"Peace?"
The people present were momentarily stunned. Then, many of them burst into laughter. The Tsuchikage, in particular, laughed uncontrollably, as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world.
"I wondered what you were going to say, but it's just this? You certainly don't match your appearance and aura!"
The Tsuchikage's mockery was particularly grating.
However, Jokichi felt no sense of embarrassment. He maintained his calm, indifferent expression.
Only, the look in his eyes turned to one of profound pity.
That look deeply pierced the Tsuchikage's heart. He couldn't help but demand angrily, "What is the meaning of that look?!"
"People's thoughts are always bound by their own knowledge and experiences, treating them as absolute truth. But that makes them nothing more than frogs at the bottom of a well!"
"You think the idea of the Shinobi World achieving absolute peace is impossible, a hilarious joke. But that is merely your own ignorance speaking!"
"Ignorance itself isn't terrifying. What is terrifying is being ignorant and still not daring to seek the truth. The so-called Tsuchikage is nothing more than an old man who has lost all ambition."
Jokichi retorted calmly.
The Tsuchikage's face turned ashen, yet he found himself at a loss for words to rebut. Seeing his expression, Kurotsuchi, who was standing beside him, clutched her stomach and burst into laughter.
"Ahahaha..."
"I can't... I'm going to die laughing!"
"To be left so utterly speechless by a junior! Old man, when we get back, you'd better hurry up and hand the title of Tsuchikage over to me!"
Onoki puffed his beard and glared furiously at Kurotsuchi.
"It's far too early for you to become Tsuchikage!"
Then, he turned his angry gaze toward Jokichi and his two companions. "Well then, I'd like to hear what brilliant insights you have."
The others didn't say anything either. They simply watched Jokichi quietly, waiting for him to continue.
However, Jokichi wasn't in a hurry to speak. He merely looked up at the ceiling.
Bewildered, the others followed his gaze but saw absolutely nothing.
No, the sensory ninja had noticed something.
"There's someone outside!"
C warned.
The bodyguards immediately heightened their vigilance.
"Ahahaha..."
A boisterous voice echoed from the ceiling above the conference room.
Accompanied by the voice, a massive cloud of smoke erupted in the center of the room with a loud Poof! A toad the size of a boulder had been summoned, and standing atop it was a white-haired man.
He wore red clothing, two streaks of war paint running down his cheeks, and a forehead protector bearing the kanji for 'Oil'.
With one foot planted firmly on the toad's head, he leaned his body to the side and spread his arms in a highly exaggerated pose.
"Do not panic, everyone!"
"It is time for the Toad Sage's grand entrance! Allow me to introduce..."
Before he could finish his sentence, a figure standing up behind him shoved him off, sending him face-planting into the ground.
Naruto clutched his head, complaining, "What the heck are you doing, Pervy Sage?! That hurt!"
"You bastard, how dare you blame me!"
As if spurred by the insult, Jiraiya leaped up and yelled back, "Don't ruin the mood when someone is making a cool entrance!"
"Shut up, you just wanted to show off!"
"What do you know?! If you keep this up, I won't guide your training anymore!"
Smash!
The floor shattered under a heavy stomp. Tsunade glared at the two with veins popping on her forehead. "You two idiots, quiet down!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Instantly, the two of them stood at attention like perfectly obedient children, and the toad vanished with a poof.
"It's been a long time, Jiraiya-sensei."
Nagato offered a greeting.
However, his voice was entirely flat, completely devoid of the joy one would expect from a reunion between master and student.
Jiraiya didn't mind. A smile bloomed on his face. "Nagato, I received intel that you all died during the war. Seeing you alive and kicking is wonderful."
"We did die back then. The 'me' right now is different from before."
"Is that so?"
Jiraiya paused slightly before asking, "What about Yahiko and Konan? Are they doing well?"
"Yahiko is dead."
The smile froze on Jiraiya's face, quickly replaced by sorrow.
Jiraiya sighed deeply. "I see. Seeing you alive, I thought perhaps all of you..."
"It doesn't matter."
Nagato's gaze drifted past Jiraiya, scanning the Five Kage. "I didn't come here to catch up with you. I am merely accompanying Jokichi to fulfill the mission of peace."
Hearing this, Jiraiya focused his sharp gaze on Jokichi.
His knowledge of Jokichi was limited to the single month during the Chunin Exams and Naruto's incessant bragging about him.
He was hailed as a once-in-a-generation genius, possessing talent that others could never hope to surpass.
Jiraiya was highly interested in him and had always wanted to have a proper talk with him, but he simply never had the time.
After pondering for a brief moment, Jiraiya asked, "I heard everything you all said earlier."
"I am very interested in your claim of bringing absolute peace to the Shinobi World. Could you explain your specific plan?"
"It's not a particularly complex plan," Jokichi said, looking at the crowd. "Kaguya's power is incomprehensibly immense. I intend to use the threat of Kaguya as a catalyst to unite the entire Shinobi World. That way, without the interference of so many conflicting factions, the likelihood of war will plummet."
"Tch!"
Onoki scoffed mockingly, and many of those who had experienced war also laughed.
Only a small minority were seriously contemplating the idea.
"Your thinking is far too naive," Jiraiya said sternly. "In the face of an existential threat, people might put aside their prejudices and band together. But it is impossible to expect them to completely let go of their grudges."
"Moreover, after the Shinobi World is unified, how exactly will so many shinobi survive?"
"Without war, the meager pay from mundane, everyday missions will never be enough to feed their families."
Jokichi looked straight at Jiraiya, then swept his gaze over the Five Kage once again, a cold sneer appearing on his face.
"I think you all misunderstood me."
"When I said catalyst, I didn't mean I expected everyone to set aside their prejudices and willingly integrate."
"I meant that through the battle against Kaguya, I will make you realize the insurmountable gap in power between us, extinguishing any thought of rebellion."
"I'm not foolish enough to believe that I can unify the Shinobi World with words alone. The deterrent of absolute power is indispensable."
"Now that's more like it!" Onoki praised. "That kind of talk actually suits your entrance and aura. If you had said that from the beginning, this old man wouldn't have laughed at you."
"Even so, isn't that a bit too arrogant of you?"
The Mizukage rested her chin on the back of her hand. "Setting aside whether a mythological figure will actually appear in reality, let's just talk about you..."
"Do you really think you can take on the entire Shinobi World by yourself?"
Tsunade's eyes widened in anger as she scolded him, "Jokichi, stop this nonsense! Things haven't reached the point of no return yet. Put away these absurd thoughts right now!"
The corners of Jokichi's mouth curled up slightly, forming a cold sneer. "A frog at the bottom of a well does not know how vast the sea is, nor how boundless the sky."
"My current strength should be roughly on par with Kaguya."
"All of you, come at me together. If you can even land a single ninjutsu on me, I will admit my idea was foolish."