Goodbye Kinkaku and Ginkaku

May 10th, Year 25 of Konoha. Only ten days remained until Kumogakure and Konoha formed their alliance.

Amid the clouds and mist of Kumogakure, towering buildings could be seen everywhere.

The Land of Lightning was mostly highland, and Kumogakure was naturally no exception. Combined with several expansions after the village's founding, some buildings had been constructed atop mountain peaks, slanting up toward the heavens—a unique sight in its own right.

Kumogakure's ninja had been very busy these past few days. Because of the alliance, they had no less to prepare than Konoha. In fact, since the alliance ceremony was being held here, they had even more preparations to make.

Of course, not everyone was busy. For example, Kinkaku and Ginkaku were currently stewing at home, their bellies full of rage, refusing to see any visitors.

Their courtyard sat atop a lofty peak. Calling it a mountain peak was perhaps an exaggeration, but there was a large open area on top.

The two stood at a high point where the ground fell away into open air. Looking down, they saw clouds and mist swirling below, with half the courtyard seeming to stand suspended in the void.

"Big Brother, the alliance with Konoha is drawing ever closer. Are we really just going to endure this?" With no one around and elite subordinates guarding the perimeter, Ginkaku spoke without much restraint. Kinkaku gazed into the distance, his expression equally grim. Yet compared to Ginkaku, he remained calmer. "What else can we do? The Raikage holds great power now, and he's wary of us. Causing trouble now would bring neither of us any benefit. I only hate that old bastard, the First Raikage, for handing his position over to

Leinuo before he died. How am I inferior to him, damn it?"

Hearing his Big