Inside the Hokage Building.
Five figures sat around a round table.
Tobirama Senju of Konoha, Ōnoki of Iwagakure, Chiyo of Sunagakure, Mei Terumi of Kirigakure, and Dodai of the Hidden Cloud Village.
Over the past few years, with Iwagakure's help and reduced aid from Wave Country, the Hidden Cloud Village had finally brought its years-long civil war to an end.
Now, the five people representing the highest combat power of the Five Great Shinobi Villages had gathered in one place. Naturally, there was an important matter to discuss.
"Madara Uchiha really came!?"
Had Kitsuchi not supported him, Ōnoki would have nearly fallen straight out of his chair.
Yet no one laughed at his loss of composure, because they all felt the same panic in their hearts.
If Madara Uchiha truly made a move, even all of them joining forces might not be enough to stop him.
Tobirama Senju nodded with a grave expression and continued.
"Besides Madara Uchiha, there are also four Jinchuriki!"
Dodai's face turned pale with fear. "Could it be that Wave Country is planning to declare war on us?"
This time, Tobirama Senju shook his head. "They should only be here for the Chunin Exams. They're all just children."
His voice paused for a moment before he looked at Chiyo. "Among them is someone named Gaara. He is also a Jinchuriki. He should be the one your village had taken away, correct?"
"Gaara!"
Chiyo's half-lidded eyes immediately widened, then narrowed again. "So Wave Country really was responsible?"
"Chiyo, are you confident you can persuade him to come back?"
Dodai spoke impatiently. Even if it was only the One-Tail, it was still an extremely powerful fighting force to them.
Chiyo froze for a moment, then shook her head with a bitter smile. "That's impossible..."
She recounted Gaara's past