Land of Iron, Capital City, three days before the summit.
As a bitter cold land perennially covered in snow, its narrow territory, scant resources, and disaster-prone coastline forged this country's unique cultural system.
A martial group centered around [Samurai] absorbed all talents capable of using Chakra within this land. Thus, in this territory, intelligence mercenaries like Ninjas could not be nurtured.
"Tsk, put simply, it's just another way to make a living amidst blood and gale. No need to distinguish between high and low, right?"
On the street, a girl with pink hair wore a light pink coat over a thin-waist dress shirt and tie, paired with hot pants. Delicate velvet tights wrapped her long legs, and her feet were in yellow-brown high-top leather boots.
Kakashi and Asuma, similarly changed into loose hoodies, followed behind her.
With their index fingers pressed to their lips, they were almost rubbing the skin raw doing 'shush', frantically signaling Sakura.
'Don't say anymore! Please, stop, my little ancestor!'
'If we anger these people and you end up killing them, it'll escalate into a diplomatic incident!'
"Tch, I know!"
Reading their nervous thoughts with Observation Haki, Sakura clicked her tongue. "And you two, don't be so nervous. This is a trip... I mean, a summit. Don't act like we're stealing something!"
She casually pointed at them, helping Kakashi and Asuma correct some of the vigilant postures specific to Ninjas.
She led them into the commercial district on the outskirts of the Land of Iron's capital.
The New Year had just passed… the climate was still too cold for planting potatoes.
The residents of the Land of Iron had time to relax and rest for a while.
Among the liveliest places were first, the casinos, and second, the izakaya pubs.
Next were the various hot spring streets and shops. Stripped of bloodshed and conflict, the preferences of residents in any country weren't very different.
In high spirits, Sakura strolled through the streets and suddenly spotted a bustling izakaya.
The aroma of sake drifting out piqued her interest.
"Let's go drink! My treat!"
The girl stopped at the entrance, turned, and crooked her finger at the two behind her.
Kakashi and Asuma had no chance to decline before Sakura grabbed them and dragged them inside.
"Did you notice something? Is something abnormal in the Land of Iron?"
Inside the izakaya's private room, Kakashi sat near the charcoal fire.
He looked up at this disciple, who had been gathering intelligence since entering the Land of Iron.
"Now that you mention it, I think I feel it too..."
Asuma leaned against the wall, pulling his hoodie tighter, his face showing a trace of thoughtfulness.
Along the way, many residents of the Land of Iron were shivering in the cold wind, their clothes somewhat thin.
He initially thought it was the local culture and customs, but if it were customs, why weren't the middle-class patrons inside the izakaya doing the same?
"Asuma-senpai noticed it too. The residents of the Land of Iron lack cold-proof clothing!"
Sakura raised the strong liquor the server brought, tossed it back, and then picked up some small dishes for a taste.
"You mean the price of cold-proof clothing has increased? Or perhaps they simply sold their original cold-proof clothes!" Kakashi raised an eyebrow.
He pulled down his mask to reveal another mask underneath, produced a straw, stuck it into his cup, and slowly sipped.
The three present were all experienced Jonin. From this clue, they glimpsed that someone was massively stockpiling this kind of material.
Generally, before a war erupts, the first drastic price fluctuations occur in grain and precious metals, followed by various metals for weapons and firewood, charcoal, and coal, and finally, the prices of daily necessities rise.
Then, the entire country transitions from a civilian economy to a wartime economy, unleashing immense productive capacity into the war.
"The Land of Iron is going to war? No... their grain prices haven't fluctuated much."
Asuma's chopsticks, reaching for a dish, stopped over the menu, which happened to show the prices of the dishes. "So, it's a country bordering the Land of Iron that's preparing to go to war?"
"So the price of cotton clothes being driven up only indicates one thing!"
Sakura smiled, looking around at the two beside her, and spoke with them.
"The battlefield is in a place as cold as the Land of Iron!" x3
Kakashi, forgetting about his drink, pulled a map from his ninja tool pouch.
Using the Land of Iron as the horizontal axis, he drew an arc cutting across the latitude, searching towards the further north.
Finally, he drew a big circle around an area with vast territory, at a higher latitude than the Land of Iron, and an even colder climate.
"The Land of Frost! The buffer zone between the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning!"
Kakashi bit the pen cap to put his fountain pen away, pushing the map with his other hand in front of Sakura and Asuma.
"It really is those two. No wonder Mifune hurriedly convened everyone for consultations. He wants to avoid war, right?"
Asuma had also heard about the Land of Earth deploying troops to the Land of Waterfalls.
These two were old rivals with accumulated grievances over the years. The current Tsuchikage, Onoki, even had a record of assigning Ninja to surround and kill the Third Raikage.
Now that the Akatsuki had seized the Tailed Beasts from each village and broken the balance of the great nations, it was within expectations for various ambitious individuals to make a move.
This summit in the Land of Iron, on the surface convened to discuss recovering the Tailed Beasts, was in essence an attempt at mediation by the Land of Iron as a permanently neutral country.
If it failed, the Fourth Great Ninja War would be unavoidable.
"The worry is... Iwagakure and Kumogakure might not sincerely want to start a war."
Sakura toyed with the flawless porcelain cup in her hand, her gaze somewhat meaningful.
"How could that be? If they're not fighting each other, then who... could they fight?"
In an instant, Asuma's leisurely expression vanished, a murderous aura leaking out.
Kakashi also looked troubled as he drew a vertical line from the center of the Land of Frost, straight plunging towards the northern border of the Land of Fire.
"This really is... a terrible situation."
Dropping the pen on the table, Kakashi closed his eyes and clutched his forehead.
"In any case, we'll deal with it as it comes!"
Sakura put down her cup and left the payment for the meal on the izakaya table.
Leading her two guards, she pushed open the door and stepped into the wind and snow.
…
Three days later, Central Building of the Land of Iron's Capital.
Sakura, still wearing the light pink wide coat, raised her hand to shield herself from the goose-feather-like heavy snow constantly blown by the wind.
The three walked into the building, handed over their invitation for inspection by the guarding samurai, and were led by them to the highest floor of the building.
Here, the other four Kage had already arrived, only waiting for Sakura, this tardy final participant.
"Hmph, isn't it Tsunade-hime's disciple? Is Konoha starting to go downhill?" Onoki leaned back in his chair, presuming on his seniority as he spoke.
"Rest assured, we still have the strength to crush a country like the Land of Earth."
Sakura's smile was sweet. She shook the white snow off her coat and hung it behind her chair.
"She's not even a Kage. Is this the courtesy Konoha shows to the other four nations?"
The Fourth Raikage appeared to be a hot-headed man, but was actually meticulous in thought.
While accusing Konoha, he didn't forget to drag the other four nations into it.
"I'm not a Kage simply because I don't want to be. Understand?"
The emerald eyes opened in everyone's hearts. Dark thunder silently roared, sweeping through the void.
A spirit forged from scorching will impacted reality, shaking cracks into the walls and floor.
'Such terrifying force!!!'
The pupils of the other four Kage and their guards simultaneously contracted, silently marveling.
Unable to bear the pressure, some samurai couldn't help but unsheathe their blades.
"Everyone! Please, give me some respect!"
Mifune, sitting in the center, shouldered the force of her spirit and spoke loudly.
Then he turned his head to Sakura. "Acting Representative of the Hokage, please calm your anger!"
"I, Mifune, recognize you as Konoha's executor. Would that be acceptable?"
The girl lowered her emerald eyes, and the force of her spirit suddenly dissipated, as if nothing had just happened.
Mifune wiped the cold sweat from his brow, stood up, and announced.
"Then, let us begin now… the Five Kage Summit!"