Wall after wall of black sand formed in front of Shukaku.
Then a gigantic statue in his likeness appeared behind the last sand wall.
It was his pride and joy, the Strongest Shield.
For the first time, he lost faith in that shield.
The spear streaked across the sky, cleaving even the clouds apart.
It also left a long trench in the ground.
Boom, boom, boom...
The spear pierced the first three black sand walls with ease.
At the fourth, it slowed noticeably, and at the fifth, it shrank.
Finally, it plunged into the Strongest Shield.
Time seemed to stop at that moment.
Then a chain of explosions erupted.
Each sand wall exploded in turn.
The chakra spear embedded in the Strongest Shield unleashed the most violent explosion of all.
A massive mushroom cloud rose from the blast, its light so intense that neither Zhou Cheng nor Jiraiya could keep his eyes open.
Then a savage shock wave surged outward like an ocean swell.
Zhou Cheng reacted swiftly, leaping onto Gamabunta's body just in time to avoid being swept away.
Both sides fighting in Konoha looked up at the massive mushroom cloud in the distance.
"My God, was that an explosion?"
"The power of a tailed beast is terrifying!"
"I can feel the tremors from this far away! They nearly knocked me off my feet!"
"How fierce must the fighting over there be?"
"I hope Lord Jiraiya is all right!"
Meanwhile, inside the Four Violet Flames Formation, the battle between Hiruzen Sarutobi and Orochimaru had also reached a fever pitch.
Though Orochimaru was his student, he had youth and ruthlessness on his side!
Hiruzen Sarutobi, on the other hand, had grown old and could no longer wield the full power of his prime.
Both looked toward the rising mushroom cloud,