"Hokage! What you said makes sense, but how can you be sure Lord Ziyan will accept our apology and come help us?" Mei Terumi asked Tsunade, her delicate brows creasing in confusion.
"Because of that!" Tsunade pointed at the longsword that had just appeared-the one that had just killed Kitsuchi. "That sword's appearance proves Grandpa Ziyan is watching what's happening here. If he's watching, that means he hasn't given up on us! He's just angry and unwilling to intervene!"
Everyone turned to look at the longsword floating nearby. Considering Tsunade's words, they couldn't help nodding.
There was one exception, however: Ōnoki. He had no goodwill whatsoever toward Hatake Ziyan, the man who had killed his son!
"Let's say we do as you suggest, apologize to Lord Ziyan, earn his forgiveness, and ask him to intervene. We still don't have enough time! If we leave for the Land of Iron now, we don't have the Fourth Hokage's Flying Thunder God Technique. Even at our fastest, we'd need a day or two. Madara Uchiha won't possibly give us that long!" Mei Terumi said again.
"That's right! Even I, the fastest among us, would need at least a day traveling at full speed. By the time we returned, I doubt anyone here would still be alive," the Raikage added with a frown.
"Who said we needed to go to the Land of Iron?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow at them. "If Grandpa Ziyan could kill Kitsuchi from so far away, that means he can sense everything we do here. All we need to do is apologize to his sword right here!"
Everyone looked at the floating longsword again, then asked Tsunade incredulously, "Are you certain Lord Ziyan can sense our actions? If he can't, what we're about to do will nail all five of