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"Tsunade, you're back."
Jiraiya immediately scrambled to his feet.
Tsunade's expression was grim, her thoughts a tangled mess. She walked behind her desk and slumped into her chair, rubbing her temples with her fingers.
"This isn't something we can handle on our own anymore!"
"I know." Jiraiya rubbed his face. "But other villages won't believe any of this."
"We need to talk to Kaito," Tsunade said, regaining her composure. "Let's hope we can convince him to change his mind."
"You mean to stop the Nine Tailed Beasts from being collected?" Jiraiya thought for a moment and nodded. "That's definitely the best approach."
"I'll call Minato over," Jiraiya said, bolting for the door.
Tsunade also stood up and went to the adjacent room, where Shizune was sorting through paperwork.
"Shizune, summon Shikaku to come here immediately."
"Yes, Lady Tsunade," Shizune said, setting aside her files and hurrying out.
Tsunade returned to her office, but with her mind preoccupied, she couldn't focus on the documents in front of her and instead closed her eyes to rest.
Before long, Shizune returned with Shikaku in tow.
"Lady Tsunade, Nara Shikaku is here."
"Thank you," Tsunade said, opening her eyes. "Shizune, stand guard outside. Unless it's Jiraiya or Minato, no one else gets in."
"Understood."
After Shizune shut the door, Shikaku stepped forward.
"Lady Hokage, what's going on?"
"Shikaku, this is a serious matter. I need your wisdom."
Tsunade explained everything to him.
"I see. So you verified it through the long-lived summoning beasts," Shikaku said with a nod. "That means Kaguya Ōtsutsuki really existed."
This was almost too much to process.
Even though Minato had mentioned it before, Shikaku still felt overwhelmed.
After all, I'm just an ordinary, lazy middle-aged ninja.
Why am I being dragged into something so terrifying?
"I understand, Lady Hokage," Shikaku said. "Jiraiya-sama's suggestion aligns perfectly with yours—it's the safest option."
Better to nip the threat in the bud!
Letting Kaguya resurrect and then defeating her? What kind of crazy plan was Kaito thinking up?
"Lady Tsunade."
Minato suddenly appeared in the office with Jiraiya by his side.
"You're here," Tsunade said, looking up. "We need to talk to Kaito. Minato, can you contact him?"
"Jiraiya-sensei already mentioned it." Minato pulled a communication paper doll from his ninja pouch. "No problem—we can talk to him directly."
"What's that?"
The other three stared curiously at the paper doll, which had simple facial features drawn on it.
"Let me activate it."
Yellow Sage Mode markings appeared on Minato's face as the paper doll twitched and suddenly stood up.
"Minato?"
The paper doll's drawn-on face moved, and Kaito's voice emerged from it.
"Kaito, the Hokage and others want to talk to you."
Minato placed the paper doll on the desk.
"Of course! Who's there? I'd be delighted to chat with everyone," the paper doll said, bowing slightly as its eyes turned into smiling crescents.
"I'm the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade," Tsunade said, suppressing the urge to poke the paper doll, her tone serious.
"Also here are Jiraiya and Nara Shikaku. We're here to discuss matters on behalf of Konoha."
"I understand," the paper doll said, blinking. "Tsunade-senpai, Jiraiya-senpai, and Shikaku-senpai—none of you are strangers!"
"I've confirmed the truth of the history you mentioned with the Slug Sage," Tsunade said, getting straight to the point. "We'd like to reach a consensus with you on this matter."
"The Slug Sage? I didn't expect it to be so straightforward," Kaito's voice sounded slightly surprised.
"You brat!" Jiraiya jabbed a finger at the paper doll. "You made me deliver that cryptic message back then!"
The paper doll floated lightly out of Jiraiya's reach.
"Jiraiya-senpai, given the situation, you wouldn't have believed me anyway."
"Hmph!"
Under Tsunade's stern glare, Jiraiya retracted his hand.
Tsunade gave Shikaku a meaningful look.
"Hello, Kaito-kun. I'm Shikaku," Shikaku said as he stepped forward.
"Hello, Shikaku-senpai," Kaito replied smoothly.
"Kaito-kun, you're young yet incredibly strong, and you carry the heavy burden of saving the world. It's truly impressive," Shikaku began, offering sincere praise.
"Oh, not at all. It's merely out of necessity," Kaito replied humbly. "But you, Shikaku-senpai, are someone I've admired since I was young. As the brilliant leader of the Nara clan, you're a genius among geniuses!"
"You flatter me."
"Not at all."
"Since you acknowledge my small amount of cleverness, I'd like to discuss something with you," Shikaku said, easing into the main topic.
"Of course. I enjoy exchanging ideas with different people," Kaito replied graciously.
"With your strength, why are you allowing the Akatsuki to collect the Tailed Beasts?" Shikaku asked.
"You're asking why I don't stop Kaguya's resurrection at the source, correct?" Kaito replied directly.
"Exactly. War inevitably causes casualties. It's safer to prevent the danger early," Shikaku said.
"Is that how you all see it?" Kaito's tone remained gentle.
"Yes," Shikaku answered firmly.
"No. War is unavoidable," Kaito said, his tone calm, as if stating a fact.
"Why?" Jiraiya interrupted. "Why do you insist on stirring up war?"
"Jiraiya-senpai, you're misunderstanding me," Kaito said in the same calm tone. "This war cannot be avoided—it's out of my hands."
"Kaito, is there something we don't know?" Minato leaned in closer.
"Indeed, you're missing part of the picture," Kaito replied, sounding resigned. "When Kaguya descended from the heavens, she wasn't alone."
"What?!" The four ninja in the Hokage's office exclaimed in unison.
"That's correct. Kaguya Ōtsutsuki had companions, and behind her stands an entire clan," Kaito explained, his voice growing serious. "A thousand years have passed, and the time bought by our predecessors' efforts is running out. Members of Kaguya's clan will soon arrive. The time we have left to prepare is dwindling."
"What's going on?" Tsunade's brows furrowed deeply.
One calamity wasn't enough? Now there's more?
The others also felt a wave of unease, their hearts gripped by an inexplicable dread.
"Don't panic. Panic won't help," Kaito said, his tone softening. "Since you've learned part of the truth, I'll share more with you from here on."