At Uchiha Shin's command, the powerful figures he had summoned through Impure World Reincarnation leaped from the rooftop one after another, their forms swiftly vanishing from sight.
"What a pity."
Zetsu suddenly sighed. "Konoha acted too quickly. The remains of many powerful people, including the First, Second Hokage, and Third Hokage, were all moved away. Otherwise..."
Konan had originally possessed the bone cells of the First and Second Hokage. Orochimaru had stolen them long ago and hidden them in Ryūchi Cave, where Konan later obtained them. However, after the battle at the Rōran Ruins, Konan had destroyed all of those bone cells.
"Zetsu, use Sensory Ninjutsu. Don't let anyone else come in. I need to focus on controlling these people!"
Uchiha Shin sat down cross-legged, his black cloak patterned with red clouds appearing even more somber beneath the low, overcast sky.
Zetsu nodded lightly, then half his body sank into the ground.
In the region where the Land of Rain bordered the Land of Fire, rain poured down in sheets.
Through the muddy grassland, Hyuga Neji, Hyuga Tokuma, Aburame Muta, and Lan Hua raced forward.
Neji and Tokuma each used their Byakugan to sweep the area in alternating patterns.
Aburame Muta controlled his insects as they flitted about the surroundings.
Lan Hua, meanwhile, stopped from time to time to probe the area with Sensory Ninjutsu.
Yet after traveling all this way, the conclusion reached by the four of them remained the same: nothing suspicious!
Hyuga Neji's brow furrowed tighter and tighter.
Since Akatsuki has declared war on us, how could they possibly be this unprepared?
Moreover, the unease in his heart was growing stronger by the moment!
Hyuga Neji looked up. Countless raindrops formed a curtain of rain, crashing to the ground like a waterfall and sending sprays of