The midday break passed quickly.
When Araki followed the Third Mizukage to the highest viewing stand once again, he suddenly noticed a gaze filled with fury fixed tightly upon him.
Its heat was so intense that it felt as though it might melt him.
"What's going on?"
Araki muttered to himself. Pretending not to notice, he glanced sideways from the corner of his eye, only to meet the Third Kazekage's gaze.
Seeing the look in the other man's eyes, as though he wanted to devour him alive, Araki felt a chill in his heart while also being utterly baffled.
"I don't think I've ever even spoken to him. Where did all this resentment come from?"
After pondering in confusion for a moment, Araki decided to try showing the Third Kazekage a little goodwill.
So he gave the Kazekage a faint smile.
After all, one did not strike a smiling face.
Yet he had not expected that single smile to nearly make the Third Kazekage bristle on the spot!
"He actually dares mock me to my face?! Is he laughing at me for being unable to control even my own village's ninja?"
Looking at Araki's smiling face, the Third Kazekage automatically imagined the other man's inner thoughts and replayed them over and over in his mind. His aura grew increasingly gloomy.
Just then, the Third Mizukage brought up the matter of having Sasori of the Red Sands visit Kirigakure for exchanges.
The Kazekage immediately felt that these two people from Mist Village were ganging up to bully him, and the greatest accomplice was his own village's genius jonin—Sasori of the Red Sands!
He took a deep breath and barely suppressed the fury in his heart. A cold smile appeared on his face. "More exchanges with Mist Village are something we have