"Heh!"
Glancing at Sasuke, Ringo Ameyuri chuckled.
Darui stretched his limbs and said, "The sooner we wrap this up, the sooner we can get back to training in Takamagahara!"
Yakumo, standing nearby, looked curious. "Is Shinji's Takamagahara really that amazing?"
Before Shinji made Takamagahara public, Yakumo had gone to Kumogakure with Jiraiya and Naruto. She had only just returned to the village, and then she joined this secret operation, so she hadn't had a chance to experience Takamagahara.
Kurotsuchi smiled. "You'll find out when you get back and try it!"
Just then, Jiraiya cut off their chatter. "Everyone, attention! Move out!"
The entire squad fell silent and followed Jiraiya.
Land of Rice Fields.
After withdrawing from the battlefield, Orochimaru released the Impure World Bodies of the First, Second, and Fourth Hokage from his Summoning Jutsu, then raced south with Kabuto Yakushi.
South of the Land of Rice Fields lay the Land of Fire.
Orochimaru's plan was obvious: lure the Akatsuki Organization into the Land of Fire and provoke a clash between them and Konoha, easing the pressure on himself.
Looking back at the sky behind them, Kabuto fixed his gaze on two inconspicuous specks on the horizon and said gravely, "Lord Orochimaru, the Akatsuki Organization is still following us!"
Orochimaru glanced back.
The two specks in the distance were the Clay Birds carrying Scorpion, Deidara, Itachi, and Juzo Biwa. Clearly, the Akatsuki Organization hadn't given up and was still searching for them from the sky.
Orochimaru's expression darkened.
His own forces were still no match for the Akatsuki Organization. This time, they had forced him to retreat again without even bringing "B" into the fight.
He wasn't afraid of the pursuers behind them, but he couldn't shake them off in the short term.
After all, he hadn't mastered the Flying