"Th-that... what is that?!"
Every Iwagakure ninja turned toward the distant clearing, in the direction the Hidden Cloud Village group had fled.
The Third Raikage also looked back and saw an unbelievable sight.
"Killer B? Why is the Eight-Tails here?"
The Eight-Tails lumbered forward, charging rapidly toward them with its enormous body.
When a mountain-sized beast came roaring toward them, most ninja stopped caring about their mission.
"It's coming this way! Run!"
The Iwagakure ninja dropped their weapons and sprinted toward the forest, plunging deep into the mountains.
The Third Raikage did not run. He thought Killer B had come to support him.
"What's going on, Killer B? Aren't you over near Konoha?"
Calling out made him realize something was wrong.
The Eight-Tails looked as though it was charging toward them, but its position had not changed at all!
"Is this genjutsu?"
The Third Raikage had been fighting for a full day and night, and he was struggling to concentrate.
Fortunately, once Xuanhui saw that the Iwagakure ninja had fled far enough, he stepped forward and released the genjutsu on him.
The Third Raikage watched the Eight-Tails abruptly disappear, then looked at the two men who had suddenly appeared before him.
"You two..."
The Third Raikage's eyes rolled back, and he passed out on the spot.
Kakuzu prodded the Third Raikage's body, then turned and asked a question.
"Should I take it now?"
"No. Once he's mostly recovered, I'll fight him again.
After I beat him, you can take his heart."
"Is that really necessary?"
"I need this fight to confirm just how strong I am now."
"Then why didn't you fight the Iwagakure ninja along with him?"
"If word got out, not only would the Hidden Cloud Village hound me relentlessly, but the other great nations would also join