After the negotiations ended, a banquet was naturally in order.
The First Kages had their own circle and could not mingle with the younger generation.
Meanwhile, the future Second Kages took the initiative to approach Toji, who had just performed so outstandingly, and show him goodwill.
Hozuki Gengetsu personally presented him with a finely crafted ninja sword, Mu gave him a strange stone containing Earth Release chakra, Shamon offered a bag of gold, and Sawaki of the Sound Ninja gave him a specially made vertical flute—
Once they left this banquet hall, they would be enemies ready to kill one another at any time.
But at least for now, everyone put considerable effort into maintaining the facade of brief, false peace.
Of everyone present, the ones Toji paid the most attention to were Hozuki Gengetsu and Mu.
Among all the Kages throughout the Five Great Nations' history, these two belonged to the very strongest tier in terms of combat power.
Toji greatly coveted the Hozuki Clan's secret techniques, as well as the Dust Release developed by Mu.
The former was a secret technique and fell outside Earth Grudge Fear's range of plunder.
Dust Release, meanwhile, was a Kekkei Tōta created by fusing Wind, Earth, and Fire chakra, and it had already fused with Mu's heart.
Though it could not be passed down to descendants, anyone who obtained his heart could use Dust Release.
Paper Release was similar. Nominally, it was a secret technique, but the chakra nature of the heart had already changed.
Beyond that, Shamon of Sunagakure was also someone who could not be overlooked.
A blue dragon was tattooed across Shamon's scalp, and he looked like a military general. Yet he was the same type of ninja as Tobirama Senju—a master at developing ninjutsu and secret techniques.
Both