The Five Kage Summit traditionally requires one Kage and two guards per village.
However, in the current situation, such formalities have become irrelevant.
After all, Orochimaru has attained the power of the Rikudō (Six Paths). Against him, genjutsu, ninjutsu, and taijutsu are meaningless.
Unless one wields the same power, they aren't even qualified to harm him.
So, regardless of how many guards each Kage brings, they would be nothing more than decorations.
In light of these circumstances, a "one Kage, one guard" arrangement was adopted for the summit.
The Land of Wind
The sun blazed mercilessly, casting waves of heat through the air. The wind carried sand across the village entrance, forming swirling clouds of dust.
Standing at the gate and looking back at the shinobi of Sunagakure, Rasa couldn't help but sigh.
No wonder the village was utterly helpless against Orochimaru. Aside from himself, was there anyone here with decent combat abilities?
Even when choosing his bodyguard, Maki had been the only viable candidate.
Not much of a choice.
What about Chiyo?
How could he possibly bring an elderly woman to serve as his bodyguard?
"Maki, let's go."
"Yes, Kazekage-sama!"
"Be careful on the road, Kazekage-sama!"
"Captain Maki, safe travels!"
Maki waved dismissively. "All right, head back!"
Maki was an elite jōnin of Sunagakure, trusted by Rasa and known for his strategic prowess. He was a crucial figure for the Land of Wind.
As Rasa walked away from the village, Maki followed closely behind.
---
For the Kazekage, Rasa brought Maki.
The Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, traveled with his son, Kitsuchi.
The Raikage, A, brought along the white-haired Darui.
The Mizukage, Terumi Mei, was accompanied by the one-eyed Ao.
As the summit day drew near, these figures began arriving one after another in the Land of Iron.
The Land of Iron
Snowflakes drifted gently from the sky, covering the ground in a thick, white blanket. The air was frigid, and silence filled the atmosphere.
Surprisingly, the first Kage to arrive wasn't the Hokage, despite Konoha's proximity. Instead, it was Rasa of Sunagakure, who had departed earliest.
Standing at the gate of the Iron Fortress, Maki, unaccustomed to such cold weather rubbed his arms and sneezed loudly.
"So cold! The climate here is the complete opposite of ours!"
A man stood at the gate, an older figure with his head wrapped in bandages, accompanied by two guards. Hearing Maki's complaint, he responded in a calm, steady voice:
"I've been waiting for you. I am Mifune, General of the Land of Iron."
Despite his long beard, Mifune looked sharp and alert.
"Thank you for receiving us."
Rasa adjusted the hood of his robe and greeted him with a calm expression.
"Please, come in and have some hot tea. Follow me upstairs."
Rasa nodded, and he and Maki followed Mifune into the fortress.
Outside, the snow continued to fall, turning the world into a sea of white.
---
Meanwhile, in the snow-covered woods, a pair of figures walked arm-in-arm. From a distance, they might have been mistaken for a couple out for a stroll. Behind them trailed a third figure, cloaked in a robe.
Orochimaru tilted his head upward to watch the snow. For a moment, he considered reciting a poem but realized he had long forgotten the verses he'd once memorized.
A sudden sneeze broke the silence.
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow and turned to the woman beside him.
"Hmm? Did you catch a cold?" he asked, almost instinctively.
The question caught Tsunade off guard. Her heart warmed at his rare display of concern. She smiled and shook her head, pulling her robe tighter.
"No, just a bit of an itch in my nose."
Orochimaru nodded. "I thought so. With your physique, you shouldn't be affected by the cold."
Thanks to her sage body, illness was practically impossible. Besides, Tsunade was a medical ninja who knew how to care for herself. Getting sick under these circumstances would be absurd.
Tsunade leaned against Orochimaru's arm, smiling softly.
"You're right. By the way, Orochimaru… do you think this summit will really bring peace to the ninja world?"
Orochimaru's expression didn't change. "You already know the answer. There will always be conflict." He paused. "But with proper management, most wars can be prevented."
"Proper management, huh? Do you have any ideas?" Tsunade's eyes held a glimmer of hope.
Her respect for Orochimaru had grown significantly.
This man had forced the great villages into unconditional surrender.
Orochimaru shifted his gaze toward her, then smiled faintly.
"There's a way, but it takes time. If only…"
"If only what?"
Tsunade's curiosity was piqued. She turned to look at him, noticing his slightly dazed expression.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing… I was just thinking."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow but didn't press him. Instead, she turned around and waved at Uchiha Mikoto, who was following behind.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru's thoughts raced.
He had been about to say: If chakra didn't exist in this world, much of the conflict would disappear.
In his view, chakra gave individuals power beyond what ordinary people possessed. That power bred ambition, conflict, and war. If no one had chakra, there would be fewer reasons to fight, fewer opportunities to commit crimes.
Wasn't that precisely what Kaguya had attempted to do?
She had tried to absorb the world's chakra through the Shinju (Divine Tree), leaving herself as the sole wielder of that power. In theory, if she ruled over a world of powerless individuals, wouldn't peace naturally follow?
Was Kaguya a villain… or a misunderstood savior?
Perhaps she had recognized that distributing chakra among humanity would only cause chaos. Maybe her methods were radical, but her intentions… logical?
If that were true, then her philosophy directly opposed the teachings of the Rikudō Sennin.
Orochimaru exhaled slowly.
Why am I even thinking about this? Let's unify the ninja world first.
With that thought, he turned to Tsunade and abruptly pulled her into his arms.
Caught off guard, Tsunade tried to speak but found her lips sealed by a sudden kiss.
The cold air around them seemed to vanish in that moment, replaced by the warmth they shared.
"This… feels like our first time together."
***
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