"Finally, it's done~"
Toshiro stretched lazily, eyeing the document in front of him. The signatures of all five Kage stood proudly on the page—a symbol of hard-won unity. He let out a long, relieved sigh.
With this agreement signed, his workload back in the village should finally lighten.
Time to relax... maybe even slack off a little.
"Don't get too comfortable just yet, Hokage."
Onoki's gruff voice cut through the air like a cold breeze, dousing Toshiro's satisfaction in one go.
"We've only signed a preliminary draft. Once we return, the real discussions begin—with the village councils."
After nearly a week of back-and-forth debates, the five Kage had managed to find common ground on Toshiro's proposals. Still, Onoki wasn't wrong. This agreement was just the beginning. There were countless details still to iron out.
But Toshiro merely shrugged, unfazed by the old man's grumbling.
"No problem~" he said with a grin. "It's a good start, at least."
He knew old people like Onoki didn't change overnight. Signing the agreement at all was already a miracle—and a major victory.
"Now, the next step is implementation."
Toshiro clapped his hands together with faux enthusiasm. "As for Konoha, we'll be sending Jiraiya to handle all the follow-up negotiations."
No way was he getting dragged into the mess himself. That was Jiraiya's job now.
After all, if the guy had enough time to wander around the world 'gathering research,' he could definitely take on some real responsibilities for once.
Isn't he corrupting the sacred atmosphere of Konoha? This kind of behavior must be firmly stopped~
"Jiraiya, huh..."
At the mention of his name, Onoki furrowed his brow slightly, then cast a glance at his own right-hand man, Akatsuchi.
If Konoha was entrusting Jiraiya with such a key role, then the Rock Village couldn't afford to fall behind. Sending Akatsuchi to represent them would preserve their image—and their pride.
"It's about time we took our leave. We've already imposed on General Mifune and the Iron Country for long enough."
Over the past week, Mifune had given everything he had to ensure the summit went smoothly. His once-sharp features now looked a little worn, the toll of constant vigilance showing in his tired eyes.
"It has been my honor," Mifune replied, voice calm but sincere. "For the Iron Country—and for myself—to contribute to this effort."
Despite his exhaustion, the hope in his gaze made it clear: he believed in the agreement's potential to change the world.
"Well then... we'll take our leave."
With the diplomatic work done, none of the Kage had reason to linger. Each of them was eager to return to their village and begin consultations on the next steps.
—
**Border Between the Iron Country and the Land of Fire**
A vast, untouched forest stretched as far as the eye could see, blanketed in pristine snow. Each tree stood tall and proud beneath the icy weight, their branches glistening as though draped in silver.
Snow piled high along the canopy, casting a quiet stillness over the land. Towering pines and spruce trees pierced the sky, their rigid silhouettes like silent sentinels guarding the wild.
The mountain ranges nearby loomed with a majestic presence—snow-capped peaks rolling into one another like a frozen sea of white waves. Mist coiled through the valleys, cloaking the landscape in an ethereal beauty, as if one had wandered into a living painting.
In this hauntingly serene forest, silence reigned—until it was broken.
"Nagato," a low voice whispered, barely disturbing the frozen air. "The target has appeared."
Perched atop a rugged mountain, nestled within the branches of an ancient tree, a white butterfly fluttered delicately through a hollow in the bark. It glided silently, finally landing on the slender fingertips of a woman cloaked in stillness.
Her long blue-violet hair was tied into an elegant bun, softening the sharp edge of her crimson-and-black uniform that clung to her graceful figure. A sliver of light filtered through the tree hollow, casting a faint glow across her solemn face.
"Nagato, you don't have to bear all this alone." Konan's voice was quiet, almost wistful, as her eyes lingered on her emaciated companion seated inside a strange mechanical contraption.
She hesitated, emotion flickering in her gaze. "I believe… Yahiko wouldn't have wanted you to—"
"This is Yahiko's dream," Nagato cut in, his voice resolute.
His eyes, marked by concentric ripples of lavender—the legendary Rinnegan—betrayed a fleeting sadness. But in the next moment, that sorrow crystallized into unwavering conviction.
"To become a god… to bring true peace to this world. That was Yahiko's dream."
Konan's heart sank. Her words had failed to reach him, and disappointment glimmered in her eyes like a dying ember.
"The target has been located."
A mechanical voice crackled through the device beside Nagato.
"One thousand meters high. Twenty kilometers out. Approaching fast."
The Hokage, as expected, hadn't taken the conventional route. That left them with only one option—the most primitive, yet effective one: ambush.
They would lie in wait, hidden in the cold embrace of the mountains, and hope the target stumbled into their trap.
"I've already alerted the other members of the organization. They're on their way."
Konan's tone was calm, but underneath it was an edge of concern. 'Uchiha Madara' had repeatedly warned them—this Fifth Hokage wasn't someone to underestimate. That's why she had insisted Nagato call in reinforcements.
Unfortunately, they weren't close. It would take time for them to arrive.
"Perhaps I won't need them," Nagato replied, his voice filled with quiet confidence.
This time, he had brought the Six Paths of Pain—his ultimate trump card. In his mind, not even Uchiha Madara at full strength could match him, let alone a single Hokage.
Still, he didn't oppose Konan's caution. Her worry was not misplaced. Besides, he needed precise confirmation of the target's movements, and the more eyes he had in play, the better.
—
Meanwhile, on the other side…
Having left the Iron Country behind, Toshiro wasted no time. He summoned a Yamawashi to carry himself, Itachi, and a third member of the Anbu across the snowy expanse.
Utilizing the high ground gave them speed and visibility—a strategic advantage they couldn't afford to pass up.
Suddenly, Itachi narrowed his eyes, the wind tugging at his cloak as he stood atop the eagle's back.
"What is that?" he muttered, eyes locked on a dark speck lurking in the clouds ahead.
The black silhouette wasn't natural—it moved with intent.
"Hokage-sama," Itachi said, his voice tightening, "that... creature doesn't look friendly."
Toshiro, still sitting cross-legged in meditation, slowly opened his eyes.
Thanks to his exceptional vision, Itachi quickly identified the black speck in the sky—it was a massive, unfamiliar bird. And it was headed straight for them.
"A strange bird?" Toshiro, who had been half-distracted in his boredom, perked up at Itachi's observation. He leaned forward, squinting into the distance.
"…You're right. That's no ordinary creature."
Though the figure was still distant, Toshiro could already tell something was off. The way it flew—its posture, its silhouette—was unlike any typical summoned beast. There was an unnatural, almost eerie precision in its flight path, as if it wasn't just watching… but targeting.
What caught his attention most was the bird's grotesquely oversized beak, which made up nearly a third of its entire body. That alone defied natural anatomy—it was something designed more for intimidation than for aerodynamics.
"Could it be… one of Pain's summons?" Toshiro muttered, his brows furrowing.
He combed through his mental archives, trying to match the bird's strange appearance with anything he'd encountered before. But nothing felt conclusive.
At this distance, the details were still obscured by the clouds. He couldn't be sure of anything yet—but one thing was clear: this wasn't just some animal minding its own business.
Something—or someone—was coming for them.
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