Nagato fell silent after hearing Ryo's words. Although what Ryo said sounded unpleasant, it was undeniably true. Judging by the actions of that group, once they completed their operations, their next move would definitely be to find a place to hide.
Still, knowing this, Nagato couldn't help but ask hesitantly, "Boss, are we really just going to let this go?"
The actions of Obito and the others were clearly aimed at opposing them. If they just sat idly by, wouldn't they be giving the enemy a chance to grow stronger?
Ryo understood Nagato's concern. He shook his head lightly and said, "I never said we'd just let it go. We'll deal with it—just in a different way."
"Huh?" Nagato looked confused. "What way?"
Ryo turned his gaze to the two Pokémon currently battling in the arena below. "If we can't find where they're hiding, then we just need to lure them out."
Although even if Obito managed to bring out the Ten Tails, Ryo was confident he could handle it, he didn't like the idea of being constantly targeted.
"Lure them out?" Nagato frowned. "How? They won't just walk into a trap."
He couldn't help but shake his head slightly in disbelief. Knowing how strong Ryo was, it was even less likely the enemy would voluntarily show themselves.
It sounded nearly impossible.
"There is a way," Ryo said firmly, shaking his head. "They want the Tailed Beasts, right? Then let's give them the chance. I refuse to believe they can resist the temptation."
Nagato was visibly surprised. "Boss, you mean to use the Jinchūriki to bait them? But will that really work? To attract them, we'd need at least three Jinchūriki present at once. I doubt the villages will agree."
Getting Tsunade to agree might be doable since she trusted Ryo's strength. With some benefits offered, it wouldn't be impossible to persuade her to let Naruto participate in a risky operation.
But the Sand Village and the Cloud Village? They would never easily agree to risk their own Jinchūriki.
Ryo smiled faintly and shook his head again. "No need. We only need Tsunade's approval. Right now, both the One-Tail and the Eight-Tails are here in Konoha. They have to return home eventually."
Nagato's frown deepened, still not fully convinced. "Isn't it too obvious? Won't they suspect something? Will they really take the bait?"
"They will," Ryo said confidently. "As long as they believe it's their last chance, they'll move without hesitation."
"Alright, enough about that for now," Ryo added, turning his attention back to the battle taking place below. "Let's enjoy the matches first."
Since he couldn't set his plan in motion immediately, there was no point wasting energy on it yet.
Nagato, seeing Ryo's relaxed and confident expression, nodded quietly without pressing the issue further.
Following their lead, Konan and Eliza also shifted their attention back to the battles in the arena, no longer discussing the matter.
Meanwhile, inside the Hokage's office, Tsunade sat behind her desk, her expression serious as she carefully studied the intelligence report brought back by the Anbu.
Shizune stood quietly nearby, filled with curiosity and concern.Since receiving the message, Tsunade's face had remained dark and unreadable, which worried her greatly.
Knock, knock, knock—
Just then, a knock came at the door. Tsunade pulled herself from her thoughts and said, "Come in!"
The door opened with a soft click, and Shikaku entered, his expression tense.
Seeing his face, Tsunade placed the paper down and asked, "What's wrong? Something happened?"
Shikaku quickly explained everything that had occurred earlier in the VIP viewing room at the stadium.
Tsunade listened quietly, her face growing even more grave.
When he finished, Tsunade passed the paper she had been reading over to him. "Take a look at this."
Shikaku took it, confused, and began to read.
The more he read, the more his expression changed.
His eyes widened in shock as he looked back at Tsunade. "This... is this information accurate?"
Tsunade nodded. "It is. Our undercover agents embedded in the three major villages sent this intelligence. Honestly, I didn't want to believe it at first. But considering what you just told me, there's no room for doubt."
Shikaku fell silent, his mind racing.
Six Jinchūriki captured in a single night?
It sounded absurd.
If a Jinchūriki was alone outside their village, it might be explainable.But according to the intelligence, several were taken while still inside their villages.
Each village should have had multiple elite Jonin and even Kage-level guardians.And yet, under those conditions, the Jinchūriki had still been captured.
It defied belief.
Tsunade's brow furrowed even tighter. "I can't figure it out either. What kind of power could achieve such a thing?"
Capturing six Jinchūriki overnight was beyond the capabilities of even an entire great nation's army.
Maybe in her grandfather's era, the legendary golden age of shinobi, it could have been possible.
But today?
She couldn't imagine any force strong enough to pull this off.
Shikaku nodded grimly. After a moment, he raised a new concern."Fire Shadow... judging from their actions, it's clear they intend to collect all the Tailed Beasts.What should we do next?"
Tsunade was silent for a few seconds, then turned her gaze toward the door."Summon Jiraiya."
Whoosh—
At her command, an Anbu wearing a mask appeared.
"Bring Jiraiya here," Tsunade instructed.
The Anbu nodded and vanished instantly.
Tsunade leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms thoughtfully.
"What exactly are they planning by capturing the Tailed Beasts?" she muttered.
Both Shikaku and Shizune listened quietly, not daring to interrupt her thoughts.
The seconds ticked by.
Bang—!
Suddenly, the window burst open, and Jiraiya leapt into the office with a loud crash.
He grinned broadly. "Hey, Tsunade! Did you miss this handsome face already?"
Tsunade shot him a glare but wasted no time. She picked up the intelligence report and tossed it to him."Take a look."
Jiraiya caught the paper, raising an eyebrow, and began reading.
As he scanned down the page, his easygoing smile gradually faded, replaced by a grim seriousness.
"This..." he muttered.
"It's intel from the Anbu," Tsunade said simply. "What do you make of it?"
Shikaku and Shizune watched Jiraiya carefully, waiting for his thoughts.
But Jiraiya didn't answer immediately.He simply shook his head slightly, a dark cloud settling over his expression.
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