Chapter 109 (Patreon)

“Shizune, I’m leaving everything here to you.”

Outside the command tent, Tsunade wore her usual green haori while holding the white Hokage cloak in one hand.

She looked at Shizune, who was carrying Tonton in her arms, and continued, “Set aside any important documents until I return. If something comes up that you can’t handle, contact me through Katsuyu.”

“Yes, Tsunade-sama!” Shizune replied firmly.

Tsunade nodded, slipped on the Hokage cloak, and turned toward Mihawk, who stood nearby holding a red umbrella.

“Mihawk, let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Mihawk lowered his head slightly before following Tsunade out of Konoha without drawing any attention.

The village had yet to begin rebuilding after Pain’s invasion, so this was hardly the right time for the Hokage to arrange some grand departure ceremony.

Unlike the other villages, which had sent their Kage off with large entourages, Tsunade left with only Mihawk accompanying her.

As they walked along the forest road, Mihawk held the paper umbrella while remaining half a step behind Tsunade.

Looking at the fiery Fifth Hokage walking ahead of him, he asked despite already knowing the answer, “Hokage-sama, where will the Five Kage Summit be held?”

“In the Land of Iron, the nation known for its samurai,” Tsunade replied.

A faint smile appeared on her face.

“Everyone there carries a sword, and their samurai are skilled swordsmen. Of course, they still can’t compare to you or Sakumo.”

She glanced back at him and added, “Sakumo Hatake was known as Konoha’s White Fang. He was Kakashi’s father and one of the greatest swordsmen Konoha ever produced.”

Mihawk gave a slight nod and said nothing more.

Tsunade, however, continued the conversation.

“Mihawk, we truly owe you for what happened during Pain’s invasion.”

Her voice carried genuine gratitude.

“Without you, the village’s casualties would have been far worse.”

Mihawk shook his head.

“It was nothing. I merely fulfilled my duty as a shinobi of Konoha.”

Tsunade smiled.

“You’re not merely a jōnin anymore. From now on, you’re officially one of Konoha’s elite jōnin.”

Mihawk’s rank had risen once again, placing him among the core fighting strength of the village.

Despite that, his expression remained unchanged.

Seeing how calm he was, Tsunade shook her head and sighed.

“To be honest, you’re one of the strangest people I’ve ever met.”

“If you had joined the Anbu, you could already possess authority second only to the Hokage. You might even have been granted permission to study the forbidden techniques recorded in the Scroll of Seals.”

“And yet you refused all of it because you wanted a peaceful life.”

Mihawk remained silent for several seconds before answering.

“Everyone has their own ambitions.”

“My dream isn’t complicated. Unlike Naruto, I have no desire to become Hokage. I simply want a stable life while fulfilling my responsibilities as a member of Konoha.”

In his previous life, Mihawk had been nothing more than an ordinary person.

He had already seen enough stories about people who pursued power and authority at any cost.

Some wanted to stand at the top of the shinobi world. Others wanted to rule over entire nations or leave behind a name that would never be forgotten.

However, once they finally obtained that power, their lives became consumed by suspicion, politics, responsibility, and endless management.

No leader could remain in power forever.

Even the strongest shinobi would eventually grow old, and every generation would one day be replaced by the next.

Sacrificing his entire life for temporary authority and a legacy that might eventually be forgotten simply wasn’t worth it.

Even if he never became Hokage or stood at the summit of the shinobi world, that didn’t mean he couldn’t live a fulfilling life.

Naruto’s future in the original story had already shown Mihawk where such a path could lead.

The once energetic and hot-blooded boy eventually became the Seventh Hokage, buried beneath mountains of paperwork and left with little time for himself or his family.

Mihawk had no intention of allowing his own life to become like that.

“Ah…”

Tsunade didn’t know exactly what Mihawk was thinking, but she nodded in agreement.

“You’re right. Everyone has their own path.”

She looked ahead and sighed softly.

“Living the way you choose is what matters. You understand that far better than most people your age.”

Mihawk didn’t respond.

The two continued forward in silence.

By the time dusk arrived, they had already left the Land of Fire and stopped in a commercial town to rest.

They rented two rooms at a local inn.

Inside his room, Mihawk sat quietly in meditation, focusing his mind as he continued his training in the Breath of All Things.

Tsunade, on the other hand, couldn’t suppress her gambling habit.

Not long after arriving at the inn, she went outside in search of a casino.

She returned late that night, completely drunk, and immediately collapsed onto the bed in her room.

However, despite all the alcohol she had consumed, she still woke up on time the following morning.

The two resumed their journey without delay.

————

The Land of Iron was known as both the Land of Samurai and a permanently neutral nation.

Unlike the Five Great Shinobi Countries, it had no hidden village and no established shinobi forces.

Its military power consisted entirely of samurai who fought using swords.

The Land of Iron possessed its own independent culture, government, and military strength.

Although it wasn’t one of the Five Great Nations, its combat power was formidable enough that none of the major villages dared to underestimate it.

Because the nation had maintained its neutrality for generations, the samurai had established an agreement with the shinobi nations long ago.

That neutrality was precisely why the Five Kage Summit would be held there.

The Land of Iron was neither particularly close to nor extremely far from the Land of Fire.

Between the two nations were the Land of Waterfalls, the Land of Rice Fields, the Land of the Moon, and the Land of Hot Water.

By choosing the appropriate route and passing through those four countries, one could eventually reach the Land of Iron.

Unlike the warmer climate of the Land of Fire, the Land of Iron was covered in snow throughout most of the year.

Its climate was bitterly cold.

The moment Mihawk and Tsunade crossed the border from the Land of Hot Water, they were greeted by a violent snowstorm.

Fortunately, Tsunade already knew about the Land of Iron’s climate and environment.

Before crossing the border, she had purchased a thick fur-lined coat.

Mihawk, however, continued wearing the same kimono as always.

He walked calmly through the snow while holding his red umbrella above his head.

Even beneath the raging wind, the umbrella remained perfectly steady in his hand.

After traveling through the snow for an entire day, the two finally arrived before a towering fortress-like building.

As they approached the entrance, several samurai walked toward them.

Each samurai wore layered armor, carried a sword at the waist, and had a respirator covering the lower half of his face.

Their gazes immediately settled on Tsunade’s Hokage cloak.

After confirming her identity, one of the samurai stepped forward.

“Fifth Hokage-sama, please follow me.”

The samurai led Tsunade and Mihawk through the building until they reached a large conference hall.

He pushed open the doors.

The scene inside immediately entered their view.

The first person Mihawk noticed was Gaara, the Fifth Kazekage.

Gaara wore the Kazekage’s robes, while his two older siblings, Temari and Kankurō, stood behind him as his guards.

Nearby sat a woman wearing the Mizukage’s robes.

She possessed a mature and striking figure, while her elegant appearance carried both a feminine charm and an unmistakably dangerous presence.

She was Mei Terumī, the Fifth Mizukage.

Standing behind her were her two guards, Chōjūrō and Ao.

On another side of the chamber sat the Third Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, Ōnoki.

Behind him stood his loyal student Akatsuchi and his granddaughter Kurotsuchi.

The final person seated in the hall was A, the Fourth Raikage of Kumogakure and the man who had called for this Five Kage Summit.

The name A was not unique to him.

It was a title inherited by successive Raikage throughout Kumogakure’s history.

Standing behind him were his two guards, Darui and C.

With the arrival of Tsunade and Mihawk, every leader of the Five Great Shinobi Countries was finally present.

The Five Kage Summit officially began.