The Land of Iron, the meeting hall.
At the round table, the Five Kage figures sat at five corners, the atmosphere heavy and tense. Mifune stood in the center, his hand on the hilt of his sword, his piercing gaze sweeping over the crowd.
"Gentlemen, what the Heavenly Screen has recently revealed may be the future, something that will determine the very survival of the entire Shinobi World," Mifune said solemnly. "Today's discussion will determine whether we join forces to fight against our common threat."
"Hmph!" Raikage A slammed his fist on the table, instantly cracking the thick wooden surface. "Join forces? Why should Kumogakure Konoha?"
Tsunade frowned. "Raikage, watch your words."
"Attention?" the Raikage sneered. "The Impure World Reincarnation is a forbidden technique developed by your Second Hokage. Kabuto Yakushi is missing-nin from your Konoha. According to the intelligence we've gathered, Uchiha Itachi of the Akatsuki is also from your Konoha! Even Sasori of Sunagakure and Kirigakure Kisame Hoshigaki of Kirigakure—they're all missing-nin from your villages!"
Kazekage Baki's face was grim. "Scorpion has long been classified as S-rank missing-nin by our Sunagakure. His actions have nothing to do with the village."
"Irrelevant?" Raikage scoffed. "Then why are those things playing in the Heavenly Screen? Isn't it because you've failed to discipline your children properly!"
"Lord Raikage," Mei Terumi her fingertips lightly on the table, her red lips slightly parted, "Kirigakure has been closed off for many years. Kirigakure was also a victim back then. There's no point in blaming each other now."
The Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, floated on his seat, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his old eyes. "Now is not the time to discuss who is right and who is wrong. What is needed is to discuss how to deal with the possible future. You, the Kumogakure, cannot escape it either."
The Raikage crossed his arms, his muscles taut. "Even so, the leadership of the alliance must be in the hands of Kumogakure. I will never entrust my fate to a village that can't even control its own missing-nin!"
Tsunade said, "Raikage, you saw the footage shown on the Heavenly Screen where we joined forces to fight Madara Uchiha. If we don't cooperate now, it will be too late when the Impure World Reincarnation powerful beings truly appear."
A brief silence fell over the conference room.
"I propose," Tsunade looked around at everyone, "That we first form a joint surveillance force to closely monitor the movements of the Akatsuki in the Land of Rain; second, we establish a special operations team to hunt down Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi and prevent them from using the Impure World Reincarnation; third, the Five Great Nations establish an intelligence-sharing mechanism, and any clues about the Akatsuki or missing-nin ninja must be reported immediately."
Mei Terumi nodded slightly. "I agree. Furthermore, Kirigakure is willing to provide all information regarding the 'Bloody Mist Village' period."
Ōnoki stroked his beard. "Iwagakure can open some of its border fortresses as bases for the joint forces."
Baki pondered for a moment, "The Sunagakure will strengthen its defenses against the Tailed Beasts and send elite troops to join the special operations team."
All eyes were on the Raikage.
Ai clenched and unclenched his fist, finally letting out a cold snort, "... Kumogakure can participate. But I have conditions: the commander of the joint forces must be rotated among the Five Kage, and every major decision requires a vote by all members."
"Okay." Tsunade agreed without hesitation.
Mifune looked pleased. "In that case, the alliance is officially established. Next, please discuss the specific details..."
As the talks moved into discussing specific terms, undercurrents were brewing beneath the surface of apparent cooperation.
"Regarding resource allocation," Ōnoki narrowed his eyes, "Iwagakure needs Sunagakure's minerals, but tariffs must be reduced by 30%."
Baki frowned: "This doesn't fit the market—"
"We, Kirigakure, can provide sea transport channels," Mei Terumi suddenly interjected, "As long as Iwagakure shares their Earth Release barrier technology."
Raikage sneered, "As expected, they've started bargaining."
Tsunade tapped the table. "Everyone, the future projected on the Heavenly Screen is very likely to be an unprecedented war. Without sufficient supplies, any strategy is just empty talk."
Scrolls were laid out on the table, and representatives from various countries debated fiercely. A preliminary agreement was barely reached until nightfall.
1. Joint Surveillance Force: Composed of ten Jonin and fifty Chunin from each country, taking turns guarding the border of the Land of Rain;
2. Special Operations Team: Specially tasked with hunting down Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi.
3. Intelligence-sharing mechanism: A neutral intelligence office will be established in the Land of Iron, managed by personnel dispatched by Mifune;
4. Economic cooperation clauses: reduce tariff barriers and establish emergency material distribution channels.
After the signing ceremony, Mei Terumi left the other four Kage alone.
"There's something I must tell you all," Mei Terumi's voice rang out clearly in the silence. "The Fourth Mizukage — Karatachi Yagura —has been manipulated since the end of the Third Shinobi World War."
The atmosphere in the conference room suddenly froze.
"What?!" Raikage A abruptly stood up, his Lightning Release Chakra pulsating uncontrollably across his body. "The Mizukage has been manipulated for years? How is that possible?!"
Ōnoki's suspended seat sank slightly, revealing his inner turmoil. "No wonder... Kirigakure's policies have been so abnormal these past few years."
Tsunade's fist clenched involuntarily. "Who on earth could control an entire village's Kage for so many years?"
"That's exactly what I wanted to say." Mei Terumi's fingernails tapped lightly on the table. "After we released him from control, Yagura- sama regained a brief moment of consciousness, leaving behind only one clue—"
"He is a mysterious person with Sharingan who wears a spiral mask."
All eyes immediately turned to Tsunade.
"Wait!" Tsunade on the table and stood up. "The Uchiha Clan now only has Sasuke and Itachi left. Kakashi's Sharingan was transplanted. They couldn't possibly have it—"
"There's one more person." Ōnoki interrupted coldly, "Shimura Danzō."
The conference room was deathly silent.
Tsunade's pupils suddenly contracted. She recalled the scene that had played on the Heavenly Screen —Danzo's arm, Danzo covered in Sharingan eyes, as seen in Sasuke's Sharingan.
"Danzo has been removed from his position as elder and is now under close surveillance by the Anbu," Tsunade. "And he hasn't even had a chance to leave Konoha!"
"Is that so?" Raikage sneered.
Mei Terumi suddenly interjected. "It shouldn't be Danzo controlling Yagura."
Everyone looked at her again.
"Based on the analysis of the residual Chakra, the controller's Chakra nature..." Mei Terumi a deep breath, "Possessing a quality beyond ordinary Chakra, more like... a mixture of Natural Energy and Chakra."
A brief silence fell over the meeting room, broken only by the faint sound of flickering candlelight. Mei Terumi's words weighed heavily on everyone's hearts like a boulder.
"Natural Energy?!" Raikage A slammed his fist on the table, his Lightning Release Chakra exploding uncontrollably across his body, shattering the chair beneath him. "The Sage Mode of your Konoha Jinchūriki, and Kabuto's Sage Mode, playing on the Heavenly Screen —it's Konoha's doing again!"
Tsunade's face darkened. "Raikage, watch your words!"
"Isn't that right?" The Raikage roared, his eyes wide with fury, pointing at Tsunade. "The Uchiha Clan with Sharingan are your Konoha ninja! The Sage Kabuto and Madara Uchiha shown on the Heavenly Screen are also your Konoha's missing-nin! Now it's been revealed that the Mizukage is controlled by the Sharingan —just how many more threats does your Konoha harbor?!"
Tsunade's fists clenched so tightly they cracked. Just as she was about to retort, a scene suddenly flashed through her mind—an intelligence scroll from over a decade ago about the Nine-Tails' Attack, which recorded that "the Masked Man is suspected to be a member of the Uchiha clan."
"Wait a minute..." Tsunade's voice suddenly calmed down. "If we're talking about the Sharingan controlling others..."
She took a deep breath and recounted the information about the Nine-Tails' Attack: "A similar incident occurred in Konoha more than a decade ago. A mysterious man wearing Spiral Mask controlled the Nine-Tails to attack the village, resulting in the deaths of the Fourth Hokage and his wife. According to intelligence, the Nine-Tails was controlled by the Sharingan at the time, and the Masked Man who was behind it all—likely possessed the Sharingan."
The air in the conference room seemed to freeze.
"That's why the Konoha High Command became suspicious of the Uchiha Clan..." Tsunade's voice grew softer and softer, "Ultimately leading to the Uchiha Clan Massacre."
"You mean...?" Mei Terumi's pupils contracted slightly. "It's very likely that the same mastermind manipulated the Nine-Tails to attack Konoha and create the Kirigakure and Blood Mist Policies?"
Ōnoki suddenly sneered, "What a brilliant two-birds-with-one-stone strategy! It weakens Konoha and Kirigakure while making the Uchiha Clan take the blame."
Baki pondered, "If that's really the case, could Sasori's defection from Sunagakure to join Akatsuki also be...?"
"It's too early to draw conclusions," Mifune interrupted in a deep voice, "But what is certain is that the mastermind behind this scheme is far more far-reaching and secretive than we can imagine."
The Raikage's anger subsided slightly, but his wariness intensified. "Whoever can manipulate multiple ninja villages at will must have ambitious goals."
"We need more intelligence," Tsunade said decisively. "I propose a temporary recess. Everyone should immediately send people back to the village to retrieve relevant classified files, especially those concerning unusual Genjutsu incidents, Sharingan abilities, and..."
She paused, her gaze sweeping over the crowd. "Records of abnormal conditions among the village's Jinchūriki."
Mei Terumi nodded in agreement. "The Kirigakure will immediately investigate all the unusual decisions made during the Fourth's period of control."
"Iwagakure holds top-secret intelligence on all the major Shinobi World Wars," Ōnoki narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps we can find some clues."
Baki stood up. "The Sunagakure will reinvestigate all the details before and after Sasori's defection."
The Raikage snorted coldly, "The Kumogakure will thoroughly investigate all mission records related to the Sharingan." He gave Tsunade a meaningful look, "Especially those related to Konoha."
"The talks will continue at this time tomorrow," Mifune concluded, "Please do not leave the Land of Iron during this period to ensure the security of the intelligence."
Upon returning to her accommodations in the Land of Iron, Tsunade immediately summoned Shikaku Nara Jonin who had accompanied her.
"Immediately send someone back to Konoha to retrieve the following information:" Tsunade quickly wrote down a list, "First, the complete investigation report on the Nine-Tails' Attack; second, all records of the Uchiha Clan Massacre; third... Danzo's Root operations logs for the past ten years."
Shikaku keenly sensed something amiss. "Does the Lord Hokage suspect Danzo?"
"The footage playing on the Heavenly Screen showed that he had Sharingan implanted in his arm." Tsunade's expression was grim.