The sealed kunai

Epilogue: Full Circle

With the war effectively over, the early peacetime days of scrambling around for the scraps of power, land, etc. that the defeated Continental Ninja Federation dropped never occurred the way that Iwagakure had planned. The status quo had been effectively shaken.

They had been effectively frozen out while the G.S.A. seemed completely willing to negotiate and hash things out amongst themselves. In the last few months since the end of the war, even a few of the minor villages that had been enemies managed to garner entry.

This was infuriating to the proud village that had always been involved with the fallout from every single one of the three previous Shinobi World Wars, and they wanted their piece of the pie. To be kept out of such an important time in the history of the Elemental Nations simply burned them up.

They were Iwagakure. You did not forget that you set a place at the table when the time came to dice up this continent like the dessert piece that it was.

Which was why when correspondence came that Konoha was looking to meet and speak, it was readily accepted. Suna was closer, but after the stunt that Iwa tried to pull in the last few weeks of the war with their little 'Risk' strategy of taking Ame and sweeping back for Suna in one fell swoop, the desert-dwellers weren't exactly fans of them, even more so now than ever before.

With Konoha being the second closest G.S.A. power, they would be the one sending the representative.

Onoki figured that Iwagakure had been thrown a lifeline, and 'The Great Fence-Sitter' was looking to use it to pull Konoha and whatever else they could out of the boat with them.

"We could always take this opportunity to tilt things back our way." Kurotsuchi tried to urge to her grandfather as she and her partner Akatsuchi stood at his sides, "Even if he is stronger than before, he's just one guy with a three-man escort. By the time he returned to Konoha anything could have happened to him."

"Be quiet girl." Onoki groused, "This isn't as simple as him being the Kyuubi jinchuuriki. He's Tsunade's next-in-line for the Hokage seat." Whether it was in five to ten years, or whether it was tomorrow in case of an emergency, their guest was next up if the way he'd been utilized lately had been any indication, "Apparently the remaining three kage accept this as an action for the future."

The towering Akatsuchi began seemingly counting on his fingers after hearing that, "Uh... that'd make him how old when he gets it?" He asked before looking down and over at his leader, "Tsuchikage-sama, how old are you? When are you gonna pick somebody else?"

"When I find the right candidate! How many times do I have to say it?"

Kurotsuchi just crossed her arms and rolled her eyes at the predictable response that her grandfather gave. It had been the same thing for years, even decades before she was even born. It was just a sign that Iwagakure had been accustomed to the way things were. The system had been something they could easily work to their advantage. It was all a matter of playing the game.

And when it came to the game of politics in the ninja world, Onoki didn't believe for a moment that some wet-behind-the-ears apprentice knew what he was getting into.

The doors to the room opened with two Iwagakure guards flanking both sides of Konoha's diplomat until they reached the limits of the conference room.

The blue eyes of the scar-faced jounin looked around, taking in his surroundings quickly as he entered and gave a respectful bow to the Tsuchikage as he entered. His own guards were outside, and he was expecting Onoki to send Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi away as it was meant to be a meeting between just the two of them.

"Naruto Uzumaki." Onoki greeting with an expression that could only be perceived as a wily, knowing smirk. At his gesturing, his two bodyguards left his side and exited the room, moving past Naruto.