Chapter 7: The Summit & The Shadow

The return to Konoha should have been a victory.

Hashirama and Gojo had secured several Tailed Beasts, their power now under the village's control. They had reshaped landscapes, bargained with monsters, and survived battles that should have killed them.

Yet, as they walked through the newly built gates of Konoha, Gojo could feel it in the air.

Something was coming.

And it wasn't good.

The Return

Tobirama was already waiting at the gates, arms crossed, his sharp eyes scanning them as they approached.

"You're late," he said.

Hashirama laughed. "Nice to see you too, brother."

Tobirama ignored him, his focus on the large scrolls strapped to Hashirama's back—seals containing fragments of the Tailed Beasts' chakra.

"You actually did it," he muttered. There was a hint of admiration in his voice. A rare thing.

Gojo yawned. "Yeah, yeah. You're welcome."

Tobirama's expression darkened. "You should have killed them instead."

Hashirama frowned. "Tobirama—"

"You think the other villages will just accept that we have this power?" Tobirama snapped. "We've made Konoha a target."

Gojo stretched, cracking his neck. "Sounds like a 'them' problem."

Tobirama glared at him. "You don't get it. The moment the other nations hear of this, they'll see it as an act of war."

And he was right.

Because within days, envoys from the other four nations arrived.

Demanding a meeting.

The First Kage Summit

The five most powerful men in the world sat in a single room.

A room filled with tension.

At the head of the table sat Hashirama, the First Hokage. Beside him, Gojo leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, blindfold concealing whatever amusement he felt at the hostility in the air.

Across from them—four Kage, each representing their villages.

The First Kazekage of the Hidden Sand: A hardened warlord, his face worn by the desert's cruelty.

The First Mizukage of the Hidden Mist: A cold-eyed strategist, his presence as sharp as a blade.

The First Raikage of the Hidden Cloud: A mountain of a man, radiating raw power.

The First Tsuchikage of the Hidden Stone: A small but fierce old man, his sharp gaze missing nothing.

The Raikage slammed a fist on the table. "So it's true. Konoha seeks to hoard the power of the Tailed Beasts."

Hashirama raised his hands. "That's not our intention. We captured them to create balance, not to control the world."

The Kazekage scoffed. "Balance? You expect us to believe you'll just share these beasts?"

Gojo smirked. "Well, yeah. That's kind of the whole point."

The room went silent.

The Mizukage narrowed his eyes. "What exactly are you proposing?"

Hashirama folded his hands. "We divide the Tailed Beasts evenly among the Great Nations. No one village should hold all the power. If we distribute them fairly, no nation will dare start another war, knowing the others have equal strength."

Silence.

Then—laughter.

The Tsuchikage leaned forward, amused. "And what if we don't accept? What if we simply take the beasts for ourselves?"

Gojo tilted his head. "You could try."

The air shifted.

Gojo wasn't smiling anymore.

For a brief moment, the weight of his Limitless pressed against the room, space itself distorting. The Kage stilled.

Even the Raikage tensed, feeling something unnatural.

Hashirama sighed. "Please, let's not turn this into a fight. This is our chance to build a world without war."

The Mizukage studied him. "And if we agree… you expect us to just trust you?"

Hashirama smiled. "Trust is something we build, not demand."

The Kazekage leaned back, silent.

And slowly, one by one, the Kage nodded.

A deal was struck.

The world changed that day.

But not everyone saw it as peace.

The Shadow in the Distance

Far from the summit, in the ruins of an ancient battlefield, a lone figure stood.

Watching.

Waiting.

Madara Uchiha had heard the news.

Hashirama's naive dream was spreading. The world was bending to his will.

And Madara would not allow it.

"This is your peace, Hashirama?" he muttered, staring at the sky. "A fragile system, built on borrowed time?"

His eyes burned with the light of the Mangekyō Sharingan.

He had seen the truth.

As long as power was divided, as long as people had something to fight for, there would never be true peace.

There was only one way to end it all.

To control everything.

To create a world where war could never exist again.

His world.

The plan was set.

And the time to act was approaching.