"Alright, the surprise attack was a success. Deidara-nii, you guys take over the pursuit. This clone of mine has just about reached its limit." Kanon patted Sasori and Deidara on the shoulders.
"Got it," Deidara nodded. "Leave it to me and Master Sasori."
"Yeah, I'm counting on you both," Kanon said as her shadow clone vanished in a puff of white smoke.
Deidara looked toward the horizon. "Master Sasori, those three that slipped through the net are all ours."
"Hmph," Sasori grunted in agreement.
"And that guy Shin... to think he actually released the Reanimation Jutsu on his own. Seriously!" Deidara sighed in frustration. This was exactly why he hated being paired up with dead men.
As soon as Kanon departed, Sasori and Deidara clashed with Sai and the others.
Meanwhile, Mifune of the Fifth Division had intended to reinforce the Surprise Attack Division, but his path was cut off by Hanzo of the Salamander and his group. Kimimaro, believing Orochimaru had reanimated him, fought with the intent to repay his debt of gratitude. Chiyo, however, saw the situation for what it was and was merely going through the motions to avoid contributing to the war effort. Thus, the Fifth Division found itself largely pinned down by these legendary figures.
Simultaneously, the Third Division, led by Kakashi, encountered Zabuza Momochi and Haku.
War and smoke soon engulfed the various fronts. Countless lives were lost on the battlefield in a matter of hours, though many reanimated shinobi were successfully sealed away. Amidst the roars and screams of combat, the Fifth and Surprise Attack Divisions completed their primary objectives: Sasori was successfully moved by Kankuro's words and reached closure; Deidara narrowly escaped with his life; and Hanzo, Haku, and Zabuza were all sealed.
The missions for Kakashi's Third Division, Kankuro's Surprise Attack Division, and Mifune's Fifth Division were largely complete.
However, since the main force was not stationed there, Kanon moved alongside the current Four Kage toward the primary frontline to intercept the Fourth Division led by Gaara. Meanwhile, the masked man was plotting to infiltrate the First Division to seize the Treasured Tools of the Sage of the Six Paths, which contained Nine-Tails chakra.
Elsewhere, Zetsu launched a preemptive strike on the Second Division, where Kitsuchi and Kurotsuchi were stationed. It was during this battle that the alliance discovered Zetsu's fatal flaw: his ability to transform into perfect replicas of others, right down to their chakra signatures.
Despite the chaos across all fronts, the main theater of war was concentrated on the First Division.
The Nine-Tails chakra released during the battle against the Gold and Silver Brothers was sensed all the way on Island Turtle by Naruto, who held the same source of power. Naruto, consumed by worry about the world outside, found his concentration wavering and his training repeatedly failing until he ended up sprawled on the ground in exhaustion.
Because the war had been kept a secret from him since the beginning, Naruto was normally unable to sense external conditions within this isolated training space. But now, sensing chakra identical to his own, his heart grew heavy with conflict.
"You've been messing up since a while ago. You're distracted and careless in your training!" Killer B rapped.
"Actually, since a moment ago, something has felt... wrong," Naruto muttered.
"Yo, what's wrong?" B asked, puzzled.
"I felt it... Nine-Tails chakra."
"That's impossible. No one else should have Nine-Tails chakra but me," Naruto whispered to himself.
Killer B shook his head. "That's just an illusion, fool! This place is totally cut off from the world, cool! The Nine-Tails is inside you, don't be a clown!"
As B spoke, the Eight-Tails spoke within his mind: "Naruto is starting to notice. The only other holders of Nine-Tails chakra are the Gold and Silver Brothers. It seems Orochimaru's jutsu brought them back... Man, Naruto is sharp if he can sense chakra even from in here. We can't keep him fooled forever. What are you going to do, B?"
"What do you mean, 'what'?" B thought back, confused.
The Eight-Tails stumbled mentally. "You... did you even listen to the plan?! We cannot let Naruto out! It's all on you, B!"
"Yeah, whatever you say, Hachi," B shrugged.
"You really are hopeless..." the Eight-Tails sighed.
Naruto stood up, breaking into a cold sweat, and looked at B. "Where's the bathroom?"
"Outside, the entrance on the left," B pointed the way.
"You idiot! Naruto is trying to slip out! Follow him!" the Eight-Tails barked.
B suddenly snapped to his senses. By the time he realized, Naruto had already run out, and the boy was now sensing an endless, overwhelming flow of chakra.
At the Allied Shinobi Forces headquarters, the Raikage was outraged. "What?! The Nine-Tails is trying to break out? What is B doing?!"
"Actually, Killer B-sama didn't really listen to the briefing," Mabui answered from his side.
"I have a plan, however. Tsunade-sama, please give the order..."
"Right," Tsunade nodded.
Sure enough, the moment Naruto stepped outside, several shinobi from Konoha blocked his path.
"Stop right there, Naruto!"
"Why is security so tight? Something is definitely wrong." Naruto quickly noticed that the forehead protectors these people wore had the character for "Shinobi" (忍) instead of the Konoha symbol.
"Naruto, we're sorry, but you can't go past here. Just go back to your room quietly."
Naruto asked suspiciously, "Why is Shino's dad here? Why are you guys monitoring me?"
"Just go back inside. I'll explain everything once you're back."
"If that's the case, why can't you say it out here?"
Seeing the resolve in Naruto's eyes, Shibi Aburame prepared to act. He had to keep the Nine-Tails contained. Suddenly, Iruka's voice rang out: "Shibi-san, let me talk to him."
Iruka stepped forward.
"Iruka-sensei? Why are you here too?"
"There's an additional mission on this island. We came to help," Iruka said with a gentle smile.
But such platitudes could no longer deceive the current Naruto. "It seems a creature with Nine-Tails chakra has appeared on the island. Something else besides the Nine-Tails possesses this chakra. We aren't letting you out to prevent it from... resonating with the Nine-Tails inside you and causing a rampage. That's why I need you to stay hidden inside."
Iruka's lie was thin, and Naruto wasn't buying it. "Is that why Captain Yamato hasn't come back yet?" Naruto asked.
"Yes. Wood Release is best for suppressing the Nine-Tails' chakra. You know that, right? Come on, let's go back inside together," Iruka smiled.
"Let me out! If there's a creature with Nine-Tails chakra out there, what if it goes on a rampage? I can control it now! Let me see it with my own eyes!"
Naruto's eyes began to shift into horizontal slits framed by orange pigment, the activation of Sage Mode. Sensing something was wrong, two guards from behind lunged forward.
"Don't let Naruto out!"
But how could these two hope to stand against Naruto in Sage Mode?
Thud!
With a dull impact, the two were instantly knocked out of the Falls of Truth. In that same moment, Naruto's loose forehead protector fell to the ground, and his body momentarily stiffened. Suddenly, a dark silhouette snared Naruto's shadow.
"Good, Shadow Possession successful!"
Naruto didn't care about the Shadow Possession Jutsu. Being restrained gave him the perfect opportunity to use Sage Mode to sense the natural energy and chakra of the outside world.
The images he sensed left him in disbelief. Details of the war flooded his consciousness. What is happening out there? Why is there fighting everywhere? He had heard rumors of a coming catastrophe, but everyone had told him it was still a ways off. Now, he sensed that the war had already begun.
Seeing the sudden contraction of Naruto's pupils, Iruka realized that the boy had sensed everything with Sage Mode.
"What is this... why is it like this?!"
Despite everyone else's attempts to mislead him, Iruka finally spoke the truth. "The war has started. Kanon and Madara have launched an invasion."
At those words, Naruto froze.
"What did you say...?" Naruto whispered in disbelief. "Who launched a war with Madara?"
"Kanon Uchiha. That's right, your best friend."
Naruto stumbled back. Was the Fourth Shinobi World War really ignited by Kanon and Madara? He had thought Kanon was merely an assistant.
"Hey, Iruka!" Shibi Aburame started to protest, but Iruka cut him off.
"Shibi-san, stop the lies. Naruto isn't a fool. We can only tell him the truth now and let him understand the reality of the situation."