"Yes."
Sasuke stopped his fight with Naruto and turned his gaze toward Kurotsuchi.
He could clearly feel the tension between his father and the Third Tsuchikage. To uphold his father's honor, he had to defeat this girl.
Whoosh—
Wearing black mesh leggings that revealed her long, slender legs, Kurotsuchi darted into the training field.
She smiled with a flash of white teeth, raised a finger, and crooked it at Uchiha Sasuke in open provocation.
As one of the top talents among Iwagakure's younger generation, she didn't believe for a moment that she would lose to a boy a few years younger than herself.
Feeling her disdain, Sasuke's eyes hardened. In a blur, he closed the distance and launched a spinning kick at her.
Boom!
Kurotsuchi blocked the strike with her forearm, then swept her leg across like a blade aimed to cut him down.
Boom!
Sasuke raised his arm to guard, but Kurotsuchi's relentless kicks came one after another, sharp and fast like the snapping of scissors.
Sasuke blocked a few, then responded in kind—matching her kick for kick.
On closer inspection, his taijutsu movements were identical to hers.
"It's the Sharingan!"
Kurotsuchi quickly pulled back, recognizing the crimson glow in Sasuke's eyes. He had copied her taijutsu.
"Earth Style: Fist of Rock!"
She broke eye contact to avoid genjutsu, formed hand seals, and cloaked her right hand in stone. Leaping high, she smashed down at Sasuke.
Crack!
Sasuke dodged aside, and her rock-coated fist crashed into the ground, splitting the stone tiles into jagged cracks.
"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Bullet!"
Retreating, Sasuke formed seals and spewed a torrent of flame from his mouth straight toward her.
"Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!"
Kurotsuchi slammed her hands down, raising a thick wall of stone to block the fire.
But just then, she heard a piercing sound—like a thousand birds screeching at once.
Her heart sank. Bad premonition. Instinctively, she leapt backward.
The next instant—
Shhhhk!
Blinding lightning tore through her wall.
Sasuke charged through, his hand wrapped in crackling thunder.
"Lava Style: Quicklime Jutsu!"
Kurotsuchi spat a glob of quicklime to slow him down.
But Sasuke, empowered by Chidori's lightning surge, only accelerated—dodging in a flash, his Chidori still driving toward her.
"Earth Style: Fist of Rock!"
With no room to evade, she hardened her right hand in stone and braced herself.
Crack!
The stone shattered instantly. Lightning coursed through her arm, charring her skin black and hurling her backward.
She crashed hard to the ground. Struggling to rise, she found her body numb and unresponsive from the shock.
In the blink of an eye, Sasuke was at her side. Their eyes met—his Sharingan tomoe spinning. Genjutsu engulfed her.
Bang!
She collapsed, unconscious.
Sasuke stood cold and composed before her fallen body. The outcome was beyond doubt.
"Yeah! Sasuke won!"
Though they bickered constantly, Naruto still cheered loudly for Sasuke's victory.
"Konoha is the winner!"
The samurai of the Land of Iron looked on in surprise.
The girl from Iwagakure was clearly older than the boy from Konoha, yet she was defeated so decisively.
Winning against someone older only highlighted the vast difference in natural talent.
"It seems Iwa's younger generation still has a lot to improve," Uchiha Fugaku remarked, a faint smirk on his lips as he glanced at the Third Tsuchikage.
"It's just one fight," the old Tsuchikage said darkly. "It doesn't prove that Iwagakure's youth are inferior, nor that Konoha's are superior."
"Quite right—one fight doesn't prove much." Fugaku's smile sharpened. "Tell me then, among Iwa's younger generation, where does this girl Kurotsuchi rank?"
"…Only mid-tier," the Tsuchikage muttered, lowering her standing.
"I heard this girl is your granddaughter. For the Tsuchikage's own granddaughter to be merely mid-tier—clearly, Iwagakure is overflowing with talent."
Fugaku's voice carried a mocking edge, his earlier question meant only to corner the Tsuchikage now.
"…"
The Third Tsuchikage's face stiffened. He hadn't expected Fugaku to know Kurotsuchi's identity. Now, his own words had been turned against him, making him seem like a leader with no worthy successor.
"Take Kurotsuchi. We're leaving!"
Knowing that lingering would only invite further humiliation, he ordered Akatsuchi to carry her away.
Days later, the other Kage arrived one after another.
To avoid Akatsuki's ambushes, each had traveled with only a small disguised escort.
At the start of the month, in a chamber within the Iron Fortress, the Five Kage Summit commenced.
"Thank you all for trusting the Land of Iron and allowing me to host this summit," said Mifune from the seat of honor.
The five Kage—including Uchiha Fugaku—cast measuring glances at one another.
The Fourth Raikage, A, was dark-skinned and towering in build.
The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, with his short brown hair and unassuming appearance, looked ordinary at first glance—but the fact that he was Kazekage proved otherwise.
The newly appointed Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumī, sat with beauty and allure. Yet beneath her charm lay the terrifying power of two kekkei genkai.
The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, looked like a frail old man half-buried in the grave—but none dared underestimate him, for he alone possessed Dust Release, a power beyond bloodline limits.
And then there was Uchiha Fugaku, the focus of the other four's prolonged stares. They hadn't crossed blades with him, but his reputation alone spoke volumes.
"Lord Hokage, an honor to finally meet you," Rasa greeted warmly, extending his "friendly" facade.
"Lord Kazekage, the honor is mine," Fugaku replied with a polite smile, though inwardly cold. He knew all too well of Sunagakure's treacherous nature—wolves that struck when you were weakest.
"Everyone," Mei Terumī began, "not long ago, my predecessor, the Fourth Mizukage, was slain by Akatsuki. Each of our villages has already suffered their hand."
"Akatsuki's growth threatens the very safety of the Five Great Nations. I propose we unite and eliminate them together."
"My son, Gaara, fell to Akatsuki. I agree," Rasa said firmly. He had co-initiated this summit with Mei, so his support was expected.
"I also agree," Onoki added. His village's Four-Tails Jinchūriki, Rōshi, had been killed by Akatsuki. He was eager for vengeance.
"Akatsuki…"
The name alone made the Raikage slam his fist onto the table.
The Two-Tails Jinchūriki, Yugito Nii, had been killed by them, and his adoptive brother, Killer B of the Eight-Tails, was their next target.
He turned to Onoki.
"I'll join forces against Akatsuki—but I don't trust Iwa. You were their biggest employer."
"I don't trust them either," Fugaku added coldly. "Iwa has deep ties with Akatsuki and even hired them repeatedly to strike at Konoha. Who's to say you aren't still working with them?"
"What?!"
Both Rasa and Mei snapped their eyes toward Onoki. Their villages had suffered the worst from Akatsuki—if Iwa had truly supported them, then betrayal ran deep.
"This is slander!" Onoki roared, as if gravely insulted. "You have no proof. None at all."
"Don't try to wriggle out of it," the Raikage snarled, lightning crackling around his fists. "Even now you deny it—clearly, Iwagakure cannot be trusted."
Fugaku's gaze grew sharp, his aura oppressive. If Onoki had admitted fault, that would be one thing. But instead, he dared to turn the accusation back on them.
"Then where is your evidence?" Onoki sneered. "If you claim we colluded with Akatsuki, prove it. Show me the proof."
From the very start, he had made sure no evidence remained. He was certain nothing existed.
"We can testify."
A sudden voice rang out.
A black vortex spiraled into existence, and from it stepped figure after figure clad in black cloaks patterned with red clouds.
One… two… until six members of Akatsuki stood within the chamber.