Inside the enormous examination arena, the spectators were discussing the situation anxiously.
The host, Momoka, heard the Hyuga Clan's report through her earpiece. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief, compose herself, and say:
"Please rest assured, they're all alive. The examiners are intervening."
"What about that brave boy? Is he all right too?"
"You mean the candidate named Maruboshi Kosuke? He should be mostly fine too. Please keep watching." After a frantic exchange over the communicator, Momoka gave an uncertain answer.
After all, the report from the scene had only stated that nine people still showed signs of life.
The people at the center were barely moving. They were probably inside some barrier or Ninjutsu.
"Oh? Is that confirmed?"
Momoka hurriedly announced, "According to our observations, Ōnoki was farther away and flew clear immediately, so he hasn't suffered any serious harm."
The feed immediately switched to Ōnoki hovering high in the sky, looking disheveled and still cursing, "Idiots! Bastards!"
He seemed spirited enough. He really was fine.
Only after the examiners unleashed several Wind Release: Great Breakthrough techniques to disperse the steam could the spectators see what was happening inside.
A spherical mass of energy was spinning continuously. Perhaps sensing that the surrounding danger had passed, it gradually stopped, revealing the people within.
The caster at its center was Hyuga Rilu.
Also under his protection were Inuzuka Bao, Shino Aburame, Ao, Xiao Zi, Kagami, and Maruboshi Kosuke!
As it turned out, Hyuga Rilu and Kagami had sensed something wrong. They had pulled Xiao Zi and Kosuke away respectively, and Rilu had immediately unleashed his secret technique, Rotation.
He had protected everyone inside its circle, shutting out the steam attack.
It was thanks to him that everyone had survived.
Han had intended to defeat them all in one