Chapter 88

In the Land of Iron

The Five Kage Summit was held according to the scheduled date.

Tenzou sat behind the table, composed and calm.

The Tsuchikage, the oldest, was shrewd and experienced, maintaining a calm demeanor.

The Raikage was always domineering, with the most imposing presence. Even among those standing at the pinnacle of the world, his arrogance remained, his face full of defiance.

Although the Mizukage was a woman, she was not weak. Her ability to carve out a path through the Blood Mist Shinobi and guide them onto the right path demonstrated her superior mental and physical strength, and her composure was commendable.

Gaara, the youngest, was no less composed than the Tsuchikage.

He had been in constant conflict with the One-Tailed Beast since childhood, and the suffering that had tormented him for over a decade not only granted him immense power but also forged a strong will. Among his peers, if anyone had the hardest will, it was Gaara.

Moreover, his cruel experiences in childhood made him rather obsessive. At first, he was fixated on blood and indiscriminate killing. Now, he was devoted to the Sand Village, and he possessed the demeanor of a Kazekage.

Tenzou narrowed his eyes, his gaze subtly sweeping over the others present.

He secretly assessed their strength. These people might become his enemies in the future!

"Alright, everyone has gathered here today to discuss how to deal with the Akatsuki organization. As the host, shall I lead this meeting?" Sanzenin stood up and addressed the group, neither humble nor arrogant.

The Land of Iron practiced the Way of the Sword, a technique that integrated chakra. The development of chakra blades solved the problem of limited range for samurai, allowing the Way of the Sword to survive in the Land of Iron.

Due to its geographical location and other factors, despite their formidable strength, they remained independent from other ninja villages.

This was why the Five Kage Summit was held here. As the host, Sanzenin leading the meeting suited the intentions of the others.

"I don't care what the others do, but Sasuke must die!" The Raikage glared at Tenzou with a fierce expression.

Tenzou sat straight in his chair, unaffected by the Raikage's aggressive aura.

"Uchiha Sasuke, as a叛忍 of Konoha and a member of the Akatsuki, was already listed on the Konoha叛忍 wanted list when I took office. Your anger at me is futile. If you want to kill him, go find him yourself," Tenzou said calmly.

"Huh?!" The Raikage was furious.

Bang!

A punch created a large hole in the wall.

"What kind of attitude is that!"

Tenzou remained calm, sitting in his seat without showing any agitation.

"The purpose of this meeting is to form an alliance to combat the Akatsuki. Raikage, please calm down and set aside personal grudges for now," Tenzou said with a hint of sarcasm.

The Raikage was immediately enraged and about to lash out.

Sanzenin suddenly coughed.

"Raikage, it's best to restrain yourself. Dealing with the Akatsuki is the main purpose of this meeting."

The Raikage appeared rash but was not impulsive. Although he was eager to avenge Killer Bee, he clearly knew that now was not the time to lose control. The Akatsuki was the greater threat.

If he insisted on causing a commotion, he would be on the opposite side of all the Kage, which would not be in his best interest.

He glared at Tenzou and then sat down heavily.

The Tsuchikage watched the scene with interest but remained silent.

The Mizukage's lips curled slightly, a hint of disappointment in her smile, as if she was disappointed that no conflict had erupted.

Gaara's expression was blank, giving no indication of his thoughts.

Sanzenin, seeing that everyone had maintained basic composure, continued, "Since we are forming an alliance, to coordinate our forces, I suggest we elect a commander to allocate resources and maximize the alliance's strength."

Tenzou's right hand, wrapped in bandages, subtly clenched.

Sanzenin scanned the Five Kage, finally fixing his gaze on Tenzou. "I recommend the Sixth Hokage, Tenzou, to serve as the commander of the alliance."

"Impossible!" The Raikage immediately became furious, standing up and shouting.

"Why him? The one who should lead is a strong and capable person like me. Don't you know about Tenzou's dark methods? Once he becomes the commander, who can guarantee he won't secretly weaken our villages?" The Raikage was agitated, but his words were clear and logical.

The Tsuchikage, as usual, watched the drama unfold, but the disdain in his eyes clearly showed he did not agree with the proposal.

Tenzou and he were of the same kind, willing to use any means to achieve their goals. He preferred a direct and forceful approach, while Tenzou was ruthless and often used underhanded methods. Such a person was more dangerous. How could he allow a venomous snake that constantly watched him to lead the Rock Village?

Sanzenin looked at the Raikage coldly.

"Your temper makes you unsuitable to be the commander!"

The veins on the Raikage's neck bulged, and he was about to explode.

"Wait. Tenzou! You dared to use genjutsu to deceive everyone!"

A voice suddenly rang out, causing everyone to pause.

Whoosh!

The hidden guards appeared.

In an instant, the atmosphere in the meeting room became tense.

The Tsuchikage's eyes flashed with amusement. It seemed Tenzou would not become the commander without his opposition.

"I don't feel anything," Sanzenin frowned, looking at the speaker behind the Mizukage.

The man was one-eyed, his right eye covered by a black eye patch. He faced the puzzled gazes of the others without fear, his eyes fixed on Tenzou.

"My right eye is a Byakugan, which can clearly see chakra flow. The chakra in Tenzou's right eye is the same as Uchiha Shisui's. This means he, like me, has transplanted someone else's eye, and it is the eye of the highest-level genjutsu user. It can control the brain directly, making the genjutsu both hidden and powerful!"

The Raikage seized this opportunity to strike at his opponent: "Such a person has no right to be the commander. Who can guarantee he won't use genjutsu to control us? There is no trust in this alliance."

Tenzou remained calm, showing no reaction to the suspicion in the others' eyes.

Boom!

Suddenly, the entire base shook.

"What's happening!" Sanzenin, maintaining his composure, immediately turned to ask the person behind him.

After a moment of static, the person replied with a look of surprise: "Uchiha Sasuke has infiltrated and launched a frontal attack."

Boom!

Dust and smoke billowed, a large hole appeared in the wall, and the Raikage was nowhere to be seen.

Sanzenin's face darkened as he glanced at the hole. "To dare to offend the dignity of the Land of Iron! Send out the samurai to capture Uchiha Sasuke!"

...

Suzuki sat behind the table, a fireplace nearby casting a warm glow, making the room feel like spring.

The table was filled with various dishes.

"These are the special dishes of the Land of Iron. This ice fish is the most delicious, taken from the frozen cold pond. The meat is fresh and tender. Sliced thinly, it melts in your mouth like ice. It's very delicious," Haku patiently introduced the dishes to Suzuki.

Suzuki's chopsticks moved swiftly, and the food on the table quickly disappeared.

To him, all the food was either good or bad; he couldn't taste the subtle differences.

"Lord, the guards around us are very strict. They are monitoring us," Zabuza leaned in and whispered.

Suzuki nodded, acknowledging the information.

A murderous look flashed across Zabuza's face. "Lord, should I eliminate them?"

His strength had greatly improved, and after leading the Akatsuki for over two years, Zabuza's confidence was high. Upon arriving in the Land of Iron, he was frustrated to find himself under house arrest.

"No need."

Suzuki's response was brief and decisive. He then drank a bowl of delicious fish soup, letting out a puff of white breath.

At that moment, the entire base shook suddenly.

Zabuza immediately rushed to the door.

Haku's gentle expression turned serious as he stood in front of Suzuki, blocking the doorway.

Suzuki's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and his powerful mental energy swept through the entire palace in an instant. A hint of interest appeared on his face.

"Sasuke is here."

Haku was taken aback, then his face lit up with joy.

"Is it Lord Sasuke? I was worried he had encountered some danger. Now it's good; Lord can finally reunite with Lord Sasuke."

Suzuki remained noncommittal. Reunite? Not necessarily.

"Let's go and see what kind of adventure Sasuke has had."

Haku took out a kunai, assuming a defensive stance, and led the way out.

Just as they stepped out, they saw Zabuza facing off against the samurai of the Land of Iron.

A broadsword rested on his shoulder, his narrow eyes squinted, and his already dark face became even more terrifying.

These samurai actually dared to block his path. If not for not knowing Suzuki's stance, Zabuza would have already cut them in half!

"Lord, we are currently on high alert. Please stay in the room. We will inform you of the details later," the samurai, encased in thick armor, said, his face hidden.

Despite facing Zabuza's menacing sword, he remained calm, steadfast in his duty.

Suzuki, as if not hearing, took a step forward.

Clang! The samurai drew his sword, holding it with both hands, the tip pointed at Suzuki.

"Lord, please return to the room for now!"

Suzuki's face was expressionless, and he did not stop. With one step, he passed by Haku and approached the samurai.

His left hand clenched into a fist and swung to the right.

Bang!

The samurai's figure vanished from the spot, crashing into the wall.

A human-shaped indentation appeared in the wall.

The samurai was trapped, struggling, but clearly not injured. However, no matter how he struggled, he could not escape the indentation.

Suzuki, without a glance at the samurai in the wall, took another step.

Bang!

Another human-shaped indentation appeared in the wall.

Zabuza let out a laugh, kicked off, and quickly advanced. He rushed in front of Suzuki, his broadsword slamming into the samurai blocking the way. The immense force knocked the samurai unconscious.

He could not control his strength like Suzuki, who could embed someone in the wall without injuring them.

But Zabuza did not need to hold back. He had been harboring frustration and was eager to release it!

If not for not wanting to provoke the Land of Iron, these samurai would not have just been knocked unconscious.

Bang, bang... bang, bang, bang!

A series of dull thuds later, the ground was littered with unconscious samurai, and the walls were dotted with human-shaped indentations.

The three of them walked at a steady pace, their footsteps echoing, disappearing into the end of the empty corridor.

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