Suna cursed impatiently, shoved Kenta aside, and took a seat before the console.
He picked up the communicator.
"This is Communications Chief Suna. 'Eye of the Scorpion,' respond immediately!"
The only answer was the dead hiss of static.
Suna frowned.
He switched to the next channel.
"'Fang of the Rattlesnake'! This is Suna! Respond immediately!"
There was still only silence.
Suna's expression began to turn grave.
He called out one name after another.
"Spring of Red Sand!"
"Tumbleweed!"
"Black Rock Wall!"
With every name he called, Suna's face grew a shade paler.
Clatter.
The communicator slipped from Suna's limp fingers.
At last, he understood.
This was not an equipment malfunction.
This was... total annihilation!
Thirty-seven outposts.
They had vanished from the face of the earth in just a few hours!
A horrifying thought crashed through Suna's mind like thunder!
War!
Suna shot up from his chair, his body shaking violently. He could barely stand before crashing headfirst into the wall behind him.
Ignoring the pain, he scrambled toward the door on all fours and roared.
"Quick! Report to Kazekage-sama!" "The border... the border defenses... they're all gone!!"
Kazekage's office.
Nishidai Kazekage Rasa abruptly rose from his seat, his face filled with shock and disbelief.
"What did you say?!"
"All outposts have lost contact!"
"Yes, Kazekage-sama!"
The communications officer's voice was full of panic.
"A few minutes ago, I tried to contact every front-line position, but not one... not a single one responded!"
Rasa's mind buzzed.
As the leader of a village, he instantly understood what this meant.
This was not an accident, nor was it a communications equipment malfunction.
This was... an enemy attack!
And not just any attack, but a large-scale, premeditated full-scale invasion!
To eliminate dozens of his border outposts simultaneously in such a short time,