In the dense forest over two hundred li behind the Allied Shinobi Forces' main camp.
A Zetsu clone emerged halfway from the trunk of a massive tree, his face dark as he said unhappily, "Didn't I tell you to wait and act together with Uchiha Madara? Why did you approach the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki on your own, Kisame?"
Kisame Hoshigaki stood amid the branches of the giant tree. Through the dense leaves, he coldly watched Naruto, the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki, standing atop a distant treetop like a tiny black dot, along with Jiraiya, one of the Sannin.
"My apologies, but I really didn't expect to be noticed from so far away. Heh heh heh, as expected of Jiraiya," Kisame Hoshigaki sneered.
"No, Jiraiya wasn't the one who noticed you. It was the Nine-Tails!" the Zetsu clone complained. "The Nine-Tails can sense every nearby presence harboring malice toward it. Kisame, you simply can't hide your hostility from the Nine-Tails!"
"I see." Kisame Hoshigaki nodded, then drew Samehada and asked, "Since we've already been discovered... shall we attack directly?"
"The enemy is Jiraiya of the Sannin and the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki. Kisame, you have almost no chance of winning," said the Zetsu clone. "Fortunately, Uchiha Madara is already on his way. You only need to hold them back."
"That's very unpleasant to hear." Kisame Hoshigaki slowly poured his Chakra into Samehada, instantly releasing it.
Countless sharp purple barbs rose menacingly from Samehada. A huge mouth split open at its tip, filled with vicious fangs. Its long tongue hung out, dripping saliva, as though it had already caught the scent of the Nine-Tails' Chakra from several li away.
"Good luck."
The Zetsu clone snorted, then slowly sank into the tree trunk and vanished.
At the same time.
"Found him, southwest!"
Within Naruto's Sealing World, the Yang