Author's Note: I hope those of you who observe it had a wonderful Thanksgiving. The research needed to continue this story took less time than I anticipated so I am back! Part 2 of Naruto Daiyoukai Namikaze starts now, enjoy!
Disclaimer: Naruto and Inuyasha belong to their respective owners.
Dialogue Legend:
"Unforgivable" – Normal dialogue
'Unforgivable' – character's thoughts/speaking to Inner Demon/Inner Spirit/Supernatural Being telepathically through a seal
"Unforgivable" – Jutsu name; Inner Demon/Inner Spirit/Supernatural Being speaking to someone directly.
'Unforgivable' – Inner Demon/Inner Spirit/Supernatural Being speaking to someone telepathically or through a seal
Review Corner:
LeptheDragon: A couple things, 1) just because the Shinto gods themselves fared better than the other pantheons during the False Ragnarok doesn't mean their mortal bloodlines did and 2) you forgot about Haku. In this fanfic she's descended from Kuraokami, the Shinto god of ice and snow. There are a few other characters that are descended from Shinto gods, but I was hesitant to include a lot of Shinto gods in this story because the Shinto pantheon already has quite a bit of representation in Naruto when you consider that every named Sharingan power references it.
Tsukuyomi, Amaterasu, Susanoo, Kagutsuchi, Izanagi, and Izanami are all named after specific Shinto gods, Kotoamatsukami is a group name for the five most powerful Shinto gods, and Kamui refers to the power and authority of the Shinto gods.
Chapter 34 – Growing Embers Part 1
Tetsu no Kuni – The Day of Kakashi's Funeral
"This Kage Summit is hereby called to order!" Mifune, Samurai-General of Tetsu no Kuni and right hand of the Tetsu Daimyou, gazed sternly at the Shinobi assembled before him. Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage, sat directly across from Mifune's podium. Her two bodyguards – Jiraiya and Shizune – sat directly behind her. The last Senju's face radiated an outward calm, but Mifune saw the fury boiling just beneath the surface. Tsunade was out for blood.
To Tsunade's left sat Ay; the Fourth Raikage made no attempt to disguise his own rage. If Tsunade was the calm just before a storm, then Ay was the storm itself. His bodyguards – Killer Bee and Darui – sat behind Ay in stoic silence.
'As expected of one who was once a Raikage candidate,' Mifune praised, 'I'd heard that Bee-san was a boisterous sort, but he seems able to appreciate the gravity of the situation.'
Gaara, seated to Tsuande's right, expressed no emotion whatsoever. While not officially a Kage yet, all in the room knew the position was hereditary in Suna and that it was only a matter of time until he was elevated to the same rank as the ninja he sat next to. Tsunade had requested permission for Gaara to attend the summit, to which Mifune had agreed. Baki and Temari sat behind him. Like Gaara, Baki was stone-faced, while Temari was controlling her apprehension for both the meeting at hand and its ramifications.
To Gaara's left sat Mei; the Fifth Mizukage had a playful smile on her face, one that Mifune knew belied her serious nature. His spies had reported that Mei was the leader of the Resistance in Kiri's most recent civil war. Yama Umino and Choujuurou, a proud member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kiri, sat behind her. Yama also had a smile on his face, though it was colder than Mei's, while Chojuuro was clearly timid.
"We accept Mifune-taishou as our mediator." Tsunade, Ay, and Mei intoned before placing their Kage hats on their respective parts of the shared table. Gaara, having no Kage hat to place, bowed his head toward Mifune and placed his Hitai-ate on the table.
"Very well." Mifune nodded to Gaara before proceeding. "It is unfortunate that Onoki Gouin, Lord of his Clan and Third Tsuchikage, is not among us." Mifune flicked his eyes to the empty trio of seats to the right of Ay's section of the table.
"It's probably for the best." Mei opined. "If the looks on Ay-dono's and Tsunade-hime's faces are any indication, the Fourth Shinobi World War would have started before the Kage Summit meant to prevent it could even begin." As much as she hated speaking ill of others, Mei knew which way the wind was blowing. Any chance for Onoki to end the current crisis without bloodshed had been lost.
"Onoki's a coward!" Ay spat. "As much as I hate him for what he's done in recent memory, I could have held my temper long enough to hear him out today. But he doesn't have the decency to show his face despite a formal summons to this Summit!"
"I feel the same." Tsunade glared at the empty seats. "His crimes have earned Konoha's wrath, but I would have granted Onoki the chance to defend himself today if he'd had the balls to arrive!"
"We have come to the heart of the issue at hand." Mifune declared. "Before Tsunade-hime called for this Kage Summit, Onoki-dono sent me a summary of alleged slights Iwa had recently suffered at the hands of Konoha and Kumo. His missive requested Tetsu no Kuni's aid in any conflicts between Iwa and the other Elemental Nations for the foreseeable future. Despite the length of his letter, the content of his accusations was gravely insufficient to justify such a bold request. My reply demanded a more detailed explanation of Konoha and Kumo's supposed slights. It has been weeks since I sent that letter, and Onoki has yet to respond."
"If I may, Mifune-dono, what has Onoki-san accused Konoha and Kumo of doing?" Gaara inquired.
"Kumo is accused of abusing the Chuunin Exam system agreed upon by all Shinobi villages. He claims that the ninja sent by Kumo to participate in the most recent exam were Jonin and that the Genin sent by Iwa were slaughtered by opponents they couldn't possibly defeat. Konoha stands accused of massacring a one-hundred-man squad of Jonin that was completing a mission in Nami no Kuni. According to Onoki-san, the team was attacked without warning or provocation."
Bee grinned after hearing this. Since Mjollnir disrupted whatever surveillance seals and Jutsu were placed on the hit squad he sent after Naruto, Onoki would only know that his men had died, not who was responsible. At best, he would assume that Kakashi and Zabuza had united against a common enemy, and Kiri could not be blamed for the actions of a Missing-Nin.
"I'll not deny that the two-man team I sent to participate in the Chuunin Exams is extremely talented, but that's only due to the hellish training they went through prior to the start of the Exams!" Ay retorted. "One of my bodyguards oversaw that training, and he would gladly consent to have his memories examined to prove Kumo's innocence!" Ay gestured toward Darui.
"Come forward, Shinobi of Kumo!" Mifune ordered.
Darui left his seat and approached the general. Mifune motioned for him to stop once he reached the center of the room. Mifune then raised his right hand, and one of his two attendants moved to the center of the room as well.
"The Code of Bushido forbids Samurai from using Chakra to manipulate the mind. However, the monks of our land are under no such restriction. Taikou-san is Tetsu no Kuni's best mind-walker. She will examine your subordinate's memories, Ay-dono."
The monk was tall for a woman, nearly five feet, eight inches. And her flowing pink robes were far more ornate than a monk's typical garb. Darui knew better than to assume a woman's age from her looks alone, but she seemed not much younger than himself.
"You're guessing my age, Darui-san? If you must know, it's twenty." Taikou giggled, causing her back-length lime green hair to ripple behind her.
"I'm sorry." Darui apologized.
"Don't be; you're hardly the first to be shocked that such a young woman is Mifune-sama's right hand. Now, about those memories!" Taikou flashed through a series of hand seals that looked nothing like those used for Ninjutsu. The Kage in the room had some passing familiarity with the Monk arts, but this was the first time any of them had seen a Monk spell in action.
For the briefest of instants, Darui's brain felt like it was drenched in ice water. Once the feeling abated, the memories of his training sessions with Karui and Omoi rose to the surface of his mind in perfect detail. Minutes passed while the memories played themselves out. By the end of the last one, Darui's face was drenched in sweat. He lost his footing after Taikou broke the connection.
"Sorry about that." Taikou grabbed Darui's arm before he fell to the floor and hoisted him back up. "Calling memories to the surface of someone's mind puts a strain on their body. The farther back in time the memories occurred, the worse it is. Especially if the memories in question don't hold a special place in the target's heart. Do you require medical attention?"
"No, I'll be fine. Thank you." Darui bowed and returned to his seat.
Taikou had a small smile on her face when she turned around to face her master. "Darui's memories show that Kumo's team Genin in rank, but far beyond that in skill by the time their training regimen was complete."
"So be it." Mifune declared before facing Tsunade. "What does Konoha have to say regarding Onoki's accusation?"
"For that, it would be better to read Bee-san's memories, since he was the one responsible." Tsunade replied.
Mifune motioned for Bee to stand up. The Jinchuriki met Taikou in the center of the room. "Warning ya now, pretty lady, I got a Tailed Beast in my head. Best be careful how deep you walk, or you'll end up dead."
The young monk's green eyes became saucers. "I'll be careful." Taikou gulped before recasting her spell. Bee endured the consequences of the mind walk with much less stress than Darui. It took two minutes longer than with Darui, but soon enough Taikou had seen the memories she needed.
"Woah!" Taikou stumbled once the link was broken. She took a moment to collect herself before beginning her report. "Onoki-san's squad ambushed a Konoha team near the end of one of their missions in Nami no Kuni. If Bee-san hadn't intervened, Konoha's team would have died."
"What else did you see?" Mifune knew that his top mind-walker must have seen something astounding to react as she did.
"The Jutsu Bee-san used to destroy Iwa's squad, sir. It created a thundercloud that emitted over a hundred simultaneous lightning strikes. These strikes incinerated the people they struck and didn't even leave ashes behind." Taikou shivered.
"We haven't violated the WMD-class Jutsu treaty Kumo signed at the end of the Third Shinobi World War." Ay addressed Mifune's unspoken concern. "The Jutsu my brother used that day is a hereditary technique similar to a Kekkei Genkai, but it can only be used once every three years. Currently, only my brother and I can use it."
"And how long has it been since you used it yourself?" Mei's smile had fallen off her face.
"I have never seen fit to use it. Ideally, it should only be used as a final line of defense to ensure Kumo's survival, but I can't fault my brother for using it to protect his fellow Jinchuriki." Ay grumbled.
"The Konoha team Bee protected that day had Naruto Namikaze-Uzumaki on it." Tsunade clarified.
"Namikaze? I was not aware that Minato-dono had a son." Mifune's gaze hardened.
"None of us were until Naruto announced himself during the Third Chuunin Exam." Mei spoke for herself, Ay, and the Suna delegation.
"Minato-san's last wish was that his son be kept secret until he came of age or achieved Jonin rank. Given Onoki's reaction to his existence, you can hardly blame my predecessor for concealing him!" Tsunade slammed her fist against the table. She was careful not to damage it, but the sound of the impact still thundered across the room.
"So Onoki-san tried to assassinate Naruto-san; this explains why Konoha wants to wage war against Iwa, but why have Kumo and Kiri agreed to aid Konoha?" Mifune inquired.
"Kumo owes a great debt to the Namikaze Clan's progenitor that has never been fully repaid." Ay smiled. "We thought that man had no descendants left in this world, but Naruto-dono has demonstrated abilities that prove his lineage beyond all doubt. By trying to kill him, Onoki has made an enemy of Kumo as well!"
"As for Kiri, I feel that Onoki-san's recent actions are far too similar to those of the late Yagura-sama." Mei paused nearly a minute to mourn the man Yagura once was before continuing. "During the Chuunin Exams, he sent no less than nine Shinobi teams to kill Naruto. Death is unavoidable during the Exams, but all the villages agreed that it's illegal to specifically target one Shinobi, or Shinobi team, to the exclusion of everyone else! If Onoki-san is willing to violate that law, what other laws will he break in the future? He has proven himself to be a tyrant in the making, if not worse, and Kiri will gladly see his ambitions halted as soon as possible!"
Mifune gazed at the fourth Shinobi seated at the table. "And what of you, Gaara-san? You are not a Kage yet, but by sitting in that chair you speak for your village. Where does Suna stand on this issue?"
Gaara gulped and turned to Baki, who gave an encouraging nod. The future Kazekage turned back to Mifune and began to speak. "Suna has recently been tricked by Orochimaru-san into invading Konoha. Our forces were decimated and are still recovering. We have no place in the upcoming conflict with Iwa, save what Konoha permits per our renewed alliance. Tsunade-hime has granted us leave to defend our borders against Iwa invaders, but nothing else. Were our forces in more pristine condition, we would gladly support Konoha in her efforts to punish Iwa. Like Naruto-san, I, too, am a Jinchuriki, and I owe Naruto-san a great deal."
"Then Suna is technically neutral, but will support Konoha if necessary? So be it." Mifune allowed. "However, both the Tetsu Daimyou and I have concerns regarding this alliance. I agree with all of your reasons, and that Onoki-san must pay for his actions, but the last alliance between three Shinobi villages ended with the obliteration of the Uzumaki Clan! We tolerated that act of genocide because the Elemental Nations as a whole were rightfully concerned that they would be unable to stop the Uzumaki if they decided to conquer the world. Iwa's forces are legion, but individually her Shinobi are weaker than many of their counterparts from other villages. Destroy Iwa if you must, but as many of her people as possible must be spared! If the Kage assembled do not agree to this, I will have no choice but to join this war as an ally to Iwa!"
"And if none in Iwa choose surrender over death?" Ay challenged.
"As I said, as many people as possible must be spared." Mifune repeated.
Silence reigned for several minutes as the Kage weighed their options. Mei eventually sent a questioning look to Tsunade and Ay. Tsunade nodded back, and Ay gave an affirmative grunt.
"We accept your terms, Mifune-taishou." Mei bowed her head, as did Ay and Tsunade. Gaara followed suit half a second later.
"Are there any other matters the Kage present wish to discuss?" Mifune asked, and the Kage remained silent. "Then I declare this Kage Summit adjourned! You may use this room to discuss your war strategy. As Tetsu no Kuni is no longer a part of this war, I swear upon my sword that none of my men will eavesdrop on your discussion."
"That went better than I dared to hope for." Jiraiya breathed a sigh of relief after Mifune and his attendants left the room. "Tetsu no Kuni demanded tons of concessions from Iwa, Kiri, and Kumo after the Uzumaki were wiped out. Thank Kami that Mifune-taishou and the Tetsu Daimyou won't be doing that again this time around."
"Unless we can't prove that we did everything we could to spare some of Iwa's civilians." Ay grunted. "We won't get through this war without annihilating Iwa's military."
"You mean you're not going to even try to spare the enemy soldiers?" Temari gasped. "Normally, I wouldn't care, but with Mifune-taishou's ultimatum on the table that's just asking for trouble!"
"It's not that they're unwilling to spare Iwa's Shinobi, Temari-chan, but more that Iwa's forces are likely going to perish before they can even be granted the chance to surrender." Baki explained. "Mifune wasn't exaggerating when he said that Iwa's Shinobi are weaker than Shinobi from other villages. Tsuchi no Kuni is the most populous of the Elemental Nations, by a substantial margin. That allows Iwa to be lax in its Shinobi training, but the downside is that they need far more men for a given task than another Shinobi village would."
"On top of that, no self-respecting troop of ninja surrenders without trying to achieve their mission." Shizune added. "By the time they realize they're outclassed, most Iwa platoons are either completely wiped out or close to it. How do you think Minato-sama was able to wipe out thousands of Iwa soldiers? Sure, he had the Hiraishin no Jutsu (Flying Thunder God Technique), but Iwa kept throwing regiment after regiment at him for weeks. If I didn't know better, I'd call most of Iwa's Shinobi fanatics but they're not. They're just very loyal to their superiors – which they should be – and, in most cases, too ignorant to realize when they're doomed – which is the result of their subpar training."
"But don't get the impression that we're up against a bunch of weaklings." Yama warned. "When you have enough of it, quantity is quality."
"That's right, and Onoki has plenty of quantity!" Jiraiya confirmed. "The main reason why he's never started a war is to avoid the scenario he finds himself in now. If thousands of substandard Shinobi were the only thing we have to worry about, I'd be confident in our chances, but quantity isn't the only thing Onoki has going for him."
"Right on, Toad Sage! The Sinister Eight can make tons of graves!" Bee rapped.
"Sinister Eight?" Gaara echoed.
"A code name for the eight most powerful clans in Iwa." Choujuurou answered. "They've wreaked havoc on Iwa's enemies in all three Shinobi World Wars, hence the name.
"Who are they, and what can they do?" Temari shivered.
"Gouin, Dorunuma, Haearuichi, Kamizuru, Kaigan, Tetsuru, Yomi, and Zetsumei. Yeah~" Bee sang.
"The Gouin Clan isn't really worthy of the term anymore, as it's just Onoki himself and his granddaughter, Kurotsuchi, now, but Onoki has the Jinton Kekkei Touta, which is nearly impossible to defend against." Jiraiya thanked Kami that Onoki was desperate enough to send most of his relatives after Minato in the last war. "On top of that, my spies have reported that Kurotsuchi can use Youton; ask Mei-dono if you want to know just how deadly that Kekkei Genkai can be."
"The Dorunuma Clan excels in using Doton to form and manipulate quicksand." Tsunade continued. "They're also proficient in Fuinjutsu, though their prowess barely holds a candle to what the Uzumaki Clan was once capable of."
The Haearuichi Clan is the bane of nearly any other Shinobi's existence." Shizune grimaced. "They have the Bakuton Kekkei Genkai; Iwa's infamous Explosion Corps is composed almost entirely of Haearuichi Clan members."
"The Kamizuru Clan is likely the oldest clan in Iwa, given that Ishikawa – the First Tsuchikage – was their Clan Head." Ay moved on. "They're similar to Konoha's Aburame Clan, only they use bees, hornets, and wasps instead of beetles or worms."
"The Kaigan Clan fights as one with their snow leopards, not unlike the Inuzuka Clan." Darui stated." "Since snow leopards have difficulty surviving in warm climates, they also specialize in Suiton and Fuuton Jutsu that lower temperature."
"Their techniques can't produce ice like Kiri's lost Yuki Clan, but they've refined them to the point that generating snow from preexisting water or air is less than child's play to them." Mei clarified. "The Tetsuru Clan does something similar with magnetism. Their techniques can't be qualified as Jiton, but they can control magnetism all the same."
"In their own way, the Yomi Clan is the most troublesome of the whole lot. They're Genjutsu specialists, and the potency of their illusions rivals that of the Uchiha's Sharingan." Yama said sternly.
"Umino-san is entitled to his opinion, but I'd say the Zetsumei Clan is the most formidable of the Sinister Eight in direct combat now that the Gouin Clan is all but destroyed. They specialize in Taijutsu, but anything they touch is petrified. You can't even let them graze you. Even the Hyuuga need to strike specific points on the victim's body for their Juuken to work, but the Zetsumei's techniques function like a virus and spread from the point of contact through the entire body." Baki concluded.
Temari was shaking like a leaf well before her questions were answered in full. Even Gaara was trembling now that the explanation was complete.
"Even with their emphasis on quantity over quality, how has Iwa not conquered the Elemental Nations with such powerful clans at their disposal?" The future Kazekage asked.
"Don't forget that the other villages have their own powerhouse clans, not to mention outliers and geniuses like me!" Jiraiya gave a reassuring smile. "In each war, Suna's very own Kazekage Clan has proven to be a match for any of the Sinister Eight, except maybe the Gouin Clan. Plus, the quantity-over-quality policy applies to the Sinister Eight as well. Most of their members don't bother learning any Jutsu other than their clan techniques; if they fight someone with Jutsu that can counter their specialty, then they're as good as dead."
"The sheer size of Iwa's army is one thing, and the Sinister Eight is another, but what concerns me most is the Jinchuriki situation." Tsunade bemoaned.
"That's true," Mei frowned, "Kumo is the only member of this alliance with two fully-trained Jinchuriki at her disposal. Iwa can say the same."
"WHAT, HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!" Ay roared. "Naruto-dono, I understand, as he was treated as a clanless Shinobi for the entirety of his childhood per Minato-dono's last wish, but Suna has the Ichibi and Kiri has both the Sanbi and the Rokubi!"
"Shukaku was grievously injured during the Konoha invasion." Gaara tightened the clothes just above his seal. "The Jutsu Naruto-kun used to defeat him greatly impeded his regenerative abilities. I have consulted with an elder of my clan, and he said that Shukaku will be powerless for at least the next two years."
"As for Kiri, Yagura-sama was the Sanbi's Jinchuriki. When he died, the Sanbi died with him and hasn't reformed yet." Mei fought to hold back her tears. "The Rokubi's Jinchuriki – Utakata-san – was disgusted by the bloodline purge Yagura-sama started and left Kiri. Yagura-sama sent dozens of hunter-nin after Utakata-san. To my knowledge, none returned. With Kiri's Shinobi population devastated by the civil war, I haven't been able to spare anyone to search for Utakata-san again."
"Damn it all!" Ay slammed his fist into the table and left a huge dent in it. "I thought we'd be able to overwhelm Onoki's forces with our Jinchuriki. Now, he has the advantage!"
"Can you tell me which village has each Tailed Beast? I may be able to think of a way out of this!" Temari declared.
Ay looked toward Baki for reassurance.
"Temari-chan has a mind comparable to a Nara, it can't hurt to try." Baki endorsed.
"If you say so." Ay grumbled. "As you know, Suna holds Shukaku the Ichibi. Kumo holds both Matatabi the Nibi and Gyuuki the Hachibi. Kiri held the Sanbi and the Rokubi. Iwa holds the Yonbi and the Gobi. Finally, Konoha holds the Kyuubi."
"You only mentioned eight Tailed Beasts. What about the Nanabi?" Temari insisted.
"Nanabi is held by Takigakure." Baki said grimly.
"Oh, no!" Temari panicked. "Takigakure is right next to Iwa's eastern border! If Onoki is worried about being overwhelmed by all our Jinchuriki he'll –"
"Invade Takigakure to capture the Nanabi's Jinchuriki?" Jiraiya finished. "If he hasn't done that already then he will very soon. That's why he never responded to Mifune-taishou's letter and didn't come here today. Takigakure may not be one of the five great Shinobi villages, but it's got a Jinchuriki and a powerful force besides that. Even with all his forces, Onoki has to be careful about how he goes about invading Takigakure if he doesn't want to lose so many troops it renders the advantage of having another Tailed Beast for his village moot. After all, he has no idea how well-trained the Nanabi's Jinchuriki is. Worst case scenario, he or she is fully trained meaning that Onoki will need both one of his Jinchuriki and a battalion of Shinobi – likely composed primarily of the Sinister Eight – to conquer it."
"He'll succeed even in the worst case; he has too many forces at his disposal not to." Mei supplied calmly. "But the effort will bring his war momentum to a grinding halt. Nanabi-san's Jinchuriki won't serve Onoki, so he'll have to extract the Nanabi and place it in a loyal Shinobi. Assuming his chosen vessel survives the attempt, they'll need a great deal of training to master the Nanabi's power, and both of Iwa's preexisting Jinchuriki will be needed to stop any potential rampages."
"Which gives us a golden opportunity to position our forces for surgical strikes!" Tsunade smirked. "Even if we started mobilizing our troops this instant, we wouldn't be able to save Takigakure from destruction. The most we can do is avenge them by destroying Iwa!"
"Onoki's no fool; he's lived through three Shinobi World Wars!" Temari countered. "There's no way he won't see your plan coming from a mile away!"
"Of course he will," Baki agreed, "but does knowing that a sandstorm is coming guarantee that you'll find shelter fast enough to prevent the flesh from being torn from your bones?"
"No, it doesn't." Temari smiled.
"Besides, we have a piece on the Shogi board that Onogi is – at worst – only partially aware of." Yama smiled. "Every team he sent to the Chuunin Exams was destroyed in the Second Exam, and he refused to come to the finals of the Third Exam, so he had no means of ascertaining the strength of those who made it to the Third Exam, and beyond."
Tsunade's eyes lit up. "Of course, the recently promoted Chuunin!"
"Not just them, the Genin who passed the second Exam but failed to become Chuunin gave a very good demonstration of their potential in the Third Exam. Both in the preliminaries and the finals." Yama proposed.
"That's the entirety of Konoha Teams 7, 8, and 10. Tenten-chan's the only surviving Genin from the recently dissolved Team 9, but Zabuza-san spoke very highly of her performance during the new Team 9's first mission. Not to mention the team from Kiri" Jiraiya thought about what each Shinobi in those teams was capable of, and how much room for growth most of them had. Before he was done, a grin that threatened to tear his face in half formed.
"The theoretical strongest Jinchuriki, the last Uchiha, a Hyuuga princess, several other Clan Heirs, and their Sensei – all of whom are quite famous in their own right." Ay counted off his fingers. "An elite unit formed from members with those qualifications would be unprecedented."
"And the practicality of such a unit has already been confirmed." Tsunade's face now mirrored Jiraiya's. "The Sasuke Retrieval Team had a similar composition. No Jonin were on it, and there were far fewer members, but the core concept was the same."
"What of Temari-nee-chan and myself?" Declaration of neutrality or not, Gaara didn't want to be left out. Not when Naruto would be participating.
"Depending on how the war unfolds, you, Temari-san, and Baki-san may very well end up in this unit as well." Mei replied. "For now, though, it's best if we proceed under the assumption that Suna will remain neutral for the entirety of the war."
"While Iwa's recovers from Takigakure's destruction, another great use of our time would be to put our proposed super-unit's non-Jonin members through several layers of Hell." Ay now also bore a face-splitting grin. They'll be the perfect blade to gut Onoki like a pig on!"
"If no one else has anything to discuss, may I declare the first meeting of the Allied Shinobi Forces adjourned?" Mei asked.
"Allied Shinobi Forces? I like the sound of that!" Jiraiya cackled. "After all, things will never be the same between the villages once this war is done!"
"I've nothing more to add." Tsunade stated.
"Nor do I." Ay said.
"We also have nothing more to say at this time." Baki announced.
"Then LET'S ROCK!" Bee chimed in. Seconds later, the sounds of several Shunshin signaled the true end of the Kage Summit.
Chapter End
I hope this chapter didn't come across as too boring. Personally, I don't consider an episode or chapter of a series where the only thing that happens is world building and/or character development to be a "filler episode", as both of those things are essential to good storytelling, but I know a lot people don't have the same opinion. Laying the groundwork for an entire arc takes time, and I'd rather get as much of it out of the way as possible at the beginning of the arc than drip-feed it as the arc goes on. Of course, some aspects of world building/character development can only happen as the arc progresses, but other than that the sooner it's done the better IMO.
I'm not going to drag down the story by throwing a whole training arc into the beginning of what's supposed to be a war arc, but the next chapter will show the beginnings of the "several layers of Hell" Ay mentioned.
Thank you for reading!