Something huge had happened!
Sarutobi Hiruzen, seated behind the Hokage's desk, felt his pupils tremble slightly. Cold sweat had already soaked his back, and a chill shot from his tailbone to the back of his head.
The Root Base was located on the outskirts of Konoha.
It was a massive base built by hollowing out the underground.
In terms of size, it was even larger than his Anbu base! Yet such an important place had actually collapsed?!
Something utterly terrifying must have happened!
"Danzo, what trouble have you caused this time?"
Several crimson veins bulged at the corner of Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes.
The only one who could possibly cause such a huge disturbance was probably Namikaze Mirai.
He stared at the Anbu kneeling on one knee below and shouted.
"Quick! Gather the Anbu immediately!"
While Sarutobi Hiruzen summoned the Anbu, the other villagers of Konoha had already noticed something strange within the village.
"Was that an earthquake?"
"Why is the ground suddenly shaking?"
"What happened?"
Panic, confusion, and bewilderment spread through the villagers. The sudden tremor left them at a complete loss.
Until someone suddenly cried out.
"Look! Smoke is rising over there!"
Following the direction the person pointed, the other villagers turned their heads and froze.
Thick clouds of dust billowed up from the southern part of the village. It was not the smoke of a fire, but dust kicked up by collapsing buildings, nearly blanketing that entire forest.
Such an enormous cloud of dust.
Only then did the villagers realize the severity of the situation.
On the outskirts of Konoha.
The Root Base, once hidden underground, had completely collapsed. All that remained was a huge crater-like depression, while the churning dust gradually dispersed.
"Cough, cough! Cough, cough..."
Danzo, covered in dust and filthy blood, knelt on one