Above the snow-covered plains, wisps of black smoke drifted through the falling snow.
Today, the Land of Iron had suffered more than anyone.
It had only intended to provide a neutral location where the Five Great Nations could discuss important affairs, settle international disputes, and preserve peace.
To honor the occasion, Mifune had even offered the strongest and most secure fortress in the Land of Iron.
No one could have imagined that a terrorist attack, the kind that happened only once in decades, would reduce it to rubble.
"This just proves how dangerous terrorist organizations really are."
Inside a temporary earthen shelter not far from the ruined fortress, Hayashi let out a sigh as he sipped steaming salmon soup from an insulated lunch box.
Using the Flying Thunder God Technique, he had returned to Konoha moments earlier to have Mikoto prepare the soup fresh.
A meal like this was best enjoyed while it was still hot.
So, despite the international conference, Hayashi, Minato, and Nawaki each held a bowl and quietly enjoyed their meal as though no one else existed.
Across from them, the four Kage and Mifune watched with obvious envy.
Hayashi had absolutely no intention of offering them any.
What if they actually accepted?
In weather well below freezing, after an exhausting battle, nothing warmed the body quite like a bowl of fresh fish soup.
Killer Bee, who had just arrived at the meeting site, kept swallowing as the aroma reached him.
Before anyone noticed, he had quietly wandered over.
The atmosphere between everyone had become far less tense than it had been at the beginning of the Five Kage Summit.
The Hidden Cloud Village, in particular, no longer viewed Konoha with the same hostility.
After all, Hayashi had saved the Fourth Raikage's life, and if not for Minato and Nawaki, Killer Bee would likely have been captured by the Akatsuki as well.
Because of that, everyone temporarily set aside their grievances during this second meeting.
At the very least, they were willing to maintain the appearance of unity.
"Want a bowl?" Hayashi asked after noticing Killer Bee staring at the soup.
Killer Bee didn't answer.
Instead, his stomach growled loudly.
He had broken through the seal on Turtle Island and escaped by force.
He had no soldier pills with him.
Besides, those things tasted awful.
With fresh fish soup right in front of him, only an idiot would choose soldier pills instead.
"Here."
Hayashi generously filled a bowl for him.
Killer Bee accepted it along with a pair of chopsticks, sat down between Minato and Nawaki, and immediately began eating.
"This is incredible!"
He spoke while eating, naturally slipping into one of his signature rhymes.
"Especially this tentacle. What kind of creature is it from? The texture is amazing!"
Hayashi glanced at him.
"An octopus."
Killer Bee: "..."
Thanks to Killer Bee's antics, the heavy atmosphere left behind by the Akatsuki's attack eased considerably, and the meeting officially resumed.
This time, no one suggested that an alliance was unnecessary.
The Akatsuki had nearly killed the Fourth Raikage in front of everyone and had openly attempted to capture the Eight Tails' jinchūriki.
This had happened during a summit of the leaders of the Five Great Nations.
Against an organization as dangerous as the Akatsuki, no level of cooperation could be considered excessive.
Sometimes reality accomplished what countless speeches never could.
Before this, although everyone had gathered together, trust between the villages had been nearly nonexistent.
Reaching any meaningful agreement had been almost impossible.
No matter what Hayashi said, people like the Fourth Raikage and the Third Tsuchikage would have instinctively assumed Konoha had ulterior motives.
Some might even have suspected the Akatsuki was secretly acting as Konoha's proxy.
But after witnessing the Six Paths of Pain firsthand, everything had changed.
Even if Hayashi opposed forming an alliance now, no one else would agree with him.
That was simply the lesson reality had forced upon them.
"According to the memories extracted from Yagura, the Akatsuki intends to gather all nine Tailed Beasts and resurrect the Ten Tails," Ōnoki, the eldest among them, began.
"I propose that after forming the Shinobi Allied Forces, we launch a direct assault on Amegakure and reclaim the seven captured Tailed Beasts."
"I agree," Rasa replied without hesitation.
The Fifth Mizukage also nodded.
Stopping the Akatsuki's plans was only part of their objective.
Their ultimate goal was to recover the Tailed Beasts and restore the balance of power among the Five Great Nations.
One after another, everyone voiced their approval.
Finally, the Fourth Raikage nodded as well.
"There is one more matter," the Fifth Mizukage, Hōzuki Senjin, said after a brief silence.
His gaze shifted toward Killer Bee.
"What should we do about the Eight Tails' jinchūriki and the Nine Tails' jinchūriki?"
Everyone understood the importance of those two.
The Eight Tails and Nine Tails were the strongest of all the Tailed Beasts.
Should such powerful forces participate directly in the war?
"Is there even a question?" Ōnoki answered immediately.
"They must be protected."
"The Akatsuki's primary objective is to capture them. Sending either of them onto the battlefield would only play into the enemy's hands."
"But what if our forces are destroyed?" Rasa countered.
"If everyone else dies while those two survive in hiding, what purpose does protecting them serve?"
Sunagakure's military strength was already greatly diminished.
Rasa wanted to minimize casualties by using every available combat asset.
Ōnoki turned toward A and Hayashi.
"The Eight Tails and Nine Tails belong to your villages."
"You two should make the final decision."
The Fourth Raikage rose to his feet.
"Killer Bee and the Nine Tails' jinchūriki must not enter the battlefield."
"We've all witnessed the enemy's strength. They are no match for the Akatsuki."
"The Hidden Cloud Village has an extremely secure location. Killer Bee remained hidden there for a long time without being discovered."
"If he hadn't left on his own, the Akatsuki never would have found him."
"I propose sending both jinchūriki there. It is the safest option."
Ōnoki looked toward Hayashi.
"What do you think, Fourth Hokage?"
Hayashi had already demonstrated strength beyond anyone else present.
As the strongest combatant of the alliance, his opinion carried enormous weight.
Hayashi narrowed his eyes.
"I think..."
"The Fourth Raikage is talking nonsense."
The room fell silent.
"I could certainly send Kushina to the Hidden Cloud Village."
"But I'm afraid she might not be able to resist destroying your village."
"Have you forgotten?"
"It was the Hidden Cloud Village that tried to kidnap her all those years ago."
Ōnoki tapped the table lightly.
"Fourth Hokage, we're about to establish the Shinobi Allied Forces."
"We need a certain level of trust."
"I don't believe the Fourth Raikage has any ill intentions with this proposal."
Hayashi smiled faintly.
"Whether he has ill intentions or not, I neither know nor care."
"As far as I'm concerned..."
"There is no safer place for Kushina than by my side."
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