High above, fierce winds howled.
The leaders of the various villages stood steadily atop the insect armor, using the Byakugan to survey every movement across the battlefield from every angle.
"Konoha and Sunagakure have joined forces!"
"So what? My Iwagakure has also joined forces with the villages of Star, Snow, and Rain!"
Ishikawa bluntly refuted the excited Reto.
Hashirama, however, remarked with a gratified expression, "When faced with a powerful external threat, the groups really did choose to band together."
"Wait!" A stared in astonishment at the red giant ape and the ox-headed octopus heading toward Konoha and Sunagakure. "Even wild Tailed Beasts here can join a ninja faction?"
"The rules never restricted that."
Tobirama, watching the clone behind Flying Bird, turned his head slightly and explained.
Byakuren gazed at the forces of Konoha and Sunagakure, comparing them with the other united hidden villages. "Did they make them join their side through negotiation?"
The others quietly studied Hashirama and Tobirama. Konoha and Sunagakure's move had inexplicably added the strength of two Tailed Beasts to their side.
The arrangements for the survival exercise had long since spread through every village and been regarded as predetermined examination content.
Yet the sudden addition of Tailed Beasts had only become known to them after they arrived.
Had the Hokage deliberately leaked the information?
They had seen it with their own eyes: during the initial battle between Sunagakure and the Tailed Beasts, there had been a brief exchange of words. Several of the leaders could read lips and had directly deciphered their conversation.
That ruled out a leak.
"Good."
Kakuzu's low praise drifted into everyone's ears on the breeze.
Their gazes immediately turned toward Takigakure's position.
Takigakure and Kusagakure had converged. It was quite a good combination.
That was how they assessed it inwardly.
Wait.