As for Asuma Sarutobi, Kazuyama really couldn't bring himself to like him—whether back when they were kids or now as adults.
If it weren't for the Sarutobi surname, he would barely remember the man at all.
Maybe it was because Asuma had offended him back then. What could he say? He held grudges.
Kazuyama left the Hokage's office and returned home. Standing at the doorway, he saw Pakura busy with her tasks, but there was no sign of the child.
"You're back?"
"Yeah. How'd you know I returned?"
Pakura couldn't use sensory ninjutsu—so how did she know?
He soon got his answer. A vivid red snake was wrapped around her shoulder.
"Oh? Isn't this Tagitsuhime?"
"Long time no see!"
Tagitsuhime rolled her snake eyes at him, then leapt from Pakura's shoulder. Once she hit the ground, her form shifted into a human shape.
She looked Kazuyama over and let out a sigh.
"Unbelievable. The natural energy inside you is overflowing."
"It completely surpasses mine."
"Your Transparent Escape really was born for senjutsu."
Kazuyama answered her with a crooked, mischievous grin.
"Well now, getting Tagitsuhime to say something like that… guess my life hasn't been wasted."
"So? Tagitsuhime, want to spar?"
A day without provoking someone wouldn't be Kazuyama. Even as a father, his nature hadn't changed one bit.
Tagitsuhime wasn't taking the bait.
"Give it up. I can't beat you anymore. Aside from your Transparent Escape and Crystal Release, most of your senjutsu is adapted from Ryūchi Cave's techniques."
"At this point, only the White Snake Sage could fight you on even ground."
The White Snake Sage and the Great Toad Sage had lived for far too long, their bodies carrying absurd amounts of natural energy. Even with the frightening level Kazuyama now possessed, he was still some distance behind them.
"Alright, Tagitsuhime, there's something I want to discuss with you."
Hearing him suddenly ask her for help made her genuinely surprised.
In all the years they'd known each other, she could count the times he had asked her for anything on one hand.
"Oh? That's rare. You actually need me?"
"Go on then. What kind of scheme are you cooking up?"
Kazuyama explained his plan—something tied closely to the events soon to unfold.
Simply put, he wanted the Three Snake Princesses to all come to the Gekkō home in Konohagakure and set up protections around Pakura and the children.
Both Tagitsuhime and Pakura froze at his words.
A trained kunoichi, Pakura immediately sensed that something major was happening.
"Kazuyama, what's wrong? Why say something like this all of a sudden?"
"Don't tell me… war is coming?"
Kazuyama nodded. They were already at the brink; he had to secure the rear first.
"Kumogakure suffered massive losses this time. War is inevitable."
"I'll head to Takigakure tomorrow. Takigakure and Amegakure will be joining in."
"I'll contact Orochimaru as well and have him prepare."
Once it began, it would be a war engulfing the entire ninja world.
Tagitsuhime nodded, relieved it wasn't something more complicated.
If it was just protecting Pakura and the children, that was simple.
She could handle it alone, let alone with Tagorihime and Ichikishimahime assisting.
"Don't worry. We've known each other for years."
"Pakura is still the inheritor of Ryūchi Cave. I'll protect them."
Satisfied with her promise, Kazuyama felt at ease.
...
At dawn the next morning, Kazuyama activated the Flying Thunder God Technique, jumping first to Amegakure and then to Takigakure.
There, he gathered Konan and Yahiko and began explaining what was to come.
"So we're… participating in the Five Kage Summit?"
Yahiko and Konan were stunned.
The Five Kage Summit belonged to the five great villages. Even with Amegakure and Takigakure combined, they still fell short of that tier. They never expected Kazuyama to involve them.
"Yes. The coming battle will be the final one."
"Our enemies are Uchiha Madara and the Rinnegan. We can't afford carelessness."
Kazuyama sipped his tea—tea Yahiko had brewed. Ever since becoming Takigakure's leader, he had taken up tea-making, and strangely enough, the tea was good.
"Not bad. Give me some later—not much, just ninety percent of your stock."
"Pfft!"
Yahiko almost spat his tea out. Ninety percent?
Why not just take everything?
He didn't dare voice that thought. Knowing Kazuyama, if he said it out loud, the man would take all of it.
"One more thing."
"It concerns the Tailed Beast of Takigakure."
"I should've told you earlier, but for safety reasons, I've kept it hidden until now."
Kazuyama finished his tea, looked at Konan and Yahiko, and slowly spoke.
Hearing that, curiosity sparked in both of them. What had he been hiding all this time?
"You two should know Takigakure has a tailed beast—the Seven-Tails."
"But you've never seen it, right?"
They nodded. Then their eyes bulged and their jaws dropped at Kazuyama's next words.
"That's because the Seven-Tails hasn't been in Takigakure for years."
"Long before either of you even arrived."
"That masterless Tailed Beast gained its Jinchūriki back then."
"And that Jinchūriki… heh, is me."
What?!
No way!!!
Yahiko and Konan—leaders of Takigakure—were completely blindsided.
The Seven-Tails, believed to be somewhere in the village, had been with Kazuyama this entire time?
And Kazuyama was the Seven-Tails' Jinchūriki?
"Don't look so shocked. I've hidden it for years."
"If Akatsuki hadn't appeared, I could've kept hiding it forever."
"You both know I'm a Konoha shinobi, yet I became the Seven-Tails' Jinchūriki for Takigakure. If anyone found out… well, I'd be a dead man."
He said that, but the truth was Kazuyama no longer feared anyone discovering this secret.
After all, Takigakure was under his command now—what was there left to fear?