It was precisely because Ōnoki had turned hostile that relations between the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth had deteriorated once again. If they had not shared a common great enemy in Konoha keeping them in check, they might already have gone to war.
Even now, Sunagakure and Iwagakure wanted nothing to do with each other, no longer displaying the unity they had once shared, advancing and retreating together.
Sarutobi Toru's assessment of this was that Ōnoki had forgotten righteousness for petty gain. He might have gained a small advantage for the moment, but in the long run, he had utterly ruined his reputation as Tsuchikage. When all was said and done, the losses he suffered in the future would certainly far outweigh the benefits he had gained now.
Sure enough, when Sarutobi Toru entered the shrine, he saw the ninja of the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind seated on opposite sides, far apart from one another and hurling barbed words back and forth.
Sitting at the front of the Land of Earth's side was naturally Two-Scales Ōnoki. After taking Growth Medicine, he no longer looked like the wretched little runt he once had. However, now that he was already over fifty, his hair had gradually thinned, revealing a distinctly balding scalp.
Behind him sat two Jōnin from Iwagakure: Shū, a slender Explosion Release user with spiky hair, and Fugai, who possessed the sturdy build typical of the Land of Earth.
The youngest of the three, Fugai, was already in his twenties, while Ōnoki was over fifty. Across from them, however, Sunagakure's side was made up entirely of youngsters.
Rasa was sixteen, Baki was thirteen, and Sasori was twelve. Even their combined ages did not add up to Ōnoki's.
"...They actually sent a bunch of