Marvel: Trading with Worlds

Hokage Building: Jōnin Conference

After nearly four years of war, the number of Jōnin in Konoha had significantly dwindled.

Before the war, Konoha boasted nearly 150 Jōnin. 

Now, that number had dropped to just over 80, including individuals like Kakashi—Jōnin who had failed the standard assessments but were temporarily promoted during the chaos of war.

This gathering marked one of the most complete assemblies of Konoha's Jōnin since the war began. Even Tsunade and Orochimaru had emerged from their usual haunts, the casino and the laboratory, respectively. 

Uzumaki Kushina, too, had put aside the decoration of her new home to attend, though she found the meeting utterly tedious.

Sarutobi Hiruzen cast a brief, irritable glance in Kushina's direction. Seated beside Tsunade, Kushina had revealed her identity as the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki during the battle in the Land of Hot Water. 

However, her sheer strength now rendered the need for Anbu protection unnecessary.

While many Konoha shinobi appreciated Kushina's contribution to defeating the Cloud Shinobi, they still feared the power of the Nine-Tails—a force capable of leveling an entire town. 

Even her comrades from the same village couldn't help but worry about the possibility of the Nine-Tails running amok one day.

Kushina, however, was unbothered by their opinions. To her, they were fools who didn't understand anything.

What truly unsettled Sarutobi Hiruzen, though, was the matter of Kushina's growing relationship with Kain. 

The two were now on the verge of marriage, and Hiruzen was deeply uneasy about the idea of the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki aligning herself so closely with an outsider. 

Even though Konoha had no intention of losing a Jinchūriki who could harness the power of a tailed beast, the thought of the Nine-Tails falling into the hands of a potential enemy left him restless.

"Everyone is here, so let's begin," Sarutobi Hiruzen announced, bringing the meeting to order. "The peace agreement with Rock Shinobi is our primary agenda."

Once everyone had settled, Hiruzen went straight to business. The peace agreement with Rock Shinobi had been signed by Konoha's senior leadership without prior discussion in the Jōnin council. 

The decision had been made swiftly, as Rock Shinobi had still been a formidable force at the time, with thousands of soldiers, Onoki in command, and two tailed-beast Jinchūriki in reserve.

Abandoning the offensive against Rock Shinobi was a calculated choice. Sarutobi Hiruzen, along with the other senior advisors, had agreed to loosen their stance against Rock Shinobi to prevent further escalation. 

The peace terms included no reparations and a division of mission territories and defense lines that left Konoha with slightly less influence than before the war.

After listening to Hiruzen's explanation, many Jōnin frowned. From their perspective, the peace agreement appeared to leave Konoha at a disadvantage.

Though Rock Shinobi had suffered greater losses, Konoha had expended considerable resources hiring mercenaries like Kusanagi and Taki for the war effort, ultimately gaining nothing from the conflict.

Sensing the unease in the room, Mitokado Homura spoke up to support Hiruzen's decision.

"Rock Shinobi still has thousands of capable fighters, as well as Onoki and two tailed-beast Jinchūriki," Homura explained. "If we were to push further, the war would only escalate, forcing us to send reinforcements. Moreover, Sand Shinobi and Cloud Shinobi—who we've only recently signed peace agreements with—could see this as an opportunity to act against us."

Some Jōnin, though initially dissatisfied, began to understand the decision better after hearing Mitokado Homura's explanation.

The discussion then shifted to the battle reports and the recognition of ninja contributions on the Grass Country battlefield. 

However, the specific details of rewards for meritorious service were not disclosed, as a mission team would later verify them.

Sarutobi Hiruzen then brought up another pressing issue:

"The next matter concerns Kirigakure. Their recent behavior has been unusual. A significant number of Mist Shinobi have been harassing the Fire Country's border. We've also received reports that seven ninja swords were spotted near the border."

At this revelation, the Jōnin in the room turned their attention to the Hokage.

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen were considered Kirigakure's trump card. Each of the seven swords had unique abilities, and the Mist Shinobi who wielded them were all exceptionally powerful Jōnin. 

When united, these seven individuals were thought to rival five Kage-level shinobi in strength.

Utatane Koharu added, "It's unclear whether this is an order from the Third Mizukage or the result of a mission request made to Kirigakure. If it's the latter, there may still be room to avoid war. But if it's the former, we must prepare for a possible invasion."

If Kain had been present, he would have recognized that Koharu was trying to implicate him. 

However, Kushina was the only one here, and her mind was preoccupied with deciding whether to add a stream near her new home.

"In addition to the Seven Ninja Swordsmen," Sarutobi Hiruzen continued, "our Anbu have found signs of a large-scale Mist Shinobi gathering near the border of the Land of Water. It's highly likely they're targeting Konoha. We need to stay vigilant."

He exhaled a puff of smoke, his sharp eyes scanning the room. His gaze lingered on Orochimaru for a moment before he said, "I've decided that we need someone to oversee the coastal defense of the Fire Country and prepare for a potential invasion by Mist Shinobi."

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