The three villages of Kumogakure, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure, which had received the official news from Konoha, reacted no more strongly than Kirigakure had to the reappearance of Wood Release in Konoha.
Everyone knew that the Akatsuki Organization, which coveted every village's Tailed Beasts, was the Five Great Shinobi Villages' greatest threat at present.
But Wood Release was Wood Release, after all!
The First Hokage of Konoha had relied on the power of Wood Release to reshape the Shinobi World's thousand-year Warring States era almost single-handedly, ushering in a new age of hidden villages.
Now that Wood Release had reappeared, no one could say whether someone in Konoha might rekindle the ambition to unite the world.
So, beneath their mild public responses, the villages had secretly activated contingency plans. Some sent spies to Konoha to steal Tsunade's surgical records, while others assembled their own teams and began surgical experiments.
In short, whether or not they had previously taken an interest in Wood Release, every village now had to do whatever it could to acquire it, for the sake of its own security.
Amegakure.
News of Wood Release's return soon reached the village as well.
In the Akatsuki Organization's lounge, Juzo Biwa wiped down Kubikiribōchō as he asked Itachi, "Itachi, you must have heard about what's been happening in Konoha lately, right?"
Before Itachi could answer, Scorpion gave a cold snort from the other side of the room. "Hmph. I never thought Konoha would start performing that kind of surgery again!"
As if the subject had stirred up some memories, Kakuzu said, "Wood Release. It's been so long, it's almost nostalgic!"
Hidan chuckled. "Are you reminiscing about the time you got beaten up by Wood Release?"
Kakuzu's expression darkened. "Do you want me to tear you limb from limb?"
Ignoring Kakuzu and