Everyone took a deep breath, their faces grave.
The battle formation before them shifted neatly to either side.
A passage wide enough for dozens of people to walk through at once appeared in the center of the formation.
Ōnoki and the others walked down the passage with bated breath, holding their breath the entire time.
Even Kurotsuchi, who had always been lively and carefree, had a smooth forehead covered in fine beads of sweat.
Every step felt incomparably heavy.
After the people from the Four Great Shinobi Villages passed through, the formation shifted again, and the entire passage vanished without a trace.
"Phew... That scared me to death. Walking past those monsters made my legs go weak."
Kurotsuchi let out a long sigh of relief and looked back in lingering fear. All she could see were the enormous backs of the six terrifying beasts. While passing through that corridor, she had even found it incredibly difficult to breathe.
The terrifying killing intent mingled with the Tailed Beasts' dreadful chakra auras, making her calves tremble as she walked. After Kurotsuchi spoke, more exhalations rang out. It was not just Kurotsuchi—apart from Ōnoki, A, Rasa, and Mei Terumī, who bore the title of Kage, everyone else had been frightened out of their wits while crossing that passage.
Even Ōnoki and the others had held their breaths as they passed through.
After all, with the strength of those jonin and the six Tailed Beasts, they could have left every one of them here forever. Even Ōnoki and the others could not help being nervous. Saiki Yuu had always been a moody and unpredictable man. Who knew? He might have simply killed them all. Fortunately, nothing unexpected happened.
"Everyone, I, Kakashi Hatake, will lead you to meet Lord Yuu next."
A figure suddenly appeared.