Takikage's office.
Ruri dismissed everyone. Even Takenaka Masakata, who had been assisting him with official duties at his side, was sent away to inspect Takikage Fortress.
Mu of Iwagakure had arrived in Takigakure a few days ago. Accompanying him was his student, the grandson of Ishikawa, the First Tsuchikage—Ōnoki.
The moment Ruri saw Ōnoki's nose, he knew that this green youth would become the Third Tsuchikage in the future.
Mu explained his purpose. Ishikawa had sent him and Ōnoki to Konoha to discuss an alliance and wanted Takigakure to dispatch envoys to accompany them.
Mu did not state the purpose of the alliance outright, but Ruri had already guessed it. An ordinary alliance negotiation would not require Mu to go personally. Old Ishikawa probably did not have long to live, so sending Mu to Konoha was naturally meant to let the prospective Second Tsuchikage become acquainted with the Hokage in advance as a show of sincerity. An alliance with Konoha could also reduce the turmoil caused by Iwagakure changing Tsuchikage.
Since Iwagakure had provided Takigakure with considerable assistance, Ruri agreed. He planned to send Kakuzu and Masashige to Konoha, though he also made a small request: Iwagakure needed to send a team of Earth Style ninja to help them build roads.
Back at the Six Kage Summit, Ruri had proposed a road-building plan for the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning. It was shelved because research into the Land of Snow's railways and trains was progressing too slowly. They later switched to building ordinary stone roads, and the project had already been completed months ago. As a result, the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning saw more merchant caravans traveling between them, and exports of local specialties had earned them a fortune.
What Ruri wanted were