The moment the first Pain stepped onto a barrier pillar, the last layer of static vanished from the main array's water mirror.
Yamada Naoto lunged toward the Array Disc and pressed both hands against the chakra slots, which kept heating up.
"The northwestern monitoring pillar has lost contact. The target has reached the outer barrier, and the chakra readings are still rising."
Sasuke stared at the orange-haired man in the image.
Those Rinnegan eyes faced Konoha.
The next moment, the Deva Path raised his right hand.
"Shinra Tensei."
The barrier pillar bent inward, the sealing steel cables buried underground snapped one after another, and an invisible force flattened three concealed Joint Law Enforcement Department outposts on the perimeter.
Trees were uprooted, several feet of rock were scraped away, and only three sunken pits remained where the concealed outposts had stood.
The main array's alarms rang out together.
"No response from the first post."
"The second post's life talismans have gone dark."
"The third post has lost contact too."
The communications shinobi gripped his headset, rubbing his fingers back and forth along the edge of the desk.
Sasuke interrupted the reports.
"Shut down remote communications in the attacked area. Disconnect those three concealed outposts from the Heaven's Net network."
Tsunade pushed open the meeting room door.
"There are still people in those outposts. Send the Medical Team first."
"The life talismans have already gone dark. The enemy is waiting for rescue teams to approach."
"We still have to confirm the bodies."
"Wait until the main force reaches the second defensive line, then send shadow clones to confirm."
Tsunade slapped her hand onto the table.
"Those were nine Konoha ninja."
Sasuke brought up the images of the three concealed outposts just before the attack.
"Only two breaths passed between the Deva Path