As Minato Namikaze's voice rang out, the crystal encasing Homura Mitokado shattered into pieces.
"I reject the counsellors' proposal. Konoha will never bow to the Hidden Kumo."
"And we will never hand over anyone!"
Kazuyama Gekkō smiled faintly, while Homura Mitokado narrowly escaped the gates of death.
The chakra that had erupted from Kazuyama moments earlier already made his stance clear. If Minato couldn't back him, he would have killed that old bastard on the spot and left the village with his family.
Damn Homura Mitokado—did he really think Kazuyama was mild-tempered?
Family had always been his absolute bottom line. His wife, his son, his daughter, his brother—no one could lay a hand on them!
"Kazuyama Gekkō, you—"
Having recovered, Homura erupted in rage, pointing at him, ready to unleash a tirade. But when he met Kazuyama's vicious glare—and another piercing gaze that seemed to strip him bare—he swallowed the words back down.
Hiashi Hyūga had risen as well, his Byakugan active. His clenched fists made it clear how much fury was boiling inside the young clan leader.
"The Hyūga will never bow!"
"Homura Mitokado, I respect you as a counsellor, but don't push your luck!"
The sharp rebuke left Homura fuming, yet the situation left him no room to push further. He sat back down, seething with resentment.
"Kazuyama, Hiashi, I understand your feelings."
"But the village truly cannot endure another war right now."
"You don't want to destroy the fragile peace we've just gained, do you?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't lit his pipe—perhaps because he wasn't leading this meeting. But his old rhetoric, "the village comes first," surfaced yet again.
The next second, however, he was airborne. With none of the dignity of an elder, he leapt and flipped away from his seat.
The chair he vacated instantly crystallized into a gleaming throne, making his temper flare even more.
"You brat! Kazuyama, you dare strike at me!"
"I held you in such regard back then! How dare you!"
Faced with Sarutobi's furious shouting, Kazuyama offered his trademark response: digging in his ear casually.
Then he spoke with utter calm.
"Don't twist things. I just thought your chair didn't match your stature, so I beautified it for you."
"Look at it—this crystal throne is gorgeous."
"You could probably sell it for a fortune."
Kazuyama bore no true malice toward Hiruzen. Back then, the old man had indeed given him a lot of support.
His sensei was Orochimaru. Though Orochimaru defected, their bond remained. And since Hiruzen was Orochimaru's sensei—Kazuyama's "grandmaster" in a way—that tie alone was enough to keep him from ever truly harming him.
Turning his chair into crystal was just a way to rile him up.
Of course, Hiruzen understood. His anger was less about the act itself and more about Kazuyama's utter lack of restraint.
"Enough, Kazuyama. Counsellor Sarutobi."
"Since the Kumo has already made its move, we must think of countermeasures."
"War will only be the final resort."
"Kazuyama, tell us your thoughts."
Minato remembered well that Kazuyama had sent a black serpent toward the Kumo that very night. Clearly, he had already devised a plan. Otherwise, he wouldn't waste his efforts.
"I've been waiting for you to say that."
"Kumo dared to target my daughter. I'll handle them myself—no need for you to move."
"But the pressure from the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning? You'll need to bear that."
"As for my moves, don't interfere. Just wait for my reports."
Kazuyama's lips curled into a cold smile. Black Mamba had already scattered his teleportation markers throughout towns across the Land of Lightning.
If Kumo wanted to play, then he'd play big.
He'd see how long a village could survive with its economic lifeline severed.
For that, he was prepared to stay in the Land of Lightning for months.
"Alright. As long as you have a plan."
"I'll handle the pressure from the Daimyō's court."
"If you need backup, just tell me."
Kazuyama shook his head, then paused, reconsidered, and nodded.
"On second thought, I'll take my four disciples. They're most familiar with how I work."
"With them, I'll be more efficient."
Four disciples?
Kakashi, Obito Uchiha, Rin Nohara—that was three.
The fourth?
Hyūga Neji? But he was only four years old.
"Shisui Uchiha. He may never have formally bowed to me, but I accept him as a disciple."
"Alright, no problem. I'll have them sent to you later."
Minato nodded. He was fully confident entrusting the operation to Kazuyama.
Just look at the intelligence network—nearly all of Konoha's intel now flowed from it.
The sheer amount of information still astonished him.
It was hard to believe such a vast intelligence structure had been perfected in less than two years.
"Though the operation is set, Kazuyama Gekkō attacked the higher-ups."
"That cannot go unaddressed."
"I suggest removing him from all Konoha positions, including Anbu Commander and Head of Intelligence."
Just as things seemed resolved, Danzō's voice cut in again.
His words made many frown.
Though disliked, his reasoning wasn't baseless. Even Homura Mitokado quickly nodded in support, adding:
"Danzō is right. Without rules, there can be no order."
"Kazuyama openly attacked both me and Hiruzen Sarutobi. This must be dealt with!"
Minato's brows furrowed.
Dismiss Kazuyama? That would be like cutting off his own arm.
Since he became Hokage, how much had Kazuyama done for him?
He trained the ANBU. He built the intelligence network. He even taught at the academy.
A man like that—and Danzō wanted to strip him of everything? Who the hell did he think he was?
"This punishment is too severe."
"I'll decide Kazuyama's penalty. It will be a fine."
"Let me think… fifty million ryō."
At first, Minato had only intended a few million. But remembering how much the intelligence network had cost left him aching.
Suddenly, he almost felt Danzō was doing him a favor—helping him recover losses in roundabout ways.
Kazuyama's mouth twitched. His gaze fixed coldly on Danzō as new thoughts began to form.
Alright, Danzō. You want to squeeze me for money? Fifty million ryō? Fine. Very fine indeed.