Flames surged, and dust billowed into the air.
A giant serpent covered from head to tail in sharp scales coiled atop Hokage Rock. Yet from its thick, smooth back rose jagged bone spines like a mountain of swords, while fin-like wings protruded from either side of its neck. Above them sat a massive eyeless serpent head, sixteen crimson-purple fangs bared from both its upper and lower jaws, its abyssal maw aimed directly at Soji!
Opposite the giant serpent, a monster equally mountainous in size but shaped like a lion-tiger crouched low, poised to pounce.
Around its enormous, bull-like head, the area where a mane should have been was instead studded with countless human eyes—some weeping, some smiling. Accompanied by the monster's low whimpering, they sang cryptic, lilting chants of "ee-ya."
Farther away, even more horrifying "divine beasts" remained half-concealed within the haze and firelight...
Without exception, they had all fixed their sights on Yamada Soji, standing in the center of the field, as though the director were some peerless treasure they longed to swallow whole, flay alive, and devour flesh and skin alike!
Yet despite being surrounded by enemies, Yamada Soji himself remained utterly unmoved.
His gaze passed over each of the divine monsters and strange beasts around him, while all that rose in his heart was the hardship of the road he had traveled.
Ever since Year 33 of Konoha, the OLS exam mission issued by the spell system had continually troubled the skills currently at Soji's disposal.
After years of arduous research, aided by numerous Horcruxes, Director Yamada had only recently achieved a breakthrough in the field of Accio by reverse-engineering the operational logic of chakra consciousness, partially mastering the ability known as "Concept Extraction"...
If he continued at his current pace, no one could guarantee when