At that very moment, Edo Itachi spoke again, interrupting Edo Nagato, who was controlling the Juubi.
"Leader, please wait a moment!"
"Itachi, are you choosing this moment to betray us again?"
Nagato wasn’t surprised, merely asking calmly in return.
To him, Itachi stabbing them in the back at any time wouldn’t be strange—it was his own choice.
Nagato had already mentally prepared and devised appropriate countermeasures.
"No, I only hope the Leader can change the method of destroying Konoha!"
"You just said Naruto has fully mastered the Kyuubi’s power. So, even if we destroy Konoha with a single Bijuudama, Naruto might not die, right?"
Nagato frowned slightly.
He had great confidence in the giant Bijuu’s power, but if Super Kage-level Naruto survived with all his strength, it indeed wasn’t guaranteed to kill him in one strike!
"If we just destroy Konoha like that, leaving only the Kyuubi Jinchuriki, wouldn’t that pose a threat to all of Amegakure in the future?"
"If Naruto seeks revenge in the future, hiding far away and firing a Bijuudama at Amegakure ?"
At those words, Nagato, Konan, and the others couldn’t help but shudder.
Nagato himself was fine—he was already dead. But Konan and all of Amegakure were still alive!
If the Kyuubi fired a Bijuudama that exploded in Amegakure, vaporizing the entire village, wouldn’t all of Nagato’s efforts become a joke?
Thirty years of hard work, back to square one overnight?
And Naruto, fully controlling the Kyuubi’s power, was already a Damocles’ sword hanging over Amegakure’s head.
"That guy wouldn’t kill innocents; he’s not that kind of person..."
Nagato shook his head in denial. He understood Naruto’s character well—that guy was so kind it bordered on fanaticism and would never kill without reason!
"Love turning to hate isn’t uncommon. Naruto deeply loves Konoha. If Konoha is destroyed, it’s hard to guarantee he won’t become extremely radical, right?"
"No one can guarantee such things. The Leader doesn’t want to gamble all of Amegakure’s safety, does he?"
Itachi seized Nagato and the others’ weak point, threatening like a devil.
There was no hiding it—he was indeed pleading for Konoha’s mercy.
Just in a slightly different way.
And what he said was a plausible possibility, forcing Nagato to take it seriously.
"Itachi, what’s your point?"
"Let us attack! Capture the Kyuubi Jinchuriki first, then destroy Konoha and kill all who resist!"
Itachi proposed coldly.
He was also helping Konoha in another way; with them acting, Konoha’s casualties would at least be fewer, not wiped out instantly by a giant Bijuudama.
Kill some, save more.
Itachi made a decision much like his past ones.
This was also the only method Itachi could think of now...
"Leader! Don’t trust this guy; he just wants to protect Konoha!" Deidara shouted angrily.
"Deidara, don’t you want to show off your explosive art in Konoha?"
Itachi asked casually, and Deidara was instantly hooked:
"Huh... Of course I do; wait, you’re tricking me?"
Nagato halted his control of the Juubi and made a firm decision, choosing to follow Itachi’s proposal.
Even if the chance was slim, he wasn’t willing to gamble Amegakure’s safety on the table... Before completely destroying Konoha, they had to subdue the Kyuubi Jinchuriki, Naruto, first!
"Then it’s settled. All forces, launch a full-scale attack immediately!"
"Primary target: capture the Kyuubi Jinchuriki; secondary target: annihilate Konoha!"
"On this basis, those who surrender can be spared with consideration."
Nagato promptly ordered the assault.
Abandoning the plan to destroy Konoha with a single giant Bijuudama.
Adopting Itachi’s proposal, preparing to attack Konoha with full force, capturing the Kyuubi while destroying the village!
Itachi: "No objections."
Sasori: "I fear nothing; I follow the Leader."
Kisame: "My great sword is thirsting for blood."
Kakuzu: "With Konoha’s current state, is there still money to squeeze?"
Sasuke: "Hmph! Handle it myself? That’s what I want. Naruto’s mine—no one’s taking him from me! I’ll defeat him myself!"
Deidara: "Fine, fine, let’s fight. It’s a chance to show off my art!"
No one would refuse this order; most members still wanted a warm-up.
Nagato reminded: "Deidara, until we capture the Kyuubi, you can’t unleash your explosions!"
Deidara’s face instantly soured: "Huh? So many restrictions?"
"After the capture succeeds, you can unleash them as you please, got it?"
Thus, with Nagato’s single command, the entire Akatsuki force charged boldly.
Like bloodthirsty, sharp-fanged tigers, they pounced ferociously on Konoha.
As for Nagato himself, he also controlled the Juubi, advancing step by step toward Konoha.
He could accept Itachi’s proposal, but he would never give Konoha a chance to turn the tables!
As long as the Juubi entered the battlefield, Konoha would have no chance of winning!
Meanwhile, in Konoha.
Though the conical Bijuudama missed the main city, it still shook the remaining Konoha ninja, leaving them dizzy and terrified.
Most hadn’t reacted yet, still in a state of confusion and disorientation.
Tsunade rushed out, immediately spotting the still-burning explosion flames in the distance and Naruto’s giant, fully transformed Kyuubi.
She vaguely guessed the truth.
Kakashi quickly explained: "There was a Bijuudama attack. Luckily, Naruto deflected it, so it didn’t hit the village!"
Jiraiya added: "That was the Juubi’s attack! Nagato and the others have started their assault!"
"Akatsuki’s attack has begun? Didn’t they say half an hour more?"
"That damn Nagato! He tricked me!"
Tsunade was furious, feeling toyed with and humiliated, but now wasn’t the time to care about whether the enemy kept their word—it was about how to withstand the attack.
Everyone had seen the terrifying power of that Bijuudama with their own eyes, its range even surpassing Nagato’s Super Shinra Tensei.
If it landed in Konoha, it would instantly obliterate the entire village!
The enemy attacked from beyond visual range, leaving them no chance to retaliate.
Being forced to take hits passively was just too dire!
"Naruto, can you track their launch position and counterattack with a Bijuudama?" Kakashi asked urgently.
"No way! They’re too far; I can’t pinpoint their position accurately..."
Naruto immediately refused.
No matter how strong the Kyuubi’s evil chakra was, it couldn’t precisely track an enemy’s position across dozens of kilometers.
But even if he could track them accurately, knowing Sasuke might be with the enemy, Naruto would never recklessly fire a Bijuudama to counterattack.
"Then we’re in trouble! Naruto, can you block every Bijuudama attack?"
"I can’t guarantee it. That one was a fluke. If my Bijuudama had missed, I wouldn’t have stopped it... Granny Tsunade, Kakashi-sensei, quick, organize the village ninja to scatter!"
Naruto shouted loudly from within the Kyuubi, signaling everyone to disperse first and not stay gathered in Konoha.
Otherwise, they could be wiped out in a single wave!
Though he’d managed to deflect and intercept the earlier Bijuudama, after firing it, Naruto’s heart trembled, fearing he’d miss.
After all, he didn’t have the Sharingan or Byakugan, making it hard to lock onto targets precisely.
If another attack came, he truly couldn’t guarantee hitting the mark!