Near the Tsuchikage Building, more and more Iwa Ninja gathered, packed tightly together with grim expressions as they faced the "dense forest" ahead.
More than half the village had been swallowed by Wood Release. Countless civilians were trapped inside, their piercing screams blending into one, as if it were hell on earth.
"Damn it! Whoever the enemy is, I'll never let them get away with this!"
"It must be Konoha's ninja! They've declared war on us!"
"Lord Tsuchikage, declare war on Konoha! We can't swallow this insult!"
Ōnoki, who had been floating in the air, finally descended slowly. In a hoarse growl, he said, "Shut up, all of you! I know you're angry and hateful, but first, open your eyes and see who the enemy really is!"
"Who exactly are they, Lord Tsuchikage?!"
"It's Akatsuki!" Ōnoki snapped.
A bitter smile surfaced in Five-Tails Jinchuriki Han's heart. So they really came for me.
"Even the Third Tsuchikage knows our organization's name now?" A calm, disdainful voice drifted from the dense forest. "We had originally planned to disguise ourselves as Konoha ninja and see if we could provoke a war between your two great nations."
A tall yet gaunt figure slowly stepped onto a massive, grotesque branch. Wearing a black cloak patterned with red clouds, his complexion pale, he smiled softly. "Looks like we were too naive."
"Who are you?"
Ōnoki stared at the man, his expression growing increasingly grave.
"My name is Hiruko."
Hiruko looked at Ōnoki with an intensely burning gaze, as though he had spotted a peerless beauty wearing nothing but revealing clothes. That coy, half-refusing posture made Hiruko's heart melt!
Though Ōnoki was already in his seventies or eighties, ugly and short, with a big red nose to boot, Hiruko was a man who had transcended such lowly