POV: Arano
The long hallway of the Tsuchikage's mansion was unusually quiet this morning. My footsteps echoed faintly against the polished stone floor as I approached a standard wooden door at the far end. I didn't need to walk far; they were waiting for me.
I opened the door slowly.
Inside the war room stood the people I trusted most—Onoki, my senior advisor and former master, and the current commanders of our ANBU squads. Each of them stood at attention, awaiting my words.
I stepped inside and nodded.
"Thank you for coming," I began. "I appreciate it. Everyone in this room has earned my trust through loyalty, strength, and service. That's why I'll be open with you. I'm not here to waste time."
I paced slowly to the head of the table.
"As you all know, a summit will be held in Konoha in two weeks. The Hokage calls it a peace conference, but let's be honest—true peace isn't something that can be summoned with a few speeches. Still, I'll attend. Even if we gain nothing from the meeting itself, what we need is a ceasefire—long enough to rebuild our village and regroup."
I let my words sink in before continuing.
"During my absence, the safety of Iwagakure falls to you. Onoki," I turned to face him directly, "you will assume my responsibilities. I trust you to make decisions in my name, as acting Tsuchikage if necessary."
He gave me a silent, respectful nod.
"I will take ANBU Squads AB-1 and AB-2 with me. The rest of the Black Ops will remain under Onoki's command. You're to continue your missions as usual, but if I don't return…" I paused, briefly meeting each of their eyes, "…you will obey Onoki. As of that moment, he becomes the Third Tsuchikage."
There were no objections. None were needed.
Later That Night – Iwagakure's Outer Wall
On top of the great stone wall surrounding Iwagakure, nine figures stood beneath the pale moonlight. Eight wore masks—elite ANBU shinobi—while the ninth, I, wore the ceremonial robe of the Tsuchikage.
We had agreed it was best to leave under the cover of night. Our path was predetermined: travel east to the Kannabi Bridge, cross through the Land of Grass, and then into the Land of Fire.
A long journey, yes. But we were not concerned.
A team of eight elite jōnin and a Kage? It would be suicide to attack us. Not even missing-nin dared such recklessness. And yet, we stayed cautious. One wrong move from another Hidden Village, and things could spiral quickly.
I was confident in my power. I had survived battle against two of the Three Legendary Sannin—and my victory had earned me both scars and fame. I wasn't about to let either go to waste.
We leapt from the wall together, vanishing into the trees at high speed.
Days Later – Border of the Land of Fire
The Land of Earth is vast, so reaching the Kannabi Bridge took time. The trip, however, passed without incident. A few rogue ninja attempted to cross our path, but I dispatched them with ease—crushing them with Doton techniques before they could react.
After resting one night on our own soil, we crossed the bridge and entered the Land of Grass. Their territory was small, and within a day we were already past its borders.
At the edge of the Land of Fire, we were intercepted by patrolling Konoha jōnin.
They recognized us instantly and offered an escort.
"We've been instructed to take you directly to the Hidden Leaf Village," one of them explained. "The Hokage sends his regards."
After several more days of travel, we finally saw the towering walls of Konoha rise in the distance.
At the main gate, the Third Hokage himself stood waiting.
At the Gates of Konoha
"Welcome to Konoha, Lord Tsuchikage," Hiruzen greeted warmly. "Not all the guests have arrived yet, so for now, I've arranged quarters for you and your men to rest. The summit will likely begin tomorrow morning at the Hokage Mansion. I've also assigned you a liaison jōnin—ask him anything you need."
"Thank you for the hospitality," I replied formally. "The fault lies with us for arriving early."
After a short exchange, the Hokage departed.
We were led to a large estate on the eastern side of the village. It was a proper residence—dozens of rooms, a spacious garden, and well-furnished quarters. My own chamber overlooked a serene koi pond surrounded by sakura trees. It was a far cry from the rocky cliffs of Iwa.
I summoned my men into the courtyard.
"I will take two of you with me," I said. "The rest are to stay inside the estate. No wandering. Maintain formation. We are in foreign territory."
The order was met with understanding nods.
Arano POV – Streets of Konoha
The sun was shining, and the air in the Hidden Leaf was warm and crisp. It would be foolish to spend the entire day inside when I had a chance to see the heart of our old rival's village.
With two of my ANBU and the Konoha jōnin assigned to me, I left the mansion for a walk. The villagers gave us cautious glances, but not one of them dared approach. They knew who I was.
And then, across the plaza near the western gate, I saw him.
A massive man clad in black armor, flanked by shinobi with white cloaks.
The Third Raikage.
He had just arrived, and the Hokage was leading him toward his assigned residence. But the Raikage's sharp eyes found mine—and he stopped.
He approached, smiling like a man who knew his own strength.
"Well, well. You must be the new Tsuchikage," he said, his deep voice edged with amusement.
"I assume you're the Raikage," I responded flatly.
"That's right," he nodded. "But you—you look awfully young. Are you really the Tsuchikage?"
His tone was mocking.
My expression darkened.
"Calm down, little one," he added with a smirk. "I'm just surprised that a kid is wearing the robes of a Kage."
I grit my teeth but said nothing.
Then he leaned closer.
"I've heard you're powerful. Why don't we see if the rumors are true?"
I finally spoke. "The rumors are true. But unfortunately… you lack the strength to confirm them."
The Konoha jōnin stepped forward quickly. "Please, both of you, refrain from causing a scene within the village."
But we weren't listening.
Our exchange spiraled—first into sarcasm, then into insults. Our respective villages were dragged into it next. Tensions boiled.
By the time ANBU squads surrounded us, the air was nearly electric with killing intent. It took the personal arrival of the Hokage to stop us.
"Enough!" Hiruzen's voice rang with authority. "This is not the place. If you must fight, let your Genin do it in the Chūnin Exams."
Reluctantly, we turned away.
The Raikage was led to his estate. I returned to mine. The Hokage, now deep in thought, muttered something about needing more tea—and maybe more ANBU.
That Night – Hokage Mansion
The Hidden Leaf was quiet once again. But inside the Hokage's study, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat by the window, pipe in hand, eyes narrowed.
Tomorrow, the true summit would begin.
And with all five Kage—or at least four—under one roof… peace was not guaranteed.
But Hiruzen had planned for this.
Orochimaru would be there. The ANBU were ready. He only hoped that would be enough.
*Chapter Rewrited*
I've been very busy lately , so i'm sorry if the update rate is slow :C
It will probably be like this for the 3 next weeks.
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