At the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Rivers, shinobi from Konohagakure had assembled in a modest village. Leading them was the young Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
Yet, unlike his usual calm and confident demeanor, Minato now appeared burdened. The events that had unfolded in the Land of Rain had completely upended his plans, and for the first time since becoming Hokage, he found himself facing a serious setback. If things were mishandled, not only could all his efforts until now be rendered meaningless, but the shinobi world might plunge back into chaos, and Konoha would be forced into war once again.
It was this very possibility that pushed Minato, despite facing considerable opposition, to insist on meeting Rasa, the Kazekage of Sunagakure, in private. By his side were the trusted aides who had supported him since his appointment. Nara Shikaku, his chief strategist, Akimichi Chōza, serving as his guard, Yamanaka Inoichi, managing communications, and Aburame Shibi, overseeing intelligence. Meanwhile, Jiraiya and Tsunade had stayed behind in the village to ensure everything remained stable during his absence.
Minato knew he had no room for hesitation. Another piece of disturbing intelligence had recently come from the Land of Rain. During the joint operation to eliminate Akatsuki, members of Konoha's ANBU had been sighted. There was no need for much thought. Minato immediately recognized where those ANBU had come from. Who else could it be but Elder Danzō? Yet knowing this didn't mean he could act. He had no concrete evidence, and Danzō, being a member of the Council of Elders, possessed a level of authority that the newly appointed Hokage could not openly challenge without serious consequences.
Seeing Minato's weariness, Shikaku spoke in a steady voice, offering reassurance.
"Hokage sama, there are some things that can't be rushed. Take it slow."
"I understand, Shikaku. Thank you."
"Then I'll stop worrying."
For the most part, the leadership of Konoha welcomed the new Hokage. Even the Uchiha clan, which had long been at odds with the village's leadership, began to show signs of cooperation. The reason was simple: unlike his predecessors, who had been backed by deeply rooted political interests, Minato emerged from a clean, unaffiliated background. This alone suggested the potential for real change in Konoha's long-standing power structure.
It was this very hope that had drawn support from mid-tier clans such as the Ino Shika Chō trio and the previously marginalized Uchiha clan.
Just then, Shibi Aburame spoke in his calm and quiet manner.
"They've arrived."
Everyone turned their attention toward the Land of Wind. Beneath the intense sunlight, through the shimmering heat haze, a group of black-clad figures slowly came into view.
Seeing them approach, Shikaku exhaled slowly and deeply.
"Brace yourselves. This negotiation won't be easy."
Roughly five minutes later, Rasa finally arrived, accompanied by his subordinates, ready to meet with Minato. This time, he had not brought Pakura or Michikawa. Instead, Baki and Honoka stood beside him. The other two had made it clear that they had no interest in political affairs and were now fully focused on their training.
Although only a year had passed since their last meeting, Minato had expected Rasa to have made significant progress. Still, standing before him now, Minato was left stunned. Rasa stood directly in front of him, yet Minato could not feel even the slightest trace of his chakra.
"I... I can't sense anything."
Not being able to sense an opponent's chakra was more than unsettling. It meant Minato had no way of judging Rasa's strength. Worse, it meant Rasa could move freely without detection. In a shinobi battle, that kind of advantage could prove fatal.
"So this is the mysterious power the Great Toad Sage spoke of?"
And that was only the first surprise. Standing beside Rasa was a girl with unmistakably red hair. Minato froze as soon as he saw her. That visual alone was enough to send a signal. He already knew that a surviving Uzumaki orphan was living in Sunagakure, but based on intelligence from the Land of Grass, this girl was not the one known as Hana.
Realizing that his gaze was too direct, Minato quickly looked away, noticing that she was growing uncomfortable. Pushing down his surprise, he straightened and respectfully greeted the man before him.
"Thank you for accepting my invitation, Kazekage dono."
Rasa didn't seem to care about the minor breach in etiquette. At this point, Sunagakure no longer had any reason to hide Honoka's existence.
He had brought her for two reasons. First, for her formidable sensory abilities. Second, to begin grooming her for a leadership role. Once they returned from this summit, she would likely be ready to undergo the operation for her Sharingan transplant.
"No need to be so formal, Hokage-dono. Technically, we're old acquaintances by now. I haven't even congratulated you on becoming Hokage."
Truthfully, this so-called old acquaintance made things somewhat awkward for Minato. After all, their past encounters had always been on the battlefield, as enemies.
"You flatter me. Please, come this way. The meeting space has been prepared."
"Mm."
Before long, both sides arrived at the designated venue within the village. Rasa and Minato took their seats across from each other, while their respective guards remained quietly positioned behind them. Just as Minato was about to begin the conversation, Rasa abruptly interrupted him.
"Alright, Hokage. Since I'm here, I assume you already understand my stance."
Minato was slightly surprised by the bluntness but nodded lightly in acknowledgment.
"Then I'll skip the formalities. As the Kazekage, I'm willing to announce that Sunagakure will suspend all hostilities and officially join the Five Kage Summit. But I have a few conditions."
That statement made Minato feel both hopeful and tense.
"Please speak freely, Kazekage-dono."
"Very well. First, the Five Kage Summit must be hosted in Sunagakure."
"!!!"
The demand visibly took aback Minato and his aides. Observing their reaction, Rasa shot a glance at the Konoha delegation.
"What? Are you afraid I'll pull something? Even if I did, do the four of you really think I could pose a threat alone?"
Minato paused briefly, then offered a faint, strained smile. Truthfully, he had no clear sense of Rasa's current strength. But since Rasa had said it so directly, he had to offer a careful and diplomatic reply.
"I personally have no objections, but I can't speak for the other Kage. I'll need to consult with them first."
"I'll wait for your response. Now, my second condition. A summit limited to just the Five Kage is too narrow in scope. I propose we turn it into a Five Nations Conference."
"A... Five Nations Conference?"
Everyone on the Konoha side was visibly startled, and Minato couldn't help but question him with a furrowed brow.
"Kazekage dono, what exactly do you mean?"
"Sunagakure is known for its hospitality. If we only invite the five Kage, don't you think that seems a bit exclusive? I propose we also invite the heads of major clans, prominent merchants, and essentially anyone with an interest in attending. Anyone is welcome in our village. Additionally, if the lords and merchants from smaller countries wish to join, we will extend invitations to them as well. Most importantly, I want the daimyō of the Five Great Nations to be present too."
"!!!"
This time, the Konoha delegation was completely stunned. Minato, however, began thinking back to the drastic transformations Sunagakure had undergone in recent months, and he finally grasped the scale of the ambition behind Rasa's proposal.
"As for the timing, let's schedule it for one month from now."
"I understand. Since Kazekage dono is so open-handed, it would seem impolite for me to decline. But as before, I can only represent Konoha. I still need to get the approval of the other Kage and especially the daimyō."
"Understood. Then I'll await your good news."