"Let's treat it… as if it had never been discovered. That would be the safest choice."
After Mei Terumī spoke, the expressions around the table varied.
Rasa's brows knit tightly. His fingers tapped the tabletop unconsciously as if weighing pros and cons. His gaze flickered—he clearly had thoughts of his own, but hesitated to voice them.
Ōnoki and A fell into deeper silence.
Ōnoki stroked his beard, his aged eyes calculating unseen possibilities.
A crossed his arms over his broad chest, muscles taut. His temper was forcibly restrained, but the wildness in his eyes was barely concealed.
"I believe," Ōnoki finally said, breaking the silence, "that the Mizukage's concerns are not without merit. However… is complete inaction not also a risk?"
"What if the seal on this 'weapon' has already deteriorated? Or if another faction discovers and exploits it before we do?"
"I propose that we organize a top-tier, highly confidential reconnaissance mission. No tampering with the seal—only assessment. We gather first-hand information, then decide."
His words sounded moderate, but they leaned unmistakably toward investigation—leaving room for future action.
A let out a blunt scoff, shattering the tentative calm.
"Hmph. Don't dress it up, Ōnoki," he rumbled, voice like distant thunder. "The moment the Hokage shared this information, the outcome was already set."
His sharp gaze swept across the room before settling on Tsunade.
"Tsunade—are you really asking for our opinions on how to handle it?"
"Or did Konoha already fail to make up its mind? Maybe you want to act—but the risk of keeping it to yourselves is too high. So you bring us in to share the danger. Maybe even have us take the lead?"
The accusation was blunt—tearing through the thin veil of alliance and striking directly at the core issue of trust and interests.
Tsunade's expression did not change. She met his gaze evenly.
"Raikage, intelligence was shared so we can jointly address a potential threat to the entire shinobi world."
"How we proceed must naturally be decided by the Five Kage together. Konoha neither intends nor is capable of unilaterally deciding such a matter. Nor would we push our allies into danger."
"My stance is clear. The safety of the shinobi world comes first. Any action must be taken with extreme caution."
Her response was watertight—projecting cooperation while deflecting suspicion.
Rasa remained silent, his face unreadable. Those who knew him understood: the Kazekage's silence often masked the deepest calculations.
Only Mei's expression shifted—flushed one moment, pale the next. A complex mixture of frustration and disillusionment stirred within her.
She watched Ōnoki's "compromise," A's naked suspicion, Tsunade's carefully guided neutrality, and Rasa's detached silence.
So in the end…
Was she the only one sincerely opposing reckless action?
A chill crept up her spine.
For the first time, she realized that when enormous interests and risks were involved, the so-called "bearing" of a Kage was not necessarily about prioritizing safety or peace.
Power.
Opportunity.
Risk calculation.
National interest.
These cold elements were what truly drove decisions.
So this… was the world of the Kage?
Bitterness welled up in her chest.
Perhaps she had been naïve.
Mei's mind worked quickly. The frustration born from "differences in ideals" was swiftly replaced by a deeper clarity—one tinged with disappointment.
She understood now.
The moment Tsunade revealed that Konoha not only knew of the "dangerous weapon" but might even control its sealing location, the nature of the discussion changed.
To the other four great villages, this was no longer about whether one should disturb an unknown threat.
It was a matter of strategic balance.
A potentially immeasurable "weapon," if known only to Konoha, meant Konoha alone possessed an unpredictable trump card.
In the aftermath of the Heavenly Curtain's revelations—external threats emerging, trust already fragile—such imbalance was unacceptable.
It would shatter the delicate equilibrium between the Five Great Nations.
And if Konoha generously disclosed the precise location?
Even worse.
With trust so thin, no village would believe the others could resist secretly investigating—or attempting to seize it.
A chain of suspicion would form instantly.
If I fear you might act first, and you fear the same of me…
The only "safe" outcome would be for all parties to act together—under mutual supervision.
"Reconnaissance," "joint evaluation," "shared decision-making"—these were merely stepping stones toward that inevitable conclusion.
Ōnoki's compromise created political cover for action.
A's bluntness stripped away pretense.
Rasa's silence signaled acceptance while watching the wind.
And Tsunade…
By raising the issue, by guiding the discussion—had she not anticipated this direction from the start?
Perhaps she truly feared the risks.
But in political games, once certain cards are played, there is no turning back.
Realizing all this, Mei felt suddenly tired.
She had not long been Mizukage. She had risen through ability and reputation, and still retained a more straightforward approach to leadership.
She had believed that when facing threats to the entire shinobi world, Kage meetings would prioritize rational safety above all else.
Now she saw clearly—
These meetings were first and foremost an extension of great-power politics.
Personal caution and concern were powerless before the grinding gears of national interest and mutual suspicion.
She looked at Tsunade's composed face, Ōnoki's calculating eyes, A's undisguised ambition, Rasa's hidden depths—
And felt strangely out of place.
"I… have no further objections."
Mei's voice was lower than before, carrying a faint distance.
"You may decide."
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