His brother-in-law, Kankurō, stood at the front of the formation.
Behind him were more than a dozen puppeteers, each carrying several sealing scrolls at their waist.
Teizawa hadn't brought Sasori this time.
Then again, that sly bastard hadn't wanted to come in the first place.
The moment Sasori heard that Teizawa intended to march straight to the Akatsuki's headquarters, he began to hesitate.
Teizawa hadn't forced him. Someone needed to remain behind and guard the village anyway.
Deidara, on the other hand, would be accompanying them.
He currently sat cross-legged atop a clay bird with a blade of grass between his lips, swinging his legs in boredom.
Gaara stood at the outer edge of the formation with his arms folded across his chest and a massive gourd of sand strapped to his back.
"Everyone's here."
Teizawa looked back at Sunagakure.
His gaze swept over the newly constructed houses, the bustling crowds, and the distant aerial fortress still undergoing renovations.
This village had risen from ruin to prosperity, from weakness to strength, and from being overlooked to becoming a power no one dared underestimate.
He would make Sunagakure the strongest village in the shinobi world.
No one would ever bully it again.
"Move out."
Teizawa's voice was quiet, yet it reached every person present with perfect clarity.
The formation slowly began moving toward Amegakure.
ANBU operatives darted around the marching forces like a host of silent phantoms.
Teizawa walked at the front, gazing toward the distant horizon.
The other villages' forces should be arriving one after another.
He looked forward to meeting them.
He wondered if Tsunade would come.
Probably not.
She was pregnant, after all. Traveling such a long distance would be inconvenient.
As for Obito...
That bastard had lost an arm and sacrificed a Sharingan.
He shouldn't be able to cause much trouble in the immediate future. He would need time to recover.
That would give Teizawa enough time to prepare contingencies for whatever difficulties came next.
He would surround Amegakure so tightly that not even water could escape.
If Nagato knew what was good for him, perhaps they could negotiate.
If he didn't...
Then Teizawa would show him what true pain meant.
...
The rendezvous point was an abandoned mine thirty li east of Amegakure.
During the era of Hanzō of the Salamander, the mine had been used to extract chakra metal.
Its deposits eventually ran dry, and the workers abandoned it. All that remained were several rows of collapsing wooden buildings and a broad stretch of ground scarred by years of wind and rain.
The surrounding terrain was open, easily defended, and difficult to assault.
More importantly, it lay beyond Amegakure's sensory perimeter, making it unlikely that Akatsuki scouts would discover them.
When Teizawa arrived with Sunagakure's forces, he discovered that another group had beaten them there.
Iwagakure's tents had been erected on the western side of the mine.
Brown canvas snapped in the wind, while the Tsuchikage's banner hung listlessly beside the entrance beneath the yellow haze of dust.
Akatsuchi was leading them.
He was a large, muscular man of few words.
Twenty elite Iwagakure shinobi stood behind him. Every one of them wore brown battle armor, and their faces were utterly expressionless.
They looked like statues chiseled directly from stone.
"Kazekage-dono."
Akatsuchi approached, his deep voice rumbling like distant thunder.
"Tsuchikage-sama asked me to convey his regards."
Teizawa nodded without saying anything else.
His regards?
That old fossil Ohnoki probably wasn't sure whether to believe Teizawa's intelligence.
He had sent a trusted subordinate to investigate while remaining safely in Iwagakure to observe the situation.
The old fox truly wouldn't release his hawk until he saw the hare.
"The others haven't arrived yet?"
Teizawa asked despite already knowing the answer.
Akatsuchi shook his head.
He glanced into the distance and seemed about to ask something.
"Save it until everyone is here."
Teizawa raised a hand, cutting him off before he could speak.
He then led Sunagakure's forces to the eastern side of the mine and established their camp.
Another day passed.
Kumogakure's forces arrived.
Darui walked at the front.
He was one of the Fourth Raikage's most capable subordinates, with dark skin, short silver hair, and a lazy expression. A toothpick rested between his lips.
He appeared casual and carefree, but his eyes were as sharp as blades.
Twenty elite Kumogakure shinobi marched behind him.
All of them wore black combat uniforms and carried ninja-tool pouches at their waists. Their footsteps were perfectly synchronized, and they radiated an aggressive presence.
What startled Teizawa, however, was the tall woman standing beside Darui.
Her pale-blond hair was tied into a high ponytail. She possessed striking features, sun-kissed skin, and a figure that immediately drew attention.
Her gaze was cold and vigilant.
She resembled a leopardess ready to pounce upon her prey at any moment.
Yugito, the Two-Tails' jinchūriki.
Damn. Isn't Kumogakure worried that Akatsuki will capture Yugito?
Teizawa muttered inwardly before glancing at Gaara beside him.
What did he have to criticize them for?
He had brought a jinchūriki himself.
"Kazekage-dono."
Darui waved casually.
"Raikage-sama asked me to give you a message. If your intelligence turns out to be false, he'll personally visit Sunagakure and have tea with you."
The corner of Teizawa's mouth twitched.
"Please thank Raikage-sama for his concern. The intelligence is genuine, so he can enjoy his tea without rushing."
Darui shrugged.
He led Kumogakure's forces to the northern side of the mine and began establishing their camp.
As Yugito walked past, her gaze lingered on Teizawa's face for a moment.
Then she looked away without the slightest change in expression.
Unexpectedly, the leader of Konohagakure's forces was Kakashi.
Teizawa had assumed Tsunade would come personally—or that she would at least send someone of an elder's standing.
He hadn't expected Kakashi.
Still, it made sense.
Tsunade was pregnant and had difficulty moving around. A long journey like this was hardly appropriate for her.
Kakashi was the Hokage's right-hand man.
He was powerful, intelligent, and perfectly suited for the assignment.
Guy, Kurenai, and several other jōnin were also among the group.
What made Teizawa's mouth twitch was the presence of several much younger faces.
Tenten, Ino, Shikamaru, Chōji, and a handful of genin he couldn't name had all come along.
Teizawa was speechless.
He was preparing to start a war, not organize a children's field trip.
Guy's arrival, however, pleased him greatly.
The Eight Gates would be an invaluable weapon against Pain. At a critical moment, Guy could prove extremely useful.
As for Kakashi...
Teizawa's gaze slowly swept over him.
Excellent.
He would find an opportunity to take the other Kamui Mangekyō Sharingan.
Leaving such a valuable treasure in Kakashi's eye socket was an unforgivable waste.
When Kurenai and Ino saw Teizawa, two patches of red appeared on their cheeks.
They lowered their heads and twisted the hems of their clothes between their fingers, wanting to approach him but lacking the courage.
Tenten, by contrast, openly bowed to him.
Shikamaru gave Teizawa a blank glance before looking away, his thoughts impossible to discern.
Of course, the greatest surprise was that Mei had personally come.
(End of Chapter)
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