The next day.
When Nawaki and Misaki slowly awoke from their slumber, Kawaki had already called everyone together for a meeting.
Inside the Hokage Building's small conference room, there weren't many people present.
Tsunade sat at the head, with Kawaki and Sakumo seated on either side.
They all shared one thing in common: they all clearly knew the identities of Nagato and his two companions.
"Yesterday's atmosphere just wasn't right for discussion."
"So I thought it best to call you all here today to discuss it properly."
Kawaki spoke first, his expression calm and neutral.
Of course, no one thought he was overstepping.
"You clearly had something on your mind yesterday—go ahead and say it."
They could tease and joke around, but Orochimaru was the one who truly understood Kawaki.
"Is it about Akatsuki Village's top-secret intel?"
Jiraiya, a seasoned hand at intelligence, caught on immediately.
Sakumo sat upright in silence while Fugaku and Shouta listened attentively.
Dai glanced around cluelessly, like a goofy puppy whose brain had stayed at home that morning.
Since its founding, Konoha had probably never seen such a harmonious meeting.
Though not a large gathering, those present definitely held the power to influence every decision in Konoha.
This was undoubtedly the heart of Konoha's inner council!!!
"Yeah, let Kawaki explain it properly."
"He's been thinking about it all night."
This was intelligence even Konoha's Intelligence Division had never obtained. Tsunade herself only learned about it yesterday after Kawaki told her.
"It's like this."
"After yesterday's wedding banquet ended, I met with Nagato and his two companions."
"Nagato gave me some information."
"The Third Raikage had made contact with them."
"Purely coincidental—at first, they had planned to keep the contact going."
"They promised to inform us once they had concrete intelligence."
Kawaki paused dramatically, not yet revealing the purpose behind the Third Raikage's attempt to contact Akatsuki.
"A recruitment attempt?"
"A request for an alliance?"
"Jealousy?"
"What trouble is that black-hearted bandit scheming now?"
Everyone started throwing out guesses, except Dai, who got a laugh instead.
"Haha, if the Third Raikage heard you call him that, he might actually get upset, you know?"
Kawaki couldn't hold back a laugh—he knew Dai's words perfectly described the man.
"And what if he does?"
Dai didn't even think before blurting it out.
He exuded sheer fearlessness.
[Eight Gates Released — None Can Stand Before Me]!!
"Alright, enough joking around."
"Just spit it out already."
Sakumo interrupted their playful banter. He hated when Kawaki pulled stunts like this.
Same old annoying behavior as always—the kind that made you want to punch him.
"Fine, fine—I'll talk. What's with the attitude?"
Kawaki's deliberately soft and vulnerable act gave everyone the creeps.
"I'm gonna hurl—just spit it out already."
Now Orochimaru's face darkened.
What the hell was he doing talking like that in broad daylight?
It was utterly revolting—like nausea opening the door for even more nausea, reaching peak nausea.
"Whatever."
Somewhat embarrassed, Kawaki ruffled his hair, finally turning serious.
"The Third Raikage sent his son to Akatsuki Village."
"During their interaction with Nagato, they revealed only one intention—they wish to form a wartime alliance with Akatsuki."
"Kawaki stressed the last four words deliberately."
After all, regardless of how turbulent things were behind the scenes, the Ninja World was still in a time of peace.
The phrase "wartime alliance" was bound to invite suspicion.
"It's all thanks to Tsunade."
Orochimaru looked at Tsunade, and his words almost took her by surprise.
If not for Tsunade's crushing defeat at Nagato's hands, even the Third Raikage might really have looked down on Akatsuki Village as a minor threat.
And it wasn't just about wartime alliances—he might even have refused to serve as a mere lapdog for the Cloud Ninja Village.
"I guess we didn't make enough noise back then."
Kawaki's reasoning wasn't without merit.
A few years ago, he and Orochimaru had incited the Eight-Tails and seized the secret Lightning Strike Armor jutsu through force.
Yet those actions hadn't come close to inflicting real damage on the Cloud Ninja Village.
"Has the Cloud Ninja Village developed so well recently?"
Fugaku frowned. Because the Land of Lightning was too far away, he didn't have any captured Cloud Ninja to interrogate.
Plus, since this was a time of peace, he hadn't been keeping up with their developments closely.
"According to recent intelligence reports,"
"Ever since Lord Kawaki and Lord Orochimaru returned,"
"The Third Raikage first punished those who were negligent in their duties, then personally led efforts during postwar reconstruction."
"He quickly reestablished his authority and regained public trust."
"He vigorously expanded his military forces and already found a new Jinchūriki for the Eight-Tails."
"As for the Two-Tails, there hasn't been any news."
Shouta rattled off the details like they were second nature, concisely summarizing the intel on the Cloud Ninja Village.
"The skies have cleared and the storm has passed—he feels strong again."
Orochimaru snorted coldly. War was something he loathed above all else.
But sometimes, the world doesn't bend to one man's will.
"There's more."
"The Third Raikage is thinking long-term. He feels a deep sense of crisis."
"Perhaps we've given him too much pressure."
Jiraiya wasn't boasting; right now, Konoha was undeniably powerful.
It was comparable only to the earliest days of Konoha, when Hashirama, Madara, and Tobirama were all still alive.
Back then, they could have unified the ninja world if they'd chosen to.
"This is a signal."
"I believe you must've sensed it too."
"The Second Great Ninja War didn't fulfill the hawks' ambitions across the nations. War is inevitable sooner or later."
Oh...
[Naruto: Starting from Pursuing Tsunade – Read & Bookmark (m.)]
"Our own Daimyō probably has his own thoughts as well."
Sakumo glanced at Tsunade as he spoke. She'd had the most contact with the Daimyō's mansion lately.
"The hawks are growing stronger, and the Daimyō is powerless against them."
Tsunade sighed, which was also a form of agreement.
Even if other villages didn't start a war, Konoha itself might be the first to strike.
With the sharpest blade in hand, who wouldn't be tempted to swing it?
"We're getting off track."
"Do you all believe the Cloud Ninja Village will make a move within the next few years?"
Kawaki brought the topic back—after all, Konoha isn't ready to start a conflict—yet.
One by one, they exchanged somber glances and nodded.
"Why several years from now?"
Dai scratched his head. Among these people, he just wasn't sharp enough to keep up with them.
"The jinchūriki needs time to grow, and alliances aren't something you just form on the spot either."
"Kurotsuchi isn't that dumb," Dai shot back.
Orochimaru took it upon himself to explain, and Dai gave a vague nod, as if he got it.
"So who does the Third Raikage plan to target first?"
Jiraiya already had the answer in his mind.
"The Hidden Sand Village."
"The Land of Wind."
This time even Dai followed the rhythm. Everyone's answers were surprisingly consistent.
"People always go for the low-hanging fruit first. The Third Raikage must be thinking the same way," Kawaki said, tapping a fingertip rhythmically on the table.
"During the Second Shinobi World War, the Hidden Sand Village suffered the heaviest losses."
"It's only partially recovered at this point. Even after a few more years, they won't stand a chance against the Cloud Ninja Village."
Shouta's analysis hit the nail on the head. A village that was nearly wiped out doesn't bounce back easily.
"If that's the case, why would the Third Raikage seek an alliance with Akatsuki?"
Dai even thought Kurotsuchi was overcomplicating things.
"This shows the Third Raikage's ambitions go beyond that."
"One reason is that Akatsuki can block outside help. Another is that they can work together to take more land."
"As for who the next target will be, that's hard to say."
Fugaku's growing skills were undeniable.
Everyone knew the Cloud Ninja Village and Iwagakure had long been at odds.
Ōnoki certainly understood the logic of 'when lips are gone, teeth feel cold.'
Contacting Akatsuki was a smart play by the Third Raikage. Unfortunately, he couldn't predict that Akatsuki would side with Konoha.
"There won't be a next step."
"Once the Cloud Ninja Village makes its move, the entire ninja world will fall into chaos."
Kawaki shook his head. He knew the Third Great Ninja War was right around the corner.
Silence settled over the conference room for a moment—it was grim news.
"Let's call it a day. Keep your mouths shut tight."
"Starting now, we need to watch the Cloud Ninja Village closely. It's time we Konoha ninjas started preparing too."
After a while, Tsunade finally spoke, ending this meeting.
...
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