On the Land of Fire's main road, before Konoha Gate.
The lead-gray fog clung to the agarwood carriage like living glue, sealing it in tight.
Under the relentless pressure of the strange gravity field, the ground had split into countless spiderweb cracks.
Thud!
Several Konoha ANBU assigned to escort the carriage felt their knees crack under a pressure that carried the aura of Formatting. Unable to hold out, they dropped hard into the muddy ruts.
"Hah... hah..." Veins bulged on the Anbu Captain's forehead. Sweat slid from beneath his mask and was instantly crushed into vapor before it hit the ground. "This power... it isn't ninjutsu at all!"
"Lord Hokage, please cooperate with us."
The Root ninja leading the group still hovered three inches above the ground. Behind his mask, his voice sounded like two pieces of dry wood scraping together.
"Advisor Ye Tian is involved in a 'Non-Plane Logic Fluctuation.' Lord Danzo has ordered a 'Data Purge' to ensure the stability of Konoha's system."
"Data Purge?"
A scornful laugh came from inside the carriage, followed by a fit of coughing so violent it sounded as though someone might cough up his lungs.
"Cough... cough, cough! Tch. Has Admin given that old eunuch Danzo too many permissions lately? Does he think he's a developer now?"
Ye Tian's voice was hoarse, yet it held a lazy air of someone above the planes themselves.
Roar!
Just as the two sides reached a standoff, a beastly howl rose from deep within the fog, chilling everyone to the bone.
A dozen or so figures staggered out of the lead-gray haze like demons crawling up from hell.
Their skin was covered in strange, long red hair. Every strand radiated dense Blood Fiend energy. Their eyes were bloodred, and all human reason had long since