261-265

*Chapter 261: Black Zetsu’s Backup Plan*

The sudden appearance of Obito did not surprise Hattori.

Half a year ago, he had noticed someone loitering around the ice cream shop, as if keeping watch.

At first, he thought it was Konoha's Anbu and didn't pay much attention until he went to the Hidden Rain Village.

When he resurrected Yahiko there, he sensed the same presence around the village that he had detected near the ice cream shop in Konoha.

Hattori doubted that Konoha's Anbu could extend their reach to monitor Nagato; otherwise, Jiraiya wouldn't have died in the original story.

The only logical answer was obvious.

The person who could appear in both the Hidden Rain Village and Konoha was none other than one of the masterminds behind the Akatsuki—Uchiha Obito!

And it turned out that his assumption was correct.

Seeing Obito appear before him, Hattori broke into a grin.

“Obito, instead of questioning me, you should be thanking me. I created a world where Rin exists, saving you a great deal of trouble, don't you think?”

“...”

Obito fell silent at Hattori's words and only spoke after a pause, “What is your real objective?”

“Objective?”

Hattori pondered for a moment and smacked his lips.

“Well, I can’t say I thought that far ahead. If I had to pick one, it’d be that I want world peace and fewer troublemakers. And yes, I’m talking about you!”

“...”

Obito stayed silent, but Hattori could see the mistrust in his eyes.

Hattori didn’t expect Obito to fully trust him and frankly didn’t care.

Seeing Obito’s skeptical gaze, Hattori spread his hands.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe me. I’m not here to earn your trust. But I do have one piece of advice for you, and you’d do well to remember it.”

He leaned in close, speaking in a voice only they could hear.

“Watch out for Black Zetsu.”

With that, Hattori turned and walked back to the ice cream shop, calling out as he approached.

“Rin, get me an ice cream, strawberry flavor!”

“Sure!”

Rin responded cheerfully and handed him the ice cream with a bright smile.

“Here’s your ice cream, godfather!”

“Thanks!”

Hattori took the ice cream and gestured towards Obito.

“Get one for him too. He’s my newly adopted son. From now on, he’ll be responsible for protecting you, so you can reveal your face to him.”

“Huh?”

Rin looked surprised and stared at Obito with newfound interest.

“Godfather, do you mean... he’s someone you brought back to life as well?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Seeing Rin’s astonished gaze, Hattori called out to Obito.

“Hey, Obito, come over here. I’ve got a new sister to introduce you to. You’ll be working and living together from now on. Don’t be shy, come on!”

Obito: “(╬￣皿￣)”

“Shy, my foot! Try me, and I’ll Kamui you into oblivion!”

Hearing Hattori’s brazen tone and the emphasis he placed on “godfather,” Obito felt an urge to slap him back to reality.

But the thought of living under the same roof as Rin made him swallow his pride.

“─=≡Σ(((つ^ω^)つ Godfather, I’m coming!”

...

Hattori had long known that Rin would play a significant role in dealing with Obito, but he hadn’t expected it to be this effective.

Watching Obito’s cautious and humble behavior, Hattori found it hard to connect him with the man who declared the Fourth Great Ninja War before the Five Kage in the original story.

“Does this count as saving the ninja world?”

Seeing Obito helping Rin with trays in the ice cream shop and recalling that Nagato had returned to Yahiko’s side, Hattori thought there was no way the Fourth Great Ninja War would happen.

He smacked his lips again at the thought.

“Impressive... too bad I can’t tell anyone about this. This is what they call ‘doing good and not seeking recognition.’ I’m so noble!”

He licked his ice cream and headed toward Kurenai Yuhi’s house.

...

While Hattori was waiting for Kurenai to return to complete their three-billion-dollar project, a humanoid creature that resembled a pitcher plant started moving again.

If Hattori had seen him, he would have recognized him immediately—Black Zetsu!

As a creation and the will of Kaguya Otsutsuki, Black Zetsu’s goal since birth had been to resurrect her, and he had always been looking for opportunities.

This time was his closest chance yet.

But Hattori’s unexpected presence had made things complicated.

Especially after seeing Nagato and Obito slip from his control, Black Zetsu knew that if he didn’t act soon, this opportunity would slip away again.

However, he didn’t dare confront Hattori, so he avoided approaching Nagato and Obito, turning instead to Kabuto Yakushi.

Just like in the original, after learning of Orochimaru’s “death,” Kabuto, who admired him but struggled to find meaning, chose to follow in Orochimaru’s footsteps.

Kabuto injected himself with the cells of the White Snake and transformed himself into another version of Orochimaru. He even entered Ryuchi Cave and mastered Sage Mode.

As for the [Impure World Reincarnation], Orochimaru’s specialty, Kabuto didn’t abandon it but instead honed and expanded it.

Over the past few years, he traveled through various ninja villages, raided graves, and used the reincarnation technique to summon renowned and obscure ninja alike.

And this skill was precisely what Black Zetsu valued.

So when Black Zetsu found Kabuto, he did only one thing—he led Kabuto to Uchiha Madara’s corpse.

As an “Impure World Reincarnation fanatic,” Kabuto didn’t hesitate when he found Madara’s body and immediately reincarnated him.

To control Madara, Kabuto prepared thoroughly, even incorporating Hashirama’s cells into control seals.

But it was futile.

As soon as the reincarnation was complete, Black Zetsu seized control, and Madara released the technique on himself.

So, despite intending to find a “servant,” Kabuto ended up summoning a “master.”

And Madara had no intention of being Kabuto’s superior alone. He took Black Zetsu and Kabuto and stormed the Hidden Rain Village.

As the original owner of the Rinnegan and with an immortal body due to the reincarnation, Madara completely overpowered Nagato and his Six Paths of Pain.

Nagato and his paths fell quickly. To protect Yahiko and Konan, Nagato was eventually captured by Madara.

And this had been Madara’s plan all along.

“Despite some hiccups, things are finally back on track. Now, it’s time for you to fulfill your true purpose. Black Zetsu, do it!”

With Madara’s command, Black Zetsu forced Nagato to use the Rinnegan’s greatest power on the reincarnated Madara.

“Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life!”

End of Chapter

*Chapter 262: Five Kage Summit (Part 1)*

Nagato sacrificed his life to cast the Samsara of Heavenly Life Jutsu, fully reviving Madara Uchiha.

This was, in fact, the outcome Madara had always planned. Back then, he transplanted his Rinnegan into Nagato precisely for this day. As for Obito, he was merely an "insurance policy" for this plan.

Although that “insurance policy” in Obito failed, Black Zetsu cleverly used Kabuto to compensate, allowing Madara Uchiha’s successful resurrection.

Naturally, Madara wasted no time after his revival; he boldly took charge and began executing his Eye of the Moon Plan. Under his leadership, the Akatsuki resumed their operations with even more brazenness!

Following the capture of Gaara's One-Tail, the Jinchuriki from other villages also fell victim. The Two-Tails Jinchuriki from the Hidden Cloud, the Five-Tails from the Hidden Stone, the Six-Tails from the Hidden Mist, and the Seven-Tails from the Hidden Waterfall were all captured and killed after the Tailed Beasts were extracted.

By the time the major ninja forces reacted, there were only three Jinchuriki left in the world: Naruto, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki from the Hidden Leaf; Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki from the Hidden Cloud; and Hattori, the Four-Tails Jinchuriki.

When Hattori heard this news, he couldn’t help but be a little surprised.

He hadn’t expected his interference to backfire, bringing about Madara Uchiha’s resurrection sooner than anticipated.

However, despite his surprise, he wasn’t overly concerned. In his mind, even with both Rinnegan intact, Madara wouldn’t necessarily be a threat, let alone with only one Rinnegan.

As for the other Rinnegan? Hattori had long flushed it down the toilet. If Madara could still find it, Hattori could only admit defeat.

All in all, Hattori felt no pressure from Madara’s revival; he went about his days eating and playing as usual, entirely unbothered.

Then, just as he’d almost forgotten about the Akatsuki, Ebizō came to him with a scroll.

"Fifth Kazekage, we received an urgent message from the Hidden Cloud. They’re calling for a Five Kage Summit to discuss dealing with the Akatsuki."

"Not going!"

Hattori dismissed the idea without hesitation, waving his hand before Ebizō could even finish his sentence.

“I don’t have time for that. Can’t they see I’m busy day and night? Tell them the Hidden Sand is too occupied with village affairs; I won’t be attending.”

Ebizō: "..."

Busy, my foot! I'm the one who’s busy here!

Don’t think I don’t know you’re spending all your time drinking and chasing women!

Despite his inner grumblings, Ebizō continued to plead earnestly.

“Kazekage, the Five Kage Summit isn’t like any other meeting; it’s essential to attend. It’s a matter of stance. What we discuss afterward is secondary, so please consider going.”

"Uh…" Hattori raised an eyebrow. “Is it that important?”

"Yes!" Ebizō nodded firmly, making it clear this was no joke.

“I’ve already chosen your guards—Jonin Gaara and Temari. They’re waiting outside.”

"Tch..."

At the mention of his guards, Hattori looked unimpressed.

“You can’t even pick decent guards. Gaara and Temari are too weak; I think Pakura and Yuno would be better.”

Ebizō: "→_→"

Pakura and Yuno? Are you going for a summit or a honeymoon?

Seeing Hattori’s resolute expression, Ebizō’s mouth twitched slightly, and he immediately called him out.

“I know exactly what you’re thinking, Fifth Kazekage. Let me be honest; I didn’t consider any woman you’ve had ‘relationships’ with. Whatever you plan to do, handle it when you return!”

Hattori: "(ω`)"

You sly old fox!

Realizing Ebizō had caught onto his intentions, Hattori had no choice but to relent, nodding in resignation.

“Fine. Since you’ve gone this far, I won’t make it difficult. I’ll take Gaara and Temari to the summit. Happy now?”

He stood up and walked toward the door, but just then, Ebizō stopped him.

“Wait... Fifth Kazekage, I haven’t told you the summit’s location!”

“No need; I know it’s in the Land of Iron!”

He opened the door to the Kazekage’s office, turned back to the dumbfounded Ebizō, and flashed a grin.

“I’m off—take care of the Hidden Sand while I’m away!”

"Uh..."

Though surprised that Hattori knew the location, Ebizō said nothing more and bowed deeply.

“Safe travels, Fifth Kazekage!”

“I will. Goodbye!”

With that, Hattori headed out.

Downstairs, he summoned his Giant Winged Dragonfly, mounted it with Gaara and Temari, and took off toward the Land of Iron.

...

Compared to a mech, the Giant Winged Dragonfly was smaller, drawing less attention and allowing easy dismissal when not in use. However, it was slower.

Flying over the desert, Hattori couldn’t help but sigh.

“Next time they hold a Five Kage Summit, they should come to the Hidden Sand. The Land of Iron is too far; this will take all day!”

“One day is already fast enough!”

Hearing Hattori’s comment, Gaara looked at him with exasperation.

“Don’t forget, there’s a whole country between the Hidden Sand and the Land of Iron. Traveling by foot would take days.”

“Indeed!” Temari nodded in agreement with Gaara.

“He’s right, Kazekage. A day’s travel is impressive. It’s all thanks to your flying summoning beast, which is truly enviable!”

Excited as it was her first time attending a Five Kage Summit and riding the Giant Winged Dragonfly, Temari’s enthusiasm was infectious.

Seeing her happiness, Hattori couldn’t help but smile.

“Now that you mention it, you’re right. But it’s still a bit boring. Temari, can you sing something?”

“Uh…”

At this, Temari’s face flushed bright red, and she quickly shook her head.

“No, I… I don’t sing well. Please don’t make me do that, Kazekage!”

“Tsk… What a pity.”

Disappointed at her refusal, Hattori clicked his tongue and nodded.

“All right then. Since you won’t sing, I’ll give you a taste of the Sand Village’s finest voice—my own! Prepare to witness the Ninja World’s number one singer!”

With that, he took a deep breath and began to sing, head held high.

“Being unbeatable is… so lonely… being unbeatable is… so empty… Alone at the summit, the cold wind blows through. Who can understand… my loneliness…”

Gaara: "..."

Temari: "..."

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 263: The Five Kage Summit (Part 2)*

Hattori was riding the giant dragonfly, singing enthusiastically. He started with Invincible, moved on to Farewell My Concubine, and then belted out Eighteen Bends of the Mountain Road. His loud singing left Gaara and Temari's faces twitching with discomfort.

If they weren't worried about losing track of Hattori’s speed, they might have jumped off the dragonfly by now.

Fortunately, Hattori’s voice wasn’t made of iron. After a series of high-pitched songs, his voice finally gave out.

“Whew... My throat's worn out. I'll take a break, but don't worry, I'll sing my best song, The Love of a Barge Worker, later. Just wait!”

“...”

Who's hear that?!

Gaara and Temari wanted to beg him to stop singing, but they remembered what Elder Chiyo had told them: Keep Hattori happy and relaxed on the way to the Five Kage Summit, and avoid any mishaps!

Remembering this, they decided to stay silent.

Half an hour later, Hattori’s loud singing resumed.

“Sister, you sit at the bow... Brother walks on the shore, love drifting with the barge rope... cough cough... This is where you should clap!”

“...”

We’re supposed to clap too?

Faced with Hattori’s expectation, Gaara and Temari sighed inwardly and, against their better judgment, clapped hard.

Clap clap clap clap...

Hattori smiled humbly. “Thank you... thank you for the support! Since everyone is so enthusiastic, I'll perform a sad ballad called A Thirty-Year-Old Man is Super Cool.”

He bowed slightly to Gaara and Temari and then used his fist as a microphone.

“At thirty years old, I’m a fighter jet with no achievements,

Others drive BMWs, I ride an e-bike; the difference is heaven and earth.

Trying to date girls, but they say I look desperate,

In this era of nepotism, without a car or house, I really can't afford to get hurt...”

“...”

...

With Hattori's singing echoing, the giant dragonfly soared over deserts, forests, and lakes, crossing the vast Fire Country and entering the Iron Country.

The Iron Country was a neutral nation, mostly covered in snow due to its northern location near Frost Country. Everything was blanketed in white, making it easy to spot people from above, even from the high sky.

Hattori wasn’t interested in the scenery. He only wanted to finish the summit and head home as soon as possible. He'd only been away for a day, but he was already missing Yuno's warm embrace and Pakura long, smoth legs.

“Maybe this is what they mean when they say even heroes fall for beauty,” he mused, feeling more convinced than ever of his own heroism.

As Hattori contemplated which woman he’d visit first when he got back, Gaara's voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Look down there—that seems to be Naruto!”

“Huh?” Hattori snapped out of his pink-hued daydreams and focused below, his brows arching in surprise.

“Oh... it really is Naruto, and there’s Kakashi. That big guy they’re facing looks like the Raikage. Let’s go down and see what’s going on!”

He directed the dragonfly to descend.

The people on the ground immediately took defensive stances when Hattori landed. However, seeing his white robe and the Wind Shadow hat he wore, they relaxed slightly.

Kakashi stepped forward to greet him.

“Yo, what a coincidence! It’s great to see you, Lord Kazekage!”

“Yeah, quite a coincidence,” Hattori replied, his tone unimpressed. “But I’m not too thrilled to see you.”

He lightly punched Kakashi in the chest. “You’ve been eyeing the poster girl at my ice cream shop. I can tell you’re up to no good. Let me warn you—she’s underage, so watch yourself.”

Kakashi: “→_→”

You think I’m like you?

Kakashi said nothing, but Hattori could read his expression. After giving him another punch, Hattori turned to the Raikage.

“Aren’t you the Fourth Raikage from the Hidden Cloud Village? So you’re the one who organized this Five Kage Summit, huh? Why not discuss everything here and save the trouble? What do you think?”

“...”

The Fourth Raikage, Ay, looked at Hattori briefly before turning and walking toward the Iron Country without a word.

Seeing this, Hattori laughed. “Heh, quite the character. Alright, I’ll follow you to Iron Country. Let’s see what tricks you’ve got up your sleeve.”

He turned to Naruto. “Naruto, you—”

Before he could finish, Naruto dashed forward and knelt in the snow before Raikage.

“Please, I don’t want more vengeance and killing!”

“...”

The Raikage glanced at Naruto, then walked around him without saying a word.

Naruto kept pleading. “Sasuke has been consumed by revenge and is no longer the person I knew. I don’t want anyone else to follow that path, nor do I want conflict between Leaf and Cloud. So...”

Naruto’s voice broke, and he started sobbing, unable to finish.

The scene left everyone silent.

Raikage paused for a moment, then finally spoke. “We will kill Sasuke. After that, let go our revenge.”

Listening to the conversation, Hattori pieced things together.

“So Sasuke really did try to capture the Eight-Tails, huh? Does that mean he’s already defeated Itachi? Yeah, must be,” Hattori thought.

He raised his hand. “If it’s about Killer Bee, I might know something.”

“Huh?” The Raikage turned, eyes wide.

“What do you know? Speak up!”

“Ugh...” Hattori clicked his tongue in annoyance at the Raikage’s tone, giving him a sideways look.

“Don’t speak to me in a commanding way. You don’t have the right. I’m choosing to share information about Killer Bee because I don’t want to see Naruto begging.”

He stepped forward and pulled Naruto to his feet. “Naruto, stand up. The ninja world respects strength. If begging worked, we wouldn’t have had three Shinobi World Wars. Don’t make me look down on you. Get up!”

“Okay!” Naruto nodded, wiped his tears, and spoke. “Hattori, about Sasuke...”

“I know,” Hattori cut him off, patting his shoulder. “Don’t worry. Things haven’t reached a point of no return. Killer Bee isn’t dead, nor was he captured by Sasuke. Relax!”

“Huh?” Naruto was stunned.

The Raikage was also wide-eyed. “Is that true? Bee wasn’t captured by the Akatsuki?”

“Yes,” Hattori confirmed. “According to my information, Sasuke did go after Bee, but all they got was a chunk of an octopus tentacle. Bee managed to escape. As for why he isn’t back in the Hidden Cloud Village, that’s something you should know better than me.”

“╭(°A°`)╮”

The Raikage froze, and his followers looked helplessly at each other.

Realization hit the Raikage, and his face turned furious.

“(╬￣皿￣) That idiot! Did he sneak out to have fun? Unforgivable! Wait till I catch him with my Iron Claw!”

Everyone: “...”

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 264: The Five Kage Summit (Middle School Second-Year Syndrome)*

From the reactions of the people from the Hidden Cloud Village, it was clear that this wasn’t the first time Killer Bee had snuck out to play.

However, this time the incident was far bigger due to the Akatsuki's involvement.

With the Five Kage Summit convening and the leaders of all major villages meeting, this was no small matter.

It’s worth noting that when Yugito, the Two-Tails Jinchuriki also from the Hidden Cloud, was killed by Hidan, the Fourth Raikage didn’t react this strongly.

Because Killer Bee was different.

Before the Fourth Raikage even inherited his title, Killer Bee had been his partner. They had lived and fought side by side like brothers, forming a deep bond.

And that’s precisely why, believing that Sasuke and the Akatsuki had killed him, the Fourth Raikage was determined to convene the Five Kage Summit, vowing to make Sasuke and the Akatsuki pay.

But now, the whole thing had turned into a misunderstanding.

Sasuke and Akatsuki hadn’t succeeded, and Killer Bee wasn’t dead; he had just snuck out to play. This left Fourth Raikage in an awkward position, having already summoned the summit.

Canceling the meeting now was out of the question, so he could only suppress his urge to give Killer Bee a beating and continue toward the capital of Land of Iron.

Seeing this, Naruto was stunned and looked at Hattori with surprise.

“Brother Hattori... Does this mean Sasuke is okay?”

“Hmm... You could say that.”

Seeing Naruto still looking worried, Hattori smiled and patted his shoulder.

“That guy’s only been used by the Akatsuki due to his hatred. Luckily, he hasn’t done anything unforgivable. When I see him, I’ll figure out a way to bring him back.”

“Oh... That’s good…”

Hearing this, Naruto finally felt relieved and bowed to Hattori.

“Thank you so much, Brother Hattori. If not for you today, then…”

“Hmph!”

Before Naruto could finish, Fourth Raikage, who had already walked some distance away, snorted coldly, turned, and looked at Naruto and Hattori.

“Even if Bee escaped, Sasuke’s attack on the Hidden Cloud Village with the intent to kidnap a Jinchuriki isn’t something that can just be brushed off. The Leaf must pay the price!”

“This…”

Hearing this, Naruto tensed up again.

Finally, Yamato, who had been silent in the Leaf’s group, couldn’t hold back anymore.

“Raikage, the matter of you targeting the Byakugan of the Hyuga clan back then hasn’t been fully settled with the Leaf yet. The Hidden Cloud sowed the seeds of war, and the Leaf swallowed its pride without starting a conflict. I hope you won’t forget the great sacrifices we made!”

Upon hearing this, Hattori immediately understood he was referring to the time the Hidden Cloud, under the guise of peace talks, tried to kidnap Hinata.

That incident resulted in Neji’s father sacrificing himself to protect the main branch of the family, casting a shadow over Neji’s life.

Thinking of this, Hattori turned to the Fourth Raikage and spoke.

“Exactly. The Hidden Cloud tried to abduct one of our own, and when they failed, they even had the audacity to blame the Leaf. A respectable shinobi lost his life because of it. And now you have the nerve to hold on to the issue with Sasuke. Honestly, I’ve never seen anyone as shameless as you!”

“Silence!”

Hearing Hattori’s words, the people from the Hidden Cloud Village immediately showed anger, and the hot-tempered Fourth Raikage couldn’t help but shout.

“Kazekage, your hands are as stained with blood as mine. What right do you have to criticize me?”

“Heh… At least I’m not as shameless as you!”

In response to the Fourth Raikage’s roar, Hattori sneered.

“When I kill, it’s always out in the open—I’ve never done sneaky things behind people’s backs. Unlike some, whose shamelessness is simply disgusting!”

“Damn you!”

Unable to contain his rage, the Fourth Raikage activated the Lightning Release Chakra Mode.

The Lightning Release Chakra Mode was a skill unique to the Raikages, significantly boosting their defense and speed. At its peak, it could rival the Flying Thunder God technique.

Once he activated it, the Fourth Raikage’s speed instantly multiplied, and before anyone could react, he shot toward Hattori like a bolt of lightning, aiming a punch at him.

If that punch landed, Hattori would undoubtedly take a beating.

But this “if” was non-existent!

Facing the Fourth Raikage charging at him, Hattori smirked without dodging. He activated his Rinnegan and raised his hand.

“Shinra Tensei!”

As he spoke, a powerful repulsive force erupted from his hand!

Caught off guard, the Fourth Raikage was sent flying.

By the time everyone reacted, he had been flung over a hundred meters away!

“Raikage-sama!”

Seeing this, the people from the Hidden Cloud shouted in alarm and rushed toward him.

But Hattori was faster!

With a swift motion, he threw a Flying Thunder God kunai toward the Fourth Raikage, who had been sent flying, and disappeared in a flash of golden light.

When he reappeared, he was above the Fourth Raikage.

“Bansho Ten’in!” Before the Raikage could react, Hattori attacked again!

Unlike Shinra Tensei, Bansho Ten’in created a strong gravitational pull.

The Raikage was immediately pulled toward Hattori, his back facing him.

“Damn it!”

Sensing trouble, he tried to resist, but before he could, Hattori struck again!

“Yin-Yang Release: Black Rod Thousand-Year of death!”

With a loud shout, Hattori’s sharp black rod shot like a bolt of lightning, jabbing into the Fourth Raikage’s vulnerable butt.

“Ughhhhh…”

The Lightning Release Chakra Mode didn’t protect the Raikage’s weak spot, and the black rod’s penetration caused him excruciating pain, leaving him screaming.

Worse, the black rod, created with Yin-Yang Release, could seal his chakra points, preventing him from extracting chakra.

In other words, the Fourth Raikage was now no different from a regular person.

Though he was powerless, his temper remained fierce, and he cursed at Hattori.

“Argh… You bastard… I won’t let you get away with this!”

“Hmph… Quit yapping, loser!” Hattori scoffed and punched him in the back of the head.

With no strength left, the Raikage couldn’t withstand Hattori’s punch, especially at his vulnerable spot, and passed out instantly.

As he fainted, Hattori and A fell to the ground.

Since they fell from a height onto a snowy slope, they slid forward at high speed due to momentum.

More precisely, Hattori stood on Raikage, using him as a human snowboard, sliding forward at high speed!

Seeing this, Hidden Cloud shinobi were horrified!

“Stop, get down from Raikage-sama!”

“Damn it, Hidden Cloud won’t let you get away…”

Standing on the unconscious Raikage, Hattori looked troubled.

“Well… Even if you say that, I’m new to snowboarding, so I don’t know how to stop. Right, pulling the waistband… pulling the waistband should slow us down!”

Saying this, Hattori grabbed the Raikage’s waistband and yanked it up!

With the sound of snow grinding, a “—” shaped mark appeared on the ground beneath the Raikage.

The Raikage’s sliding speed noticeably slowed.

Seeing this, the Hidden Cloud shinobi were overjoyed.

“Great, he’s slowing down!”

“But how does pulling the waistband slow him down?”

“Yeah, and what’s that strange mark on the ground?”

Seeing their puzzled looks, Hattori, while yanking the Raikage’s waistband, explained to them.

“I learned this from a great skier. It’s a technique that activates the brakes by stimulating the prostate with a pull on the waistband. I call it… the Prostate Brake!”

Just as he spoke, they hit a snow bump, sending the Raikage, who was being used as a human snowboard, flying before slamming back down.

Splat!

With a strange sound, Hattori noticed a suspicious trail of blood behind him.

He froze in shock.

“(Д*) The brake… is broke!”

Cloud Shinobi: “Σ(°△°|||)︴”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 265: The Five Kage Summit (Part Three)

Hattori had managed to ruin the Fourth Raikage’s "prostate brake." Normally, given the hot-tempered nature of the Hidden Cloud Village, such a humiliating event would have them immediately rushing back to Cloud and possibly even declaring war on the Hidden Sand Village.

But this time, they didn’t.

The reason was simple. With the Fourth Raikage’s current injuries, Hattori's medical ninjutsu was the only way he could recover. If Hattori refused to treat him, the Raikage’s "brake" would really be done for.

The Fourth Raikage, not wanting to go down in history as the first Raikage with such a problem, had no choice but to swallow his pride and agree that if Hattori helped heal him, he would let the incident go. He also agreed not to pursue the matter with Sasuke any further.

Given these terms, Hattori, of course, was willing to oblige. He promptly used his Palm Sage Jutsu and Regenerative Healing Technique to treat him.

After the treatment, the two immediately made up, chatting and walking arm-in-arm toward the capital of the Land of Iron.

This scene left the Cloud ninja stunned. They couldn’t believe what they were seeing. In their minds, the Raikage’s temper should have driven him to a life-and-death battle with Hattori. How did things get smoothed over so quickly after the treatment?

Something was definitely off.

Thinking this, C, one of Fourth Raikage's guards, edged closer and activated his sensory abilities to gather information. Then he overheard the conversation between Hattori and the Fourth Raikage:

“Who would’ve thought that someone as big and strong as the Raikage-sama would have... such a surprisingly small and delicate part? Truly shocking.”

“Ahem... it runs in the family. Please keep this a secret, I’m begging you!”

“Hehe, sure thing…”

C was dumbfounded. “Small and delicate… part?” The shock left him in a daze.

Noticing this, Darui, the other bodyguard, quickly asked, “C, what did you hear? Is the Raikage-sama being held hostage?”

“Uh… hostage?”

C bitterly shook his head at Darui’s words. “Not exactly held hostage… more like blackmailed. Don’t ask about it; Raikage-sama wouldn’t want us to know.”

“Uh…”

…

Fourth Raikage should be grateful for having such a loyal guard, or else his embarrassment might have become public knowledge.

The group pressed on and soon arrived at the Iron Capital, the heart of the Land of Iron. Since the Five Kage Summit was taking place, the entire city was placed under strict lockdown by the Land of Iron’s samurai.

Upon arriving, Hattori and Fourth Raikage were stopped and had their identities confirmed before being escorted into the venue.

The other three Kage had also arrived. Once inside, under the leadership of Mifune, the head of Land of Iron, Five Kage Summit officially began.

“Please place your hats in front of you,” Mifune said after everyone was seated.

“In response to the Raikage-sama’s call, we Five Kage have gathered here. I am Mifune, leader of Land of Iron. Let the Five Kage Summit commence!”

Upon hearing Mifune, Hattori glanced around and grinned. “This is my first time at a Five Kage Summit. Out of respect for our elders, let’s have Tsuchikage start us off!”

“Hahaha! Kazekage-sama is quite polite,” Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, laughed, nodding approvingly. “Not bad, not bad. Much more respectful than in the past. After all, I’m old enough to be your grandfather, right, Kazekage-sama?”

“Indeed, that’s true!” Hattori responded cheerfully, seemingly oblivious to Onoki’s sarcasm.

“Speaking of grandchildren, I heard your granddaughter, Kurotsuchi, has grown into a fine young lady. Perhaps I’ll get the chance to make her a mother. Then calling you ‘grandpa’ would be completely appropriate, wouldn’t it?”

“How dare you!” Onoki slammed his hand on the table with a loud bang. From behind the curtain, Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi immediately leaped out.

Likewise, Gaara and Temari, who were behind Hattori, jumped forward to defend him.

This show of force by Sand and Stone sides prompted guards from the Leaf, Mist, and Cloud to come forward, some even drawing weapons, making the atmosphere incredibly tense.

Mifune sighed wearily. “This is a place for negotiation. Please refrain from improper behavior!”

“Haha… Mifune-sama is right!” Hattori laughed, signaling to Gaara and Temari to stand down.

“Gaara, Temari, no need to be so tense. Fall back,” Hattori ordered.

“Yes!” They complied, stepping behind him.

The other Kage followed suit, instructing their guards to retreat. Once order was restored, Mifune spoke again. “Let’s continue our discussion. The main issue is how to deal with Akatsuki. I hope everyone can set aside past grievances.”

Hattori understood that Mifune was addressing him specifically, so he waved dismissively. “You misunderstand, Mifune-sama. Tsuchikage and I were just joking around. I’m all about kindness and never hold grudges.”

Mifune’s eye twitched. I don’t believe a word you’re saying!

It wasn’t just him—Onoki, Fourth Raikage, and Fifth Mizukage all looked displeased. Only Danzo from the Leaf remained expressionless.

Hattori smirked at him. “Looks like Danzo-sama agrees with me. But I have a question: isn’t Tsunade the Hokage? Doesn’t this make your presence here a bit inappropriate?”

“Not at all!” Danzo replied firmly. “Tsunade is unwell, so I am representing her. Any decisions I make are Konoha’s decisions, so rest assured.”

“Oh, I see. That puts me at ease!” Hattori turned to the Fourth Raikage. “Since Tsuchikage isn’t quite reliable, let’s hear from you, the summit’s initiator. What’s on your mind? No need to beat around the bush.”

“Of course!” Fourth Raikage’s voice rang out. He glared around the room. “Leaf, Stone, Sand, Mist. Akatsuki is composed of rogue ninja from your villages. Not only that, but some of your former leaders even used Akatsuki for their own purposes.

“I don’t trust any of you and have no interest in negotiating. I called this summit to hold you accountable!”

Onoki, Danzo, and Mei Terumi all fell silent, while Hattori clicked his tongue in exasperation. “Come on, Raikage. Enough with ancient history. Talking about this is pointless. Akatsuki members are irrelevant compared to real threat. Let me share something important.”

A mischievous smile played on his lips. “According to my information, the man who once struck fear into all great ninja villages—Uchiha Madara—is back from the dead. He’s the true leader of Akatsuki. How do you plan to deal with that?”

“What?! Uchiha Madara?”

The room erupted in shock!

(End of Chapter)