"You must be joking, Lord Hokage."
Ye Chuan replied calmly and gently freed himself from Tsunade's arm.
Led by Mifune, the two passed through the heavily guarded city and arrived at a magnificent conference hall.
An enormous round conference table stood in the center of the hall.
Four Kage hats representing the great ninja villages of Wind, Lightning, Water, and Earth were already neatly arranged in their respective places on the table. Only the place symbolizing the Hokage remained empty.
The atmosphere inside the hall was somewhat somber.
Gaara, wearing his Kazekage hat, looked as composed as ever, though his gaze was considerably gentler than before.
Behind him, Kankuro and Temari surveyed their surroundings warily.
The burly Fourth Raikage sat with his arms folded and his eyes closed, resting, yet the volatile Lightning Release Chakra around him seemed on the verge of erupting.
His two guards, Darui and C, also looked sharp and capable.
Mei Terumi, wearing her Mizukage hat, exuded charm. Her long brown hair was pinned behind her head, revealing her fair, slender neck, and a faint smile played on her lips.
Her guard Chōjūrō remained as timid as ever, while her other guard, Ao, scanned the room warily with his single eye.
The short Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, wearing his Tsuchikage hat, hovered above his seat, while Akatsuchi and Kurotsuchi stood respectfully behind him on either side.
When Tsunade and Ye Chuan entered the hall, everyone's eyes instantly turned toward them.
When they saw that Tsunade had brought only Ye Chuan as her guard, and that he was so young, the Kage and their guards all showed varying degrees of surprise.
"Oh? Konoha's Hokage brought just one brat as her guard? Aren't you underestimating us a little too much?"
The Raikage opened his eyes, a hint of displeasure