"Roar!!!"
The Nine-Tails' roar, along with the firing of the Tailed Beast Bomb, instantly drowned out every other sound.
That black sphere of energy was like a meteor cast down by the god of death, carrying a force that seemed ready to destroy everything as it hurtled straight toward the Third Hokage and the shelter.
Time seemed to stretch out in that instant.
The Third Hokage wanted to form hand seals, but his aged fingers were trembling from the heavy blow he had just taken, making it impossible for him to complete any defensive ninjutsu in that split second.
"It's over..."
Inside the shelter, people watched the approaching black light through the cracks and closed their eyes in despair.
"Barrier Squad, heed my order!"
A furious shout tore through the despair.
Yashiro Uchiha stood at the very front and slammed his hands together. His black combat uniform was already soaked through with sweat, and the Three-Tomoe Sharingan in his eyes spun wildly, almost blurring into a single whole.
"With me as the center, form the 'Flame Square-Circle Formation'!"
"Yes!"
Thirty elite Uchiha jonin instantly took their positions.
They stood to Yashiro's left and right, spreading out in a semicircle. Each person's position had been calculated with precision, placing them exactly on the chakra nodes buried underground in advance.
Their hands formed seals.
Snake—Ram—Monkey—Boar—Horse—Tiger.
Their movements were perfectly uniform, so fast only afterimages could be seen.
"Ninja Art: Uchiha Flame Formation—Full Release!"
Boom!
Thirty purple pillars of light rose from beneath their feet at the same time.
The pillars intersected in midair, fused, and spread.
A massive semicircular curtain of light made of purple flames rose from the ground like a burning city wall, blocking the Tailed Beast Bomb's inevitable path.
Countless complex tomoe runes flowed across the surface of the