Onoki suddenly burst into the meeting, leaving the Five Kage completely blank.
How… did he even get in?!
The security at the Five Kage Summit was of the highest priority. Even though the Land of Iron was neutral, its samurai remained an undeniable force.
Moreover, besides the Five Kage present, there was no shortage of skilled sensory ninja.
For example, Ao, bodyguard of the Mizukage from the Hidden Mist, and C, of the Hidden Cloud, were both exceptional sensory ninja.
Yet, despite all that, Onoki's sudden intrusion went completely unnoticed.
"C…" The Raikage might seem reckless, but his mind was actually quite meticulous.
Seeing Onoki appear out of nowhere, he didn't immediately get angry. Instead, he carefully glanced at his side and asked the sensory ninja, C.
"Sorry, Raikage-sama…"
But C's expression was as if he had seen a ghost. His face turned pale, lips trembling.
"I can't sense him… there's absolutely no chakra."
"An illusion?"
The Fourth Raikage's eyebrows knitted together, speculating that it might be some kind of 'genjutsu.'
"No… it's not like that, Raikage-sama."
C's lips were pale, his eyes still holding a trace of fear. He shook his head.
"He's not an illusion, but I don't know how to explain it."
"What do you mean?!"
Those words left everyone present utterly confused.
"Let me explain." Ao, standing behind the Mizukage, spoke in a deep voice.
"What C means is that, even though you can see his presence, whether it's through chakra sensing or any other method, it's as if he doesn't exist. Isn't that right?"
It sounded complicated, but the Five Kage managed, with some effort, to understand.
"Don't worry, everyone. I'm not here to kill you."
Onoki floated down gracefully and took his seat, as if he were the center of the entire meeting. "To be precise, I'm here to persuade you."
"Persuade us?"
The Fourth Raikage narrowed his eyes warily at him.
Ōnoki, however, tapped the table lightly, his gaze shifting from the Mizukage to the Raikage.
"I'm here to give you all a suggestion. Hand over the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails, and I can guarantee your survival. You could even continue holding your positions in the empire I plan to establish. How does that sound?"
Was he extending an olive branch?
For a moment, the Five Kage fell into an eerie silence.
"Think carefully, everyone."
Ōnoki looked utterly confident, a faint, almost imperceptible smile tugging at his lips. "Honestly, with the power you wield now, this is… boring."
"Boring? That's laughable!"
The Raikage, known for his hot temper, couldn't hold back any longer. He slammed his hand on the table and rose to his feet. "Ōnoki, you—"
"Sit!"
Ōnoki only tapped the table gently, yet the order felt as if it twisted reality itself.
The Raikage, who had just been seething with anger, actually sat back down.
But the bulging veins in his arms, the crackling lightning chakra around him, and the fury in his eyes made it clear he did not do so willingly.
"Let me finish, boy."
Ōnoki's dark eyes radiated a terrifying presence, his voice a strict, iron-like order that pressed heavily upon both body and soul.
The entire meeting room fell into complete, suffocating silence.
"You see, you really are weak, aren't you?"
Ōnoki watched with appreciation as the Five Kage struggled, unwilling to submit, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"Actually, in my eyes, you're not important at all. If I truly wanted to stop you, I'd only need to move a finger, and I could wipe you completely from this world."
As if to prove it, he gently lifted his index finger.
In that instant, the Five Kage felt an unfathomable malice wash over them—weakness, nausea, sickness, and countless twisted rules bending reality itself.
Thankfully, the effect lasted only a brief moment.
When it ended, the Five Kage all wore expressions of sheer terror. They finally understood.
Just as Ōnoki had said, if he really intended to kill them, he only needed to move a finger.
"If I were to kill you, the so-called Five Kage Alliance would cease to exist, wouldn't it?"
Ōnoki's voice was deep and commanding, radiating overwhelming pressure. The Five Kage were forced to lower their heads, as if acknowledging the truth in his words.
"Then why did you come to find us?"
As the granddaughter of the First Hokage, Tsunade still held onto her pride and resolve. Even under such immense pressure, she forced herself to lift her head and meet Ōnoki's gaze.
"Wouldn't it be easier to just kill us directly?"
"Exactly, just as you said."
Ōnoki grinned, but his eyes were full of disdain. "Because from the very beginning, my opponents were never you ants. Am I right, Konan?"
His gaze shifted to the woman silently standing behind Nagato.
"Long time no see, Ōnoki."
Konan stepped past the Five Kage, meeting Ōnoki's oppressive stare with calm and composed features.
"Who is she?"
The Raikage, Mizukage, and Hokage all exchanged surprised looks.
They couldn't understand why, at this moment, Ōnoki would specifically call out a guard from the Rain Village.
"Yes, long time no see, Konan."
Ōnoki's mood seemed light, a faint smile appearing on his face. "Only you deserve to be our opponent, isn't that right?"
"Is this what you want?"
Konan gazed at him quietly. "What can joining the Aurora Order really bring you?"
"I want everything."
Onoki smiled calmly. "Look at me. I am now the Duke of Entropy, Sequence 2. I am only one step away from Sequence 1, even Sequence 0."
He looked at Konan with a half-smile. "And you? I can see it. You are only a Sequence 4 demigod, far below me. I can give you a piece of advice. I admire you. Why not join us? What do you say?"
"There's no need to say that."
Konan shook her head and said lightly, "Your purpose today is to intimidate us, isn't it? Or perhaps, to eliminate an enemy in advance?"
"No, no, no. How could I do such a thing?"
Onoki shook his head slowly and said, "Although I have thought about it, I don't believe you came here unprepared."
Konan remained silent.
"See? Just as I guessed."
Onoki stared at her with interest. "Even if I really acted, I believe you could escape. Let me guess… it's a Beyonder item related to 'Door Pathway,' isn't it?"
Konan's eyes flickered, showing no intent to hide. "Correct. I have an item that allows me to leave at any time."
"Looks like negotiations have failed."
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