"By using my birthday banquet to gather you all here, I believe the four Kage already understand the reason. Before this, I had already discussed with the other three daimyō. Regarding the Sand Federation, the four great nations of Fire, Earth, Water, and Lightning hold a unified opinion—it must be destroyed!"
As he spoke, the Land of Fire's daimyō folded his fan, the smile that usually lingered on his face disappearing, replaced by firm resolve.
"It would be best to eliminate it completely. A nation that undermines the one-country-one-village system cannot be allowed to exist. How to accomplish this will depend on the Kage's discussion."
He finished, opened his fan again, and hid his smile behind it.
At the lowest level, the Federation's commerce undermined the foundation of noble rule. At the highest, the slaughter of daimyō and nobles and the seizure of national power by shinobi was intolerable to all daimyō.
In their eyes, shinobi were tools, weapons to kill with. Shinobi were not meant to have their own will. The ruler of a nation was only the daimyō.
Arms folded, Raikage A spoke calmly. "Before departure, Kumogakure had already reached an agreement with our daimyō. Our only concern is the journey. We need the Land of Fire to grant us full passage and allow Kumogakure to send shinobi to protect our supply lines."
"Impossible, Raikage! That demand is outrageous!"
Tsunade slammed the table, fury on her face. Passing through was one thing, but sending Kumogakure shinobi to guard their supply lines? Was this the Land of Fire's territory or the Land of Lightning's?
Such a request was unacceptable for anyone, especially from Kumogakure, a militaristic nation that glorified strength and escalated arms even in peacetime.
Tsunade already hated the idea of Kumogakure shinobi entering the Land of Fire, let alone protecting their logistics.
"It's only a request for passage, Hokage. Can Konoha not show some sincerity?"
Tsunade sneered. "I recall the Third Raikage once led several squads through small nations during the Third Shinobi World War, eventually reaching the Land of Wind to attack Sunagakure. You could simply follow his example. After all, that's quite consistent with your village's style."
Her words struck deep into Kumogakure's pride. The Third Raikage, carrying the Amber Purifying Pot and relying on his speed, had tried to plunder other nations' resources. After being repelled by Rasa, he was besieged by ten thousand Iwagakure shinobi and ultimately died at their hands.
"Hokage, you bastard! So Konoha shows no sincerity at all!"
"The one lacking sincerity is you, bastard! You want to send shinobi into the Land of Fire to protect your supply lines? Why don't I send Konoha shinobi to protect Kumogakure for you instead?"
Within moments, Tsunade and A were quarreling loudly. Both were hot-tempered, and the grudges between Konoha and Kumogakure were deep. Hyuga Tokuma was already suppressing his anger. No clan hated Kumogakure more than the Hyuga.
They had tried to abduct from the Hyuga compound, then forced Hizashi to commit suicide. Such humiliation was unbearable to anyone who hadn't lived through it.
Especially with Raikage making such an excessive demand from the start, Tsunade's reaction was only natural.
Both leaders nearly stood, hands slamming on the table. Their guards were equally unwilling to yield. Tokuma's Byakugan flared open, while Kurenai drew three senbon into her hand, scarlet eyes narrowing as she fixed on the Raikage's guards.
Darui and C reacted at once. Even with C's expertise in Genjutsu, neither had confidence against the famed Genjutsu specialist Kurenai.
"Please, both sides, calm down. The daimyō is still here. And indeed, Raikage-dono's demand was excessive—no wonder Hokage-dono was angered. If the situation were reversed, Kumogakure would hardly agree either."
Mei Terumi, never one to forget grudges, appeared to mediate while subtly mocking the Raikage. She then continued,
"Before departure, I did speak with our daimyō, but Kirigakure still has a problem unresolved. Unless we eliminate Kado Shipping, even if we dispatch troops, maintaining them will be difficult."
Ōnoki suddenly spoke. "A mere merchant company can trouble Kirigakure so much? Has the Bloody Mist taken too many of your shinobi?"
"Heh, not too bad. Probably fewer than Iwagakure lost on the battlefield of the Land of Rain." Mei smiled lightly in reply.
The grudge between Iwagakure and Kirigakure ran deep. Even the Second Tsuchikage and Second Mizukage had perished together.
With such history, uniting the four great villages for a joint operation was no simple task.
The Land of Fire's daimyō felt a headache rising. He had thought gathering the four Kage would lead to cooperation under the decision he and the other daimyō had made. Instead, the meeting devolved into barbs and mockery.
These were the leaders of the great shinobi villages, yet they showed no courtesy at all.
"Enough. Tokuma, Kurenai, lower your guard. We're here to discuss strategy, not old grudges."
Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled smoke as he spoke. But neither Tokuma nor Kurenai obeyed. Kurenai had inherited many techniques from Tsunade, even the Strength of a Hundred Seal and monstrous strength. She was nearly Tsunade's apprentice in name. Tokuma, following clan orders, only answered to Tsunade, not a former Hokage.
Neither moved. Tokuma glanced at Tsunade, while Kurenai ignored Hiruzen entirely. She kept her gaze fixed on the Raikage's guards, her senbon twirling rhythmically in her hand. The motion drew Darui and C's eyes, scattering their focus as if their attention was being pulled away.
"I am no soldier, so I'll excuse myself for now."
The Land of Fire's daimyō suddenly rose, waving his hand. All non-shinobi attendants withdrew with him. Before leaving, he left a final word:
"I still hope you will reach a proper decision. This is the will of myself and the other three daimyō."
After his departure, the four Kage simmered down somewhat. Tsunade gestured, and Tokuma and Kurenai retracted their Byakugan and senbon.
Darui and C froze briefly as Kurenai withdrew her weapons, then quickly regained their focus. The realization filled them with wariness. Just in that moment they'd been distracted, Kurenai could have easily cast a Genjutsu or launched a shuriken strike—especially with allies at her side. Both realized they had already fallen behind. Darui thought grimly: truly worthy of her title as the mistress of illusions.
Hiruzen puffed his pipe and said slowly, "Raikage-dono, please refrain from unrealistic demands. Logistics will be resolved by the daimyō. If you have sincerity, proper negotiations can be made."
If logistics were the issue, Kumogakure could still deploy forces to the battlefield, while the Land of Fire provided supplies for them.
There was no need for a united front. In Hiruzen's mind, Kumogakure and Kirigakure could advance from the coast toward the Federation, while Konoha and Iwagakure attacked from another direction. That would be the most effective plan.
The four Kage could then converge to reinforce whichever battlefield required greater strength.
They all knew this. The quarrels stemmed only from old hatred.
Less than sixty years had seen four Shinobi World Wars. The fourth was smaller in scale, but casualties were no less severe.
Such enmity could not vanish simply because of the Federation. After all, it was not Uchiha Madara threatening to destroy the world—only a nation breaking the one-country-one-village system, drawing daimyō wrath.
Hyuga Mirai's power, goals, and merchant influence were concealed so well that even Tsunade needed to check the ring terminal regularly to stay updated on his growing strength.
Once true negotiations began, Tsunade grew quiet. She thought these people's idea of destroying the Federation was pure fantasy.
If that man ever truly unleashed himself, villages like Iwa or Kiri would have been long gone.
"But I should still discuss this with him… ah, and I need him to bring more of that fruit-flavored vodka next time."
Her mind wandered, and those behind her noticed.
Kurenai, watching Tsunade's distracted gaze and idly twisting her ring, guessed what her Hokage might be thinking—she was likely planning to meet that man again.
She had crossed paths with him before. But Tsunade was hard to track, and any attempt risked being noticed, so even though Kurenai knew her Hokage often disappeared from the village, she had no proof.
This time, with the four great villages aiming at the Federation—and Hyuga Mirai being the Federation's Ninja Academy headmaster—there was no way they would not meet.
As for the daimyō's plan to form a coalition, Kurenai had doubted it from the start. If the true mastermind traitor remained at large, no alliance could possibly win.
Logistics and troop numbers meant little. Only one issue mattered.
Mei Terumi spoke. "Do any of you have detailed intelligence on the Federation? Kirigakure's information is limited. If Iwa, Konoha, or Kumo has more, I hope you will share it with us."
(End of Chapter)