Land of Earth, Iwagakure leadership conference hall.
The venue lay in the deepest part of Iwagakure's main palace, enclosed by four towering walls. Flags representing the Five Great Shinobi Villages hung overhead. Five high-backed chairs stood in order at the center, surrounded by dozens of elite shinobi guards standing in solemn silence.
Heavy footsteps sounded as the Konoha delegation slowly entered.
Tsunade wore a fiery red kimono, her expression icy. Naruto Uzumaki and Kakashi Hatake followed closely behind her, both alert.
The Fourth Raikage, Gaara, Mei Terumi, and Ōnoki were already seated. With all Five Kage finally present, the atmosphere weighed on them like iron.
Before taking her seat, Tsunade launched into a cold challenge.
"Raikage, you were the one who called this meeting. Now that everyone's here, I want to ask you something first-what exactly are you trying to do?"
"Your invitation talked about bringing peace to the shinobi world and fostering harmonious development. But let me ask you this: who caused the chaos the shinobi world is in now?"
"Aren't you, the Fourth Raikage, the very culprit behind this turmoil?"
Tsunade's voice rang out like a bell, her words cutting sharply. The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees.
She knew that unless she seized the initiative, the others would force her onto the defensive.
The Fourth Raikage's expression darkened, his face hard as iron. "Tsunade, don't put on your Hokage airs with me," he answered grimly.
He slammed a hand onto the table. Veins bulged along his thick arm, and a faint surge of Lightning Release forced several nearby shinobi guards into defensive stances.
"You think we want the shinobi world in turmoil? You think I'm happy to watch war spread like this?!"
"You're wrong!"
The Fourth Raikage stepped forward, his eyes blazing. "Every last