Land of Fire.
Konoha.
The Six Paths of Pain, Kisame Hoshigaki, Kakuzu, Deidara, and Sasori of the Red Sands were sprinting between Konoha's orderly rows of houses, their arms swinging as they raced straight for the Anbu Building.
At the rear, Deidara looked around curiously. Every so often, he spotted the Konoha Military Police Force evacuating civilians.
He was itching to toss a couple of bombs into the crowd and show the world his explosive art. Fortunately, the captain of Konoha Anbu, Taka, and more than a hundred of his subordinates were right behind them. Even more Konoha Ninja were gathering in the distance, like streams joining a river. If Deidara stopped, he would inevitably be surrounded.
No matter. Once I find the Tailed Beast, I'll throw out a couple of my greatest masterpieces. They'll shock the entire Shinobi World. Heh... Deidara began to giggle to himself.
"Taka!"
Shikaku Nara arrived with two squads of Elite Jonin. He quickly came alongside Taka and asked in a low voice, "How's the situation?"
"It's not too bad yet, but things will get troublesome once we reach the Anbu Building," Taka replied quietly.
"So Akatsuki's target really is the Tailed Beast!" Shikaku said softly. "I've already sent someone to the Anbu Building to warn Konoha Saburo to leave the village. Hopefully, that'll draw Akatsuki away."
"But it's only a temporary measure," Taka said worriedly. "Konoha Saburo is no match for Akatsuki!"
"Have the Fourth Hokage and Hanfu still not returned?" Shikaku asked in puzzlement.
Taka nodded. "Something may have happened to the Third Hokage..."
Meanwhile, in the backyard of Gekko Mansion, Kushina, Mei Terumi, Naruto, Karin, and Hayate, who was still recovering, had gathered together.
"Two highest-level invasion alerts, and now there's suddenly no news?" Kushina stood on the backyard wall, her