"Na... Nagato!?"
As Nagato, with his red hair and Akatsuki cloak patterned with red clouds, slowly stepped into the underground palace, everyone on Konoha's side was utterly shocked and thrown into a panic.
Kakashi's operation this time was undoubtedly a gamble by the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
The Akatsuki were far too determined to destroy the Five Great Shinobi Villages. There was no possibility of reconciliation between the two sides, so rather than passively waiting for the Akatsuki to launch surprise attacks time and again, it was better to strike first—using a decisive and unexpected operation to capture one or two Akatsuki members and obtain intelligence on the organization.
Of course, the reason the village had decided to send Team Kakashi on this risky mission
was not only because Kakashi was the village's sole ninja capable of using the "Flying Thunder God Technique" with ease. Naruto, Sasuke, and even Mitsuki's formidable strength were also important considerations.
Setting combat experience aside, Naruto and Sasuke had both officially entered the ranks of Kage-level powerhouses. Mitsuki, in Sage Mode, possessed enormous potential that was difficult to assess. Add in Kakashi, the acting Hokage, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that Team Kakashi was currently Konoha's strongest team.
They had initially believed that their only enemies this time would be Kakuzu and Hidan of the Akatsuki.
With the strength of Team Kakashi and Team Guy, their chances of succeeding had been extremely high. And even if they succeeded, it would be difficult for the Akatsuki to catch Team Kakashi, who had mastered the "Flying Thunder God Technique."
Yet no one had expected such a sudden development. Team Kakashi had only just arrived at the battlefield when Nagato, the leader of the Akatsuki, appeared.
Hyde, who had just been casually knocked down