exactly," Kiri said solemnly. "Through faith, through belief, through conviction—one becomes strong."
The room fell into murmurs again as the leaders exchanged uncertain glances.
Some of the bolder ones directly questioned Yuki Yoru, hoping for a clearer explanation.
Yoru did not put on any airs. Instead, he patiently answered each question, clarifying their doubts.
Afterward, he elaborated further on the nature and history of the Ōtsutsuki Clan, laying out everything he knew.
By the end, the so-called Kage Summit had completely transformed—becoming less a political meeting and more a full-fledged research council on the Ōtsutsuki.
It wasn't until the sky had begun to darken that the meeting finally concluded.
As the representatives of the great villages left the conference hall, each wore a troubled expression.
They had come expecting discussions of peace and reconstruction—a new order for the postwar world.
Instead, what they received from Yuki Yoru was news of an even greater, more terrifying threat.
The Ōtsutsuki Clan…
If this matter wasn't handled properly, it could spell disaster for the entire shinobi world.
Meanwhile, Yuki Yoru and Yuki Kiri walked side by side toward the newly rebuilt Mizukage Building.
On the way, Kiri frowned slightly, her delicate brows furrowed in concern.
"Lord Yoru," she asked softly, "was it really wise to spread information about the Ōtsutsuki like that? The strength of these nations is negligible compared to the Ōtsutsuki. Wouldn't publicizing this just alert them—and throw the shinobi world into further chaos?"
Yoru chuckled quietly.
"You're not wrong," he replied with a faint smile. "This will indeed stir unrest and turbulence across the shinobi world—but it will also ignite the spiritual power within them even more strongly."
Then his tone deepened slightly.
"As for alerting the enemy… do you really think that old Sage of Six Paths hasn't already been watching us from the shadows?"
His eyes glimmered faintly as he raised a hand.
Dense spiritual power gathered in the air around him, condensing into his palm as his lips curved upward.
"If not for that 'gift' they sent our way, that old man would have already made his move against us by now."
"He's been watching me this whole time, Kiri."
Yoru's faint smile deepened.
"That gift was like rain in a drought—so timely, so perfect. If I get the chance…"
He let out a low chuckle, eyes gleaming with mischief.
"…I really should thank him properly."