The bloodthirsty threat was the last straw. Konoha's villagers and ninja had already suffered terrible losses from a Super Shinra Tensei, and they could no longer hold back.
At first, the cries and curses were scattered. Soon, angry voices rose from every direction and merged into a roar.
"Uchiha Yongye, get out here and fight them!"
"Where the hell are you?"
"Don't tell me you're actually scared!"
"What kind of Upright Magistrate are you? I must've been blind to trust you!"
"Get out here, you bastard! They're going to kill us all!"
"You're from the prestigious Uchiha Clan! How can you be afraid to die? Get out here!"
"..."
As the uproar grew, several Akatsuki members stopped attacking and watched with undisguised glee.
Kakuzu stopped first. The four Masked Monsters floated behind him as the chakra flames gathering in their mouths slowly died out.
He swept his gaze across the cursing Konoha Ninja and civilians, a faint smile on his face. His thoughts drifted back to a time many years ago, when countless villagers had cursed him too.
Then Sasori's puppet arms dropped to its sides.
The Third Kazekage puppet froze in midair. A spike of Iron Sand hovered less than a handspan from a Konoha Genin's forehead, but instead of piercing it, the spike slowly dispersed.
Sasori sneered loudly. "Heh. So this is what they call a village!"
Hidan was even more direct. He slung his Bloody Triple-Bladed Scythe over his shoulder and took two long steps back to Kakuzu's side, grinning wide enough to show both rows of teeth.
"They're cursing one of their own. This is great!"
"What's in their heads, garbage? They want someone to save them, so they curse him first?"
"If it were me, I'd wait until every last one of them was dead