He formed a strange hand seal, and the God-Demon Pillar suddenly erupted with blinding golden light! The hellish scenes carved into its surface seemed to come alive as the Ten Yama Kings opened their eyes at once, and the chains binding Danzo instantly tightened!
"Aah!" Danzo let out a pained howl, horrified to discover that his Yin Release chakra was being rapidly purified! The enormous Nightmare Eye began to ooze black "blood" as well, before finally exploding with a bang!
"Impossible! How could you break my—"
Danzo's roar cut off abruptly, because Neji had seized the instant when the barrier was at its weakest and activated the last Spatial Shift Talisman! His figure gradually blurred amid crystalline light, leaving behind only a cold farewell:
"Lord Danzo, enjoy the Jonin Council's judgment."
"No! Get back here!" Danzo lunged madly at the spot where Neji had vanished, but grasped only a handful of drifting crystal dust.
At the edge of the Forest of Death, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, stood grim-faced in what appeared to be an ordinary clearing. Behind him, the heads of the Hyuga Clan, Uchiha Clan, and other major clans stood ready for battle. Dozens of ANBU ninja had spread out in a fan formation, encircling the area.
"Are you certain it's here?" the Third Hokage asked in a deep voice. The pipe in his hand had long since gone out, yet he had not noticed.
"There's no mistake." The Yamanaka Clan head stepped forward, fine beads of sweat covering his forehead. "I read the memories of that Root ninja. Danzo's laboratory is beneath us."
The Uchiha Clan head's Three-Tomoe Sharingan glinted coldly beneath the moonlight. "Lord Third Hokage, if this intelligence is true, Danzo's crimes are beyond dispute. I demand that we storm the laboratory immediately and