Several Jonin stepped forward, bent down to inspect the collapse, then looked back at Sasuke and Naruto.
"It's badly blocked. Judging by its condition, it's been like this for at least several years. This wasn't a recent collapse."
"And there are almost no gaps left in the blockage. Opening up the passage beyond it will take considerable effort."
Sasuke sheathed the Kusanagi Sword.
He walked into the passage and stopped, his gaze following its winding course to the rubble piled at the far end.
"This is the Underground Base's actual entrance and exit to the outside world."
"The damaged passage we found earlier was just a breach torn open when the base collapsed."
"Entering the base that way was like knocking a hole through a side wall. We took a shortcut."
Naruto stood beside him with his hands on his hips and nodded. "So this entrance was the normal way in, but unfortunately, it was blocked off long ago."
"No wonder we never found any sign of an entrance on the surface during our entire search. It was sealed this deep underground all along."
"And with a Sealing Jutsu Formula concealing it, ordinary people wouldn't notice a door several meters beneath their feet even if they walked right over it."
A nearby Jonin skilled in Earth Release added, "If Naruto-kun's Sage Mode hadn't picked up that faint trace of chakra, we would definitely have passed over this area as ordinary open ground."
Naruto chuckled a few times.
If the base had not collapsed with age, the Sealing Jutsu Formula would have concealed the Underground Base perfectly.
In that case, even with Sage Mode, he would have struggled to locate it.
"Now that the stone door is open, the passage is right in front of us."
"Although the way ahead is