Chapter 65: The Quarrel Between the Kage

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"I, Mifune, will preside over this meeting. The Five Kage Summit officially begins!"

As Mifune's voice echoed through the chamber, the youngest among the Five Kage, Kazekage Gaara, was the first to speak.

"I'll speak first. Listen carefully."

Hearing Gaara's blunt tone, the elderly Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, scoffed in displeasure.

"The Five Kage have certainly changed a lot over the years… To become a Kage at such a young age is quite an achievement," Ōnoki said mockingly. "Your father must have raised you well, Kazekage… too bad he never taught you any manners."

At this blatant insult, Kankurō, standing behind the Wind Country's curtain, clenched his fists in anger.

Tch!

That senile old man had the audacity to not only insult Gaara but also take a jab at their father. If it weren't for the formal setting, Kankurō would have sent his puppet straight at him.

Kankurō muttered angrily, "Damn old fossil..."

Temari shot him a warning glare. "Kankurō, control yourself. This is the Five Kage Summit—watch your words!"

Meanwhile, Gaara, unfazed by Ōnoki's provocation, rested his chin on his hands, his elbows on the table. His expression remained calm as he responded, "That's precisely why I am sitting here as Kazekage."

Ōnoki chuckled at the young man's confidence. "Hmph, arrogant brat."

Before tensions could escalate further, the Mizukage, Terumi Mei, intervened. "Tsuchikage-dono, please don't interrupt."

Then, turning to Gaara, she gave him a slight nod. "Kazekage-dono, please continue."

Among the Kage, Gaara was the youngest, with Terumi Mei being the second youngest. By supporting his right to speak, she was also reinforcing the influence of the younger generation in the political landscape.

Ōnoki clicked his tongue but said nothing more.

Taking the cue, Gaara continued. "I was once a Jinchūriki and was captured by the Akatsuki. They are a group of power-hungry extremists who will use any means necessary to accomplish their goals."

His eyes swept across the room. "Their existence is a direct threat to the stability of the world. I have requested cooperation in dealing with them multiple times, but my pleas have been ignored—except by the Hokage."

Gaara briefly glanced at Tsunade, who gave him a slight nod in acknowledgment.

"It will be too late to take action after all the Jinchūriki have already been captured," he concluded.

Ōnoki scoffed at this and waved dismissively. "If a nation loses its Jinchūriki, seeking assistance from others would be a disgrace. It is common practice to retrieve such assets in secrecy. Expecting aid from other villages is foolish."

His gaze sharpened. The message was clear: only an inexperienced child would entertain such naïve notions.

Gaara let out a slow breath, his voice tinged with disappointment. "Wealth, power, and outdated ideologies—such trivial things dictate your decisions."

Ōnoki narrowed his eyes. "Watch your tongue, boy."

Sensing the rising tension, Terumi Mei stepped in again. "Let's put aside discussions of outdated traditions. The fact remains—our response to the Akatsuki has been reactive at best. But even if they capture a Jinchūriki, controlling a Tailed Beast is no simple feat. It requires extensive knowledge, skill, and time."

Ōnoki nodded. "Precisely. Even among those raised as Jinchūriki, true mastery of a Tailed Beast is rare."

He shot Gaara a knowing look, emphasizing his words: "Isn't that right, Kazekage?"

Gaara remained silent. His past as a Jinchūriki—his pain, his isolation, and ultimately, his loss—was not something he wanted to discuss.

Tsunade, seeing the conversation shift towards Jinchūriki control, finally spoke. "The number of shinobi who have ever achieved full control over a Tailed Beast can be counted on one hand. Among them were Uchiha Madara and my grandfather, the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama. More recently, there was the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, and the current Raikage's younger brother, Killer B—"

She barely finished speaking before the Fourth Raikage, A, slammed his clenched fist on the table with enough force to shatter it into pieces.

CRACK!

The entire room tensed.

Jiraiya, standing behind Tsunade, immediately took a step forward.

Mizukage's bodyguard, Ao, turned to his subordinate. "Chōjūrō."

Chōjūrō gripped the hilt of his sword. "Understood."

Temari shifted her stance, prepared for anything.

The other Kage's guards likewise moved into defensive positions.

Raikage A, his face contorted in fury, bellowed, "Stop wasting time with words!"

The atmosphere turned heavy. Mifune immediately stood up and spoke sternly, "This is a place for diplomacy. I ask that all present act with the appropriate decorum."

Raikage A exhaled sharply through his nose but, after a moment, relented. He crossed his arms and sat back down.

Seeing their leader settle, Darui and C leaned back as well.

Gaara turned to his siblings. "Kankurō, Temari, stand down."

Terumi Mei followed suit. "Ao, Chōjūrō, return to your posts. I'll be fine."

Ōnoki gave his bodyguards a subtle signal.

Tsunade called Jiraiya's name, and he relaxed, though his gaze remained sharp.

The guards of the Five Kage withdrew behind their respective curtains.

However, Ao, now standing behind the Mist Village's partition, frowned as he observed the man accompanying Tsunade. His singular Byakugan eye narrowed.

Chōjūrō noticed the change in Ao's expression. "Master Ao, what's wrong?"

"That man…" Ao muttered, eyes locked on Jiraiya.

Chōjūrō followed his gaze. "You mean the one-armed man? Is he that strong?"

Ao took a deep breath. "Not just strong. He's on an entirely different level. He surpasses even most Kage."

Chōjūrō's eyes widened. "Seriously?"

Ao, a veteran of the Third Shinobi World War and a seasoned warrior, continued in a grave tone, "That's Jiraiya of the Sannin. A direct disciple of the Third Hokage. The master of the Fourth Hokage. The Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku. If not for his disdain for politics, he would have been the Fifth Hokage instead of Tsunade."

Chōjūrō swallowed hard. The weight of Jiraiya's reputation sank in.

"But..." Ao's eyes darkened. "Who in the world was powerful enough to take his arm?"

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End of Chapter 65

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