In Sunagakure, Fourth Kazekage Rasa stared intently at the red-haired youth standing before the "Wind" flag on the heavenly screen.
The youth had the character for "Love" (愛) etched onto his forehead, deep dark circles around his eyes, and a massive sand gourd strapped to his back.
"That... That is Gaara?" Rasa stood up abruptly, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets in sheer disbelief. "He became the Fifth Kazekage? How is that possible!"
He almost roared the words. "He is the Jinchuriki of the Ichibi! A monster feared by everyone in the village! The villagers only feel hatred and rejection toward him; how could they possibly allow him to lead?!"
But in the next second, a cold thought slithered into his mind like a venomous snake. "Wait... where am I?"
Rasa's voice carried an imperceptible tremor. "Ten years later, I should be in my prime. Why would I abdicate? Unless..."
Unless I am dead. The realization hit him like a physical blow. A spine-chilling conjecture surfaced: Did Gaara kill me? Did the Shukaku inside him go berserk, or did he finally lose his mind? Rasa's face turned ashen as he looked toward Gaara's distant residence. This son of his was far more dangerous than he had ever imagined.
In Kirigakure, the shock was no less intense. They saw a mature, charming woman with long reddish-brown hair standing before the "Water" character—Mei Terumī.
"It's that woman, Mei Terumī!" "She became the Fifth Mizukage? Then what about Lord Yagura?" "Yagura is a perfect Jinchuriki with immense strength, how could he..."
An uproar swept through the village. Under the high-pressure "Blood Mist" policy, the villagers felt a surge of confusion. The suspicion that Yagura had met with a sinister accident spread quietly, adding a darker hue to the already oppressive atmosphere.
Mei Terumī lowered her head, her eyes flickering. The uncertainty of the future weighed heavily on her.
At the Five Kage Summit on the screen, the scent of gunpowder was almost palpable.
"Fifth Hokage!" Fourth Raikage A was the first to strike. With a thunderous crack, his massive palm slammed onto the conference table, spiderwebbing the solid wood. "It's all because of Konoha's mess! You must take full responsibility for this!"
Tsunade sat opposite him, her face as dark as a storm cloud. "Raikage, I understand how you feel, but now is not the time for blame! The priority is to deal with the crisis!"
"You understand my ass!" The Raikage was a lit powder keg. He stood up abruptly, his voice like a roar of thunder that shook the screen.
"Nii Yugito and my brother Killer Bee have been captured by those bastards! And you tell me you understand? Have you ever experienced the pain of losing someone important?"
His words were like thorns, stabbing deep into Tsunade's heart. She instantly remembered her brother Nawaki and her lover Dan. Her face turned pale, her chest heaving as she struggled for words.
"Although the Raikage's words are harsh, the logic is sound," Ōnoki floated in the air, his tone steady yet provocative. "Konoha indeed should bear the primary responsibility."
"Now is not the time for infighting," Mei Terumī frowned, her red lips parting as she tried to mediate.
Gaara, the youngest Kazekage, maintained a calmness beyond his years. "I believe the current situation is not something the Fifth Hokage wanted either. This stems from the darkness of the past."
He paused, looking meaningfully at the other Kage. "And as for that darkness, I believe none of the villages represented here were absent. We must exchange intelligence; otherwise, no one will escape."
But the Raikage, blinded by rage, would not listen. "Sounds good! But right now, my brother's life is hanging in the balance! Konoha must give an explanation; that is my bottom line!"
Tsunade's explosive temper finally ignited. With a violent boom, she slammed her own palm down, shattering her corner of the table.
"Fine! You want an explanation?" Tsunade laughed in anger, leaning forward to meet his predatory gaze. "What kind of explanation do you want? I'll give it to you right now!"
The Raikage stunned for a moment, his forehead veins bulging. "What? You woman... Kumogakure is the victim here! What kind of attitude is this?"
Back in the present, inside the Raikage Office. A froze, a look of utter daze appearing on his bronze face. He swayed slightly, gripping his desk to stay upright.
"Yugito... Bee..." They were not just the Nibi and Hachibi Jinchuriki; they were his family. Especially Bee, his brother in spirit and blood.
"Both gone... under my leadership..." A massive sense of failure overwhelmed the man known for his iron will. Violent Lightning Release Chakra spilled uncontrollably from his body, shredding the documents around him like paper rain.
Near the Unraikyo, Killer Bee, who was practicing his rhymes, felt his perpetual grin freeze.