464. The Four Kage Summit

Land of Iron

As one of the few permanently neutral nations in the ninja world, the Land of Iron, despite sharing a border with the Land of Fire, had been fortunate enough to avoid being dragged into the numerous shinobi wars.

However, underestimating this peaceful nation would be a grave mistake.

Unlike the priestesses of the Land of Demons, the Land of Iron maintained its neutrality not through diplomacy or luck, but through sheer military might.

Although it had no shinobi, its army of over ten thousand fully armed samurai was enough to strike fear into any nation.

Small nations dared not provoke it, while major powers saw it as a tough nut to crack.

Combined with its location in the frigid northern region, there was little incentive for conflict.

Moreover, the Land of Iron was well aware that shinobi were the dominant force in the ninja world.

For decades, it had quietly remained within its borders, showing no signs of ambition.

However, the rapid changes in the ninja world, particularly the rise of Konoha and its aggressive expansionist policies, forced the Land of Iron to reconsider its stance.

If it stood by and allowed Konoha to conquer other nations, its neutral status would mean little.

Thus, under the direction of its leader, General Mifune, the Land of Iron stepped into the turbulent waters of the ninja world and hosted the Four Kage Summit.

---

Land of Iron, Castle Entrance

The Fourth Raikage, A, removed his hat as he entered the Land of Iron, gazing at the massive castle before him with a hint of surprise.

"It's quite unexpected that Ōnoki managed to convince Mifune to host the Four Kage Summit here," he remarked.

Upon receiving Ōnoki's invitation and learning that the Kazekage, Rasa, and the Mizukage, Mei Terumī, would also attend, A had agreed without hesitation.

Among the major nations, Kumogakure's hatred for Konoha ran the deepest and was the most bitter.

This was especially true for the Fourth Raikage, whose father had been killed by Danzō during the war with Konoha.

For him, this was a matter of avenging his father's death.

Moreover, with Konoha's forces now pushing toward the Land of Lightning's doorstep, A had no choice but to accept the invitation.

"At any rate, this is good news for us," said Darui, one of A's guards.

With his white hair, muscular build, and coffee-colored skin, Darui looked every bit the elite shinobi he was.

At a young age, he had mastered the Storm Release kekkei genkai and the Black Lightning secret technique, previously known only to the Third Raikage.

He was one of A's top candidates for succession.

Standing beside Darui was C, known as the Raikage's left hand.

With his blond hair and fair skin, C possessed sensory, medical, and genjutsu abilities, making him another of A's prized protégés.

C nodded in agreement with Darui.

"General Mifune's decision to host the summit clearly indicates his willingness to join us in opposing Konoha. This is definitely a positive development."

There was a palpable sense of relief in C's voice. It wasn't that he was timid, but the sheer pressure Konoha had exerted in recent years was overwhelming.

Konoha's strength was undeniable.

The older generation had powerhouses like Danzō Shimura and Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The middle generation included legends like Tsunade and Jiraiya, two of the Sannin.

The younger generation boasted talents like Minato Namikaze, Shikaku Nara, and Torune Aburame.

And then there were the rising stars: Kakashi Hatake, Itachi Uchiha, Might Guy, and prodigies like Sasuke Uchiha and Kimimaro.

Not to mention the mysterious Earth Branch Squad within Danzō's Root, and the advanced modern technology Konoha had developed in recent years.

Just thinking about it was enough to make one's scalp tingle!

It was no wonder the other major nations had no choice but to unite.

If they tried to face Konoha alone, they would be crushed in no time.

Seeing the tense atmosphere, the Fourth Raikage cleared his throat.

"At any rate, the Land of Iron joining us is good news," he said, waving his hand. "Let's go. We shouldn't keep them waiting."

Soon, under the guidance of the Land of Iron's samurai, the Kumogakure delegation entered the castle and made their way to the conference room.

At the same time, delegations from the other nations were also arriving.

To prevent potential unrest at home, the Mizukage, Mei Terumī, had brought only a small entourage.

Her sole guard was Chōjūrō, a rising star in Kirigakure.

The Kazekage, Rasa, brought his trusted elite jonin, Baki.

As for the Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, he brought along his prized student, Deidara, perhaps hoping that Deidara would follow in his footsteps and become the next leader of Iwagakure.

Thus, the Four Kage Summit, aimed at countering Konoha, was about to begin.

---

Inside the Castle

"Tch, is this where the summit is being held? It looks a bit shabby," Deidara muttered as he looked around, clearly unimpressed.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up as an idea struck him.

"How about I use my explosive art to give this place a proper makeover?"

This idea was immediately shot down by his teacher.

Ōnoki smacked Deidara on the head without hesitation and scolded, "This is an important occasion! No fooling around!"

"Ouch! You old geezer, I was just joking!" Deidara hissed, rubbing his head.

Ōnoki glared at him but said nothing more.

This scene, however, did not escape the notice of the Raikage and his entourage, who had just arrived.

"Tch, Ōnoki, it seems you're not much of a teacher if even your student dares to disrespect you like that," the Fourth Raikage taunted.

Before Ōnoki could respond, Deidara bristled and shot back, "Hey, you muscle-headed barbarians! Say one more word about my teacher, and I'll make you regret it!"

For Deidara, his teacher might be a bit old-fashioned, but no one had the right to insult him—especially not these brutish highlanders.

Hearing this, Ōnoki felt a warmth in his heart but also a sense of foreboding.

Sure enough, the Raikage and his team were incensed by Deidara's insult.

"You brat, what did you just say?!" the Fourth Raikage roared, electricity crackling around him like an enraged lion.

Deidara, however, stood his ground, glaring back defiantly. "I called you a barbarian! What are you going to do about it?!"