Nothing unexpected happened on the road to the Land of Lightning. The journey went so smoothly it was almost unbelievable.
The Wind and Earth Envoy Group also chatted happily with the Konoha party. On the surface, the atmosphere was exceptionally friendly, but beneath it, they could barely suppress their malicious desire to slaughter the Konoha shinobi on the spot.
Their malice was as thick as years of sludge in a swamp. They thought they had concealed it flawlessly, but its pungent stench had long since alerted everyone from Konoha.
Hatake Sakumo, whose senses were the keenest, was so provoked by that malice that he was like a cat with its fur standing on end. Unable to contain his own killing intent, he could only leave the party at Hiruzen Sarutobi's signal and scout ahead.
Watanabe Ichiro's disguise had not been exposed. Hidden among the Land of Wind's party, he maintained the same expressions and malice as the others. Had Hiruzen Sarutobi not learned of his disguise in advance, he truly would not have recognized him.
Just as they were about to reach the heart of the Land of Lightning, the moment the Wind and Earth Envoy Group had planned for their attack arrived.
One second, they were still smiling and chatting with the people beside them.
The next, their expressions changed instantly, and their concealed weapons plunged straight toward the Konoha shinobi's vital points.
"Hahaha! Finally got you! Die!"
Lu Renyi, the leader of the Land of Wind's party, drove his kunai into Hiruzen Sarutobi's chest, then twisted the blade and laughed in delight at the success of his scheme.
Yet Hiruzen Sarutobi also revealed a strange smile.
Poof.
A log fell to the ground.
The same thing happened in the other nearby fights. Those struck in vital points were