Inside the Raikage Building, in the conference room that had been prepared in advance.
Shigure sat at one end of the long table; the Fourth Raikage sat at the other.
The two regarded each other in silence, neither willing to speak first.
Their standoff continued until Mabui, sensing the atmosphere tilting more toward a confrontation than a negotiation, stepped in.
"Calling you Acting Mizukage feels awkward, and addressing you as Lord Mizukage might be premature. How about we simply call you Lord Shigure, for now?"
Shigure flicked his gaze toward Mabui. For an assistant, she was impressively competent.
He wasn't concerned with titles.
"…Call me whatever you like."
"Then, Lord Shigure," Mabui continued, "you're here representing Kirigakure to discuss maritime border demarcation with Kumogakure. May I ask for your thoughts on the matter?"
Shigure turned his eyes toward the Raikage.
"What does the Raikage think?"
The Fourth Raikage gave the map on the table a brief, evaluating glance.
"I'll hear your opinion first."
Direct and blunt. Shigure appreciated that. He disliked pointless pleasantries—and so did the Raikage.
Since he was asked to speak first, he wouldn't hold back.
Shigure lifted his hand and lightly flicked his index finger.
Chakra threads snapped outward in an instant—so fine they were almost invisible—before striking the map.
The moment they touched the parchment, they ignited.
A razor-thin line of flame traced itself across the map, burning a clean, decisive border into the paper.
The Raikage's eyes widened.
Shigure wasn't merely demonstrating strength—he was showing mastery. His control over Chakra threads, combined with precise elemental manipulation, had long surpassed what ordinary shinobi could achieve.
Even the Raikage didn't fully understand how Shigure converted such delicate Chakra control directly into nature transformation.
Yet the shock faded quickly, replaced by a harder expression as he examined the scorched border line.
The boundary Shigure burned into the map not only reclaimed the maritime territory Kirigakure originally owned—it swallowed several critical naval routes belonging to Kumogakure.
To put it bluntly, it was outright territorial aggression, bold and unapologetic.
If he agreed to this, he would go down as the weakest Raikage in Kumogakure's history.
"…Are you serious?"
The Raikage spoke slowly, his tone heavy and unyielding.
Shigure answered without the slightest hesitation.
"Of course I'm serious. Otherwise, why would I be here—just to waste time with you?"
The Raikage's expression darkened instantly.
Mabui felt her heart leap into her throat; that look on the Raikage's face meant he was seconds away from exploding. She had known the Mist delegation would be difficult, but their arrogance… they were truly madmen.
There was absolutely no way Kumogakure would ever accept such terms.
Seeing the Raikage on the verge of erupting, Mabui quickly cut in.
"Lord Shigure, acting like this makes negotiation impossible!"
"Impossible?"
Shigure rose to his feet. The motion sent Kuji and Ringo immediately into guard stances, hands on their blades.
"If we can't negotiate… then we don't negotiate."
He reached out, grabbed the massive conference table with one hand, and effortlessly flipped it.
The huge table hurtled toward the Raikage like a battering ram.
A split second later, a fist met the incoming mass.
With a single punch, the Raikage shattered the table into several chunks of splintered wood.
The instant the table exploded, Kumogakure ninja poured into the room, surrounding Shigure's group from all sides.
The Raikage stepped forward, shielding Mabui behind him, his gaze locked on Shigure.
Now he was certain—Shigure had never come with the intention to negotiate. From the moment he entered, he had provoked at every step. This wasn't diplomacy.
This boy had come for a fight.
Was he truly prepared to ignite a war between two Hidden Villages?
Shigure's expression didn't shift. No anger, no amusement—just a calm, unreadable face. Even the famously iron-willed Fourth Raikage hesitated. Starting a war would drag Kumogakure into a mire, and Shigure's fearlessness made him wonder if there was a trap waiting for him.
For the first time, the Raikage regretted inviting the Mist to negotiate. If they had simply continued the territorial struggle at sea, it at least would have dragged on, buying everyone more time.
Now he had pushed the situation to its breaking point.
Around the room, Kumogakure shinobi waited tensely, ready to strike. Kuji and Ringo drew their blades—if anything, they looked eager to attack first.
Shigure noticed the Raikage's prolonged silence. He could tell the man was wavering.
War or not, Shigure felt no pressure. If one wanted to protect their village's interests, then their fists had to be strong enough.
Shigure exhaled lightly.
"Lord Raikage, negotiations are far too troublesome for the both of us."
"How about this: we fight. If I win, the borders are redrawn according to the terms I proposed. If I lose, they're drawn according to yours."
The Raikage blinked. "I haven't even said how I want them drawn."
"It doesn't matter. You can take everything if you like."
Shigure's smile was calm, confident.
The Raikage understood perfectly. This boy spoke this way because he was utterly convinced he could not lose—not even by one percent.
But at the same time… this was a chance for Kumogakure.
Shigure was confident in his strength?
The Raikage was no less confident in his own.
He refused to believe he would lose to a brat—even if that brat was a Jinchūriki capable of drawing on a Tailed Beast's power.
The Raikage didn't consider even two Tailed Beasts a threat.
"Fine," the Raikage declared. "We'll do as you say."
Shigure looked around the smashed conference room.
"We're not fighting here, are we?"
If they fought inside the building, Shigure knew he'd end up demolishing the entire Raikage Bureau.
The Raikage gave a small grin. "Of course not. Follow me."
They arrived at the mountainous area behind Kumogakure—the same region where Killer B, the Eight-Tails' jinchūriki, typically resided.
Given the danger posed by a rampaging Tailed Beast, the area was isolated and heavily reinforced.
Shigure surveyed the surroundings.
So this was where Sasuke and Killer B fought in the original timeline.
But Killer B didn't seem to be here now.
"How about this spot?" the Raikage asked, leaping down onto the lake at the center of the valley.
"For a Mist shinobi, the terrain should be very favorable."
Favorable?
Water did help with Water Release techniques, yes—but who was he fighting?
The Raikage.
Water conducted lightning. If Shigure relied only on Water Release, the Raikage would turn him into a twitching corpse.
On paper, it seemed like Shigure had the advantage. In practice, the Raikage had chosen perfectly.
This old man wasn't as simple as he looked.
Shigure smiled faintly and stepped onto the lake surface as well.
But the moment he landed—
The lake beneath him began to freeze solid.
...
TN:
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