His eyes passed over the arm guards beneath Ryoma's sleeves, the whip folded like a baton at Two-Tails Jinchuriki's waist, and the huge one-handed axe on Kurotsuchi's back. "Interesting," he thought, smiling for real this time.
"Seven Deadly Sins Essence number two, the Winged Imperial Armament Hatred, the Lightning Naruto Uzumaki Arm, the Deity-Striking Whip, Tiancongyun Sword…" Half of the ten Ninja Tool left behind on the first level of the Underground Palace had shown up here at once.
Only the long blade he casually gave to Nagato after killing the Banruo Group was missing. There were also Hidan's Silian Tongzi, Homura Mitokado's Sacred Annihilation Arrow, and Shadow's Ghost Mask along with that discarded broken sword.
The current Land of Demons was truly lively. A hoarse chuckle sounded just then.
"Never mind," Onoki said slowly. "As long as the Hokage arrived safely, that is what matters."
"After all, the roads to Land of Demons are not easy." He then turned his gaze deeper into the Shrine.
"Priestess," he asked, "can you explain why the Land of Demons chosen for the Five Kage Summit has become like this?" "The strange stone statues we saw do not match the safety and secrecy you promised."
His question rippled through the silent hall. Every one of them had seen those statues after arriving.
They formed orderly ranks and advanced slowly toward the heart of Land of Demons. No matter what stood in their way, it was crushed by their numbers and weight.
Some had attacked the statues, only to see them reform after being broken and continue their march. Hearing Onoki voice what they all wondered, every gaze turned toward the depths of the shrine.
There, instead of a national curtain, hung layers of pure Chakra veils. Behind them, in flickering candlelight, a slender figure knelt in silence, hazy and indistinct.
It was the priestess of Land of Demons, Miroku. Her voice rose, calm and hollow.
"What the Onoki says is correct," she said. "The disaster facing Land of Demons does go against the safety I promised, and for that I offer my apology."
She paused briefly. "But I believe what Land of Demons faces now is also the reason all of you were willing to come."
"What do you mean?" Third Kazekage frowned. "What do those statues have to do with us?"
"Because what is ravaging Land of Demons now is the demon known as 'Moryo,'" Miroku replied. "Or perhaps now it should be called an Espada-class 'Crimson giant.'"
The eyes of everyone present changed. "An Espada-class Crimson giant?"
"Wasn't Moryo sealed by generations of priestesses?"
"How did it escape, and how did it become an Espada-class Crimson giant?" His questions echoed the thoughts of them all.
They had agreed to attend the Five Kage Summit because of the spread of 'Crimson giant.' It was not only the 'Moryo' born from dead Ninja that troubled them, but also countless ordinary 'Crimson giant' formed from human malice.
Compared to the relatively few 'Moryo' scattered across the Shinobi World, the ordinary 'Crimson giant' were the true source of chaos. Even without Cero, their near immunity to physical attacks made them a huge threat to civilians and ordinary Ninja.
The other villages lacked the depth of Konoha and had yet to find effective counters. They believed Land of Demons, which could seal demons, would be spared and might offer solutions.
Instead, even the sealed Moryo had become an Espada-class 'Crimson giant.' From intelligence gathered in Konoha, Kirigakure, and the Land of Hot Water battlefield, such beings could devastate any nation.
Whether it was Konoha nearly destroyed by a newborn Espada, or Fourth Mizukage once defeated head-on by one, the threat was undeniable. That was why Fourth Mizukage accepted the invitation without hesitation, even after planning to step down for Mei Terumi.
Yet Miroku did not answer at once. Her gaze seemed to pass through the veils and rest on Hiruzen Sarutobi and Ryoma.
"Please take your seat first, Hokage," she said gently. "I believe the one who called this meeting can answer everyone's doubts."
All eyes turned to Hiruzen Sarutobi. He narrowed his eyes, said nothing, and walked to the red curtain to take the only empty seat, while Ryoma and Kakashi stood behind him.
With his seating, the Five Kage Summit were finally all present. The highest authority of the Five Great Villages had gathered in one place.
"Esteemed Kage," Miroku announced solemnly. "Please place the hats that represent your identities on the table before you."
Though eager for answers about Akatsuki, each Kage removed their hat and set it on the stone table. "By the call of the Hokage, the Five Kage Summit are assembled," the priestess said.
"I am the host of this meeting, Miroku." "And now, the Five Kage Summit officially begins."
The brief and forceful declaration swept away all stray noise in the hall. A heavy pressure settled over everyone, pressing down on their shoulders and chests. For a moment, no one spoke.
After a short pause, Hiruzen Sarutobi was the first to break the silence. He coughed lightly, then spoke in a steady voice. "Everyone, the successful convening of this Five Kage Summit reflects the determination of the Five Great Nations to face a shared threat and seek a solution together."
Konoha merely provided an opportunity," he continued calmly. "As for our common goal, it goes without saying."
"Right now, a creature known as 'Crimson giant' is raging across the entire Shinobi World. Whether it is Land of Fire, Land of Water, Land of Wind, Land of Earth, and Kumogakure…" His gaze swept the room as he spoke. "Every corner of the Shinobi World has seen their ferocious figures."
"They ignore borders and status, devour the souls of living beings at will, and pose an extremely high level of threat. What they bring is not only destruction of life, but a collapse of order itself. If allowed to spread, the foundations of the Five Great Nations and even the entire Shinobi World will be destroyed."
Hiruzen Sarutobi raised his voice, his tone firm and decisive. "Therefore, in my view, the core theme of this Five Kage Summit is unity. We must set aside old grudges and prejudice, and face together this unprecedented crisis that threatens the very foundation of survival for everyone."
He looked around at the varied expressions before him and continued. "There are three concrete objectives. First, to establish a joint response mechanism with a standing body to share intelligence and coordinate actions, ensuring a unified, efficient, and timely response to the threat of 'Crimson giant'."
"Second, to fully share all intelligence on 'Crimson giant', including their traits, weaknesses, behavior patterns, and known types. We must break information barriers and avoid fighting alone. Third, to formulate coordinated combat strategies, creating joint plans for suppression, defense, and rescue at different threat levels, and integrating the strength of the Five Great Nations."
Hiruzen Sarutobi inclined his head toward the direction of Miko. "In addition, we must draw upon the experience and strength of the Land of Demons in suppressing Demonic Creatures, and seek methods to eliminate 'Crimson giant'."
It was clear that Hiruzen Sarutobi had prepared his words carefully and set the tone for the meeting from the start. Yet if unity among the Five Great Nations were that easy, there would not have been so many Ninja World Wars in history. He was about to continue when a furious shout cut him off.
"Enough! What self-important nonsense are you spouting!"