Unbelievable news.
Or, rather, news they didn't want to believe.
But Naruto's expression was clearly sincere, and given his status, this was hardly the sort of occasion where he could lie. Even the Third Tsuchikage, who had previously shown his "disdain," sat up straight, his expression grave as he looked at Naruto. There was a world of difference between a Tailed Beast being captured and the enemy making full use of it. The reason the Kage of these villages hadn't been in a hurry before—including the Fourth Raikage A, who had called the Six Kage Summit and still had time to argue about other matters and assign blame to the four great ninja villages—was that they assumed Akatsuki would need years to turn the captured Tailed Beasts into fighting strength.
In other words,
they still had the "luxury" of infighting.
But now that Naruto had said this,
the Kage suddenly realized the situation might have slipped beyond their ability to predict and control.
Of course, that was assuming Naruto's words were true and not a fabrication.
"I think Gaara, the former One-Tail Jinchuriki of Sunagakure, must have some personal understanding of this, don't you? Even though you were unconscious and barely aware of what was happening, the feeling of having Tailed Beast Chakra forcibly ripped from your body is etched deep in your soul. It's as clear as when we were young and first had Tailed Beast Chakra implanted in us."
Naruto crossed his hands on the table and turned his gaze toward Gaara, who sat behind Baki. His low voice drew the attention of the other five Kage as well, including Baki, the leader of Sunagakure.
The moment everyone's eyes settled on him,
Gaara's body tensed instinctively. Then, after Naruto finished speaking, he hesitated briefly before meeting the Six