"Konoha's White Fang-" Raiga Kurosuki's voice sounded like a rusty blade scraping repeatedly over rough bone, grating and brimming with barely contained savage delight. "We've laid an inescapable net to break that dangerous blade of yours once and for all! Today, this place will be your grave! What better tribute to the supreme renown of Kirigakure's Ninja Blades than your head?"
Killing intent as vast and solid as a tsunami mingled with the almost tangible chakra pressure deliberately pooled by twelve powerful enemies, crashing down like an invisible, surging tidal wave!
The air seemed to congeal completely, turning into a viscous liquid that made breathing difficult. Even sound was swallowed and distorted by that immense pressure.
Shinji, Hizashi, and Miwako felt their chests seize, as though an invisible hand had clenched their hearts so tightly they would almost stop beating!
Cold sweat instantly soaked their undershirts. Muscles throughout their bodies stiffened uncontrollably and began to tremble.
This was the body's most primal, honest response to fear when faced with an absolute gap in strength and the threat of death!
"Triangular defensive formation! Stay close! Follow my orders and be ready to break out at any moment!" Sakumo's voice remained as cold and calm as ancient, unmelted ice, but his words came lightning-fast, without a trace of hesitation.
The instant the enemies appeared, the battle instincts he had honed through countless bloody clashes told him clearly-this was no chance encounter, but a deadly trap meticulously laid for him alone!
Breaking out was their only chance of survival!
But first, they had to survive this devastating opening assault, a thunderous onslaught intended to kill them in one blow!
His orders were like ice dropped into boiling oil, instantly jolting the three out of the stupor brought on by the enemy's terrifying presence.