Book 2: The Three of Us

Chapter 26: Five Kage Summit

"Please remove your Kage hats," an elderly man says. The shuffle of fabric can be heard as each of the leaders removed their hat, making their faces visible to everyone in the room. The man continue, "In response to Raikage-sama's request, the Five Kage have assembled here. I am Mifune, your moderator. The Five Kage Summit Conference is called into order."

"I shall speak first. Hear me," the Kazekage says.

The ancient looking man, the Tsuchikage speaks up next, interrupting the Kazekage, "There's such a difference in Kage these days. To be a Kage at your young age is quite an achievement, Kazekage-sama. It seems your father trained you well in everything but proper etiquette."

Gaara stares at the man blankly, not bothered by the obvious attempt to anger him, "You're probably right. It is the reason I can be here as Kazekage."

The Tsuchikage lets out a cackly laugh, "Quite cocky you are."

Mei's soft but comanding voice moves across the room, "There's no need to make fun of him, Tsuchikage-sama. Continue, Kazekage-sama."

"I am a former Jinchuriki. I was taken by the Akatsuki, my tailed beast stolen from me and nearly killing me in the process. So I consider the Akatsuki very dangerous. I sought the cooperation of the Five Kage many times but was ignored. Except by the Hokage," Gaara continues, sending a nod of respect towards Tsunade, which she returns, "The response towards your own Jinchuriki being taken has been too slow, disappointingly so."

"The Five Great Villages working together is a laughable idea, especially when you allowed your own Jinchuriki to be taken. It is an embarrassment! It is common sense to resolve this in utmost secrecy. Seeking the help of other lands is laughable!" the Tsuchikage says.

"Saving face. Such old-fashioned beliefs," Gaara says and I can't help but agree. It was almost embarrassing watching the older shinobi act like children.

"That aside, I will acknowledge that as Mizukage, I have delayed action. However, having our tailed beasts stolen is no cause for immediate fear. Controlling a tailed beast requires time, skill and knowledge," Mei says. 

The Raikage's loud voice travels across the room and it takes everything in me to not flinch back at the obnoxiously loud tone, "Regardless, the Hidden Leaf, Rock, Sand, and Mist are where the rouge shinobi come from that make up the Akatsuki. And that is not all! We know that your villages have used the Akatsuki to benefit themselves." 

"Used them?" Gaara asks in surprise.

"I do not trust you! I have no want to discuss this with you. But the reason I called this summit is to question your loyalty!" the Raikage says.

"It is undeniable that many of our villages have used the Akatsuki to our benefit and to save money. And gotten exceptional results," the Tsuchikage says.

"Get serious Tsuchikage!" the Raikage says, "The Sand used the Akatsuki to attack The Leaf and resulted in the death of your own Kazekage and the Third Hokage. But the most suspicious is the Mist Village. You Mist do not conduct diplomacy and there are even rumors that say the Akatsuki originated there."

"That is incorrect. The Akatsuki did not originate from the Mist Village," Tsunade says, speaking up for the first time and silencing the room.

"What proof do you have for this to be untrue?" the Raikage asks, fuming with anger.

"My Shinobi were able to infiltrate Amegakure and identify the previous leader of the Akatsuki. Nagato, a user of the rinnegan, hailing from Amegakure, and controller of the ones that attack Konoha, was once the leader before he died in battle," Tsunade explains.

"You said previous leader. Does this mean they have a new leader?" Mei asks.

"Yes, a masked man claiming to be Madara Uchiha. However, that is not the real identity of this man," Tsunade continues.

"Then what is the identity of this man?" The Raikage asks, his voice harsh and unnecessarily loud.

Tsunade sits in silence, hesitant if she should reveal the masked mans identity. Everyone in the room grows uneasy when the question is met with silence. Letting out a long breath, Tsunade starts to speak, "A Shinobi of my village, one we thought died in a skirmish against Iwagakure, Obito Uchiha."

With my cue, I step out of the shadows and stop beside Tsunade. All eyes turn to me, suspicion burning in there gazes, creating a thick tension in the room. I spare a brief look at Mei who stares at me with wide eyes before continuing the explanation, "This man has a long history of harm towards all our villages. He was the one to release the Kyubi upon Konoha, and the one responsible for the death of The Land of Fires previous feudal lord. He was also the one responsible for controlling the Fourth Mizukage and all the atrocities that happened under his rain, including the massacre of multiple clans in The Land of Water."

"Hokage-sama, care to explain why you brought a rouge shinobi of the Mist Village with you? What is the purpose of this?" the Raikage says, voice filled with suspicion. 

"Kisame Hoshigaki is a loyal Shinobi of Konoha and the one responsible for gathering the information regarding the Akatsuki," Tsunade says, unblinking in her response.

"He bares no insignia of The Leaf Village," Gaara notes, calculating eyes staring intensely at me. 

"He has been a target of the Akatsuki ever since he denied the offer to be apart of their organization. I thought it unwise to advertise his whereabouts," Tsunade states.

"How foolish can you be to trust a traitor like him!" the Tsuchikage scoffs out, crossing his arms in disapproval.

"He is no traitor," Mei's voice cuts through the air, once again creating shocked silence across the room, "The Mist Village was the one to betray him. Kisame was never anything but loyal up until The Fourth Mizukage ordered the massacre of his clan. Don't ever accuse him of being as low as a traitor."

My eyes widen momentarily in surprise when Mei so quickly came to my defense but I quickly hide the surprise from my face and return it to one of indifference. The eyes of everyone looking at me widen in disbelief as they process the new information they have been given. 

The attention is finally taken off me when Mifune speaks up, "I want to speak on behalf of the neutral nations. The leader of the Akatsuki was able to read the times well, and take advantage of all nations in moments of conflict. It is extremely rare for all Five Kage to assemble. What do you say? Until the Akatsuki is eliminated, why not establish the world's first Allied Shinobi Forces of the Five Hidden Villages?"

"I stand in agreement to this proposal," Tsunade is the first to state but before anyone else can speak up, the room erupts into chaos. 

With a surge of chakra, everyone is put on high alert and every Kage's bodyguards jump into action. Materializing in the middle of the room is a pale plant like man and the masked man himself, Obito Uchiha.

"Hello Kisame, we meet again. It really was heartbreaking when you turned me down. And it's quite unfortunate that you figured out my true identity. But don't be naïve in thinking Madara isn't a threat," Obito says, his playful voice switching to one dark and serious with the mention of Madara.

My eyes narrow as I stare at him, hand on Samihada and prepared to attack at any moment. Seeing the man once again after now knowing everything he has done sends a wave of anger through me. I will kill this man and punish him for everything he has done. I will not stop until he's dead.