However, all stories eventually come to an end.
Since not all Kage had arrived, the summit had not yet begun.
To prevent assassinations and other troubles, the samurai of the Land of Iron maintained an exceptionally strict defense.
Unless there was an important reason, the Kage were not allowed to leave their designated areas.
"It's almost like we're under house arrest," Hiruzen Sarutobi said.
"Everyone else is in the same situation, so there's no need to dwell on it," Tobirama said.
"You might encounter similar situations in the future, so get used to it sooner rather than later."
Hiruzen Sarutobi and Masaki Fumori exchanged glances.
As the parties involved, they were both aware of the rumors quietly circulating in the village, and they largely agreed with the assessment of each other's abilities.
Hiruzen Sarutobi felt that both of them were suitable for the position of Hokage; it would be best if he could become Hokage, but even if he couldn't, it wouldn't be unacceptable.
Masaki Fumori, on the other hand, was more eager than Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Some of his ideas would be much easier to implement once he became Hokage.
If Hiruzen Sarutobi became Hokage, it wasn't that it wouldn't work, but it certainly wouldn't be as easy and comfortable as if he himself were in charge.
Moreover, the Hokage represented a legitimate title, and their words carried legal authority.
Even if Danzo's Root was a private army, under the Hokage's command, it would at least outwardly have to be disbanded.
Therefore, Hiruzen Sarutobi could accept not becoming Hokage, because with his status and aspirations, he could implement his ideas even as the head of the Sarutobi clan.
Masaki Fumori, however, could not.
"Teacher, is it really impossible for anyone to sneak into the city?" Hiruzen Sarutobi felt idle and turned his attention to the defenses of the Land of Iron.
After some interaction, he was very curious about the strength of the samurai.
"There shouldn't be anyone, at least not within my knowledge," Tobirama said.
"Even I, unless I had left a Flying Raijin Jutsu formula in the meeting room beforehand, wouldn't be able to infiltrate silently.
I would inevitably have to fight the samurai on the outskirts."
"And now, for us who have arrived here openly, even as Kage, it's impossible to leave.
Of course, I can leave using the Flying Raijin Jutsu."
"So there's no need to worry about anyone breaking in, Hiruzen.
Just relax; there's nothing much to do here," Masaki Fumori said with a smile.
"Yeah, I guess there's no other choice," Hiruzen Sarutobi said, crossing his arms and thinking for a moment.
However, Hiruzen Sarutobi still wanted to find something to do, even if it was just standing guard.
But with so many samurai patrolling outside, he wasn't needed at all.
Even if he didn't trust the samurai's abilities, he didn't need to constantly remain vigilant.
Besides, he couldn't practice ninjutsu, as it was someone else's room.
In an era lacking entertainment, the only thing Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed able to do was read ninjutsu scrolls.
Tobirama was doing the same.
According to the official statements Masaki Fumori knew, Tobirama's enthusiasm for cultivation was second only to Might Guy and Rock Lee.
He immediately pulled out ninjutsu scrolls and began to study them meticulously, even inviting Hiruzen Sarutobi and Masaki Fumori to join him in discussing questions about their training.
Tobirama could answer Hiruzen Sarutobi's training questions, but Masaki Fumori seemed only able to respond with Wind Release.
Tobirama couldn't offer any opinions on the Sage Art, which was Masaki Fumori's primary power, as Sage Art had always been mysterious, even more so than chakra secret techniques.
Before Hashirama, Tobirama had never seen anyone who had learned Sage Art.
Forget seeing them, even in ancient texts, mentions were few and far between, with no detailed information.
Hashirama's learning of Sage Art was also inexplicable; unknowingly, his body was able to incorporate natural energy, and unlike ordinary people who would lose control due to natural energy, he adapted to it with ease.
Hashirama's Sage Art training was also self-taught, and he had told Masaki Fumori everything he knew.
Tobirama, who had never personally experienced Sage Art, naturally couldn't offer any suggestions.
However, Masaki Fumori himself had some insights, which he had accidentally discovered during these days of relaxation.
The Sage Art realm, which he had previously felt had made no progress, seemed to offer some unique insights when he relaxed himself.
Previously, when Masaki Fumori used Sage Art, he focused on amplifying his physical strength, followed by chakra control.
As for methods like Frog Kata, which manipulated natural energy to attack others, he had only explored a few, not enough to harm others, only to provide a certain amount of power.
In his duel with Kinkaku, Masaki Fumori, while in mid-air, suddenly moved.
This was by using natural energy to apply a force to his body, and he could only do this much.
During the days he spent compiling textbooks, as his mind and body relaxed, he seemed to be able to guide natural energy more actively, feeling as if natural energy was becoming a part of his body.
This situation gave Masaki Fumori an idea.
Generally, the requirement for cultivating Sage Art is to be able to sense natural energy.
The way ordinary people sense natural energy is through things like toad oil, which stimulates the body's surface to attract and incorporate natural energy.
Once they personally feel natural energy, it becomes easier to sense it.
Every Sage Art practitioner Masaki Fumori knew was like this.
In the official statements, when the sages in the secret realm taught people to cultivate Sage Art, they would inject their own Sage Chakra into their bodies.
Only those who could withstand the erosion could cultivate it.
Masaki Fumori boldly speculated that the way ordinary people cultivate Sage Art is by adapting their bodies to natural energy, thereby causing some kind of evolution in their cells, and then supplementing it with spiritual training to reach a state where they can actively attract natural energy into themselves.
Jugo's performance seemed to support this point.
He appeared to have a born Sage Body, but according to information revealed by Kabuto Yakushi, his unique physique originated from Ryuchi Cave.
It is estimated that some kind of Sage poison from the White Snake Sage gave Jugo's ancestors an "antibody" that attracted natural energy.
That is to say, the way ordinary people cultivate Sage Art is from body to spirit.
However, Masaki Fumori was different; he did not initially attract natural energy through his body, but through his spirit.
It was the soul from another world that caused a mutation in his mental state, forming this state similar to a Sage Body, but it was absolutely not the same thing.
In other words, it was from spirit to body.
Masaki Fumori felt that to better grasp the realm of natural energy, he should not focus on the flow of Sage Chakra, but on spiritual cultivation, deeply grasping the essence and form of natural energy.
The feeling he got while compiling textbooks seemed to prove this; perhaps it was because he could sense natural energy in his normal state that he overlooked this aspect.
Therefore, Masaki Fumori was more than happy with this current idleness.
He could properly try the method of improving his Sage Art realm through spiritual cultivation, and whether it would work depended on the outcome.
First, Masaki Fumori thought of "sitting in oblivion" (zuowang) and "fasting of the mind" (xinzhai) mentioned in the book "Zhuangzi."
The realms mentioned in these two concepts were very close to the selflessness required for Sage Mode.
Zhuangzi was a representative figure of Taoism, and when it came to Taoism, one had to mention immortals.
Perhaps this was also a hint.
Days passed quickly, and soon, the other Kage also arrived in the Land of Iron.
Saito came to inform the three of them that it was time to head to the Five Kage Summit room.