The battle's commotion grew louder and louder, soon alerting more than half the village. Countless civilians emerged from their homes and, under Katsuyu's guidance along with the Anbu who were gradually arriving, quickly evacuated toward safe areas.
Nara Shikaku hurriedly threw on his ninja outfit and arrived at the scene without even tying up his hair.
His son, Nara Shikamaru, had appeared long ago and was still complaining, "Dad, you're so slow."
Nara Shikaku smoothed out his hair and said with a wry smile, "When you get older, it's harder to wake up once you've fallen asleep."
Then he asked, "How's the situation?"
Nara Shikamaru looked toward the distant battle and said gravely, "Lord Hokage, Lord Jiraiya, and Lord Sakumo have tied the enemy down, but the battle seems to be at a stalemate. Luckily, Lord Hokage arrived in time, so civilian casualties are low."
Nara Shikaku narrowed his eyes at Three-Tails Isobu, clad in Crow Tengu armor, and said calmly, "First Sunagakure, then Iwagakure, and now... it's finally Konoha's turn, huh?"
"Dad, the fighting over there is too intense. We can't interfere at all," Nara Shikamaru said. Then he asked curiously, "Also, what is that monster?"
"That's a Tailed Beast!" Nara Shikaku suddenly raised his brows and hurriedly asked, "Right, where's Kurenai?"
"I don't know." Nara Shikamaru shook his head.
"Shikaku!"
In the distance, Akimichi Choza and Yamanaka Inoichi had arrived as well.
With the Ino-Shika-Cho trio gathered, the surrounding Anbu immediately regained much of their confidence.
"It feels exactly like that night sixteen years ago." Yamanaka Inoichi narrowed his eyes, cold glints flashing from within them. Again and again—did they really think Konoha was made of clay?
"I'm going to smash those bastards!" Akimichi Choza had already taken out his secret medicine, ready to go all out at