When the morning light sprinkled over the streets and alleys of the village, Konoha Village woke up from its slumber.
Naruto, as usual, came to Ichiraku Ramen early, ordered a bowl of ramen with double toppings, and started feasting.
"Naruto!"
At this time, a call interrupted Naruto.
Naruto turned his head to look: "Sakura? Morning!"
"Morning!" Sitting beside Naruto, Sakura said: "I've heard about him!"
The 'him' in Sakura's mouth undoubtedly referred to Sasuke.
Naruto felt a bit down: "Sorry."
"No, you don't need to apologize to me!" Shaking her head, Sakura asked: "I just want to know if he is okay?"
News about his battle with Sasuke at the Valley of the End was currently still confidential, especially the matter of Sasuke awakening the 'Rinnegan'. Tsunade strictly ordered not to leak it, so Sakura only heard about Sasuke appearing, not knowing the specific details.
Naruto nodded heavily: "Yeah, that guy became stronger again!"
Sakura breathed a sigh of relief: "That's great!"
Rumble...
Just then, an explosion suddenly came from the distance!
Naruto and Sakura, who were chatting, were both startled, then rushed to the street, looking in the direction where the explosion came from.
Watching the smoke and dust soaring into the sky in the distance, Sakura exclaimed: "Seems like it's inside the village!"
Naruto felt a chill in his heart: "I'll go check!"
"Naruto, be... careful!"
Before Sakura finished speaking, Naruto was already gone.
This made her feel somewhat lost. Sasuke was like this, Naruto was also like this. The trio who advanced and retreated together in the Ninja Academy back then seemed never able to return.
On the other side.
As the flying chimera swept through the air, colorful explosive tag feathers drifted down with the wind, sprinkling towards Konoha Village.
Soon, these explosive tag feathers detonated one after another, turning the entire block into a sea of fire.
Amidst the churning firelight and smoke, a figure walked slowly.
"Who goes there?"
"Stop right there!"
"Don't move!"
Looking at the figure walking out of the firelight, the surrounding Konoha ninjas scolded one after another.
"Hmph!"
That figure snorted lightly, then arrived in front of a Konoha ninja with a Body Flicker, reaching out and grabbing the opponent's neck: "Where is the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?"
The Konoha ninja whose neck was pinched saw the opponent's appearance and attire clearly: "Red cloud robe... you, you are Akatsuki's Hiruko?!"
Hiruko said coldly: "Giving you one last chance, where is Naruto Uzumaki?"
The Konoha ninja said angrily: "Don't dream, I won't..."
Crack...
Not waiting for the Konoha ninja to finish speaking, Hiruko snapped his neck, throwing the corpse aside casually.
"Damn it!"
The surrounding Konoha ninjas were both shocked and angry one by one.
Hiruko said: "Tell me the whereabouts of Naruto Uzumaki, and I'll spare your lives!"
A Jonin among the Konoha ninjas stood out: "I'll hold him off, you guys go notify Lord Hokage quickly, Akatsuki invaded!"
Other Konoha ninjas looked at each other, then scattered and ran.
Hiruko didn't care at all about these Konoha ninjas trying to report. He smiled and said to the Konoha Jonin covering the retreat: "What makes you think you can hold me off?"
Hokage Office.
Looking at the rising firelight and smoke in the distance, Tsunade, as the Fifth Hokage of Konoha, looked solemn.
After intercepting the intelligence, she immediately issued invitations to the other four major ninja villages, hoping to convene a new round of Five Kage Summit.
However, before the other four Kage arrived in Konoha, the Akatsuki attack arrived!
At this time, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado arrived together, breaking into the Hokage Office.
Koharu Utatane asked urgently: "Who are the attackers?"
Tsunade standing by the window turned around: "Akatsuki!"
"This..."
Hearing it was Akatsuki, Koharu Utatane, who was aggressive just now, instantly withered.
Homura Mitokado asked hurriedly: "Is it 'A's Dawn Breaker, or Nagato's Dark Akatsuki?"
Tsunade said: "From the intelligence gathered so far, it should be Nagato's Dark Akatsuki. The attacker is Hiruko!"
Koharu Utatane breathed a sigh of relief: "That's better."
Facing the Dark Akatsuki which had long become a stray dog, Koharu Utatane was still confident.
Homura Mitokado pondered for a moment and said: "The opponent's purpose for attacking this time should be the Nine-Tails, right? Tsunade, we must ensure the safety of the Nine-Tails!"
Koharu Utatane nodded: "Correct, quickly arrange Anbu to protect Naruto!"
Swish...
At this time, an Anbu landed in the Hokage Office, reporting: "Lord Hokage, Anbu have assembled!"
Just when Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado thought Tsunade would assign Anbu to protect Naruto, they heard Tsunade instruct: "Anbu, follow me to attack!"
"You!?"
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado looked at each other in dismay.
Tsunade didn't explain either, directly leading the Anbu to speed towards the direction of the explosion.
However, before she led the team through a few blocks, her path was blocked by a figure wearing a red cloud robe.
"Ranmaru!"
Tsunade's face darkened.
The one blocking her was none other than Akatsuki's Ranmaru!
Almost at the same time, in another part of the village, Sasori of the Red Sand accurately blocked Jiraiya's path.
Jiraiya's expression slightly condensed: "Even if you obtain the Nine-Tails, you can't take the Ten-Tails from 'A'. What exactly is your purpose in doing this?"
Sasori smiled: "That's confidential!"
Seeing Sasori didn't fall for it and couldn't get any useful intelligence, Jiraiya had to assume a stance: "You can't stop me!"
"Maybe!" Sasori didn't deny it, then said: "Dealing with the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is someone else's task. My task is just to hold you off!"
Saying this, Sasori shook his hands. As the chakra threads in his hands fluttered up and down, the Third Kazekage human puppet and the Fourth Kazekage human puppet appeared on his two sides. At the same time, black Iron Sand in the air gathered into sharp iron spears, pointing at Jiraiya from a distance. And the surging Gold Dust on the ground gathered into waves of sand, grinding the soil and rocks on the ground, creating more and more sand grains.
Jiraiya just frowned.
He was confident dealing with Sasori was no problem. It was just as Sasori said, the opponent only needed to hold him off. And this was Konoha, innocent villagers were everywhere, giving the opponent too much room for manipulation.
But on second thought, the anxiety in his heart calmed down again.
The current Naruto was no longer the brat who needed his protection. On the contrary, Naruto was the key to victory in this battle.
Seeing Jiraiya didn't seem anxious, Sasori was slightly stunned, thinking: "What's going on?"
On the battlefield.
Bang!
Hiruko kicked the Konoha Jonin covering the retreat away with a flying kick, saying: "Futile resistance!"
Just then, a giant golden hand caught the Konoha Jonin kicked away by Hiruko. Subsequently, Naruto walked out from the smoke and dust.