Chapter 262: Obey Or Perish

(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 30 chapters edited smoothly. https://www.p.atreon.com/INeedRest)

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Days flew by quickly.

During this time, the other shinobi villages found themselves not only dealing with the aftermath of the war but also grappling with Colt's invitation.

Within Sunagakure, Temari had returned with the large army to the Land of Wind.

"Gaara, what are you thinking about?" Temari asked.

A group of Sunagakure's highest officials had gathered to discuss how to handle the upcoming meeting in the Land of Demons.

The departure was scheduled for tomorrow, and an outcome needed to be settled today.

Gaara remained silent, his hands clasped under his chin as he looked toward Chiyo, who had once again come out of retirement to offer counsel to the Kazekage.

Gaara waited, hoping to hear the thoughts of the older generation first.

Chiyo, despite the gravity of the situation, wore a calm smile, her face betraying little worry.

She finally spoke, her voice steady, "What we're discussing now is of little use."

"You haven't lived through the time when Konoha had both the Ninja God and the Ninja Asura. Back then, it felt like the world had reached its final conclusion. This situation may even be worse."

Chiyo's eyes held a distant look as she recalled the terrifying power of Madara and Hashirama.

Her fingers twisted anxiously, betraying the tension she felt within.

Someone in the group spoke up, clearly skeptical.

"What if Colt really intends to destroy Sunagakure?"

Baki shot the man a hard look, "If that's truly his intention, what can we possibly do? Besides, he could have destroyed us when he was here before. The fact he didn't is proof enough."

The man fell silent, realizing the futility of his earlier suggestion.

"Enough," Gaara finally spoke, his voice calm but commanding.

"What Colt intends, we can neither stop nor predict. Our goal is to protect the interests of the people of the Wind Country."

He paused, his gaze shifting toward Kankuro.

"As for the nobles who are clamoring for revenge over the death of the daimyo... keep them in check. We can't afford to let them cause trouble during this critical time."

With that, Kankuro gave a brief nod and left to carry out the orders.

Similar conversations were happening in other hidden villages.

In the end, all the great nations reached the same conclusion: either obey or face destruction.

With what little dignity they could muster, the Kages of each village gathered their strongest shinobi and made their way toward the Land of Demons.

Meanwhile, in Konoha, Colt was also making his preparations, selecting candidates to accompany him to the meeting.

His initial requirement was that any shinobi who had reached the Kage-level strength must attend.

The criteria were loosely defined, but as long as their strength was deemed close, they would be included.

Hyuga Neji, having mastered his clan's techniques and freed himself from the limitations of the Caged Bird Seal, was among those selected.

His prowess had grown significantly, his mastery over the Gentle Fist and the development of advanced techniques such as the long-range Air Palms proving his Kage-level worthiness.

As the gathering took place at Konoha's village gates, the sheer number of participants took everyone by surprise.

"Why couldn't the meeting be held here in Konoha?" Tsunade grumbled.

"It's so far, and moving all these people is such a hassle."

Having been called out of her retirement for the event, her frustration was understandable.

Colt scratched his head awkwardly.

Could he tell her the real reason? That he had chosen the Land of Demons just to see Shion?

"Come on, Tsunade," Hashirama spoke up with a smile, always the peacemaker.

"This is a matter of peace for the entire world. Choosing a neutral location is only natural."

Hashirama's voice held a note of hope, as if he were excited to witness a new era of peace.

But deep down, he was conflicted.

His ideals had not led to the lasting peace he had envisioned.

After three ninja wars, he couldn't help but wonder if Colt and Madara's more forceful approach might be the solution.

Speaking of Madara, Hashirama glanced around, suddenly aware of his absence.

"Is it really okay to leave Madara behind in the village?" he asked with concern.

Colt smirked.

"Who said I left him behind?"

Hashirama blinked in surprise and scanned the crowd, realizing that Madara wasn't there.

"I sent him to meet up with Sasuke. Maybe he'll join us before we get there."

Naruto perked up at the mention of Sasuke, his expression brightening.

The thought of seeing Sasuke again filled him with a mix of excitement and anticipation.

"Alright, let's head out!" Colt waved, signaling the start of their journey.

The group, consisting entirely of Kage-level shinobis, moved at a blinding speed.

Within a day, they arrived in the Land of Demons.

At the entrance to the capital, Shion stood waiting, surrounded by her attendants.

The moment she saw Colt, she ignored the stares of those around her and ran straight into his arms.

"You jerk! You're finally here," she huffed, her voice tinged with a mixture of relief and annoyance.

Colt smiled softly, wrapping his arms around her.

"It's alright now. After the meeting tomorrow, I'll take you back to Konoha with me."

From the crowd, another voice called out, cool and composed.

"And what about me?"

Turning his head, Colt saw the figure of Koyuki Kazahana standing nearby, her arms crossed as she eyed him.

His movements froze for a second, realizing he had overlooked her in his excitement to reunite with her too. He offered an awkward chuckle, clearly caught off guard by her presence.

"Of course, you too," he quickly replied, wrapping an arm around her as well, trying to keep the peace.

Without wasting any more time, he guided both Shion and Koyuki into the city, disappearing from the view of the stunned shinobi behind him.

Jiraiya clutched his chest dramatically.

"Why? Why does that kid get all the beautiful girls, and yet here I am, still alone?"

Meanwhile, Kushina grabbed Naruto's ear, scolding him.

"Naruto, how can you not be angry with your pathetic Master? Also, you're so close to Colt, why haven't you learned anything from him?"

Naruto yelped in pain as Jiraiya, hearing those words, felt his insides churning and dropped to the ground comically.