Over at Takigakure, forces from every side had gathered, and more people would be joining the battle later.
Whether they had come to capture the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki or protect the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki, the battle there was gradually escalating.
Meanwhile, the first-stage objective laid out by Nagato, the leader of the Akatsuki Organization, was not merely to capture the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki. There were also Iwagakure's Four-Tails and Five-Tails Jinchuriki!
In the wilderness along the border of a small country, a middle-aged man dressed in purple robes and a breastplate suddenly stopped walking. His hair was tied into a short ponytail, he had a thick beard, and he was dressed like a wandering monk.
This middle-aged man was none other than Roshi, Iwagakure's Four-Tails Jinchuriki, who was at odds with the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki and spent his days wandering the Ninja World while training.
"Who's there? Come out!"
Roshi shouted into the empty wilderness, his voice full of vigor.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh."
Yet all that followed was a gust of wind, making the scene rather awkward.
Even so, Roshi showed no intention of moving another step.
His gaze remained fixed on a massive boulder not far ahead.
"Tap, tap~"
"Jingle, jingle~"
At last, after an unknown amount of time, two figures emerged from behind the boulder Roshi had been watching. They wore black cloaks patterned with red clouds, Straw Hats on their heads, with bells hanging from the brims.
As the two drew closer, the ringing of the bells became clearer and clearer.
"Oh my, as expected of the Four-Tails Jinchuriki. It seems our concealment was completely ineffective."
When they reached a spot not far from Roshi, one of them suddenly spoke.
As his words fell, he casually removed the straw hat from his head.
A face resembling that of a shark