As the battle on the front lines reached a fever pitch, Kakuzu and Jūzō had silently appeared in Konoha's rear, watching the villagers being evacuated toward the shelter.
Although they could not play a decisive role on the front lines, their presence here alone would relieve some of the pressure on Nagato.
The Konoha chunin overseeing the evacuation looked at Kakuzu and Jūzō and recognized them as members of Akatsuki.
Akatsuki recruited only powerful shinobi. Even without villagers to evacuate behind them, the chunin would be no match for its members. Merely being watched like this sent chills down their spines and filled them with concern for the villagers.
No one knew what atrocities the Akatsuki members might commit against the shelter and its occupants.
Just then, more than a dozen figures in Military Police Force uniforms bearing the fan crest appeared. With their backs to the chunin, they raised their weapons at Kakuzu and Jūzō.
We're saved! The Military Police Force is finally here!
It was not just the ninja overseeing the evacuation who thought this, but the residents being evacuated as well. After the Uchiha and the Military Police Force resolved the last major crisis, they had unconsciously come to trust the fan crest, just as they once trusted the Senju.
"Keep evacuating the crowd!"
After telling the chunin to continue their work, Fugaku turned toward the Akatsuki members. His expression darkened the moment he recognized Kakuzu.
Kakuzu had lost to him before, defeated by his Sharingan.
But he had to admit that Kakuzu was an exceptionally powerful elite jonin. Fighting him was no different from battling five jonin at once. His combinations of ninjutsu, in particular, reminded Fugaku of the Third Hokage in his younger days.
Fugaku was confident he could defeat Kakuzu, but it would be