Ōnoki feigned a pitiful look: "The Kazekage was killed, the Tailed Beast was stolen, and you're even being targeted by your own country's Daimyō..."
"Sunagakure is truly pathetic. Let's go, let's not waste any more time with these losers."
"Hahaha..."
The people from Iwagakure burst into laughter upon hearing this.
Sunagakure and Iwagakure had fought several wars and had long been at odds.
Back when the Third Kazekage disappeared, Iwagakure joined forces with Kumogakure to invade the Land of Wind and steal their sand.
Pakura furrowed her brows. She had been responsible for Kirigakure battlefield and had many grievances with Kirigakure Shinobi, but hadn't clashed much with the experts of Iwagakure.
But these Iwagakure Shinobi were too obnoxious; they couldn't just keep rubbing salt in their wounds, could they?
They were at their lowest point with their Kazekage killed and their Tailed Beast taken—did Iwagakure have to keep poking at their scars?
Chiyo pointed at Ōnoki's nose and cursed: "Ōnoki, why are you walking through the main gate? Is that a height you can actually fit through?"
"There's a doggy door over here that's just the right size for you. Hurry up and crawl through it; don't embarrass yourself at the main gate."
Ōnoki grew furious: "Old hag, do you really think I don't dare to kill you?"
The people from Iwagakure and Sunagakure stood in a tense standoff with weapons drawn as more and more Shinobi gathered at the Village entrance.
Some were worried the two Villages would start fighting, while others were gleefully watching the drama unfold.
Another group arrived from the distance.
It was the people from Kirigakure.
Leading them was a youth with fluffy, emerald-green short hair, carrying a club-like weapon with a hook at the end decorated with green flowers.
He wore the attire of Kirigakure with a green sleeveless cloak over it.
It was Yagura Karatachi, the Three-Tails Jinchuriki of Kirigakure and also the candidate for Mizukage at this time.
He was accompanied by several elite Shinobi.
The beautiful kunoichi Mei Terumī with green eyes and long, reddish-brown wavy hair; and the honest-looking, shark-faced Kisame...
Ao, who had seized the Byakugan from the Hyuga Main House, didn't dare come. He was on Konoha's "must-kill" list for Kirigakure; if he dared show up, he'd likely be assassinated by the Hyuga Clan.
Mei Terumī immediately locked eyes with the somewhat cold Fifth Kazekage of the Sunagakure side, Pakura, who stood with her arms crossed.
She showed a look of resentment and whispered in Yagura's ear: "That's Pakura, the Scorch Release User who brutally murdered many of our Village's Shinobi!"
Pakura's Scorch Release was powerful and cruel; any Kirigakure Shinobi who fought her would be turned into a mummified corpse.
This powerful Kekkei Genkai and her killing methods had incited the hatred of the Ryou Kirigakure Shinobi. The higher-ups had even been willing to end the war with Sunagakure just to kill Pakura.
If it weren't for the war against Madara, Pakura would have already been sold for a good price by Sunagakure.
How could she have been allowed to climb to the high position of Fifth Kazekage?
Pakura saw the leaders of Kirigakure whispering, stepped forward, and looked down at Yagura with her arms crossed: "What's this? Is this the new Mizukage of Kirigakure?"
"Are you planning to drag students out of the Shinobi Academy to deal with Uchiha Madara?"
Pakura knew Yagura; she knew he was an Elite Jonin of Kirigakure whose Water Mirror Technique could create a mirror made of water.
The mirror would produce an exact duplicate of the enemy that could use the same Ninjutsu as the opponent.
This move had caused the people of Sunagakure quite a bit of trouble.
Pakura's words were purely imitating Chiyo's tactics, mocking Yagura's height.
Yagura had a small and frail build, looking like an elementary school student, not even as mature as Kakashi and the others.
In reality, Yagura and Pakura were about the same age, both in their twenties.
"What did you say?!"
Yagura became just as agitated as Ōnoki; his sore spot was also his immature appearance.
When he went to the battlefield in the past, people thought he was a Shinobi Academy student and couldn't bear to kill him.
Pakura didn't answer directly but asked instead: "Are you the new Mizukage of Kirigakure?"
Yagura shook his head: "No, the Mizukage has an internal ailment. It takes some time to travel from the Land of Water to Konoha, so he appointed me as the Mizukage's representative to attend the Five Kage Summit."
Pakura snorted coldly: "If you're not the Mizukage, why are you talking back to me? Little schoolboy, go home and play!"
"Pakura, you brat! If it weren't for the matter of Uchiha Madara, do you think you'd still be alive?"
"Hmph! Little schoolboy, it seems you also know about me being framed by the Village. Were you involved too?"
On this side, the Fifth Kazekage and the Mizukage candidate Yagura were also about to start fighting.
Sunagakure taking on two at once—how incredibly bold!
Kakashi rubbed his head, somewhat speechless: "Do these guys realize that Uchiha Madara is our biggest enemy right now?"
Obito was also speechless: "Are we really counting on this group of people, who have held grudges for generations and want to kill each other on sight, to deal with Uchiha Madara and Ryou?"
"I think my Uchiha Clan might as well just defect to Madara. At least Madara might treat us better for the sake of being the same clan."
Rin tapped Obito on the head: "Obito, don't say such things!"
"Ōnoki—!"
A loud shout came from within Konoha Village. The person who arrived wasn't the Hokage coming to mediate, but the Fourth Raikage.
He activated his Lightning Release chakra Mode, his whole body covered in electrical sparks. He charged in front of Ōnoki like a bolt of lightning: "Ōnoki, give me back my father's life!"
In the Third Great Shinobi War, Ōnoki used ten thousand Iwagakure Shinobi to grind the Third Raikage to death.
The Third Raikage was the strongest Raikage in the history of the Hidden Cloud Village; not only was he powerful, but he also possessed immense charisma within the Village.
His death was a massive blow to the Hidden Cloud.
Although he protected the Village's surviving forces by allowing them to retreat, his death in battle almost made it impossible for the Hidden Cloud to pull through.
The Fourth Raikage had not yet won a decisive battle to earn the full trust of the Hidden Cloud Shinobi; before this, the Third Raikage was still the spiritual pillar of the Hidden Cloud.
As long as he was there, the Hidden Cloud would not fall.
Ōnoki quickly flew up into the sky and sneered: "The Hidden Cloud really is a bunch of brutes! Starting a fight over the slightest disagreement."
"Fine, today I'll send you to see your dead old man!"
Ōnoki opened both hands, preparing his Dust Release.
At the critical moment, the Third Hokage walked to the entrance of the Konoha gate with Koharu and Homura, acting as a mediator.
Alongside the Third Hokage, Koharu, and Homura, there was also the General of the Land of Iron, Mifune, who also stepped in to mediate.
"Alright, alright. Ōnoki, Chiyo, Raikage—you are all high-ranking officials of your respective Villages and leaders of your nations. How can you still be so restless?"
Hearing this, Ōnoki lowered his hands. He was willing to give the Third Hokage face and stop causing a scene.
But the Fourth Raikage was still relentless: "Ōnoki, you must give me an explanation!"
Ōnoki shouted: "What is there to explain? A Shinobi's war is a matter of life and death. We people who have blood feuds with each other aren't meeting today to understand one another!"
"It's because there is an enemy we can only defeat by joining forces!"
"Hmph!"
The Fourth Raikage snorted and deactivated his Lightning Release chakra Mode.
Ōnoki was right; a Shinobi's war was life and death. They weren't standing here to seek reconciliation.
It was the threat of Madara—his Rinnegan and his Eye of the Moon Plan—that drove them, or rather the ruling classes behind them, to push for this Five Kage Summit.