Mifune let out a long sigh. Even though the Land of Iron held a neutral stance in the ninja world, it was really just a middle ground created to keep the balance between the five great nations. On paper, the samurai stood firm in their own strength, but when compared to the elite ninja forces, their power could only go so far.
While some highly skilled samurai could match jōnin, the rest relied on sheer numbers. In a real war, that wasn't always enough.
The so-called "Five Kage Summit" seemed more like a performance than a true alliance. The five leaders played their own games, and Mifune's role was simply to witness the results—not to influence them.
"Everyone, let's not waste time arguing," Mifune spoke up with a tired expression. "You came here to make decisions, not to fight each other with words."
He could already tell that at the current pace, the meeting might go on forever. They hadn't even had lunch yet.
"What Lord Mifune said makes sense," Terumi Mei, the Mizukage, said as she rested her chin in her hand. "There's no point blaming each other right now. We should focus on the real threat—Akatsuki. Based on the intel shared by Uchiha Kamasu, their aim is clear: they're targeting the tailed beasts."
She continued, "The war between Rock and Cloud wasn't a coincidence. Akatsuki stirred the conflict to weaken us all, making it easier for them to act later."
The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, nodded slowly. "We must recognize the signs earlier next time. Akatsuki plays behind the scenes, feeding on our mistrust. We must not let them divide us."
He also preferred not to dwell on Konoha's faults. There were too many fingers pointed at them already. He couldn't out-argue four other leaders by himself.
"Hmph!" growled the Fourth Raikage. "They're just an organization, no matter how dangerous. We should unite our five villages and destroy them with overwhelming force. Crush Rain Village in one attack!"
He slammed the table. The plan seemed simple to him: attack, overwhelm, and wipe them out.
But Onoki, the elderly Tsuchikage, snorted. "Raikage, are you really so hot-headed? If Akatsuki were so easy to beat, then why couldn't your village defeat Rain when you tried to probe their strength? And Konoha—let's not forget—they couldn't even hold back Uchiha Obito during the Nine-Tails attack."
That last part stung Sarutobi. His lips twitched, but he didn't respond. The truth hurt. Obito had escaped, and Konoha bore the shame.
"Obito's powers are… unique," Sarutobi eventually said, steadying himself. "He possesses the Mangekyō Sharingan. His space-time jutsu lets him become intangible—immune to attacks. He can appear and vanish at will. On top of that, he's mastered Wood Style."
He looked around the room. "If every Akatsuki member is as strong as him, even our united villages will face a tough fight."
Then the Kazekage, Rasa, joined the discussion. "Scorpion, the puppet master from our village, was already considered a genius. But now he's upgraded himself and uses the Third Kazekage's body as a puppet. He counts as two Kage-level fighters. Puppet masters never fight alone—he'll bring a whole army with him."
Terumi Mei nodded. "Loquat Juzo from our side is no ordinary swordsman. And don't forget Orochimaru, one of Konoha's Sannin, and Kakuzu—he once fought the First Hokage."
The Five Kage now realized the full scope of their enemy. Akatsuki wasn't just some rebel group—it was a collection of Kage-level warriors. And if that wasn't enough, two of its founders were still alive. One of them had the Rinnegan.
They had underestimated the organization badly.
When comparing power:
Konoha could match them thanks to the Uchiha clan
Cloud was close
Rock might just be enough
Mist and Sand were clearly weaker
And when it came to Jinchūriki, the villages were at a serious disadvantage. If Obito could control them, then sending them to the battlefield would only strengthen Akatsuki.
Even if Rain Village was small, its legacy was fearsome. Hanzo the Salamander, known as the "Demigod," once made even the Sannin struggle. Rain had proven to be more than just background noise.
"We need a united front," Sarutobi finally said. "But before sending troops, we must know more about Akatsuki—its members, its movements, its base. We must also settle on troop numbers and leaders. And more importantly… how the spoils of victory will be divided."
He gave a pointed look at Onoki.
This was the trickiest part. The Rinnegan—if captured—was priceless. But who would own it?
"That's a bit premature, don't you think?" Terumi Mei snapped. "We're not even in battle yet, and you're already talking about dividing loot? What if we lose? Will you argue about who gets to run away first?"
It was clear to her that some Kage weren't here to build trust.
Raikage growled. "Enough! Let the strongest take the prize. Our goal is to stop the Akatsuki's plan to launch the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Protecting our tailed beasts is the top priority."
He cast a side glance at Onoki. That old man had betrayed the alliance before. Trust didn't come easy now.
"Fine. We'll put our differences aside for now. We must crush Akatsuki before they gain more power." Rasa agreed. He thought of Gaara—his son and the Jinchūriki of Shukaku. Even if he wasn't the best father, he wouldn't let his son be captured.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
The Five Kage settled on troop limits, leadership roles, and next steps. With that, the summit concluded.
Each Kage returned home and began mobilizing forces.
The world was now watching. The five great ninja villages had finally agreed to join forces and march toward the Rain Shinobi Village. The battle against Akatsuki was about to begin.
_________________________________
Visit our Patreon for more:
Get membership in patreon to read more chapters♥️💫
Extra chapters available in patreon
patreon.com/Dragonscribe31
----------------------------------------------------