The atmosphere around the round table was heavy enough to wring water from.
Following Ōnoki's somewhat tragic agreement, five hands representing the highest powers in the Shinobi World slowly stacked together.
This should have been a stirring moment worthy of the history books.
Yet every Kage present looked as though they had swallowed a dead fly.
They had no choice. This was hardly a contest between evenly matched opponents.
It was simply a bunch of battered survivors forced to huddle together so the monster named Chiya Uchiha would not casually wipe them out.
"Now that the allied forces have been established, as for the commander-in-chief..."
As the general of the Land of Iron and the host of this conference, Mifune broached the subject cautiously.
"I'll do it!"
Although Raikage A had lost an arm and still needed a sling, his explosive temper had not changed one bit. "Kumogakure has a blood feud with that bastard! I'm going to twist his head off myself!"
"Save it, Raikage."
Ōnoki floated in midair. With only half his body left, he looked somewhat ridiculous, but his cloudy old eyes were icy. "You couldn't withstand even one slash from him, and you want to be commander-in-chief? Planning to lead everyone to their deaths?"
"What did you say, you damned old fossil?!" the Raikage roared. He was about to slam the table when he pulled at the wound on his severed arm, grimacing in pain.
"Enough!"
Tsunade slammed her palm onto the table with real force, splitting the solid wooden tabletop.
"Is this really the time to argue?!"
Her beautiful eyes were bloodshot. "Chiya is hunting Tailed Beasts all over the world! Once he gathers all nine, we won't even have the chance to argue!"
"I propose that the Raikage serve as commander of the allied