Kurotsuchi's narrowed eyes widened for an instant before she quickly lowered them again.
Mei Terumi, who had been lounging against the back of her chair, leaned forward slightly, looking thoughtful.
Burūi's thick brows remained furrowed, but the direction of his thoughts seemed to have shifted from resistance to calculation.
And Gaara finally raised his head, something flickering in his eyes.
Taking turns hosting.
Everyone present understood the weight of those words.
Kurotsuchi reacted first. She uncrossed her arms and pressed a palm against the table. "You mean... Iwagakure will have a chance to host in the future too, Hokage?"
"Of course," Naraku answered crisply. "The Five Great Shinobi Villages will take turns. Konoha is just getting things started."
The doubt on Burūi's rugged face gradually eased, replaced by a look of growing interest.
He unconsciously glanced at the tabletop in front of him.
Kumogakure's postwar recovery had been difficult, but what about two or three years from now? By then, the village should have recovered.
And once it was Kumogakure's turn to host, Genin from every village and young people from every faction would gather in the Land of Lightning. That spectacle, that influence...
More importantly, it could thoroughly secure his position as Raikage.
He might even be able to seize more power from the elders.
The excitement in his eyes grew stronger. His throat bobbed, and he did not rush to state his position, but his earlier, blatant resistance had visibly faded.
Mei Terumi slowly closed the document in her hands. A hint of an elusive smile rippled through her alluring eyes as she looked at Naraku. "Lord Hokage, you're... painting a very, very rosy picture for us."
"Whether it's an empty promise or cold, hard cash depends on how you look at it."
Naraku's tone was calm. "Konoha