Cooking, eating, sleeping.
When Takeshi lay down on the bed, ready to enjoy a brief moment of peace, something suddenly crossed his mind. He sat bolt upright.
Startled, both Haku and Kimimaro beside him immediately assumed fighting stances, thinking an enemy had launched a surprise attack.
"Oh no, oh no."
Just as the two of them began scanning for the intruder, Takeshi's muttering reached their ears.
"Don't tell me that idiot Obito ran into Isshiki?"
Only now did he remember the intelligence mission he had sent Obito on—to Amegakure.
If his opponent had been Yōwan, that wouldn't have been too bad. With Kamui, Obito could still hold the advantage in battle.
But if the enemy was an otherworldly being like Isshiki... then Obito's fate would be all but sealed.
However, Takeshi quickly recalled something else and eased his worries.
The vessel that Isshiki had possessed—Jigen—was far too weak. Once the fighting began, the body would collapse beyond recovery.
That guy had been hiding and scheming in the shinobi world for years; he definitely wouldn't personally take the field just because of Obito's interference.
Thinking that, Takeshi yawned and lost interest in worrying about Obito's safety.
...
Letters sent by the Fifth Hokage, Shimura Takeshi, calling for a Five Kage Summit, had been delivered to each of the respective Kage through various channels.
As the Kazekage, Pakura had already been working closely with Takeshi for some time, and with Sunagakure's current standing, she readily agreed.
"Although Sunagakure is now under Konoha's banner, Kazekage-sama, please don't underestimate yourself. For some of Konoha's unreasonable terms, our side still has room to refuse."
At the village gates, though Chiyo said she didn't intend to meddle in Pakura's affairs, her body honestly showed up to see her off anyway.
After giving a few tips on negotiation tactics, she turned her gaze toward the guards following Pakura.
"Both of you must protect the Kazekage well. Don't let her suffer even the slightest injury."
Ebizō nodded beside her in agreement.
"You must be ready to give your lives to protect the Kazekage."
It wasn't that the two had suddenly changed their opinion of Pakura, but rather that Sunagakure simply couldn't afford the death of another powerhouse.
Most of the senior officials they had known had perished during the Iwagakure raid. The new leadership consisted of mostly younger shinobi who didn't see eye to eye with them.
"I haven't become so weak that I need these two youngsters to sacrifice themselves for me."
With a smile, Pakura spoke those words before turning gracefully and walking away.
In Iwagakure, Ōnoki, clutching his aching back, set off with Kitsuchi and Deidara amid the cheers of his fellow shinobi.
"Brat, just because you took part in one Chūnin Exam doesn't mean you can look down on the other villages' shinobi! And what is this thing?!"
Before Ōnoki could finish scolding, Deidara had already shaped a massive clay bird.
"Hmph, old man, just sit tight and stop with the useless nagging, hmm!"
He leapt onto the bird's back, not bothering to listen to any more of Ōnoki's lectures. Right now, he just wanted to enjoy a moment of freedom.
"You brat, have some respect for your elders!"
"Anyone who can't appreciate my art isn't qualified to talk, hmm."
Watching the mighty Tsuchikage, bickering with his own student, Kitsuchi sighed, thinking to himself that his daughter really was much more well-behaved and adorable.
In Kirigakure, Yagura Karatachi departed alongside Hoshigaki Kisame and Momochi Zabuza after bidding farewell to Elder Genshi and entrusting him with the affairs of the village. They too began their journey to the Land of Iron.
"What kind of guy is the Fifth Hokage, Kisame?"
Zabuza was curious about this Hokage who possessed Ice Release and turned to Kisame for his thoughts.
"... why? Does the so-called Demon of the Mist want to test himself against that young Hokage?"
Kisame glanced at Yagura, saw that his expression remained calm, and then chuckled as he replied.
"Hmph, of course. Now that we wield the blades of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, there's no reason we can't stand against a Hokage."
Zabuza's hand rested on the hilt of his Executioner's Blade as he eyed the Samehada strapped to Kisame's back, his tone filled with confidence.
"I suggest you abandon that thought."
Kisame shook his head, not sharing Zabuza's optimism.
After all, in the previous generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, nearly half had been slain by Takeshi—back when he was still young.
And now? His strength had surely grown far beyond that time. Just the two of them wouldn't be enough.
"I know what you're thinking. But we all know what kind of people the last generation of the Seven Swordsmen were."
At the mention of their predecessors, the corners of Zabuza's mouth twisted beneath his bandages.
Especially the former ANBU leader, Fuguki Suikazan—after his death, the Third Mizukage had uncovered proof that he had repeatedly sold village secrets to outsiders. A true traitor of the Mist.
As for Kushimaru Kuriarare and Jinpachi Munashi, they were infamous throughout the shinobi world for their bloodthirsty cruelty—zealous supporters of the Blood Mist era.
Their ruthless combat style spared neither enemy nor ally; even within Kirigakure, most despised them.
"The past doesn't need to be mentioned again. The current Kirigakure is no longer the Bloody Mist of the old days."
Yagura finally spoke, stepping into the conversation.
With his Mizukage's words, Zabuza realized he had gone too far and immediately fell silent.
Meanwhile, in Kumogakure, after a long period of negotiation, the village had finally reached equilibrium with the Land of Lightning.
The expansion of Kumogakure ended there. The Daimyō's court formally acknowledged the strongholds seized by the village but forbade further assassinations of the country's nobles.
In return, the Land of Lightning's government would no longer fund Kumogakure's military. As for commissioned missions, they were to be redirected through Konoha.
Faced with this outcome, the Fifth Raikage, Dodai, accepted with ease. The members of Kumogakure's Ninja Committee also signed the peace treaty one after another without protest.
Dodai viewed this upcoming summit with great importance—it was the perfect chance for Kumogakure to reenter the global stage.
Thus, he became the first Kage to agree to attend, even before Pakura.
Accompanied by Torot and Sikai as his guards, he set out swiftly for the Land of Iron.
At that moment, Takeshi, along with Uchiha Hikari and Kakashi, had just reached the border of the Land of Waterfalls.
"I knew it."
Walking down the road, Hikari muttered without warning.
"Why are you blaming me again?"
Takeshi rolled his eyes, already aware of their pursuers.
"Who else am I supposed to blame? Tell me—when was the last time you went anywhere without getting ambushed?"
Hands on her hips, Uchiha Hikari glared at him, her cold sneer reflecting Takeshi's notorious reputation across the ninja world.
"Tch, can't help it if I'm too brilliant. Makes everyone jealous."
As Takeshi spoke, he suddenly drew in a deep breath—then released it sharply behind him.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!"
Several screams followed. Masked shinobi fell from the trees, some dead instantly, others writhing on the ground clutching their wounds.