On the roof of the violently shaking building, Hiruzen Sarutobi glared at Orochimaru.
Orochimaru was somewhat puzzled himself. Even a giant summoned snake could not cause a disturbance like this. What had happened outside?
He had no time to think it over, because the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, beside himself with rage, had already raised his Adamantine Staff and swung it down at him.
"Orochimaru, I won't let you leave again today!"
"No one gets to harm Konoha!"
In his fury, Hiruzen Sarutobi temporarily overwhelmed Orochimaru, leaving even the Senju brothers brought back through Impure World Reincarnation no time to strike back.
Amid the earthshaking tremors, the decisive battle between master and student began anew!
No one had imagined that this terrifying spectacle had been caused by Shihōin Naraku fighting more than a hundred Sand shinobi all on his own.
A long while later, the shock wave and hurricane winds dissipated, and the buildings at the exam venue stopped shaking.
The brutal fighting resumed. Kakashi Hatake glanced worriedly toward the spot where the mushroom cloud had risen. That was where Konoha's outer defensive line lay.
"Did something happen to the defensive line Naraku and Shikaku were responsible for?"
That should not have happened. The outer defenses had been arranged in advance. Even if the war Orochimaru had launched was considerable in scale, it should not have caused a disturbance like that.
Kakashi Hatake was very worried that the enemy would break through the defenses and enter Konoha. The losses would be enormous then.
Street fighting was an extremely brutal form of warfare. Considering the postwar issues, keeping the enemy outside the village would be the most cost-effective option.
But before Kakashi could think any further, the Sand shinobi attacked again.
Whoosh!
The Three-Tomoe Sharingan spun in Kakashi Hatake's scarlet eye.