Land of Rice Paddies, Otogakure.
In a dimly lit room, Orochimaru's eyes glinted as he listened to Kabuto's report.
"I didn't expect Sasuke to have already started making contact with those fellows."
"Do we need to restrict him?" Kabuto asked. "The Akatsuki's strength is not something that riffraff like the Sky Ninja can compare to."
"Although Sasuke Uchiha's growth is surprising, compared to those individuals, there's still a considerable gap."
"No need." Orochimaru shook his head, stopping him. "I want to see just how many more surprises Sasuke can give me."
"Relay all the intelligence we have to Sasuke."
"Should we provide information on Itachi Uchiha?"
"Isn't that what Sasuke has always dreamed of?" Orochimaru retorted.
"I understand." Kabuto nodded slightly, then asked, "Do we need to prepare a spare reincarnation vessel?"
"How is that child, Guren, doing now?"
"Same as always, unwillingly staying guard at Base Number Seven."
"Let her return."
"I'll go make the preparations right away."
"Go on." Orochimaru nodded, watching his retreating figure, his thoughts unreadable.
Kabuto closed the door behind him.
Even with Sasuke's rapid growth in strength, it seems Lord Orochimaru still has no confidence in him defeating Itachi Uchiha, Kabuto thought as his figure disappeared down the corridor.
Land of Water, Kirigakure.
"It seems this is my first time in Kirigakure."
Looking at the buildings on either side of the street, with a style distinctly different from those in the Land of Fire, Jiraiya thought to himself.
"The Fifth Mizukage is waiting for you inside." The ANBU member guiding him pushed open the door and gestured.
Jiraiya paused briefly, let out a soft breath, and then walked in, head held high.
The Fifth Mizukage, successor to Karatachi Yagura, had apparently not yet shown her face to the world.
Stepping into the room, before he even saw her, an exotic fragrance assailed his nostrils.
A woman?
Jiraiya thought, looking up. He saw a curvaceous woman with a well-endowed figure sitting on a sofa, smiling at him.
Seeing this, he quickly composed himself and carefully observed the Fifth Mizukage before him.
She had turquoise eyes, and her long, auburn hair was styled in a crisscross pattern, covering her right eye. Her pink lips looked so inviting one would want to take a fierce bite. She wore a blue, sleeveless, low-cut dress, cinched with a white sash at the waist, making her two magnificent peaks seem ready to burst forth.
And a beauty at that!
"Lord Jiraiya, please sit!" The Fifth Mizukage gestured with her hand.
"Who would have thought that the Mizukage, spoken of so reverently by outsiders, would turn out to be a great beauty beloved by all," Jiraiya said with a laugh.
"Lord Jiraiya, you flatter me." The Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumi, covered her mouth and chuckled lightly. "Your own charm hasn't diminished with the years either."
"Oh, is that so?" Jiraiya laughed heartily.
As the two exchanged pleasantries, the tense atmosphere immediately relaxed.
Seeing that the mood was right, Mei's beautiful eyes flickered, and she asked softly:
"Why would Lord Hokage choose to convene a Five Kage Summit at a time like this?"
"You must be aware of the current tense situation."
"It is precisely because the situation is tense that a Five Kage Summit must be convened." When it came to official business, Jiraiya's expression was no longer flamboyant.
"Lady Mizukage, having experienced the Third Great Shinobi War, you should understand that peace is hard-won."
"The current shinobi world, under the threat of the Akatsuki and the Dragon Heritage organization, could see the Fourth Great Shinobi War erupt at any moment."
"The strength of these two organizations is simply not something a single hidden village can deal with."
"Only by uniting can we resist the Dragon Heritage and Akatsuki organizations and prevent the outbreak of the Fourth Great Shinobi War."
"Can one organization truly contend with an entire hidden village?" Mei couldn't help but ask.
"Sometimes, I too wish that the recent events were merely an illusory dream," Jiraiya sighed.
The Fifth Mizukage Mei Terumi's doubt was not an isolated case but a common phenomenon, one that existed in all hidden villages.
Any ninja who had grown up within the hidden village system was unwilling to believe that the underground organizations they had always treated like rats scurrying across the street had now risen above them, becoming objects they had to look up to.
This inversion of the primary and secondary relationship created a psychological gap that was truly difficult to accept.
"Kirigakure has been fortunate, avoiding both the Dragon Heritage organization's 'peaceful threat' and the Akatsuki's Tailed Beast hunt."
"But luck is considered luck precisely because of its randomness."
"Whether it's the Dragon Heritage organization's misguided pursuit of peace or the Akatsuki's frenzied hunting of Tailed Beasts, both ensure that Kirigakure's luck will not last forever."
"I have also heard about Iwagakure's conflict with the Akatsuki. Did Lord Onoki truly lose?" Mei's eyes were downcast, making her thoughts unreadable.
"...He lost. Even after using Dust Release, he was still defeated," Jiraiya sighed.
"Is that so…" Mei rested her delicate hand lightly on her smooth chin.
After that incident, Kirigakure had suffered severe losses in all aspects, including its intelligence network.
Therefore, regarding the battle between the Third Tsuchikage and the Akatsuki leader, Pain, she knew the final outcome but was unclear about the specific details of the process.
"When will the Five Kage Summit be held?" After a moment, she lifted her head slightly and asked.
"One month from now, in the Land of Iron," Jiraiya stated.
"The Land of Iron?"
"Is Lady Mizukage dissatisfied with this location?"
"No, on the contrary, this location is very suitable for holding the Five Kage Summit." Mei's delicate face showed a flicker of surprise, then she shook her head.
"I am merely astounded by Lord Hokage's magnanimity."
She had not forgotten that Konoha's Fifth Hokage, like herself, was a newly appointed Kage, precisely at the time when they needed to establish their prestige.
To give up setting the meeting place in the Land of Fire, which would have enhanced her own prestige, and instead choose the land of the samurai to ensure the smooth convening of the Five Kage Summit – this breadth of mind earned her admiration.
"Kirigakure will participate in this new era's Five Kage Summit," she promised.
"Lady Mizukage's open-mindedness is equally admirable," Jiraiya praised, standing up.
"I should take my leave as well."
"Chojuro, see Lord Jiraiya out for me." Mei turned her head to look at the shy young man standing respectfully to the side, her eyes flickering slightly.
Chojuro understood immediately and led Jiraiya out of the room.
"Ao, keep an eye on his movements." The moment the door closed, Mei commanded.
"Yes!" A deep male voice responded.
"To deliver a single message, they actually sent Jiraiya of the Sannin himself. They truly think highly of Kirigakure." She twirled a strand of hair from her chest with a delicate finger.
They value me this much?
Feeling the sensation of being watched from behind, Jiraiya felt a touch of helplessness. The difficulty of this mission had suddenly skyrocketed!
Land of Earth, Iwagakure.
Kakashi, wearing a white cloak, slowly walked into Iwagakure under the wary gazes of numerous Iwa ninja.
The lingering effects of the battle with Akatsuki?
It seemed the price Iwagakure had paid was far more severe than the village had estimated.
"I am Kitsuchi, a jonin of Iwagakure, responsible for your reception this time, Lord Kakashi Hatake of Konoha." At the village entrance, a burly man seemed to have been waiting for some time.
"Please, Lord Third's health is not good. If possible, please try to shorten the duration of this discussion."
"I understand." Kakashi nodded slightly.