After Itachi's explanation, Chiyo and the others finally understood what the Hidden Leaf Village wanted to do.
"You actually want to unite the Five Great Shinobi Villages into one!?"
"How... how is that possible?"
Chiyo pointed at Tsunade with a trembling finger, disbelief written all over her face.
"Your Fifth Hokage is so ambitious that he would start a war!?"
Itachi frowned slightly, displeased.
He had already made himself clear enough, yet Chiyo still had not understood what he meant.
Tsunade felt the same way. This was precisely why she found it such a hassle.
Still, neither of them intended to explain any further. Chiyo and the others were too agitated right now to take in what they were saying.
They would wait until they calmed down and let them think it over themselves.
Their main task now was to take Sunagakure.
Although they had already crippled Sunagakure's main force, that did not mean the village had lost all ability to resist.
The Kazekage, its strongest fighter and a wielder of the Magnet Release kekkei genkai, had yet to act.
They needed to beat him into submission.
Of course, if the Kazekage was willing to surrender quietly, all the better. It would save them the trouble.
Meanwhile, the Hidden Leaf Village's troops in the Land of Earth were also advancing steadily.
In the Land of Water, however, Kirigakure found the situation rather strange.
Why had Kumogakure's troops suddenly withdrawn?
They had finally managed to win, so why retreat without the slightest warning?
Had something happened back in Kumogakure?
Kirigakure's leaders had an ominous feeling.
Whatever the reason, though, Kumogakure's withdrawal was good news for them.
But before long-not even half a day later-they came under attack from the Hidden Leaf Village.
Kirigakure had no way to defend against the assault,