"Really?!"
Mei Terumi's heart instantly skipped a beat.
She did not doubt the accuracy of Uchiha Minamoto's information, and she grew somewhat agitated.
"Then, aside from Konoha's four tailed beasts, doesn't that mean only Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and our Kirigakure still have tailed beasts?"
Considering that Konoha had four tailed beasts, as well as the Light of Konoha.
Iwagakure had two tailed beasts, as well as Ōnoki of Both Scales.
Mei Terumi had no doubt that the Akatsuki's next target would be either Sunagakure or Kirigakure!
"That's right."
Uchiha Minamoto nodded.
"Be prepared!"
At the same time.
The Akatsuki's secret base, Land of Rain.
The sealing ritual, which had lasted three full days, was finally nearing its end.
As the last trace of the Seven-Tails' chakra was devoured by the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, the enormous monster finally opened its first eye.
"The Seven-Tails' sealing is complete."
Deva Path Pain lowered his hands, not a hint of fatigue visible on his corpse-like face.
"Everyone, our first tailed beast retrieval mission is over."
The other members of the Akatsuki withdrew their chakra as well.
Many of them looked exhausted.
Obito Uchiha looked down at the girl's corpse, which had completely lost all signs of life.
They had secured their first tailed beast.
But that was still far from enough.
"Pain."
Obito Uchiha looked at the Akatsuki's leader.
"What's our next target?"
Rather than answer, Deva Path Pain first looked at Zetsu.
"Zetsu, has anyone outside noticed what we've been doing these past few days?"
"One moment."
Zetsu first disconnected the mental link of the Magic Lantern Body Technique, then only "came back online" after quite a while.
"No. Takigakure is too small. None of the other major villages have noticed its internal situation.
"Also, the Four-Tails Jinchūriki and the