Land of Iron
Inside a grand meeting hall, five flags hung in order — Water, Wind, Fire, Earth, and Lightning — each representing one of the Five Great Nations. Below them sat four of the five Kage, each flanked by two trusted guards. Only the Hokage's seat remained empty.
The Fourth Raikage, A, sat stiffly in his chair, impatience radiating from every movement. His large hand slammed down onto the table with a sharp crack.
"How much longer are we going to sit here? Let's just start already!"
Mei Terumi, the Fifth Mizukage, raised a brow. "The Hokage hasn't arrived yet. Starting without him would be inappropriate."
A gave a dismissive snort. "We've been waiting long enough. He's the one who's late."
Gaara, the Kazekage, remained calm. Though the Hidden Sand Village had faced hardship, his bond with Naruto gave him a degree of goodwill toward Konoha. His gaze shifted toward the empty Hokage seat.
"The new Hokage is likely busy with important matters," Gaara said evenly. "We should be understanding."
A curled his lip. He had never held the Hidden Sand in high regard, and Gaara's youth did little to improve his opinion. But Gaara didn't rise to the bait. He knew the Hidden Cloud was stronger militarily, and for the sake of his village, he would not respond in anger.
At the other end of the table, the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, sat with his eyes lowered, saying nothing. His granddaughter, Kurotsuchi, leaned in and whispered, "Grandpa, the atmosphere's tense. Why aren't you saying anything?"
Onoki gave her a sideways glance. "Don't stick your nose in yet. Wait until Uchiha Chiga arrives."
As the oldest Kage present, Onoki was far too experienced to take a side prematurely. Better to see how the Hokage conducted himself before deciding his approach.
But at the mention of "Uchiha," a subtle frown tugged at his features. A single thought crossed his mind: Let there not be another Madara.
The tension broke when a Land of Iron samurai entered and announced loudly, "The Hokage has arrived!"
The hall went silent. Even A, who had been the loudest voice moments ago, turned toward the entrance, eager to size up the new leader of Konoha.
Footsteps echoed on the polished floor. Uchiha Chiga entered with calm confidence, his white hair catching the lamplight. Behind him followed four figures: Itachi Uchiha, Sasuke Uchiha, Minato Namikaze wearing an ANBU mask, and Naruto Uzumaki.
Minato kept his face hidden; he knew his presence as a resurrected shinobi could be… distracting. Today was Chiga's stage.
A flash of disappointment flickered in A's eyes when he saw how young Chiga looked — younger even than Gaara. Is this really the best Konoha has to offer? he thought.
Mei Terumi's eyes, on the other hand, widened slightly. Three Uchiha in one place — a rare sight indeed. Even Kurotsuchi couldn't help staring. Handsome, sharp-featured men were a rarity in Iwagakure, where most shinobi bore rugged, battle-worn looks.
Gaara's attention went to Naruto. The Kazekage gave him a small smile, which Naruto returned with a thumbs-up. Sasuke, watching from the side, gave a small "Tch," though the corner of his mouth twitched in the barest hint of amusement.
Onoki's sharp gaze focused on Chiga's white hair. His years of research on the Uchiha told him their clan's hair was always black. Not pure-blooded? he wondered silently.
Chiga took in the four Kage before him, offering a polite smile and a short nod before walking to the head of the table and taking his seat with ease.
"Didn't you arrive a little too late?" A said coldly.
Chiga leaned back slightly. "Late? I think my timing is just right."
A's jaw tightened. The wounds to the Hidden Cloud were still fresh, and Chiga's casual tone felt like provocation. He slammed his hand against the table again and stood abruptly.
"Are you treating this summit like a game?!"
Chiga tapped a single finger against the table, his voice calm and soft. "And if I am?"
A surge of Lightning Release chakra enveloped A's body, his eyes narrowing with fury. But as Chiga lifted his head, the Mangekyo Sharingan spun to life. Under that gaze, a sheen of cold sweat formed on A's brow. His body stiffened involuntarily, and — to his own disbelief — he took a step back.
This was nothing like facing the Rinnegan. This was… heavier, sharper, oppressive in a way he hadn't anticipated.
Onoki's breath caught. For a moment, the figure before him blurred with the memory of another — a man whose power had once humbled every Kage. Madara's voice echoed in his mind: "Don't mention the name of a shinobi in my presence again."
At the other side of the table, Naruto leaned toward Sasuke and whispered, "Chiga San is so cool right now."
Sasuke's eyes gleamed with pride. "This is how an Uchiha should be — strong, confident."
Minato, still masked, sighed inwardly. He's putting on a show again. At least try to keep the peace, Chiga.
Itachi, who stood closest to Chiga, had his attention locked on Darui and C. If either so much as twitched toward their weapons, they'd find themselves caught in the Mangekyo's illusion before they could blink.
Finally, A growled, "Fine. Let me see the strength of the Sixth Hokage myself!"
In the blink of an eye, he vanished from his spot, reappearing directly in front of Chiga with a lightning-charged fist aimed straight at him.
Chiga didn't move from his seat. He simply raised a single finger — its surface glinting like metal — and caught the Raikage's strike head-on.
The impact shook the table, but Chiga's finger didn't budge.
Gasps rippled through the hall. A's reputation as one of the fastest and strongest Taijutsu fighters in the shinobi world was unmatched. Yet here he was, stopped by a single finger.
Even A froze, stunned. He had expected Chiga to dodge or use a Mangekyo technique — not block him outright. To him, meeting that strike head-on was nothing short of suicidal.
In the next moment, Chiga's hand shifted from a single finger to an open palm, gripping A's fist before twisting and flinging him across the room. The Raikage's body slammed into the wall with a heavy crash.
Darui and C instantly moved into combat stances, but Itachi's Mangekyo flared as he spoke, voice low and sharp.
"Don't move."
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