Marvel : The Summoning System

The room was tense, with a stillness broken only by the rustle of cloth, as shinobi shifted their posture while weapons were subtly grabbed. Eyes glanced warily between strangers and familiar faces, looking for the slightest sign of hostility.

The quiet was broken by a harsh, mocking voice. "Why should we hear you?" A tall guy with a distinct scar across his face stepped forward, his Iwagakure headband shining in the low light. "You're not my kage. Not my leader. For all we know, you're the reason we're here."

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the room. A kunoichi from Kirigakure folded her arms, her eyes cold. "I agree. Why should we trust someone who's clearly benefiting from our confusion?"

"Before we go any further," Hunter continued, his voice firm, "I'll make one thing clear: infighting will end up destroying us all. If you believe you're here to settle grudges, you're making a huge mistake, you are not in your world. This is a completely different world, more dangerous than you can imagine and believe me you don't want to increase the number of enemies in this world, there are lots of beings in this world capable of destroying planets. You guys are anbu, you are smart and I think you can understand what I am talking about."

Room felt silent, everyone looking at each other, Hunter continued after a moment

"Let me explain what you're up against. This world is not like the one you left behind. It's rougher and deadlier. The people or things you face here do not care about your affiliation's, past, or honor. They're determined and stronger than anything you've ever encountered. If you believe you can tackle this alone, I suggest you try, but I can assure you that you, if were to act on your own, won't even be able to leave this place alive."

Iwa anbu replied while nudging at Jiraiya's direction, "You greatly underestimate us. Even with that man with you, you can't stop all of us from escaping."

Hunter pointing towards Jiraiya, "I am sure most of you must know him, one of the legendary sannin, 'Toad sage Jiraiya', but he won't be interfering if you chose to escape. I don't care about your past grudges or your village rivalries. Out there, it's us against them. If you can't put your differences aside, you're as good as dead. And if you think I'm bluffing, you're welcome to leave and test your chances alone. None of my force will try to stop you. Escape if you can."

"

Iwa shinobi burled for a moment and after few seconds came back and just stared at Hunter.

Hunter with a smirk said to Iwa shinobi, "Told you!", he turned towards everyone else and said, "We are at 10,000 ft. above the ground level. If anyone of you is confident in surviving the fall, be my guest. But just let me clear one thing, I am not an enemy."

Kiri shinobi, "You say that after practically trapping us here, heck I would even say this was some ambush set up by Konoha, since you guys are in majority."

Sakumo Hatake remained calm in front of this allegation.

Hunter fixed his attention on the Kiri shinobi, calmly he replied, "I understand your distrust, but let me ask you this: does Konoha really benefit from bringing all of you here? Think about it. You are here because you are talented, strong. Your villages chose you as elites for a reason. Would Konoha risk weakening its own defenses to arrange anything so complicated?"

Jiraiya, who had been silent, walked forward, "If this were an ambush, you'd already be dead. Konoha doesn't need to rely on tricks if it wants to take out its enemies, I can vouch for that". Jiraiya after glancing at each of the member said, "What got us here wasn't Konoha's fault. We are in this together, whether we like it or not. And based on what I've observed, Hunter here knows the world better than any of us."

Hunter nodded in agreement and said, "Let me clarify something else. I did not specifically summon you guys here. I don't have that type of power, and if I had, don't you think I'd summon only individuals who I can control? Or only Konoha shinobis? Look around—why would I call possible enemies from each village? This situation does not benefit me either."

The Iwa shinobi crossed his arms but stayed silent, his earlier defiance waning with the explanation. The Kiri kunoichi narrowed her eyes but seemed to consider Hunter's words.

"Now," Hunter continued, his voice lowering but carrying more weight, "I need everyone to decide. We can either stand here and question each other till we rip ourselves apart, or we can stick together and survive. The decision is yours, but I'm going on forward with or without you."

The stillness dragged on for a minute until Sakumo Hatake finally spoke, his voice calm but strong. "If this were a trap, by this time at least someone would have died. I propose we listen to what Hunter has said and cooperate with him, at least until we verify the truth."

The Kiri kunoichi sighed, clearly reluctant. "Fine. For now, I'll cooperate. But don't expect me to trust you."

One by one, the shinobi began to lower their hands on their weapons, the hostility in the air dissipated slightly, though mistrust still lingered around.

Hunter's gaze surveyed the room, noting an uneasy truce forming. "Good," he responded. "That's at least a start. Now, let's talk approach. If we want to survive in this world, we must work together. That entails exchanging information, coordinating our actions, and leaving grudges behind. I know it won't be easy but still, that has to be done. I'll leave Jiraiya behind to brief you on this world."

He looked at Jiraiya and nodded. Hunter turned and muttered to Jiraiya, "I'll leave the rest to you." He went toward the exit of the room.

He stopped, then said with a faint, knowing smirk, "And for those still doubting me—stick around long enough, and you'll see for yourselves that I'm your best chance of surviving in this world."

Sakumo Hatake's POV

Sakumo's eyes opened, and his senses immediately went on high alert. The air, the odd light, the slight hum in the background—it was all off. He studied his surroundings, his honed instincts sensing the presence of other shinobi and the tension in the air.

Then it hit him: a sudden surge of memories. They weren't his own memories, but something felt like they were real. Battles fought by organization known as "Avengers," weird artifacts capable of bending reality and connecting two places with a portal, towering giant snakes?, and creatures beyond his imagination. His mind swirled, attempting to correlate these strange sights with the world he knew.

The word 'Marvel' remained in his mind. This was not Genjutsu. It was something far more complex. He had an odd feeling that this was not his world, and the memories confirmed that surviving here took more than raw power.

Sakumo's eyes shifted to the others in the room. Shinobi from all corners of the elemental countries. The faces of Iwagakure, Kirigakure, and Sunagakure were engraved with wariness and suspicion. His acute intellect noticed their small motions, weight shifts, and hands lingering near weapons. Everyone was on edge, prepared to strike at the first perceived threat.

Then his gaze rested on Kakashi. His son, but older, with his face partially hidden by the mask Sakumo had seen him wear as a boy. Sakumo's chest tightened at the sight, but he suppresses it. There was no time for feeling. Questions can wait.

Jiraiya stood behind a person he did not know in the center of the room—a man named Hunter. Jiraiya, one of the Sannin, the Toad Sage, was a man Sakumo trusted altogether. Their gazes met, and Jiraiya gave him a small nod. That was sufficient. Jiraiya would never betray Konoha. If he trusted this Hunter, Sakumo would at least hear him out.

Sakumo's attention returned to the Iwagakure shinobi, who approached with clear dislike. The man's statements were harsh and full of distrust. The kunoichi from Kirigakure joined in, her cold gaze mirroring the piercing sharpness of her speech.

Sakumo studied the circumstances like a seasoned strategist. The Iwa shinobi's boldness and the Kiri kunoichi's suspicion were unavoidable. Old dispute lingered, and they were far from Konoha's allies. But the Konoha shinobi in the room, he noticed with pride, had refrained from making rash decisions. They stood waiting, silent, studying the scene with the cool manner that matched their training.

Hunter began to speak, his words measured, assertive, and surprisingly effective. Sakumo listened closely as the stranger explained their situation and the dangers of this world. Hunter's tone conveyed the weight of someone who had witnessed and experienced the dangers of this world. As an ANBU commander, Sakumo recognized sincerity when he heard it, and Hunter's statements had no indication of deception.

When Hunter welcomed anybody who doubted him to leave, Sakumo's attention moved to the Iwa shinobi, who bristled but eventually stayed. The tension in the room eased slightly, to be replaced by reluctant curiosity.

Sakumo breathed quietly. He didn't quite trust this Hunter just yet, but he trusted Jiraiya's judgment. He resolved to comply for the time being, if only to safeguard the safety of the Konoha shinobi in the group. He also decided to meet with Jiraiya privately later—there was much to talk about, not just this world, but also what had brought them here.

When Hunter finished, Sakumo finally spoke, his voice calm yet strong, "If this were a trap, at this time at least someone would have died. I propose we listen to what Hunter has said and cooperate with him at least until we verify the truth.", he continued, "We will listen. Cooperation is our greatest shot of survival. But this faith is not unconditional." He turned to Jiraiya, making a subtle motion to imply that they would chat later.

For now, however, he would observe, prepare, and adapt. This new world was a challenge, but Sakumo Hatake had overcome similar odds before.