They received an update on the situation at the Land of Fire's Daimyo's Residence.
Naruto and his party of nearly a hundred elite ninja headed straight for the Daimyo's Residence City, the heart of power in the Land of Fire.
As everyone knew, Konoha was not all the Land of Fire had. Its vast territory also contained several major towns.
Konohagakure was actually more like an independent military base within the Land of Fire.
Konoha provided protection for the Land of Fire, while the Land of Fire's Daimyo funded Konoha's expenses. Their relationship was more like the complementary balance of yin and yang.
But now Konoha, the pillar that held everything steady, had fallen. Without its protection, the Land of Fire naturally became a tempting target for its neighbors.
Naruto's party traveled day and night, reaching Daimyo's Residence City in just three days.
Once a prosperous economic center of the Land of Fire, it was now shrouded in the smoke of war. The streets were desolate, and every household had its doors and windows tightly shut.
"It looks like the situation is even worse than we expected."
Tsunade and Jiraiya had departed from Daimyo's Residence City to seek out Kakashi and the others in the Land of Waves.
Everything had been fine when they left. Yet in less than a week, the place had changed completely.
Naruto surveyed the surroundings and said bluntly, "To the Daimyo's Residence."
"Hah!"
The Daimyo's Residence was a sprawling estate spanning a full ten li.
To reflect its owner's standing as the Daimyo of the foremost of the Five Great Nations, its buildings were towering and imposing.
From a distance, it looked like a small fortified city, complete with walls, watchtowers, and every other defensive installation.
The original purpose of this fortified estate had merely