Uchiha Takeru and Uchiha Yumi were, at their core, nothing more than two utterly ordinary members of the Uchiha clan. They were not ninja, nor had they ever wielded power on the battlefield. They were merely civilians who made a living by running a small pancake stall, surviving quietly on the fringes of the shinobi world.
When Uchiha Itachi had once been trapped in agonizing turmoil, torn between his clan and his village, it was precisely this plain, elderly couple who had offered him simple kindness and comfort. In the midst of their unremarkable daily lives, they had shown him warmth and care, treating him not as a weapon or a prodigy, but as a lonely child burdened by expectations far beyond his years.
Yet on the night of the clan's annihilation, these same gentle, kind-hearted elders were cut down by Itachi's own ruthless blade.
And they were only two among countless innocent civilians who had perished beneath that massacre.
Because of Chiba's intervention, however, these remaining members of the Uchiha clan had survived. Chiba was not a saint, nor did he harbor any naïve illusions of righteousness. Everything he did was rooted in his own interests, or those of Kirigakure as a whole. And yet, regardless of intent, the outcome was undeniable,he had preserved something that would otherwise have been completely erased.
Even in this filthy, blood-soaked shinobi world, where cruelty was often a necessity rather than a choice, Chiba had still chosen to keep his bottom line.
…
In the days that followed, Chiba did not merely focus on stabilizing Kirigakure's internal affairs. He also kept a close watch on the shifting tides of the entire shinobi world. On the surface, it seemed as though a new great war could erupt at any moment, with tensions flaring on all sides. But in truth, such periods of unease were not uncommon.
A full-scale Shinobi World War rarely broke out simply because of rising hostility. More often than not, it required a confluence of chance and timing,usually after enough time had passed since the previous war for the great nations to recover their strength, re-balance their forces, and prepare for another reshuffling of power.
At present, however, not much time had passed since the end of the Third Shinobi World War. Though there had been conflicts,between Konoha and Iwagakure, Konoha and Kumogakure, Iwagakure and Sunagakure, and most recently between Kirigakure and Sunagakure,none had escalated into a war that engulfed the entire world.
Until this day.
Inside the Mizukage's office, Terumī Mei suddenly arrived with news: a message had come from the Raikage.
Chiba smiled faintly. "So that brute finally can't sit still anymore?"
"Is Kumogakure preparing for war? But who would they be targeting?"
Kumogakure, after all, had the widest range of options. Though they were infamous for their obsession with military might and expansion, their choice of enemy was never fixed. Sunagakure, Kirigakure, Konoha,even Iwagakure,were all potential targets. During the Third Shinobi World War, the Sandaime Raikage had died at the hands of Iwagakure, leaving behind a blood feud that ran as deep as the sea. Iwagakure, for its part, had also suffered immense losses and harbored no goodwill toward Kumogakure.
Mei chuckled softly. "Seems even our Mizukage-sama can be wrong sometimes…"
"No," she continued, shaking her head. "The Raikage isn't planning to start a war."
"He's proposing a Five Kage Summit, to discuss the future order of the shinobi world."
Chiba was genuinely surprised. "Oh? That hothead actually managed to calm down?"
On second thought, it wasn't entirely unexpected. Before the Fourth Shinobi World War in the original timeline, it had also been the Raikage who convened the Five Kage Summit,albeit for the sake of his brother, Killer B, the Hachibi' jinchūriki. And Kumogakure was not entirely run by muscle-brained warmongers; figures like Mabui and Dodai had always tempered the village's aggression with pragmatism.
Mei smiled knowingly. "It seems the Raikage is hesitant about starting a war, but he also doesn't want to miss such a rare opportunity. So he's decided to bring everything to the negotiating table instead, hoping to extract the maximum benefit."
"Without a doubt, he'll rely on intimidation and coercion."
Chiba laughed lightly. "Indeed. Compared to fighting a war, extorting gains without shedding blood is far more efficient."
Mei then asked, "So, Mizukage-sama… will you attend?"
"Of course," Chiba replied without hesitation. "A Five Kage Summit without the Mizukage wouldn't really be a Five Kage Summit, would it?"
"Besides, since becoming Mizukage, I haven't formally met those old foxes yet. This time, it's about time I truly stepped onto the stage of the shinobi world."
Mei nodded in agreement. "You're right. Kirigakure has been dormant for far too long. With your rise, it's time to show them our strength."
"Still," she added seriously, "the Five Kage Summit will be rife with undercurrents. Your safety is paramount. Traditionally, the Mizukage brings two guards. Who should we take?"
"I'll go first, obviously," Mei said at once.
Chiba smiled. "You? Aren't you planning to stay behind and guard Kirigakure?"
Seeing no one else around, Mei couldn't help but act coquettish. "I want to go with you."
Chiba pulled her into his arms and settled her onto his lap. "Alright, alright."
"Then you can come. But tell me,when the time comes, are you protecting me, or am I protecting you?"
Mei laughed softly. "That's not how it works. It's not as though the Mizukage-sama needs to personally take action every time. That's precisely why bodyguards exist."
Chiba nodded. "Fair enough."
"Then who's the other choice?"
Mei considered it for a moment. "Ao is steady and experienced, and he has the Byakugan. He's well-suited for the role, though his overall combat power isn't particularly outstanding."
"Suigetsu has excellent talent and strength too, but,"
Chiba shook his head. "Recently I've had him handling inter-clan affairs, especially with the Uchiha clan just settling in. We need him here."
Mei nodded. "Then what do you think?"
Chiba smiled. "If we're talking purely about strength, there's really only one choice."
Mei raised an eyebrow. "Kisame Hoshigaki?"
"Indeed. His strength may even surpass mine. But isn't he supposed to oversee ANBU?"
"That's fine," Chiba replied calmly. "For now, I'll have Miru act as interim ANBU captain. She was originally from ANBU, and now that she's a perfect jinchūriki, her strength is more than sufficient."
Mei sighed softly. "That's true. Since becoming the Sanbis' jinchūriki, Miru's growth has been astonishing. Among Kirigakure's younger generation, she's already at the very top."
Chiba tightened his hold on Mei slightly, smiling. "What's this? I hear a hint of jealousy in your voice."
Feeling the warmth of his embrace, Mei buried her face against his chest. "No… I just need to work harder too."
"Otherwise, one day… you might not need me anymore."
Chiba gently stroked her hair. "Don't be foolish. This has nothing to do with strength."
"And I'll always need you."
A sweet warmth bloomed in Mei's heart. She lifted her head, her eyes shining, and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. Once again, the Mizukage's office was filled with springlike warmth.
…
Before long, news of the Raikage convening the Five Kage Summit spread throughout the entire shinobi world. One by one, the other great villages responded in kind. As always, the meeting place was chosen to be the neutral Land of Iron, with the samurai leader Mifune serving as host.
Chiba departed Kirigakure with Mei and Kisame Hoshigaki, leaving the village's internal governance under the supervision of Genji while the various departments continued to function as normal. Crossing the sea by ship, the trio set foot upon the mainland of the shinobi world at a port within the Land of Fire.
Though they were enemies, during the period of the Five Kage Summit, the five great nations were forbidden from engaging in hostilities,an agreement long established among them.
They continued eastward toward the Land of Iron. Along the way, the other four Kage gradually converged as well. Upon reaching the northern borders, snow had already begun to fall, the cold biting and sharp. It reminded Chiba of the Land of Snow, where winter reigned year-round.
Soon, Mifune had dispatched samurai to greet them. Following their escort, Chiba arrived at the summit venue,where the other four Kage and their respective guards had already assembled.
After all, Kirigakure lay isolated across the sea, making it the most distant of them all.
Chiba's gaze swept calmly across the four Kage and the figures standing at their sides.
From Konohagakure came the Sandaime Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, accompanied by his Hokage guards,Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy. Among the younger generation, they were indeed regarded as the strongest combatants Konoha could presently field, symbols of both its military strength and its future.
Yet as Chiba observed them, a trace of amusement flickered through his thoughts. Deep down, Hiruzen's ideal escorts were never these two. If circumstances had allowed it, the old Hokage would undoubtedly have preferred to bring Senju Tsunade and Jiraiya,the legendary Sannin whose presence alone could stabilize an entire battlefield. Reality, however, rarely conformed to ideals.
At this point in time, Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy were still far from the peaks they would one day reach. Kakashi's strength was firmly within the bounds of an elite jōnin,outstanding, but not transcendent. Against Momochi Zabuza, he could claim victory, yet the margin between them had never been overwhelming. Might Guy was much the same. Rivals since youth, the two pushed one another forward, advancing step by step through relentless competition.
Guy, in particular, had not yet become the incarnation of terror that history would later remember. The Eight Gates were still a path unfinished. Even if he were to force open the Gate of Death now, the resulting power,while horrifying,would still fall far short of what was needed to challenge a Six Paths empowered Uchiha Madara. In the grand hierarchy of the shinobi world, both Kakashi and Guy remained far removed from the realm occupied by the legendary Sannin.
The gap between jōnin and true Kage-level beings was something Kakashi himself understood all too well. In another timeline, when he had once confronted Orochimaru, he had been driven to the brink of self-destruction,only to be paralyzed by fear from a single glance. Cold sweat had soaked his body as the realization struck him with brutal clarity: compared to a monster like Orochimaru, he had been nothing more than naïve. That memory alone was enough to define the chasm separating elite jōnin from absolute Kage-tier existences.
From Kumogakure arrived the Yondaime Raikage, A, flanked by his guards,Darui and C,exactly as history recorded. Darui, the future Godaime Raikage, wielded Storm Release and the Black Lightning secret techniques. With his silver hair, languid temperament, and unmistakable aura of a successor-in-waiting, he could almost be considered Kumogakure's own Kakashi Hatake.
C, by contrast, lacked fame but compensated with rare versatility. Sensory perception, genjutsu aptitude, and medical ninjutsu,he possessed all three. Such a complete skill set was nearly unheard of, making him a uniquely valuable asset even among the Five Great Nations.
Iwagakure was represented by the Sandaime Tsuchikage, Ōnoki of the . At his side stood his guards,his son, Kitsuchi, and Han, a shinobi wielding the Explosion Release Kekkei Genkai. Kitsuchi was perhaps the most underestimated figure in the hall. His chakra reserves and sheer physical power bordered on the monstrous. He had once suppressed the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and had even momentarily restrained the resurrected Ten-Tails (Jyubi). With his Rock Fist Technique, he had sent a Kyuubi empowered Kinkaku flying with a single blow.
Han, meanwhile, was an elite jōnin specializing in Explosion Release, capable of triggering violent detonations with his Landmine Fist. As the captain of Iwagakure's Explosion Corps, his reputation was well-earned. It was also worth noting,at least among those who understood the details,that Deidara's Explosive Clay was not Explosion Release at all, but merely a secret Earth Release technique. Otherwise, it would not have been so decisively countered by Uchiha Sasuke's Lightning Release.
Lastly came Sunagakure's Yondaime Kazekage, Rasa, accompanied by Baki and Yura,his most trusted subordinates, his left and right hands. Yet in terms of raw power, much like Sunagakure's overall standing, they occupied the lowest rung among the Five Kage's escorts.
With all parties present, the atmosphere inside the conference hall subtly but unmistakably shifted. The Five Great Nations were bound together by a web of grudges, betrayals, and unresolved bloodshed. Cooperation was a veneer; hatred was the foundation.
Chiba maintained a calm, unreadable smile. Behind him, Mei Terumi and Kisame Hoshigaki both sensed the undercurrent of hostility, their chakra tightly restrained yet ready to surge at a moment's notice.
The leader of the Land of Iron, Mifune, cleared his throat, breaking the silence.
"Ahem. Since this Five Kage Conference has been convened by mutual agreement, all discussions today must proceed peacefully. No one is to resort to violence."
He turned slightly.
"Raikage-dono, as the initiator of this conference, the floor is yours."
The Yondaime Raikage stepped forward. Compared to later years, he looked younger,but the volatility in his eyes was even more pronounced.
"I called this Five Kage Conference to stabilize the current state of the shinobi world," he declared bluntly. "After the Third Great Ninja War, the Five Great Nations signed a peace treaty. And yet,what has that treaty become?"
His voice rose with each word.
"Iwagakure and Sunagakure wage war. Sunagakure and Kirigakure clash. Konohagakure tears itself apart from within."
"If this continues," he growled, "the Fourth Great Ninja War is not a possibility,it's an inevitability."
Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a low, humorless chuckle.
"Raikage-dono," he said calmly, though his eyes were sharp, "those words ring hollow coming from you. Was it not your own decision that once plunged Konoha into war?"
Rasa followed immediately, bitterness plain on his face.
"And let us not forget,the Third Great Ninja War began because Kumogakure invaded Sunagakure while our Sandaime Kazekage was missing!"
Ōnoki stroked his beard, smiling faintly.
"Indeed. Hearing lectures on peace from a village that worships military expansion… how ironic."
One by one, their gazes shifted toward Kirigakure,toward the man who had risen seemingly overnight and shaken the entire shinobi world.
Chiba.
The new Mizukage.
Chiba understood perfectly well that this conference was not merely about peace. It was a weighing scale. A test. They wanted to measure him,to determine whether he was a threat, an ally, or something far worse.
"I think the Raikage is right," Chiba said lightly.
When Chiba calmly stated that he agreed with the Raikage, a heavy silence fell over the chamber.
For a brief moment, even the other Kage seemed unable to process what they had just heard.
Hiruzen Sarutobi narrowed his eyes slightly. The old Hokage did not erupt at once. Instead, he drew a measured breath, both hands resting on the table like a man who had fought countless battles,many of them without spilling a single drop of blood.
"Interesting…" he said, his tone controlled, almost serene.
"I did not expect the new Mizukage to so readily position himself as a defender of stability."
He raised his gaze and met Chiba's eyes directly, his voice growing firmer, imbued with unquestionable authority.
"But if we are truly speaking of peace and balance, then certain actions demand an explanation."
"Kirigakure interfered in the internal affairs of Konohagakure. The Uchiha Clan's uprising did not merely wound our village,it shook the very political foundation of the Land of Fire."
Hiruzen paused briefly, as if carefully weighing every word that followed.
"A village is not sustained by strength alone," he continued.
"It is sustained by legitimacy. And when external forces exacerbate internal divisions, that is not diplomacy,it is subversion."
Chiba listened with a faint smile, showing no urgency to reply.
"Interference?" he echoed softly, tilting his head slightly.
"Hokage-dono, that is a very serious accusation."
His tone remained calm, almost cordial.
"But accusations require evidence. At what point did Kirigakure incite the Uchiha Clan's rebellion?"
"Or rather… at what point did a conflict that had existed for decades finally erupt?"
Chiba rested his elbow on the arm of his chair, speaking with deliberate composure.
"The tension between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha did not begin with me. Nor did it begin with you."
"It is as old as the policies established by the Nidaime Hokage."
Hiruzen's expression stiffened for an instant. He knew that argument better than anyone.
"For years," Chiba continued, "that tension was contained. Not resolved,merely contained."
"So tell me, Hokage-dono… why did that containment fail precisely during your tenure?"
The silence deepened.
Hiruzen's fingers tightened against the tabletop. His eyes did not show anger alone,there was something far more dangerous within them: guilt interwoven with wounded pride.
"Choose your words carefully, Mizukage," he replied, his voice now heavier.
"Governing a village like Konoha requires compromises that an outsider could never fully understand."
"Decisions are made not because they are ideal, but because they are necessary."
"And every Hokage bears the burden of protecting millions,even if that means sacrificing perfection itself."
Chiba smiled, without excessive irony.
"Then do not deny it," he said gently.
"Accept it."
"Accept that the problem was not a foreign hand pushing the board…"
"…but a system too old to sustain its own contradictions."
The air seemed to grow colder.
Hiruzen rose slowly from his seat. It was not an explosive motion, but the heavy movement of a man who had been struck at the very core of what he cherished most,his identity as the village's guardian.
"You speak as though you stand above it all," he said, no longer concealing his irritation.
"But Kirigakure is hardly a paragon of political purity."
Behind him, Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy had already shifted into position, keenly aware of the change in the flow of chakra.
"And don't tell me," Hiruzen continued, "that your actions were driven purely by goodwill."
Chiba rose as well.
"Never," he answered frankly.
"I act in my own interests."
That honesty caused several of the Kage to frown.
"But there is a difference," Chiba went on, his gaze sweeping slowly across the chamber.
"I do not hide my choices behind words like 'heritage,' 'tradition,' or 'necessity.'"
Behind him, the chakra of Mei Terumi and Kisame Hoshigaki began to expand silently, like an approaching tide.
"If there was a spark," Chiba concluded, turning his eyes back to Hiruzen,
"it was only because something was already destined to explode."
For a long moment, no one spoke.
The Five Kage Conference had ceased to be merely a political debate.
It had become a judgment,of villages, of leaders, and of the legacies they would leave behind.
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