Naruto 458

Guidelines For Using My Translations

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Naruto
#458: The Five Kages' Battle of Words
[Insert text: Gaara provides the first spark...!!]
Gaara: I will begin the discussions. / So listen.
Tsuchikage: There have been some real changes in the Five Kages recently, I see. / And an impressive feat it is to have obtained the name of Kage at such a young age, Kazekage-dono. // Now, it would appear your father has taught you well... / ...but it would appear that manners did not feature high on the agenda.
Gaara: I daresay so... / That is why I am here now as Kazekage.
Tsuchikage: Gahahahah! You're an impertinent one, all right!!
Mizukage: Tsuchikage-sama. I would ask that you not make fun of the boy. // Kazekage-sama, if you would proceed...
Gaara: I am a former Jinchuuriki myself.
Kankurou: Who does that Tsuchikage think he is?!
Gaara: I was captured by Akatsuki, who extracted my Bijuu and nearly took my life in the process.
Temari: Be quiet and listen.
Gaara: As such, I consider Akatsuki an extremely dangerous enemy.

2
Gaara: I have petitioned the Five Kages for aid in this matter many times, but my requests have been ignored. / By all but the former Hokage, that is. // At any rate, with the number of Jinchuuriki that have already fallen into their hands, it is too late for that now.
Tsuchikage: Hmph... for the Hidden Villages of the Five Great Nations to have their Jinchuuriki stolen away is to lose face before the other nations! / It is a disgrace! // It is only natural that we would attempt to recover them covertly. // We can hardly ask other nations for aid in clearing up our own messes!
Gaara: "Proper form"... "losing face"... // Outdated and meaningless concepts.
Tsuchikage: Hmph... this youngster...

3
Mizukage: The Bijuu may have been stolen, but that is no cause for immediate worry. // It takes large amounts of skill, knowledge and time to bring them under control.
Tsuchikage: A Jinchuuriki must grow together with his or her Bijuu, adapting to its power over many years. / And even then, controlling them can be difficult... they cannot simply be used at will... // Is that not correct, Kazekage-dono?
Gaara: .........
Danzou: The only people known to have gained true control over the Bijuu... / ...are Uchiha Madara and the First Hokage, Hashirama, of old... // ...as well as the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, / ...and the younger brother of the Raikage-dono, Killer Bee. // However...
Ao: Choujuurou.
Choujuurou: Of course!

4-5
Raikage: ENOUGH OF THIS BLASTED NONSENSE!!!

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Mifune: This is a place of discussion. I would ask that everyone present avoid any unseemly conduct.
Danzou: Withdraw, Fuu, Torune.
Gaara: Likewise, Kankurou, Temari.
Mizukage: Ao, Choujuurou, that's enough...
Ao: As you wish.
Akatsuchi: Right......
Raikage: ...Hmph!

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Raikage: ...Konoha! Rock! Sand! Mist! / Akatsuki is made up of Missing-Nin from the ranks of your villages! // And not only that...!! // According to my sources, amongst your own number, predecessors included... / ...there are those who have used Akatsuki for their own purposes!!
Gaara: Used Akatsuki...?
Raikage: I have no intention of trusting any of you! / I did not even wish to discuss anything with you people! // However, I gathered the Five Kages here nonetheless... // ...in order to determine your loyalties once and for all!!!
Gaara: You are accusing the Kages of making use of Akatsuki?!

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Raikage: So the Kazekage himself is being kept in the dark, eh?! / Why don't you try asking your own village elders! // Your village has made use of Akatsuki for purposes of war in the past!
Tsuchikage: ...... // The state of the Great Nations has become more stable in recent years... militarisation is beginning to decrease rather than expanding. // As a lessening of the tensions between nations reduces the threat of war... / ...our villages, entirely military assets, become no more than a drain on our countries' funds... // However, that in itself bears its own risks. / What about when war does suddenly break out?! A country can hardly hope to depend on shinobi with no actual battle experience. // They would be defeated without a doubt.
Gaara: Are you suggesting that you found the only solution to this risk to be a mercenary group......... // ...such as Akatsuki?

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Tsuchikage: Raising elite shinobi in one's own village is a time- and money-consuming process... // ...but the ranks of Akatsuki, a group who live for war alone, are consistently filled with pro combatants. / What is more, they will fight for a relatively small fee. / And most importantly, they consistently provided the most reliable results.
Raikage: Watch your attitude, Tsuchikage!
Tsuchikage: Hmph!
Raikage: The Sand made use of Akatsuki in their plot to crush Konoha. // Orochimaru...! // Although we cannot say for sure whether he was still a member of Akatsuki or not at that point... // And as a result, the former Kazekage and Hokage both met their ends. // I find it difficult to ignore the possibility that this outcome could have been coordinated by someone.

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Raikage: (...That old schemer...) // The most suspicious village of all is the Mist!! // You make very little contact with the outside world... it is even rumoured that your village was the birthplace of Akatsuki!!
Mizukage: ...... // As you have come this far with your accusations, I will be frank...
Ao: (Surely she is not about to...!)
Mizukage: There were suspicions that my predecessor... the Fourth Mizukage was being manipulated by an unknown party... // The possibility existed that Akatsuki was that unknown party... // As such, not wishing to cause unnecessary stirrings...
Raikage: Every last one of you...!
Tsuchikage: ...!!

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Tsuchikage: Watch your tongue, Raikage! // It is primarily because of your insistence, even in this era of demilitarisation, upon seeking power and collecting whatever ninjutsu you can... / ...that others have been driven to turn to Akatsuki in order to match that military force!
Raikage: What?!!
Danzou: ......Before this devolves into petty quarreling... / I would like to finish the statement that I was attempting to make before the interruption earlier.
Raikage: What is it?!
Danzou: I suspect that the leader of Akatsuki is Uchiha Madara.
Tsuchikage/Raikage/Gaara/Mizukage: ?!
Tsuchikage: Surely Uchiha Madara is long dead...?!
Danzou: Indeed, I am unsure of this myself... but my sources seem sound.
Tsuchikage: So there is a real monster behind this, is there...

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Mifune: Allow me to make a statement as leader of a neutral state. / The leader of Akatsuki has been reading the flow of the ages... // Using the stability of the nations... and the distrust between them to his advantage in order to expand... / At this rate, the Iron Country, too... // However there may be a way for us to turn calamity to good fortune... It is not often that all of the Five Kages are gathered in this way. / I would like to propose... that until Akatsuki have been dealt with... // ...for the first time in the history of the world... the five great Hidden Villages form a shinobi alliance.
Raikage: An alliance?!
Danzou: ...An excellent suggestion. / This is an emergency situation... cooperation is in all our interests. // (...This is going well.)
Mifune: Unifying the chain of command would bring many benefits. / Any further disorder should be avoided at all costs.
Tsuchikage: Well, then...... / Surely the primary issue would be who would hold the authority in such an alliance...

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Mifune: Allowing you to quarrel over this issue amongst yourselves would lead nowhere...... / As such, I, whom you have all recognised as an entirely neutral party, would like to make my proposition. // To choose the most suitable candidate of the Five Kages.
Danzou: (With this... Tsunade's age is over.)
Sakura: Naruto did that...?!
Sai: Indeed... in order to defend Sasuke. // His body was in tatters... but he refused to sell Sasuke out to the very end. // And in order to avoid causing unnecessary worry... he asked me to refrain from mentioning this to you...
Sakura: ......... // (Naruto......)
Sai: Right now, he has left the village to seek the Raikage and request that he forgive Sasuke... / Though I doubt he will be successful......
Shizune: How could he do such an outrageous thing? / I though Kakashi was keeping watch over...

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Sai: Kakashi-sensei believes in Naruto. // I believe that even if his actions are futile, Kakashi-sensei wants to give him the opportunity to try. // I was assigned to Team Kakashi only relatively recently, as a replacement for Sasuke. // As such, there is still much that I do not know about Team Kakashi...... / ......and of course, about people's emotions.
Flashback!Naruto: ...Like hell I could do that. // I can't even keep a simple promise...
Sai: ...And I know not what promise stands between you and Naruto, either...
Sakura: ...!
Flashback!Sakura: Naruto... this is the greatest... request... I will ever make of you... // Please... Please bring Sasuke-kun back...
Sai: However...

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Sai: Even I am able to see plainly enough... / ...that Naruto truly cares for you!!
[TN: *slaps Sai*]
Flashback!Naruto: I know you really like Sasuke and all... // ...so I understand so well it hurts... // ...just how much you must be suffering right now... // I promise I'll bring Sasuke back, no matter what! // This is the promise of a lifetime!! // ...Sakura-chan! // I'm still going to keep that promise. // I never go back on my words. // That's my Way of the Ninja...

16
Sakura: Uuunn... // ...nhhh...
Shizune: Sakura...
Sakura: Unnhh...
Sai: It seems to me as though Naruto is constantly bearing the weight of his promise to you... / It seemed as though he intends to bear it his whole life. // I don't know what you may have said to Naruto...... / But it seemed to me as though Naruto's situation was not too different from my own... // As though he was afflicted by a cursed seal. // It may be Sasuke who is ultimately hurting Naruto, but... // ......

17
Sai: Could the responsibility not lie with you as well?
[TN: For a guy who doesn't understand emotions, he's pretty sharp, that Sai.]
Mifune: The only remaining Jinchuuriki is the Kyuubi of Konoha... // I daresay he will be the key to this whole affair... // What say you to granting the ultimate authority over the Shinobi Alliance to the Hokage?
Gaara: ......
Raikage: What?!
Tsuchikage: Wha...?!
[TN: The summit turns to chaos...?!]