The air in the room was tense, but how couldn't it be? The 3rd great ninja war had ended only 2 years prior, and on top of that the 9 tailed beast had attacked the Leaf Village just last month.
The 5 Kage, their attendants and the overseeing 3rd party hosting this very summit were all on edge. Some of the Kage present no doubt wished they weren't the ones here. Two mourned their predecessors and fathers, another mourned his successor who tragically passed the very night the 9 tails attacked.
Nevertheless, these 5 Kage were all aware that none of them were in any shape to kickstart another war anytime soon and intended to use today to buy as much time possible before the inevitable 4th great war. If these 5 powerful shinobi were honest, they all felt a sense of relief when Hanzo The Salamander proposed having them all meet here in his Rain Village...for a fair fee of hosting such an event of course. No doubt to fund repairs his village needed after the , no one had spoken up first. Perhaps out of fear of the other Kage, of Hanzo, or to simply bide their time and see what proposals the others had in mind. The silence however was finally broken, not by a word but the scratching friction of a match as it lit the 3rd hokage's pipe ablaze in his mouth.
All those present took note at the sound and in the blink of an eye each village leader was blocked by their allotted 2 guards to accompany them. Their guards were elites from their respective villages, and each one of them appeared ready to kill the others if need 3rd hokage exhaled his pipe, and assured everyone that, "I was growing impatient, this is no trick just regular tobacco." He flashed them all a sincere smile, "I'd kick it if I could, but nothing takes the ease off quite like it."
The 4th raikage slammed his fist down onto the table, "YOU COULD HAVE WARNED US YOU WERE ABOUT DO THAT!"
The 3rd Tsuchikage let out a boisterous laugh, "HAAAHAAHAAAOOOOO! Really raikage? That angry over a bit of smoke? I thought someone who lives so high up would be accustomed to clouds of all types!"
"Don't tease me old man!" The freshly appointed Raikage wasn't known already for a calm demeanor. His famous short temper was made all the worse thanks to losing his father in the 3rd great ninja war. He seemed to have a particular look of rage and animosity toward the 3 elder kage present. Each of them bearing the title of 3rd from their village.
The 4th kazekage crossed his arms, groaning as he grew annoyed by the raikage's volume. "It's obvious the hokage did this to break the ice so we would start the discussion, settle down."
The 3rd mizukage was about to add his thought as well, but was cut off by the raikage continuing on, "I THINK HE JUST WAS TRYING TO MAKE A BOLD MOVE TO ASSERT A FALSE DOMINANCE OVER THE REST OF US!"
Hanzo cut through the bickering, "Enough already! We have more important matters to argue about besides why the hokage lit his pipe! Please, remember your rank and duties gentlemen." He stretched some and motioned for them to keep talking. "If anything, we should thank the hokage. This did get us talking, did it not?"
This brought a smirk to the 4th kazekage's face. Admittedly he found it humorous how everyone seemed so annoyed by the raikage just as he was. He was happy to take the risk and begin the real conversation thanks to this. He motioned for his 2 guards to stand down and back up. "Baki, Pakura back up. Set an example of our unhostile intentions, and maybe the others will take note."The raikage and tsuchikage both scoffed at his remark.
The 3rd hokage still beat the 2 of them to the punch as well. "Shibi, Hiashi." The Aburame and Hyuga heads obeyed his command. They slipped back and stayed just behind him; dropping their battle stances and returning to their more reserved state.
The 3rd mizukage ordered his guards to do the same with a simple gesture. Both appeared to be members of the Mist's 7 swordsmen. Both of them seemed especially cautious of the Leaf Village attendees. The one wielding the massive executioner blade whispered to his comrade, "Raiga, the one wearing a coat and shades is a bug host, and the other is obviously Hyuga. I doubt either of them can perform whatever horrible jutsu that funny looking guy used on us last year."
His comrade, Raiga snickered. "Juzo you almost sound relieved about that. As if the legendary professor of the Leaf isn't sitting right there. Who knows if you, myself and Fuguki would still be alive if it was the 3rd hokage who intercepted us that day instead of that taijutsu beast?"
The 3rd tsuchikage let loose a sigh and clapped his hands, "Back up boys, we seem to be civil for now. I don't sense any deceit."
The larger of his 2 guards seemed disgruntled, "But father-"
"Kitsuchi! Back up!"As he obeyed, the raikage was now the only one with both his guards standing at the ready.
The other kage and Hanzo glared at his direction as the rain village head reminded him, "Lord Raikage, we can't get the best results today unless everyone is cooperative. I know you're new but-"
"BUT NOTHING!" He slammed his fist down onto the table again. "WE'RE ALL ENEMIES! THE CEASEFIRE GOING ON FOR THIS SUMMIT IS JUST A SOFT COVER UP! EVERYONE HERE KNOWS OUR SHINOBI ARE STILL FIGHTING DISCRETELY! EVERYONE-"
"BRO! BRO! Let it simmer and calm down, look see?" The raikage's younger brother, a renowned ninja known only as B, seethed his swords and held his hands up. "We oughtta act cool, you feel me right? Won't get what you want otherwise."
"...Tch, right. Thank you for bringing me to my senses B. Dodai, you can step back too."Finally, things had calmed down...for now. Hanzo relaxed, he knew the rest would work itself out. He just had to keep his wits about him, and his plan to take advantage of whatever agreements were reached today could bare fruit.
"Now then, to keep things fair, I suggest everyone bring forth one proposal before we debate about them. That way we all have something on the table. I'll even put mine out first. I have come to realize far too much espionage and needless deaths occur because we lack sufficient info on one another's future shinobi. So, to prevent as many spyings on each village's youth as possible...my idea is simple. We begin holding joint chunin exams instead of keeping them restricted to just within our own walls. It could even foster some healthy competition. Oh, and by joint I mean a fully cooperative effort. Each phase of the exam would take place in a different village. Nobody can rig the exams in favor of their home's youth that way."The 5 kage all seemed to be impressed by the idea. The 3rd mizukage cleared his throat and presented his calmly.
"Mine would likewise rid us all of some spywork. I suggest we all be open and admit to each other who our jinchuriki are."The raikage, and kazekage had a noticeable twitch at this. The 3rd hokage might have had one, but he was clever enough to begin smoking his pipe to help cover his face during these proposals. Such an idea would for sure cut back on intelligence gathering for such an important thing...but it would also make their jinchuriki easier targets.
The hokage lowers his pipe and calmly make his proposal next. "Mine, is more demanding but a necessary demand I believe. During the 3rd war, we were all pushed to the worst case and were spread too thin. Children, have no place in war; so I suggest we make a binding oath. A total, genuine ceasefire for at least a year, preferably more than 2 but no more than 5 years so we may all have a chance to recuperate and build our forces back up. Should our ninja have conflicting missions and have no alternative but to cross paths, they must abide by this pact or find ways to complete their mission without fighting."
The raikage rubbed his face, resisting the urge to call out the hokage is simply trying to buy time for his weakened village. On top of that, everyone here knew how much this could hurt each village's economy, it was damn right idiotic if it went on for 5 years. But, maybe for one or two years it could bear benefits. The 4th raikage wanted so badly to yell about how that would never work but he knew he had to keep himself in check like Hanzo requested, or his demands might never be tsuchikage sighed, "Once we actually get to arguing it's going to be fun, I can already tell!" He put on a smile that only the older men in the room knew was totally insincere. "All i want is for us all to share our rogue and missing-nin information! By doing so, make all our villages able to take the bounties of said missing-nin." Another suggestion most everyone seemed partial to, but left them wondering what his REAL demand would be later.
The kazekage was ready to make his, before the raikage finally seemed to have grown sick of waiting and blurts out, "I WANT THE HIDDEN WATERFALL'S TAILED BEAST TAKEN FROM THEM! They're a wildcard having possession of the 7 tails, and what's stopping them from using it while the rest of us are away right now?! With my father's demise my village is weakened! However I'm sure we could find the room and manpower to secure another tailed beast!"
There it was, everyone in the room that wasn't from the cloud was astonished at this demand. The kazekage had to act now, "Not so fast! Your already have two jinchuriki! The waterfall isnt even here to represent themself-"
Hanzo slammed his fist down. "KAZEKAGE! Remember what I said. No arguing until we all have made a proposal. Now, we're just waiting on yours so out with it, and then we can discuss these matters and make our cases."
Hanzo was fighting his instincts to give the raikage a menacing glare. *Desire to weaken an already small village, opportunistic for sure, but vile.*
The kazekage shut his eyes, seeming frustrated as he said, "...The hidden sand's request is simple. Arranged marriages between some of my own children, and other powerful clans in the sand, and those children of powerful shinobi from your villages. I insist and that any pact would have to lead to those selected for this become citizens of the sand once the marriages happen. I understand that's a difficult thing to ask, but it could foster strong ties between us. This could even result in a full alliance of sorts if it goes smoothly."
Hanzo looked around to the 5 kage. Each of them seemed ready to begin the debate, in an almost joking manner he did his hand like a referee would begin a raikage cackled almost immediately as he finally let loose, "HAAAAH! YOU CAN'T FOOL ME!" He then glared at the kazekage, "You just want to horde some kekkei genkei for yourself! With no penance to those you would take it from!"
The 4th kazekage defended himself, "Says the man wanting to strip one of the minor village's of their primary form of defense."
"A village that should never have been granted a tailed beast to start with!" The raikage clenched his right hand tight as he got worked up.
The tsuchikage butted in, "So what you're suggesting, is we basically join forces or step aside and let you bulldoze the waterfall village for your own gain of another tailed beast? I hardly see why anyone could abide by that. Having 3 jinchuriki could make you a superpower compared to the rest of us!"
"It would take a potential future great village's ultimate power from them! I'm not even suggesting we destroy them, just strip them of their right to a jinchuriki! They could be as great as our villages some day, that's only MORE competition, more tension, more wars! More reason to strip them of their tailed beast!"
The 3rd hokage reminded him in a cold manner, "Such an action would undermine my ceasefire proposal, lord raikage."
"As the kazekage said earlier, the waterfall isn't even HERE to agree to such a ceasefire!"
Hanzo spoke firmly, and matter of factley. "That is why I am here, Raikage. This is precisely why I came up with this idea to host a gathering of you all. To be the voice of the minor villages and keep them safe from your greedy grasps."
The kazekage seemed to be returning to his earlier annoyed state. "If anything, the 7 tails should go to the sand, not the cloud. We only have the one tailed beast after all." Hanzo was about to turn his scornful gaze to the kazekage, but he continued. "And as a village with only a single tailed beast, I know that taking it away from them would totally upset the power balance we have now. Especially if it went to the Cloud."
The 3rd mizukage smirked, "Provided you supply the information on your jinchuriki, I could abide by allowing you a 2nd beast. Especially if it means keeping the cloud from getting a third one."
The tsuchikage just sat back, stiffling his laughter as he took in the bickering. Managing a tailed beast was a monumental toll on any village, the stone had their hands full already with two, he was happy to forgo adding another to his raikage grit his teeth, "Kazekage you JUST opposed taking it from the waterfall! But of COURSE you're eager to switch up if it can benefit you! AND YOU mizukage, I know your words are hollow! You just want to know who each jinchuriki is, so you can round them all up for yourself and horde them!"
The 3rd mizukage scoffed and chose to simply shut his eyes instead of argue with the raikage. The kazekage glared at the raikage briefly. Before smirking as an idea popped in his head. "Perhaps I ought to make a proposal to the hidden waterfall myself. My wife is pregnant with our third child after all. I'm sure they'd be eager to form a bond with my village and clan. Which would essentially grant me another tailed beast through alliance."
The tsuchikage let loose a good laugh and slapped his knee seeing how livid this made the raikage as his first proposal bit him in the ass. "I won't oppose that! If it keeps the cloud from hoarding more tailed beasts, I'm all for it."
The mizukage nods head, "As long as we agree to my suggestion of us collectively sharing our jinchuriki data...I can be happy with the sand pursuing an alliance with the waterfall." The raikage groaned as he was already sick of the mizukage.
The 3rd hokage seemed wary, his borders after all touched the waterfall's directly. "Lord kazekage, I will be willing to approve this without sabotage should you agree to my ceasefire. Otherwise, I can't sit back on this."The kazekage simply nodded his head in agreement.
The easier proposals came next, they were all in agreement about sharing the missing-nin data into a collective "bingo book" to keep track of rogues. Hanzo's joint chunin exam was a unanimous pass as well. The topic of the kazekage's arranged marriage for his children wasn't going so well however."Let's say, hypothetically-" The tsuchikage went on, "I were to offer my granddaughter?" His son, Kitsuchi tightened his fist at the mere suggestion. "She'll no doubt be a powerful shinobi one day, why should I just allow her to become a citizen of the sand? Even if it means a potential sloppy temporary alliance?"
The kazekage sat there, unamused at the tsuchikage's questioning. "If you were serious about your granddaughter, I think it would only be fitting to offer my first born son, Kankuro for this arrangement. To ease your soul, we could take turns hosting them back and forth. As a sort of, political ambassador system."
The tsuchikage rubbed his chin, not minding that idea. "Huh...so, my granddaughter AND any accompanying guards I send with her would spend sometime every year in the sand?" Every kage understood exactly why such a detail would be beneficial.
"And vice versa for Kankuro with the stone." The 4th Kazekage firmly replied.
The tsuchikage chuckled before he spoke back up. "We can talk about this more later...but for now, consider me interested."
The mizukage sighed, "Yes how romantic, anyway may we discuss the more important matter that I brought forth? This jinchuriki tracking, remember?"
The hokage groaned, and kept a stone face. "My stance should be obvious."
"...Very well lord hokage, share with me whom hosts the 9 tails currently. I'll not only share my current jinchuriki's information but agree to a reasonable ceasefire timespan."
The raikage slammed his fist down one last time. "It seems everyone besides the cloud is getting something out of this! I have another proposal!" The raikage points to every 3rd kage in the room. "You three are the only ones here who held position of kage when the last war began! The kazekage and I are the only ones who gained our mantles near the end and made the decisions to stop the fighting! Hokage, you're almost exempt from this since you DID appoint a successor but the yellow flash isn't exactly here anymore, is he? So, my proposal is this. I will agree to everything brought fourth already; if lords hokage, tsuchikage, and mizukage all step down!"
The three kage who each held the title of 3rd were taken aback by such a request. The tsuchikage shouted, "You can't be serious! You can't just demand we step down! Especially when I was humble enough to make such a unanimously beneficial suggestion! I HAVEN'T EVEN MADE MY SELFISH DEMAND YET, YOU ARROGANT FOOL! Learn the political side of this, you have to butter people up before you hit them with something ridiculous!"
"I have no reason to abide or agree to anything here! The cloud will not walk away from this empty handed. Even if it must be figurative! You lot must retire or I'll keep pushing for more! Kazekage! Back me up on this, and I'll betroth a member of my clan to one of your children! Same conditions you offered the Tsuchikage! I'll even throw in a dowry that would make a bounty collector blush!"
The Kazekage was taken aback by this. A sizable dowry could do wonders for his village in this post war climate. "Wha-Raikage, what are you trying to get at here?"Hanzo groaned, thinking to himself that the raikage was purposefully trying to make the power balance shift in the leaf, stone and the mist. If all 3 had a forced change in leadership, it would leave the cloud more organized as they would have to adjust to the hierarchy of power changing. It wasn't the most fruitful demand, but a fairly cunning one.
The 3rd hokage takes one, quick hit from his pipe. "Lord raikage...if you agree to my ceasefire I will gladly step down as hokage. I dreaded returning to the position after the 4th's sacrifice. It won't damage my pride to name a 5th hokage."
The 3rd mizukage sighed, "You know my stance. I won't step down unless everyone here, everyone, is open about their jinchuriki." He stayed calm, as only amongst himself and his close advisors had he revealed he was stepping down very soon anyway.
The tsuchikage grumbled, crossing his arms and refusing to look at any of them. "Let's not be so hasty, I'll HAVE to make my real demand now. I was hoping to save this, butter you all up with my simpler one but you forced my hand raikage. There's a small, remote village in the weak Land Of Keys known as the hidden Lock Village. My daimyo has had his sights on the land for a while, but can't push for it as long as the Hidden Lock ninja and their elite spy network are a threat." He smirked and finally looked ahead, "We are all aware of what a nuisance the hidden Lock ninja are. They would never have part in peace of any kind! Permit me to wipe them out, and integrate the land into my country and I'll cooperate with you all. The arranged marriage, the ceasefire, the jinchuriki, and my retirement."
Hanzo growled at how confidently Ohnoki dared to suggest exterminating an entire group of people off the map. However, he quickly realized if he made the right moves...his power could increase sizably from the Tsuchikage crushing the hidden Lock village and conquering the Land of Keys. Fleeing ninja and ronin would need a place to find refuge in. They would need a new land to call home and serve.
"Of course, any young or those who surrender will be welcomed into the Stone to work for my successor. I don't hope to commit a total genocide of the Lock, just to dismantle it so my Daimyo can take their land and extend our borders as he wishes. Let me do this, and you can have my word on these other deals."
Hanzo sighed, "So...what say you all? Have we reached a middle ground?"There was a bit more silence before Hiruzen reached for his pipe once more, and addressed the plans made.
"For a ceasefire, I will share who the 9 tails resides in. I will look the other way as the Stone destroys the Lock, make no effort to thwart the Sand reaching out for an alliance with the Waterfall, and step down as Hokage."
The raikage smirked, crossing his arms in smug pride as he spoke, "In exchange for all the 3rds' retiring, I'll let the Stone take the Lock, arrange a betrothal with the Sand, confess to who my jinchuriki are, and agree to a beneficial ceasefire for as long as I deem it worth everything else in exchange."
The mizukage reclined back in his chair, shutting his eyes, "I accept the terms as well."
The tsuchikage snickers, "I'll do as I agreed. I'll step down after the Lock are destroyed and the Land of Keys becomes part of the Land of Rock and only then! The kazekage's son and my granddaughter will have their arranged marriage and I'll stay out of your business with the Waterfall, but expect no dowry from me. I'll share my jinchuriki intel, and give you this grand ceasefire hokage."
The kazekage inhaled deeply before exhaling. "Alright then, it appears we've come to an understanding for temporary peace, I'll agree to what's been said, so long as all of you keep up your ends of this bargain."
The 5 kage reached their conclusion, as they left the Rain village to return to their homes they knew the world wouldn't be the same after this meeting. What could have been, will now never be.
As the 3rd hokage and his 2 guards came to an inn to stay the night, he finally felt safe to talk with the 2 clan heads. "I will name no successor. I named Minato already so, whoever the 5th hokage shall be is out of my hands."
Shibi Aburama protested, "Lord 3rd, allow me to seek out Lord Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade. With either of them as your successor, the raikage will regret making such an absurd demand."
Hiruzen shook his head, "No. Jiraiya is committed to his way of the wandering sage. He believes hokage is a position that limits him too much and would only decline it again. I fear Tsunade is adamant about quitting the shinobi way of life. She even took her protege Shizune with her as a traveling companion."
Hiashi Hyuga comments, "Then Orochimaru is surely going to take the spot."
Hiruzen grumbles, "If the decision was left solely to Danzo and the Daimyo of the land of fire, it certainly would be. I won't allow that however. Orochimaru is a wonderfully gifted ninja, brilliant but he hasn't the heart to be Hokage. That is why even though I won't name my successor, I won't allow Danzo and the Daimyo to have control over it. So, I will gather the jonin and a vote will be made. If Orochimaru can win over and get the support to be my successor, I will accept it." He smiled, briefly at the idea of Orochimaru managing to win over the Leaf and prove he could prove Hiruzen wrong and be a worthy hokage. "...but should it fall onto either of you, or any of the clan heads I would feel more at ease about this. You lot already have management and leadership capabilities after all."
Hiashi then changed the topic, "And what of the 9 tails Jinchuriki? They all seemed suspicious about Naruto uzumaki supposedly being just an orphan Lord 4th sealed the beast inside. I suspect the Mizukage wanted such information so he could arrange the abductions and murders of the other jinchuriki."
Shibi nodded his head, and Hiruzen starred coldly ahead. "We will have to be more watchful of the boy. I intended to leave him be, to keep his status as the host of Kurama a secret from the other villages. Precautions must be made. I'm just glad they didn't press further about his identity, believing Minato truly sealed the demon inside some poor orphan. If they knew he was Minato's progeny, I imagine the Stone and Cloud would dispatch their ANBU as we speak to kill him. The boy must become my personal priority as I try to place him somewhere safe. I would adopt him myself but, I don't intend to sit idly by and retire. If I must step down, I'll return to standard ninja work...or more likely into the ANBU to tackle the most difficult missions. I wouldn't have the time to raise the boy."
Hiashi then made a bold suggestion. "What about Danzo? Could Danzo take the boy in? Make him part of his root foundation?"
Shibi glared at Hiashi for daring to make such a suggestion, "You would place the son of our village's hero in the hands of Danzo? A man who already takes members of the clans into his abyss?"
"What would you suggest Shibi? Put the boy under the guardianship of one of the clans? Let our children be around an unstable jinchuriki?"
"The Aburame clan and our insects could very well keep the beast in check. We may be able to turn the boy into one of us if the insects would accept such a vessel. Our forest is deep, and lively. It could hide him well, keep him away from the village and should he lose control and we can't stop him; then rest assured my clan would put him d-"
Hiruzen snaps, "Enough! Minato left the well being of Naruto to me...and so his future is in my hands and my decision to make alone. I will decide what to do with the boy, once my reign as Hokage is over, and the 5th takes their place."
Author's notes: And so the prologue arc for this fic begins! i have some ground work to kay first before we get to the actual focus on Naruto himself.