Minato's words plunged the Five Kage Summit into silence.
Almost everyone silently processed the information Minato had revealed. Even the Raikage, usually so hot-tempered and prickly, fell silent.
An eerie quiet settled over the entire room.
It was Ōnoki, who had lived through Senju Hashirama's era, who raised the first question:
"Konoha's First, Senju Hashirama... he was a powerful existence hailed as the God of Shinobi. A mere Shadow Clone actually managed to fool him?"
Ōnoki still refused to believe that Madara Uchiha was alive. After thinking it over several times, he finally found a "loophole" in Minato's words.
Minato spread his hands and asked in return:
"I believe the Tsuchikage understands Madara Uchiha's strength better than anyone, doesn't he? Even if the First defeated Madara Uchiha, he would have sustained serious injuries himself. And Madara Uchiha had once been the First's most trusted friend. Isn't it perfectly normal for him to let his guard down for a moment?"
"Then Konoha didn't thoroughly inspect things afterward?"
The Raikage furrowed his brow and raised a challenge as well.
"Heh. Although Madara Uchiha fought the First at the Valley of the End, Raikage, don't forget that Madara Uchiha was one of Konoha's founders. Konoha would never commit such a vile act as desecrating a corpse."
Minato looked directly at the Raikage, and his words made the Raikage deeply uncomfortable.
He had the distinct feeling that Minato's words were mocking... him?
But at the moment, the Raikage had no time to be angry.
If things were truly as the Fifth Hokage said, and that mysterious man was Madara Uchiha...
Then after lying low for decades, he had returned to activity in the Shinobi World and begun capturing Tailed Beasts. What exactly was his goal?
Could it be that he intended to gather all