Chapter 210: Five Kage Summit—Begin
"Hokage-sama, welcome to the Land of Iron."
A hoarse, aged yet steady, powerful voice entered his ears.
Minato looked carefully. A samurai of not-tall stature, appearing somewhat lean, stood ahead in upright posture. His head was wrapped in bandages, his face covered with deep wrinkles. Below his jaw grew iron-gray long beard. He wore green layered armor, a long sword at his waist. His expression proved exceptionally serious and grave.
"General Mifune?"
Though meeting for the first time, this samurai before him radiated extraordinary presence. So Minato boldly guessed this was precisely the Land of Iron's General over all samurai.
"Hokage-sama, meeting for the first time—I am indeed Mifune."
Mifune leaned forward, lowering his head in courtesy, respectful and polite.
Minato was much younger than him. Even if he had children, Minato's age would perfectly match sitting at one table with his kids.
But in this level of international interactions, age was merely one among many factors determining relative status, with quite small weight proportion. Only when power and other aspects proved difficult distinguishing superiority could age possibly determine hierarchy.
The Land of Fire was the ninja world's strongest nation. Konoha Village was the ninja world's most powerful ninja village. Meanwhile, their Land of Iron was merely one among the ninja world's numerous small nations. Neutral status didn't stem from being powerful enough to control their own destiny—purely because the Land of Iron's marginal geographical environment and harsh territorial resources meant they wouldn't be targeted by the five great nations, allowing them to choose neutrality.
So when Konoha dispatched an envoy saying they hoped to borrow their Land of Iron's territory to convene the Five Kage Summit, he'd agreed without any hesitation. Because he lacked room to refuse.
So regardless how young Fourth Hokage might be, he wasn't someone Mifune could treat lightly.
Provoking Konoha's anger—what awaited the Land of Iron would probably be catastrophic disaster.
"General Mifune, no need for such formality."
Minato waved his hand with a smile, asking, "By the way, have the other four all arrived?"
"Kazekage and Mizukage arrived yesterday morning. Raikage and Tsuchikage arrived yesterday evening. The four should all still be resting in their rooms."
"All arrived! That's good."
"Hokage-sama, approximately twenty minutes remain until the Five Kage Summit convenes. Do you need me to arrange a room for temporary rest? Or..."
"No need. Take me directly to the conference room! Twenty minutes—they'll pass in a blink."
"Then please follow me."
Mifune proved incomparably compliant. He led a group of samurai forward, guiding Minato's trio to the already-prepared conference venue.
The room's area proved quite large. Five long tables separated from each other were arranged hexagonally. Behind each table hung banners and drapery bearing each village's flags. Beyond this, the room contained no miscellaneous items whatsoever.
"Hokage-sama, do you see anything requiring improvement?"
Mifune inquired aloud.
Minato looked around once, seeing his own seat placed at the head position directly facing the entrance. He shook his head with a smile, saying, "General Mifune, this is already excellent. Your arrangements prove very thorough."
Speaking—
He strode inside, arriving at the head position. Pulling out the chair, he sat down directly. Hyuga Takuma and Uchiha Shisui followed closely behind, standing left and right behind Minato like door gods.
Minato slightly adjusted the distance between chair and table, then raised his head to look at Mifune, saying with a smile, "General Mifune, please help notify the four Kage. Ask them to come over as soon as possible!"
"Yes."
Mifune agreed.
Immediately—
He assigned the task to subordinate samurai, then ordered people to serve Minato tea. He himself tactfully withdrew outside the door. Though this Five Kage Summit was being held in their Land of Iron, obviously the conference room held no place for him.
"Hokage-sama, everything is normal. Haven't discovered any abnormal circumstances."
Hyuga Takuma reported in a low voice.
Minato nodded without saying anything. His gaze fell upon the teacup before him. But he didn't plan to drink—didn't even extend his hand to touch it. Just sat quietly thus, waiting for the other four Kage to arrive.
Soon—
Pakura, wearing the Kazekage's conical hat, was first to rush over, appearing in the corridor outside. Behind her followed Baki and Yashamaru, both with serious expressions.
Pakura walked to the entrance without rushing to push the door open. Looking at Mifune standing outside, she asked, "General Mifune, who's inside?"
But before Mifune could answer her question, Fourth Raikage A's figure also appeared on the corridor's other side. His strides proved extremely large—in several steps, he'd walked over.
Immediately after—
Fourth Mizukage and Third Tsuchikage's figures appeared almost simultaneously.
All four Kage could see each other.
At this moment, Mifune stepped forward, extending his hand to push open the closed door. His attitude respectful, he said, "Four honored guests, please enter. Hokage-sama is waiting inside for everyone."
Pakura, closest to the entrance, immediately walked inside.
Ōnoki, floating in midair, snorted coldly. "Sunagakure's little girl, don't you know what respecting elders means?"
Pakura's footsteps paused. She turned her head to glance at Ōnoki. That beautiful face showed a cold smile. "Virtuous, highly respected elders merit respect. Old fellows relying on seniority have no qualification to receive others' respect."
"Sharp-tongued little girl."
"Rude old fellow without manners despite his age."
Pakura's words proved sharp, yielding not an inch. She held absolutely no intention of making way for Ōnoki. Bringing Yashamaru and Baki—whose nerves were stretched taut to extremes—she walked inside. Behind Ōnoki, Bunka and Akatsuchi both displayed angry expressions. If Ōnoki hadn't extended his hand to stop them, they'd have already started fighting Sand ninja.
Rock ninja and Sand ninja relations proved terrible.
After the Third Shinobi World War ended, both sides had continuously clashed over ownership issues regarding the Land of Stone caught between them. Pakura had previously been active on the northern front, fighting Rock ninja. Only after the village experienced changes was she summoned back to Sunagakure to hastily succeed as Fifth Kazekage.
A didn't say a word, walking through the door second.
He similarly held absolutely no yielding intent toward this old man Ōnoki. Sand ninja and Rock ninja's terrible relationship was entirely due to benefit struggles. But between their Cloud ninja and Rock ninja, not only did territorial disputes over northern ocean areas exist—they also had the blood debt of Third Raikage that couldn't be forgotten for even a moment.
If the current occasion weren't wrong, he truly wanted to punch Ōnoki hard in that old face.
Then Gōji Yagura suddenly accelerated his pace, also overtaking Ōnoki to enter the conference room first. By rights, Mist ninja and Rock ninja bore an "eight-poles-can't-reach" relationship—both sides possessed absolutely no benefit conflicts whatsoever.
But fate proved just so bizarre. During the First Shinobi World War, Second Tsuchikage and Second Mizukage had mutually perished on the battlefield. So despite lacking benefit conflicts and lacking common interests, both sides found each other mutually displeasing.
"Truly a group of discourteous brats."
Ōnoki's smile turned ice-cold.
Behind him, Bunka and Akatsuchi resembled two volcanoes that might erupt any moment.
"Let's go! I want to see what these brats all plan today."
Ōnoki slowly floated inside.
Bunka and Akatsuchi followed behind.
After the three figures' backs vanished at the entrance, Mifune standing outside the door finally heavily exhaled in relief. He could sense the sharp killing intent radiating from everyone. These people truly might engage in slaughter here.
Fortunately, no danger materialized—they didn't fight.
However, currently this merely represented temporary relief. The heart he'd lifted couldn't yet be set down. Heaven knew whether this Five Kage Summit might suddenly transform into an unlimited combat tournament while proceeding.
Mifune didn't re-enter but ordered subordinates to go inside serving tea to the four Kage who'd arrived later.
Then—
The samurai serving tea were dismissed. The room door also closed tightly.
Inside the conference room—
All five Kage had taken their seats. Guards who'd accompanied them each stood behind their own Kage like wooden stakes—standing bolt upright. The venue's atmosphere proved extremely oppressive.
Minato looked around once. His gaze swept across these four Kage one by one. He spoke in a clear voice, "Everyone, though the time hasn't yet reached ten o'clock, since everyone has assembled, we needn't waste time waiting any longer. Let's begin the conference directly!"
None of the four Kage spoke.
Seeing this, Minato continued, "Let me first reiterate the reason for convening this Five Kage Summit. I hope our five parties can unite to jointly eliminate dangers threatening the entire ninja world's safety—specifically, Missing-nin Anonymous and the Rinnegan's possessor."
Hearing this, Ōnoki grinned, immediately saying, "Hokage, that Missing-nin Anonymous is your Konoha's missing-nin. This is a mess you Konoha created yourselves. Why should we jointly bear responsibility?"
His attitude proved very hostile. This single sentence pushed Konoha to their opposing side.
Minato smiled calmly, answering, "Because Missing-nin Anonymous hates everyone fairly and justly—not targeting only us Konoha. His objective very likely is the nine great Tailed Beasts. Meaning the misfortune Sunagakure encountered likely represents merely a beginning. Unless you're willing to abandon Tailed Beasts under your own control, encountering Missing-nin Anonymous's attacks is only a matter of time."
"Hokage, what evidence do you have proving Missing-nin Anonymous's objective is the nine great Tailed Beasts?" Ōnoki asked in return.
"Isn't the act of seizing the One-Tail from Sunagakure the best evidence?"
"That only proves they targeted the One-Tail. Doesn't represent they simultaneously targeted all nine great Tailed Beasts."
"Then you can also gamble that Missing-nin Anonymous and the Rinnegan's possessor's objective is only the One-Tail. I'm telling you all this out of some goodwill. But whether to accept lies with you yourselves."
"Tsuchikage, if you're unwilling to sit here, then you may leave anytime. No one will stop you."
Minato's smile turned cold, his attitude hardening.
So-called "believe it or not"—
If you don't believe, forget it!
He hoped the five great ninja villages would unite targeting Missing-nin Anonymous and the Rinnegan's possessor. But this didn't mean that to facilitate five great ninja villages' unity, he needed to endure humiliation and yield completely.
If this matter succeeded—excellent. If not, no big deal either.
"Hmph!"
Ōnoki snorted coldly but said nothing more. His rear remained firmly planted in the chair without any intent to depart.
The Rinnegan matter hadn't yet been clarified. How could he possibly leave now throwing up his sleeves? Only after clarifying the Rinnegan situation could he decide how to choose next, thereby making correct choices ensuring his own Iwagakure's benefits wouldn't suffer as much as possible.
Minato's mouth corners hooked up without continuing to press Ōnoki. His gaze swept across the other three, asking, "Does anyone else have questions? If not, I'll continue speaking!"
Sitting at his right front, near the entrance position, A spoke up. "Hokage, does the Rinnegan truly exist?"
"What I wanted to discuss is precisely this."
Minato glanced at A, then his gaze swept across the other three. He said in a deep voice, "The Rinnegan truly exists. These two behind Kazekage also personally experienced it. Though they didn't participate in battle, they witnessed with their own eyes the Rinnegan possessor's confrontation with Hyuga Clan Head."
"I can testify to this point."
Pakura nodded.
"Rinnegan... legend has illuminated reality?"
Ōnoki murmured, his expression not particularly good.
Gōji Yagura furrowed his brow, speaking up to ask, "If the Rinnegan truly exists, how exactly has it remained hidden until now without our knowledge? Everyone present probably didn't know about the Rinnegan's existence before, correct?"
"Can't possibly be that this Rinnegan's possessor has been hiding in uninhabited deep mountains or islands all along?"
Everyone looked at each other—didn't spot anyone who'd known early about the Rinnegan's existence.
Minato lightly coughed. "Mizukage's question hits the mark. Konoha internally also discussed this question. We judge this Rinnegan's possessor probably doesn't live in uninhabited territories. His skilled killing can't have been practiced through mental imagination alone."
"Then where can this Rinnegan's possessor be hiding?"
A pressed.
Mentioning the Rinnegan, everyone proved intensely interested.
Minato didn't fear their interest in the Rinnegan. He immediately answered, "After our village's internal discussions, we speculate this Rinnegan's possessor likely resides in one among three small nations—the Land of Rain, Land of Grass, and Land of Taki. Over the past decades, the Land of Rain and Land of Grass have seen constant warfare. Because of mutual constraints between us, no one could grasp complete intelligence on these two countries."
"As for the Land of Taki—no warfare has erupted for decades. Domestically, Takigakure manages everything watertight. We Konoha know absolutely nothing about what circumstances currently exist in the Land of Taki. Perhaps the Rinnegan's possessor hides inside."
The four Kage lowered their heads in thought.
As village Kage, they undoubtedly all ranked as first-rate intelligent people. After thinking briefly, they discovered Fourth Hokage's speculative reasoning indeed possessed no obvious "flaws" that could be criticized.
If their five great ninja villages all didn't conceal the Rinnegan, then aside from those uninhabited territories, places in the ninja world capable of hiding the Rinnegan truly weren't many. The Land of Rain, Land of Grass, and Land of Taki were the only three options.
Minato paused for over ten seconds, waiting until everyone had largely accepted and digested the information. Only then did he continue, "Originally, we planned to search and investigate ourselves. But the Third Shinobi World War just ended. If we suddenly move against the Land of Rain and Land of Grass at this time, we fear causing misunderstandings among you all. Hard-won extinguished warfires might reignite."
"Therefore, to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings—today, in this place, meeting with everyone to discuss uniting to eliminate Missing-nin Anonymous and the Rinnegan's possessor, cutting out this root of trouble at the earliest opportunity."
His voice rang forcefully and powerfully. Anyone could feel the unshakeable firm determination within Minato's words.
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