The location of the Five Kage Summit was finally set in Iron Village, near the Earth and Lightning countries, bordering Fire Country, Taki, and the fields beyond. Known for its neutrality and samurai culture-even before Ninjutsu emerged-Iron had long stood as sacred ground where no shinobi dared provoke violence. It had become the ideal theatre for diplomacy laced with hidden blades.
Ten minutes ahead of schedule, Sarutobi Hiruzen arrived at the base of the meeting hall with Danzo on one side and Uchiha Shizuka on the other-but even early, he wasn't the first to arrive.
He hadn't expected to be. The Summit wasn't some handshake party between equals-it was war in slow motion. And since protocol dictated one Kage and two guards per nation, no one dared arrive late or overstaffed. The only safety was in being equally cautious.
Unlike other shadows who kept their distance, the newly appointed Raikage approached them directly as if he hadn't gotten the script-or chose to ignore it.
His attention didn't linger on Hiruzen's title but instead drifted to the face of the unexpected guard trailing behind him. A flicker of recognition crossed the Raikage's gaze before he forced it back onto Hiruzen.
"Congratulations, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen didn't bother with theatrics.
"Where is my teacher's body?"
His tone was unflinching, carved from grief held too long and suspicion gnawed too deep. No pleasantries. No disguises.
To his credit, the Raikage didn't flinch. "After the Summit concludes, the murderer's corpse-as well as reparations-will be delivered to Konoha."
"You're stalling." Hiruzen's reply came cold. "With Lord Akira alive, I doubt you'll find much room for trickery."
He brushed past the startled man without looking back.
Shizuka followed without hesitation. Danzo turned just slightly toward the Raikage-his expression unreadable-before slipping into step behind Hiruzen as if nothing had passed between them.
One of the Raikage's guards clenched his fists. "Lord Raikage, they're pushing too far."
"Let it be." The Raikage's eyes remained on Hiruzen's retreating back. "It's not too far at any stretch. If we had our own God of War in Cloud, I'd be worse than him."
To his younger subordinates, he added under his breath-"Until things confirm one way or another... no matter how provoked you feel... do nothing unless I say otherwise. Do you understand?"
"…Yes, Lord Raikage."
-
Inside the hall: no handshakes, no small talk, no banquet tables or empty speeches.
What should've lasted three days concluded in less than three hours. Terms were signed without resistance. Troops were recalled without protest. Compensation was paid in full-down to the last coin-without haggling over worth or casualties.
It would've seemed miraculous… if not so suspicious.
Hiruzen sat through it with measured silence. He slipped baited clauses into his proposals-normal for negotiations like these-but every one was instantly caught and shut down by unified pushback from the other nations.
It felt rehearsed instead of reactive.
Like brothers cleaning each other's bloodied weapons before breakfast-because someone important might be watching from above.
Hiruzen had seen many summits like this before-heated ones with shouting matches over territory lines and vengeance-but today felt polished in ways that made him tighten his grip beneath the tablecloth.
When he finally stood to leave, confident things were resolved and done-the four shadows raised their voices together.
"Hokage-please wait."
It was Ūnokhi who spoke first-a hunched silhouette with narrow eyes and weight behind every syllable. Despite being the shortest among them, none dared to underestimate him. Ūnokhi's chakra clung to his presence with suffocating pressure.
"We've already signed the agreements," Hiruzen said plainly. "Do you intend to contradict them now?"
Ūnokhi shook his head once. "No contradiction. I simply wish clarification on one matter."
He lowered his tone purposefully. "I once met Lady Madara in my youth."
Hiruzen didn't speak.
Ūnokhi continued calmly: "There's been recent attention surrounding Konoha's 100-million-rank mission… the one about her." He tapped his fingers lightly on the table. "We wish to know what exactly that mission entails."
Hiruzen's chest tensed-not from what was said but how it was asked.
He had just reached for his next line-the vague and practiced threat about sending envoys to Konoha for intel-instead Danzo leaned forward suddenly and interrupted with cool satisfaction:
"No," Danzo said with finality. "What we shared at home is everything we know."
Eyes turned toward Danzo first-then quickly back to Hiruzen for confirmation.
Caught in its wake and unable to contradict his own council without losing credibility altogether-Hiruzen gave only dry laughter in response.
"Hah… yes-that's about it."
It sounded unsure even to his own ears.
"You're bluffing," Kazekage said aloud-even though no one had outright accused anyone of lying just moments before.
Danzo glanced discreetly toward Raikage-held up three fingers slowly-then returned both hands to rest beneath the table again as if nothing had moved at any point at any time.
Everyone saw it. Everyone understood what it implied-even if no one said it straight out loud.
Three fingers. Thirty percent?
Or just three?
Or Three-P?
Numbers always held layers in summits like these-and right now everyone at that table knew exactly what they were seeing.
Kazekage's jaw tightened instantly as connections clicked into place. The rumors of Akira's survival… the convenient cooperation between Konoha and Hidden Cloud… and now this backroom body language?
His outrage was instant: "Was Akira Senju's resurrection… fake?!"
His accusation ignited silent alarms across every participant's mind as they turned slowly toward Raikage-and then toward Sarutobi Hiruzen again-as if to confirm where deception ended and betrayal began.
In that split second of rising tension-
Hiruzen vanished with his guards before another word could be spoken.
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