Fujimoto Tōma stretched lazily, then spoke as if continuing a casual conversation.
"Now that we've reached this point," he said, "would the uninvited guest care to show himself already?"
The atmosphere snapped tight.
Every Kage stiffened at once.
If the Fire Hokage said something like that, it wasn't a bluff. It meant someone had already infiltrated the summit.
The other Kage immediately turned toward their sensory ninja.
The sensors pushed their perception to the limit.
Nothing.
No hostile chakra. No distortion. No trace of intrusion.
They could only shake their heads.
Before doubt could settle, the floor at the center of the hall bulged upward.
A massive plant erupted from the stone, resembling a withered tree bud. The petals peeled open with a wet sound, revealing a pale humanoid figure inside.
Half of its body looked human.
The other half was warped and stretched, as if torn apart and crudely stitched back together.
"Hellooo~" the creature chirped cheerfully.
No one questioned Tōma anymore.
Guards instantly moved in front of their Kage. Naruto and Sasuke, however, remained where they were, standing behind Tōma.
"…Zetsu?" Terumī Mei said cautiously.
"White Zetsu," Tōma confirmed. "Just a clone."
Before anyone could react further, space twisted near Mifune's seat.
Mifune's eyes sharpened. He and his guards vanished in a flash, reappearing closer to the Kage. In moments like this, the safest place was near the strongest fighters.
The distortion collapsed.
A masked man stood where Mifune's table had been.
He wore a black cloak patterned with red clouds. A crimson spiral mask covered his face, a single Sharingan visible through its opening.
"I believe the Fire Hokage already mentioned my name," the man said calmly. "But I'll introduce myself properly."
"I am Uchiha Madara."
The room shook with silent disbelief.
Before anyone could respond, he continued.
"First, I'll explain my objective. After that, I'll ask the Fire Hokage for something."
"What is it?" Tōma asked evenly, not rising from his seat.
"The Eye of the Moon Plan."
Lightning flashed.
The Raikage moved.
A thunderous crash echoed through the chamber as his chakra-wrapped fist slammed through the masked man's body and shattered the wall behind him.
The masked figure stood unharmed.
"Akatsuki's plans are nonsense!" the Raikage roared. "Where is my brother?!"
"Patience," the masked man said coolly. "Listen first. Whether I answer depends on your response."
"Calm yourself," Ōnoki said, floating beside the Raikage. "Hear him out."
Kankurō exhaled sharply. "The punch passed right through him… that's the space-time technique the Fire Hokage mentioned."
The confirmation sent another ripple of unease through the room.
The masked man hopped backward, deliberately increasing his distance from Tōma.
"Shall I continue now?" he asked.
Ōnoki studied him closely. "If you truly are Uchiha Madara, why resort to such indirect methods? With your power, any plan should be simple."
The masked man paused.
"Two reasons," he said at last. "First, I was gravely wounded fighting Hashirama. What remains is little more than a shell."
His gaze shifted toward Tōma.
"Second… you all underestimate the power of the current Fire Hokage."
The weight of that statement landed hard.
"Explain the Eye of the Moon Plan," Tōma said, unfazed.
The masked man chuckled and sat down as if this were a lecture hall.
He spoke of the Sage of Six Paths. Of the Ten-Tails, the original monster whose chakra eclipsed all others.
Gasps spread through the room.
"The Ten-Tails," the masked man declared, "is the source of all tailed beasts."
One by one, he named them. From Shukaku to the Nine-Tails.
"All nine beasts," he said, "are fragments of the Ten-Tails, separated by the Sage himself."
Understanding dawned.
Then came the conclusion.
"I will revive the Ten-Tails. Become its jinchūriki. Use its power to awaken Infinite Tsukuyomi."
A silence deeper than before followed.
"Infinite Tsukuyomi," he explained, "is a genjutsu cast upon the moon itself. Its light will envelop the world. All people will be bound within a single dream."
"A world without conflict," he said softly. "Without separation."
"That's insanity," the Raikage snarled.
"Peace born from illusion is still a lie," Gaara said firmly.
"It's nothing but escape," Mei added.
"And domination," Ōnoki said coldly.
Tōma tilted his head. "If that's what you want, you could just trap yourself in a genjutsu somewhere quiet."
The masked man scoffed.
"An illusion becomes reality when everyone shares it."
He spread his arms.
"So hand over the Nine-Tails, Fire Hokage."
Naruto clenched his fists.
"You think that'll happen?" Tōma asked.
"The tailed beasts were meant to balance the villages," the masked man replied. "Now only Konoha still has one. Perhaps the other Kage would welcome your cooperation."
All eyes turned to them.
"I oppose handing Naruto over," Gaara said immediately.
The others followed with silence, but no dissent.
"Then war it is," the masked man said calmly. "The Fourth Great Ninja War."
His body dissolved into a swirling distortion.
"Next time we meet," he added, "it will be on the battlefield."
White Zetsu waved enthusiastically as both vanished.
"Byee~!"
The room exhaled.
"There's no choice now," Ōnoki said. "A Shinobi Alliance is unavoidable."
"I still support the Fire Hokage as commander," Gaara said.
"So do I," Mei agreed.
After a long moment, the Raikage turned his head away. "The Cloud won't oppose it."
Tōma stood.
"Then it's settled. I will serve as commander of the Allied Shinobi Forces."
He turned to Mifune. "The Iron Country will join us?"
Mifune nodded without hesitation. "We will fight for the world."
"The enemy's strength without the tailed beasts is manageable," Tōma said. "But we can't ignore the power they've gathered."
"The Nine-Tails," Mei said hesitantly. "Should we hide him?"
"No," Tōma replied. "Naruto will fight."
Naruto grinned. "Exactly!"
"I trust his strength," Tōma continued. "And my own ability to protect him."
The others exchanged glances.
If the Fire Hokage said this so calmly… then he must be confident.
The curtain had risen.
The Fourth Great Ninja War had begun.