"Whoooosh!"
A fierce wind swept overhead as sunlight shone down, casting a slanted black shadow behind the group.
Stepping over the Sand Shinobi lying on the ground, their fates unknown, they soon disappeared through the gate.
"Your hometown really is desolate, Sasori."
Obito spoke teasingly.
Sasori's true body was hidden inside his puppet. He did not respond, merely sweeping his cold gaze over everything around him.
"Locate the target immediately and begin the operation as soon as possible."
"We don't have time to waste here."
Pain spoke coldly.
"Heh heh, leave the intelligence gathering to me."
Zetsu chuckled softly as half his body sank into the ground.
Before long, they arrived inside Sunagakure. Compared with its usual defenses, the village now felt tense and somber.
"There are a lot of hidden sentries."
"We may already be under surveillance."
Uchiha Itachi spoke gravely.
He keenly sensed eyes in the shadows of the nearby streets, watching them constantly, their gazes fixed on the group.
"Don't worry. They're only suspicious right now. They aren't certain."
Sasori spoke indifferently.
Sunagakure was not closed to outsiders, and many merchants came and went. Under those circumstances, the shinobi would not rashly identify someone as an enemy.
A while later, Zetsu's clone emerged from the wall ahead.
"I've found him. This mission looks like it'll be easy."
"Just a poor little kid, seven or eight years old."
He chuckled softly.
River nodded at that. Naturally, he knew who the One-Tail Jinchuriki was-one of the future Five Kage. But right now, he was merely a child scarred by his childhood, waiting for a savior to rescue him.
"Let's move!"
At those words, everyone sprang into action.
Seeing them disappear, the Sand Shinobi watching them immediately paled, realizing something was wrong.
At the same time, Fourth Kazekage Rasa received