Chapter 22- Secret Meeting

Dadoi POV

The meeting room door swung open, and the Tsuchikage, accompanied by his four guards, entered with a solemn expression.

"You're late." The Raikage growled, glaring at the Tsuchikage for the unnecessary power move and the disrespect.

"I had to make sure that you haven't done anything foolish, like setting up an ambush for us." Tsuchikage said with indifference as he settled into his chair.

The Raikage looked like he wanted to separate Onoki's head right then and there. However, after a few deep breaths, he managed to regain his composure.

"One day, Onoki, I'll claim that head of yours, and we'll see if you can still spout such nonsense," the Raikage declared before reclining in his chair. "But for now, we share a common enemy, so I'll collaborate with you."

Ignoring his Raikage's threat, Onoki surveyed the two other vacant seats in the room. "It seems you have failed to persuade the Kazekage and Mizukage to join this meeting."

"The Kazekage…" Raikage said, his voice dripping with scorn and disgust, "is a weak coward who clings to Konoha like a limpet when it suits him. I never expected him to come. But the Mizukage… his absence is unexpected."

Onoki held back from offering any remarks, and a somber silence descended upon the room as the two Kage grasped the gravity of their situation.

One of the major villages might remain neutral at best or side with Konoha at worst. And the other, who should've joined them, had not even sent an emissary. It was worrying.

After all, despite how much Kumo and Iwa both liked to brag about being the strongest Shinobi village, all of them were well aware of the fact that the title had always rested with Konoha.

And even more so now that Konoha is under the leadership of a young, capable Hokage, boasts of plethora of S-cass shinobi, and has even taken the 3 tails from Kiri, if their intelligence was to be believed.

To make matters worse, Konoha also held a numerical advantage, boasting around 32,000 shinobi, whereas Kumo and Iwa could only muster approximately 22,000 and 19,000 shinobi, respectively.

And that's just the numbers. In terms of quality, Konoha had more clans and bloodline wielders than both Kumo and Iwa combined.

And now they had given birth to a monster who is rumoured to be the second coming of Madara Uchiha. And as much as he hated the idea of going on a war with the explicit goal of killing a child, he couldn't help but wonder what other choice they even had.

"Hmm… send some more people to Kiri after this to find out why Mizukage didn't come. I'll do the same." Onoki stated, and then his typically stoic demeanour faltered for a moment, the old man appearing almost... hesitant. "But for now, let's focus on the crucial matter. What intelligence have your informants gathered about the boy? Are the rumours accurate?"

"Which rumours? There are a thousand of them floating around, undoubtedly the work of Konoha's Counter-Intelligence department." the Raikage remarked with a disdainful scoff.

"Don't play daft boy. You know very well which rumour I'm talking about." Onoki said and he could see his Raikage's eye narrowing in anger at the disrespect, his chair's arm rest creaking from his grip. "The ones which say that a 6-year-old boy managed to defeat an S-class Kunoichi."

His Raikage managed to control his anger once again and said. "I would hardly call that wench an S-class kunoichi. But yes… our men are still looking into it."

"Still looking into it? How bad are your spies that you haven't been able to confirm such a simple thing?"

"Mind your tongue Onoki. And don't play daft yourself." His Raikage said with a snort. "If your spies faring any better, then you wouldn't be asking me that question."

Onoki pursed his lips at that but gave a reluctant nodded.

And hadn't that been a huge kick to the gut. To learn that all their spies and informants in Konoha had either been captured or subverted without their knowledge and were now feeding them false information.

What made matters worse was that, despite dispatching a dozen spies each week ever since they learned about these rumours, none of their operatives achieved any success.

He had no idea what Konoha was doing to find their spies in such a short moment, but whatever method it was, it was proving to be remarkably effective.

"Very well, then. You still must've found something; otherwise you wouldn't have called this meeting."

"Yes, one of our spies managed to return with some info." Raikage said.

"Oh. And what is this info. It must be something substantial for you to call me over for."

"Ren Uchiha shattered all the past graduation records upon completing the shinobi academy."

Onoki blinked at that. "That's it? That's the reason why you called me here?"

"The information might seem insignificant at first glance. But it becomes more useful when you realise that the last person to break even half as many records was Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, and before him, Orochimaru of the Sannin."

Onoki frowned at this new piece of information and leaned back in his chair.

"So… we now know that the boy who has more talent than his predecessors. That's something. But it's still not enough for me to send my people to war." Onoki said. "If I'm going to start the 4th Shinobi War, then I want solid proof that this boy is as much of a threat as we believe him to be."

"Don't play a fool now old man. We both know that is untrue." Raikage said.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Six. Konoha currently has six S-class shinobi. The 4th Hokage, the retired 3rd Hokage, Jiraiya Tsunade, Orochimaru, and the 9 tails Jinchuriki. And that's just the shinobi that we know of. They might have another one of those hidden monsters like the Red Beast who decimated the Seven Swordsmen on his own. Now they have the 3 tails as well. And a young boy who might become a more dangerous foe than even the 4th Hokage." The Raikage explained. "Even if we do not get the confirmation about the boy's true potential, ask yourself this, can we really afford to wait and allow Konoha to grow even stronger?"

Onoki stayed silent for a long moment before his shoulders slumped just a bit and he released a sigh. "No." He said, the word resounding like a loud gong in the otherwise silent room.

And while the meeting itself went for a few more hours afterward, he was well aware that the decision had already been made.

Probably even before this meeting ever took place.

Kumo and Iwa were now allies in the upcoming war against Konoha.

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AN: Sorry for the small chapter. This was one of those times when I was still trying to see if writing small chapters work for me. It didn't so the future chapters are all big. Well... bigger than this one at least.

I'll upload another chapter tomorrow to make up for this one. Provided that I'm able to, since I have to drive seven hours tomorrow to send my maternal grandmother back to her home after the Winter Holiday.

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter regardless.

Have a nice day 

P.S. 8 advanced chapters in Patreon.

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