Watching the Five Kages sign the agreement, Fumori Masaki knew that at least a ten-year period of peace could be established for the future. The outcome of the chūnin Ninja examination system would determine what happened next. In the original timeline, Sarutobi Hiruzen had also adopted the same method. The peace that lasted for twenty years after the first Ninja World War should be understood as a result of the chūnin examination system.
However, like the first Hokage's tailed beasts, the chūnin exam system cannot guarantee peace forever, as evidenced by the Second Ninja War twenty years later. At the beginning of the original plot, the chūnin exam that involved the five major countries had obviously not been held for a long time. At that time, only the Land of Wind participated, and it had ulterior motives.
Masaki believed that human society changes dynamically rather than remaining static. Therefore, eternal peace is impossible; it must go through periods of turbulence. This turbulence may manifest as direct war, economic competition, or cold confrontation.
As a philosopher once said, contradictions are always present. When one contradiction is resolved, new contradictions will arise. The focus is on how to resolve these contradictions correctly. When necessary, war cannot be dismissed.
The chūnin Ninja examination system is designed to condense large-scale wars into a single venue. Simulated military exercises conducted in this way can resolve certain contradictions, but they cannot resolve all contradictions. When the system begins to lose its original purpose, what Masaki needs to do is analyze the changing situation and find new solutions, just as the balance of power in the tailed beast enclave was replaced by the chūnin examination system.
At this time, the Five Kages collected the agreement separately. After returning to their respective countries, it would be presented to the daimyo, who would then announce it to the world of ninjas. As representatives of their nations, the task of this meeting would come to an end.
Shinosuke expressed his happiness at seeing the Five Kages harmoniously discuss the future order of the Ninja World. He hoped that in his lifetime, he could witness this peace not vanish suddenly like it did after the First Hokage summit.
This statement came from a general of the Iron Nation, Shinosuke. Even if others felt that the Iron Nation could easily become involved in the battles of ninjas, they were not so certain. As long as Shinosuke was alive, if someone initiated a war again, the Summit Congress would assist other countries in imposing sanctions. In that case, even if a country allied itself, victory could not be guaranteed.
However, this statement could also serve as a warning; as long as the daimyo heard it, he would likely be deterred from launching a war. This would provide an excellent opportunity for Shinobi to recover.
Next, the Five Kages would leave the room through separate passages. Masaki and Hiruzen descended from the second floor, and the guards spotted the two men unexpectedly.
Sora and the Third Raikage regarded them with gentle expressions, while Chiyo and Ebizō's gazes were less friendly. Compared to the Kumo Ninja Village, which had received assistance, the Sand Ninja Village had suffered severely from the Konoha Ninja Village, especially after the loss of Not so Future Kazekage, who had been trained in magnetic release.
If it weren't for the fact that they were in the territory of the Iron Kingdom, and that the Sand and Konoha needed to maintain a good relationship at the moment, Chiyo might have been tempted to take action, but she resisted. Among the younger generation of the Sand Ninja Village, Chiyo and Ebizō were the most outstanding. The Second Kazekage had deliberately chosen one of the two to be the next Kazekage, so he began the training, which helped restrain Chiyo's eager temperament, making it harder for her to get angry.
The Second Kazekage took a deep look at Masaki. It was this man who had killed his promising student, but he had no way to retaliate against him. The blow he had suffered at that time had left serious sequelae. Considering the hidden injuries from the past, he doubted that the decade of peace would last.
All he could do was watch as Masaki left the room. Perhaps this would be the last time they met. As the leader of the Sand Ninja Village, he could not easily leave the village. Without war, it would likely be a long time before he saw Masaki again.
Ignoring the other Kages in the room, Masaki and Hiruzen followed the long walkway back to their previous quarters. With the conclusion of the Five Kages talks, they were about to leave. Although they were curious about the customs of the Iron Nation, as envoys of other countries, the samurai would obviously not allow them to move about freely. Rather than being followed by the samurai like prisoners, it was better to return home directly.
"Finally, I can leave this boring place," Hiruzen breathed a sigh of relief.
"It seems that your training isn't sufficient, monkey," Tobirama said with a smile, shaking his head. He didn't think it was a problem. In any case, he had his own matters to attend to, so he let them monitor and observe.
"I can't compare to you, Sensei," Hiruzen replied.
"But you still need to adapt. Don't forget, you may have to come back here," Tobirama reminded him. "At that time, you may face a more complicated situation than now. I might not be able to see that one, so I will rely on you in the future."
"Sensei..." Hiruzen felt a pang of unease. While he hoped that his teacher could live on, he had to admit that ninjas who had experienced the Warring States Period, like Tobirama, had endured the turmoil of the First Ninja War. They usually didn't live long, similar to how first generation of leaders in other villages had died due to the recurrence of old injuries.
Since the medical system in the Shinobi Village was not yet perfect and lacked health-preserving methods, he doubted they would survive the next decade, even if the Senju clan possessed unique medical techniques to treat root causes. At best, these techniques would ensure outward health without affecting combat effectiveness. When the time came to die, they would simply die.
"Life and death are part of existence; don't be sad about it. What I leave behind will become the nourishment for the village and promote the growth of new green leaves. As long as that happens, I will be satisfied," Tobirama said with a calm smile.
Even so, both Masaki and Hiruzen felt a bit uneasy. After so many years, how could the friendship between master and apprentice be so easily set aside?
"Rather than worry about this, it's better to think about the future." Instead of dwelling sentimentally, Tobirama shifted the topic. "Although the other Kages did not agree immediately, they will at least attempt to hold the chūnin exam once. Therefore, training the next generation will be the top priority."
"With the end of the war, the pressure on the borders will lessen, and you won't need to perform long-term tasks. You should focus on the ninja academy and training the next Hokage in the village," he advised Masaki. "Masaki, the rules you proposed will be implemented in the Ninja Academy. When there are results, you can choose some of them to teach as your students."