Escape and Attack

"A!?"

Once everything had settled down, the Konoha ninjas on the field finally saw who had erased Hiruko's Storm Release technique: "A," the suspected leader of the Akatsuki Organization.

"How could it be him!?"

Kakashi was startled.

Although "F" and "G" had just turned against Ranmaru of the Akatsuki Organization, there was no guarantee that "F" and "G" meant Konoha no harm.

Now even "A" had appeared. Whatever the case, it at least meant the Akatsuki Organization's attention was now focused on Konoha.

If "A" harbored any ill will toward the village, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Why hasn't the main force returned to help?"

Glancing at the sky, Kakashi grew anxious.

According to the Ninja Village Alliance's original plan, this time Konoha, along with the One-Tail Jinchuriki, Seven-Tails Jinchuriki, and Nine-Tails Jinchuriki staying there, would serve as bait to lure the Akatsuki Organization into attacking. Then the alliance would gather its forces and wipe out the Akatsuki Organization in one fell swoop.

To ensure the Akatsuki Organization would launch its attack without suspicion, the Ninja Village Alliance had pretended to fall for the organization's ploy to lure the tiger away from the mountain.

In reality, however, the alliance's main elite force hadn't gone all the way to the Land of Demons to rescue Rōshi, Han, and Utakata, the three Jinchuriki captured by the Akatsuki Organization.

Instead, after leaving Konoha, they had secretly gone into hiding within the Land of Fire.

As soon as word came from Konoha, they would immediately return to help, joining forces with the ninjas who had stayed behind to wipe out every Akatsuki Organization member involved in the attack.

Orochimaru's actions had thrown the Ninja Village Alliance's arrangements into disarray, but given how things had unfolded, the village should have sent out the signal long