Konoha had been relatively peaceful lately, but the higher-ups felt as if every rustle of the wind and cry of a crane signaled danger.
Not long after Kakashi left Konoha with Team 7, intelligence arrived from Iwagakure in the Land of Earth and Kumogakure in the Land of Lightning.
Iwagakure's Five-Tails Jinchuriki and Kumogakure's Two-Tails Jinchuriki had both been captured by Akatsuki!
This made Tsunade, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and the other higher-ups rather anxious. Fortunately, Sai periodically sent back intelligence reports, but some time ago, Sai's reports suddenly stopped!
It was impossible not to suspect that Akatsuki had targeted Naruto and the others.
These past few days, Tsunade sent people to seek out Danzō every day, asking whether any intelligence had come back from Sai.
After all, Sai was the one you had planted among them. Now the intelligence was gone—this was your dereliction of duty. You had to take full responsibility!
On the surface, Danzō was just as anxious as Tsunade, but inwardly, he was as steady as a rock.
According to the plan he had made with Uchiha Shin and Orochimaru, once Kakashi and the others entered the Rōran Ruins in the Land of Wind, Akatsuki would emerge to ambush them, drawing out Minato Namikaze, Uchiha Houka, and their group.
After that would come a life-or-death battle between the two sides.
At that point, Sai would take Naruto and leave.
There might be unforeseen complications, but Danzō had faith in Sai—and even more faith in Uchiha Houka and Minato Namikaze. No matter what kind of battle broke out, they would certainly prioritize getting Naruto away. That way, Sai would naturally be able to complete his mission smoothly and bring Naruto back to Konoha.
Judging by the timing, the battle at the Rōran Ruins should already have ended.