Five Kage Summit Becomes Four Kage Summit

Land of Earth, Iwagakure.

The earth-yellow buildings built against the mountains stood amid gusts of rough, gritty wind, forming a stark contrast with Star City's modern prosperity.

Everything here seemed cruder and heavier, as if carrying the toughness and vicissitudes of having weathered the baptism of war.

At the center of Iwagakure stood the Tsuchikage Office building.

Akatsuchi, tall and burly, with a round head, broad face, and honest expression, led Deidara, along with Void and Kirara, into the Tsuchikage Office.

The office furnishings were simple and practical. Outside the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows lay a panoramic view of Iwagakure and the exposed brown mountain rocks in the distance.

The short Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, who had a goatee, was not sitting in his broad Tsuchikage chair. Instead, with both hands clasped behind his back, he used the ability of the "Light-Weight Rock Technique" to float lightly in midair, his back to the door, seemingly deep in thought.

"Lord Tsuchikage." Akatsuchi bowed respectfully, his voice deep.

"We're back."

"Oh, you're back." Ōnoki slowly turned around. On that wrinkled, stern face, little emotion could be seen.

His gaze first paused on Akatsuchi, then swept over Deidara, who looked completely unconcerned and even a little lost in his own world, before finally landing on Void and Kirara behind Akatsuchi.

"You've worked hard, Akatsuchi," Ōnoki said slowly. "Tell me about the Chunin Exams in Konoha, and—the accident that happened afterward."

Although spies had long since sent back intelligence that Konoha had been invaded, there were no details. Ōnoki only knew that Konoha seemed to have suffered two heavy blows, and that even that fellow Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared to have died.

Akatsuchi took a deep breath and began his detailed report.

He started from their arrival in Konoha, then spoke of what they saw and heard