The next morning.
Land of Hot Water, posthouse.
A spacious conference room on the top floor.
In the center of the room, five low tables were arranged, representing the Five Great Nations standing at the pinnacle of the shinobi world.
The Daimyo of three nations had already taken their seats, each with a different demeanor. Some sat with their eyes closed, resting. Others idly fiddled with their teacups, a leisurely expression on their faces like they were watching a show.
Arashi sat in the main seat, his expression calm, but his gaze sharp.
The only one who seemed out of place was the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning.
He sat upright, his back perfectly straight, trying to maintain the dignity of a monarch. But the fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead betrayed his inner unease.
Aside from the Daimyo of the Five Great Nations, there was no one else present.
This was a closed-door meeting that only belonged to the five Daimyo.
Clang.
Arashi slammed his teacup onto the table. Tea splashed out, and the sharp sound grated on the ears.
The Daimyo of the Land of Wind, the Land of Earth, and the Land of Water all twitched slightly at the sound.
The show had begun.
The Daimyo of the Land of Lightning's body stiffened for a moment, but he didn't panic. He slowly raised his head to meet Arashi's gaze.
Arashi looked around the room, finally settling his gaze on the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning. His youthful face was filled with anger.
"I'm very curious," Arashi's voice carried the vigor and fury of youth. "Daimyo of the Land of Lightning, do you think the Daimyo of my Land of Fire should be replaced?"
The words crashed down like thunder.
The Daimyo of the Land of Lightning's face instantly turned pale. He forcibly suppressed the urge to stand, and his voice, fierce yet hollow, tried to argue back.
"Daimyo Arashi, what... what do you mean?"
"What do I mean?" Arashi sneered, his laughter thick with mockery. "Thousands of Kumogakure elites, led personally by the Fourth Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, ambushed Konoha."
"What a grand gesture. What a display of power."
"What were you trying to do? Destroy Konoha?"
His voice grew louder with every word.
The Daimyo of the Land of Lightning tried his best to explain. "Absurd! Daimyo Arashi, there must be a huge misunderstanding!"
"Misunderstanding?" Arashi retorted. "I ask you, I was in Konoha at the time. Did Kumogakure know?"
"We... we didn't know you were in Konoha..."
"Hahahahaha!"
"Do you even believe that yourself?"
"I set off for Konoha with great fanfare. If Kumogakure didn't even have that much reconnaissance capability, it would have been destroyed countless times already."
"Would your Land of Lightning still be considered one of the Five Great Nations?"
"You..."
The Daimyo of the Land of Lightning forced himself to stay composed. His fists clenched tight. He tried to sound firm, but the trembling of his body betrayed him.
"Kumogakure's actions were entirely the Fourth Raikage's personal decision."
"He... he launched the attack in pursuit of a rogue ninja. I had no idea it would happen!"
"Oh? Pursuing a rogue ninja?" Arashi sounded like he had just heard the biggest joke.
"A Kage, a Jinchūriki, and thousands of elites, all mobilized just to chase down a rogue ninja?"
"Is that excuse meant to insult me, or to insult the intelligence of everyone in this room?"
Arashi snapped, "Even if we take a step back and assume the Raikage did act on his own, then what are you, the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning, even here for?"
"If you can't even control your own Kage, what right do you have to sit at this table?"
"I..."
The Daimyo of the Land of Lightning couldn't find a response. His face flushed with shame and anger. The composure he had been trying to maintain was already in pieces.
He wanted to argue, but couldn't speak a word.
Shifting the blame?
In front of the furious Daimyo of the Land of Fire, any defense seemed weak and meaningless.
Arashi no longer looked at him and turned to face the other three Daimyo.
The expression on his face shifted from fury to deep sorrow.
"Gentlemen." His voice lowered. "In the past, during the Shinobi World Wars, they were fought."
"Shinobi died. Money and territory were lost."
"But we remained above it all, safe and untouched."
"Why?"
"Because there was an unspoken understanding that we all acknowledged..."
"War does not involve the Daimyo."
"This is the iron rule that allows our class to transcend everyone else."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room.
"But now..."
"Kumogakure has broken this understanding."
"They knew I, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, was in Konoha, yet they attacked anyway."
"Today, their target was me."
"Then tomorrow, who will it be?"
"Will it be you? Or you?"
As Arashi pointed at each of them, the faces of the other Daimyo gradually darkened.
Even though they all knew this was part of the performance, part of the plan, they still felt a chill in their hearts.
Yes.
Once this rule was broken, who could sleep peacefully again?
In an instant, the way the three Daimyo looked at the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning changed.
Their eyes were no longer relaxed, but filled with cold anger.
Because this idiot had destroyed the one rule all Daimyo relied on to keep themselves safe.
Just then, Arashi spoke again.
"Today, I will only say one thing."
He slowly returned to his seat and sat down. The pressure around him only grew stronger.
"I believe all of you should already be aware that I, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, single-handedly stopped Kumogakure's attack."
"You should all have a general idea of my personal strength."
His voice wasn't loud, but it made everyone present tense up.
Yes.
This was what they feared most, and what they couldn't understand.
One person had stopped a Kage, a Jinchūriki, and thousands of Kumogakure elites.
Incredible.
"I am still sitting at the negotiation table," Arashi said coldly. "That alone shows my attitude. I've already given you enough face."
"Daimyo of the Land of Lightning, today, if you don't give me an explanation for this matter..."
"If Kumogakure dares to come to us, then tomorrow, I will dare to visit your capital."
After finishing, Arashi paused. His gaze swept across the room.
"Anyway, you've already broken the rule."
"Isn't it just mutual destruction?"
"Who's afraid of who?"
Silence fell over the entire room.
Flip the table.
This young Daimyo of the Land of Fire was flipping the table in front of them all.
The three Daimyo felt an even deeper chill.
Today, the Land of Fire had every reason to retaliate against the Land of Lightning.
But what about next time?
If someone provoked him again, would he also appear at their gates?
This precedent could not be allowed to stand.
He must not be allowed to believe that force was the answer to everything.
Suddenly, the Daimyo of the Land of Wind's expression turned solemn. With a snap, he closed his fan and stood up.
"Daimyo Arashi, please calm your anger. This must not happen."
"This rule must not be broken by us."
"That's right! Daimyo Arashi, you absolutely must not act on impulse!" The Daimyo of the Land of Earth forced an anxious look and quickly added, "If you do the same, how would it be any different from Kumogakure?"
"This will throw the entire shinobi world into chaos!"
They were afraid.
Truly afraid.
This young man was an anomaly among Daimyo.
They weren't afraid of his rage.
They were afraid he might actually follow through and drag them down with him.
The Daimyo of the Land of Water also stood up, directing his words straight at the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning.
"Daimyo of the Land of Lightning! Look at what you've done!"
"Kumogakure's actions are shaking the very foundation of the Five Great Nations. You must take responsibility!"
"That's right! This situation is far too severe!"
In an instant, the three Daimyo who had just been mediating all turned on the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning.
Their words came one after another, sharp and aggressive.
The Daimyo of the Land of Lightning stood frozen. The back he had been keeping straight finally slumped under the weight of their accusations.
His face was ashen.
(To be continued.)