Time Passes.

(3rd Person POV)

The victory over Iwa had propelled Konoha's reputation exponentially. Mission requests increased by about 70% and the total revenue for the last 2 months by about 30% in comparison to the last year. Of course, this wasn't just because of Iwa. People started to see even the other hidden villages below Konoha, making even Kumo and Kiri lose some of their clients.

For Konoha, things couldn't get any better with the amount of sacrifice invested in exchange… but for the other villages, it was the opposite.

Fear rose amongst the population of the hidden villages, fear of Konoha… and all of their eyes were directed towards their respective Kage.

'What will you do? Can you even protect us?' – The whispers and questions that the pointed looks of the civilian populace asked towards their Kage every day.

As the days passed, the situation worsened and paranoia started to set in. It was a lightning attack that Konoha launched, reducing a great hidden village to nothing within 1 day. Who was to say that the same wouldn't happen with them.

Naturally, Iwa was a special case due to the relatively short distance between it and Konoha and the Kage's knew this… but could the civilians be calmed down with only that much? In cases like this, logic didn't work to offset their paranoia. To them shinobi were capable of the impossible in their everyday acts… but Konoha's Godaime Hokage was a god even among shinobi.

Telling them it wasn't logical… didn't really ease their fears.

But some of the Kage, whether by their own volition to ease their people or with the push of the civilian council, took measures to find solutions to the problem.

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(MC POV)

As I calmly passed time in my office, my legs on the table and my back completely on the chair, the door was suddenly opened as my secretary knocked on the door.

"Come in."

"Hokage-sama, excuse me for interrupting but there is a situation." – He said as he walked in and made sure to close the door behind him.

"What is it?" – I asked as I merely looked at him, his head slightly lowered in respect.

"Hokage-sama, Suna's Kazekaga has arrived in the village."

I looked at him as a thought passed my mind and then realization dawned.

"Ah yes, is it still that temporary guy… what was his name, Baki or something, or is it an actual Kazekage this time?"

The secretary looked up as he spoke immediately.

"Currently, Gaara of the Sand holds the position of Godaime Kazekage. He was chosen 1 month following the fall of Iwa."

'Hahahaha… do they think that just because they chose a child as Kazekage they can replicate my achievements? Though in all honesty, they do not have any noteworthy shinobi excluding Gaara so might have just used my success as an excuse.'

"And how come this information did not cross my table?"

"The news has yet to spread, only a few merchants and the people of Sand being the ones aware of it. The news regarding you and Iwa has been dominating as of lately."

"And how did you know?" -I asked pointedly at him.

"Merely a few vague inquiries towards the accompanying entourage of the Kazekage but most is deduction. Given the almost nonexistent number of reports from Suna, I thought some information might be of use to Hokage-sama."

As a smile rose on my face, I got up from the chair and started moving to meet the current Kazekage.

"Well, let's not keep them waiting shall we?"

As I moved, the secretary rose and followed directly after me.

"I took the liberty of preparing a room to hold the discussions as the office can be… unsuitable."

Indeed, holding trials had found me a secretary worthy of his pay, cold, efficient, and effective. He could read the situation and take the appropriate measures. Sadly he had no talent to be a shinobi or he might have been a more effective tool than Neji.

While I was going to meet the Kazekage, time didn't stop for man… or monster. The difference was, while humans were being with limitations, monsters were born from the imagination, their limits were mere illusions, non-existent.

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(3rd Person POV)

Two Shinobi, one garbed in red armor and a kimono while the other in crimson to black armor. Both of them faced each other in an open field inside a forest, neither prompting to make the first move but just staying completely still and steady.

After a few minutes, the shinobi dressed in armor and kimono spoke.

"I don't suppose you will just let me pass peacefully." – He spoke calmly and politely.

The armored shinobi crossed his arms in front of his chest as he shook his head.

"I'm afraid not… Han, Jinchuriki of the Five-tails." – Kei spoke in his armored form.

Standing almost equal to Han in height at 2.3m but with a clearly more distinguished body frame, Kei looked much more intimidating as he stood steady in his place.

"Then, do forgive me." – Han spoke as steam rose from his armor.

With a slight crouch, Han exploded with ridiculous speed, not waiting for his opponent to react and charging forward like a raging bull.

Earth cracked as Han quickly covered the distance, each step of his digging into the ground and propelling him forward towards his opponent even faster.

"A valid effort, sadly you are not in my league…"

Just as Hand approached Kei, expelling even more steam as his punch rose to meet his abdomen, Han felt a tremendous force impacting his head, the elbow of his opponent having moved with speed far beyond his perception as it immediately propelled him towards the ground, his consciousness gone from the first impact.

As Han's body collided with the ground, tremors emerged as the earth cracked and the ground shook fiercely. Kei reached below and grabbed the shinobi by his armor as he threw him on his shoulder with no difficulty and returned towards where he came from.

After a few steps, a voice was heard as Kei continued to walk.

"You make it seem so easy Red." - A voice was heard as a head popped from the ground, climbing out and joining Kei as he walked.

"He was merely weak, unprepared, and rather stupid." – Kei responded as he continued walking.

"Only you would call a matured Jinchuriki weak." – The plant-man retorted as he simply followed along.