Boom! Boom! Boom!
Just as the mountain had completely collapsed into a heap of rubble.
Several violent explosions erupted in different parts of the ruins.
Earth and stone were blasted apart by ninjutsu, and smoke and dust billowed into the air.
One battered figure after another scrambled out of the blasted openings like frightened rats.
They were covered in dirt and blood, and many bore obvious injuries. There was no shortage of those missing arms or legs.
These Root ninjas coughed violently, greedily gulping down the fresh air aboveground.
Then came the loudest explosion yet.
At the center of the ruins, the mountain wall suddenly exploded.
Shimura Danzō staggered out, supported by Yamanaka Fu and Aburame Torune.
The bandages that had once been meticulously wrapped around him were now in disarray, while his black robes were tattered beyond recognition.
Danzo raised his head.
His gaze pierced through the swirling smoke and dust, passed over the battered remnants of his forces, and locked firmly onto the figure not far away.
"Uchiha... Yao!"
Danzo's voice brimmed with venom.
Uchiha Yao had already dismissed Susanoo. With his arms folded, he watched Danzo and the battered Root ninjas with great interest.
All around them, Uchiha jonin had already formed an encirclement.
When those Root ninjas looked up and saw the scene before them, their relief at having survived instantly turned into bone-deep cold.
Nearly a hundred pairs of scarlet Sharingan stared at them coldly from every direction.
A Root sensory ninja, pale as death, leaned close to Danzo's ear. His voice shook violently with fear.
"Lord Danzo... the Third Hokage... the Third Hokage is leading the ANBU here at full speed!"
"At most, another five minutes!"
Those words were like a shot of adrenaline injected into Danzo's heart, which had nearly been consumed by