Chapter 181: The Meeting Begins

Not long after Kirito and the others arrived at the meeting place, the Kage and their entourages from other villages began arriving in the Land of Iron one after another.

After a brief round of introductions, the Five Kage Summit officially began under the direction of Mifune.

"Please place your hats on the table in front of you," Mifune announced.

Following tradition, the five Kage placed their bamboo hats on the table, carefully aligning the heads of the hats toward the center, making the display symmetrical and visually appealing on the U-shaped table.

Kirito, along with Kakashi and the guards brought by the other Kage, remained stationed in the viewing stands surrounding the meeting hall. From the stands, everyone had a clear view of the Kage's discussions, while remaining close enough to intervene immediately if their leaders were in danger.

"They all look like ninjas whose strength shouldn't be underestimated..." Kakashi commented, observing the guards from the other villages.

Similar to Tsunade's decision to bring Kakashi, the guards were all candidates or successors for their respective Kage. They had been brought along to "see the world," as the saying went. As a contender for the next Hokage, Kakashi needed to familiarize himself with the heirs of other villages. Even if he couldn't gauge their exact strength, observing their personalities was valuable.

Kirito silently watched the Five Kage as they discussed, paying close attention to every movement. Though the Five Kage had been defeated by Madara during the Fourth Ninja World War in the original timeline, their strength and leadership remained unquestionable. Madara with the Rinnegan was simply on another level.

The other village guards shared a similar dynamic—some observed their counterparts, while others focused on the meeting hall, maintaining an unspoken understanding.

"Is that white-haired guy from the Hyuga Clan?" Kurotsuchi, one of the Tsuchikage's guards, asked while staring at Kirito. Her short black hair swayed slightly as she spoke. "Why does he look so different from the Hyuga Clan we've heard about?"

Sitting next to her, the tall and stocky Akatsuchi replied, "That must be the boy who was exiled by the Hyuga Clan. Those eyes are unmistakable."

"Oh, so it's him? Tsunade's disciple..." Kurotsuchi mused. "Could he be the future Hokage?"

"I doubt it," Akatsuchi responded, glancing at Kakashi. "I think it'll be him. He's not even bothering to get to know us."

While Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi chatted, Darui and Cee, guards for the Raikage, were similarly engaged.

"These are all fresh faces... it's so boring," Darui complained lazily, resting his white-haired head on the guardrail. "Getting to know them sounds like too much trouble..."

"Stay focused," Cee said sternly. "Especially on Konoha's white-eyed boy. I can gauge the chakra levels of everyone else here, but I can't sense his at all. If anything, he might be stronger than Kakashi."

The Mizukage's guard, Ao, shared similar suspicions. As the most seasoned guard present, his experience told him something was off about Kirito. He instinctively labeled Kirito as an extremely dangerous individual.

"Everyone looks so strong..." Chojuro, another of Mizukage's guards, muttered nervously as he observed the others.

"Stop being so timid!" Ao snapped, reprimanding Chojuro. "You're representing Mizukage—you can't show fear!"

"Y-Yes, sir!" Chojuro stammered, stiffening up immediately.

While the guards whispered among themselves, the Five Kage had taken their seats, and the meeting officially began.

"Before we start, let me say something," the youngest Kage, Gaara, began. "Please listen."

"Really? Are the young ones this bold nowadays?" Onoki, the elderly Tsuchikage, quipped, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "You became a Kage so young. Your father taught you well... though he forgot to teach you basic manners."

From the stands, Kankuro, one of Gaara's guards, gritted his teeth. He wanted nothing more than to teach the Tsuchikage a lesson in the elegance of the Sand Village.

However, Gaara ignored Onoki's jab and continued calmly. "I was once the Jinchuriki of the Sand Village, captured and nearly killed when my tailed beast was extracted by the Akatsuki. I only survived by sheer luck.

"After my recovery, I warned all the villages. Konoha even shared Akatsuki's ultimate goal with everyone, urging you to protect your Jinchuriki. Yet you failed to take the threat seriously, and now Akatsuki has captured all the tailed beasts except the Nine Tails. Isn't it too late to discuss countermeasures now?"

Gaara's words struck a chord, as the pain of the other Jinchuriki was something he could deeply relate to.

"If a village loses its Jinchuriki or tailed beast, it should recover it secretly," Onoki countered. "If word got out, it would shame the village and set a bad example."

Boom! The Raikage slammed his fist into the table, splintering the wood.

Swish! The moment the Raikage acted, the guards sprang into action. Weapons were drawn, and everyone stared warily at their counterparts.

Kirito jumped down instinctively, only to find himself under the watchful gaze of Ao. The Mizukage's guard, with his right eye covered—likely hiding the Byakugan stolen from a Hyuga clan member—seemed particularly focused on Kirito.

The tension in the room reached its peak. The slightest misstep could have ignited chaos.

After a long stalemate, Mifune intervened. "This is a place for discussion. Please refrain from unnecessary violence."

The Raikage, Ai, withdrew his arm and barked, "Stand down, Cee, Darui."

Tsunade's voice echoed in response. "It's okay, Kirito, Kakashi. Return to the stands."

The guards reluctantly retreated under their respective leaders' orders, resuming their positions in the stands.

As the meeting continued, Ai turned sharply toward Onoki. "Tsuchikage, Deidara was a traitor from your Iwagakure. He assisted Akatsuki in capturing my brother, Killer B, the Eight Tails Jinchuriki, and caused irreparable damage to the Cloud Village.

"Tsuchikage, you owe me an explanation!"

End of Chapter.

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