"How could she possibly know?" the black-robed figure thought with alarm, his composure finally beginning to crack. His chakra signature had been specifically altered and masked through Zetsu's advanced manipulation techniques, making detection virtually impossible under normal circumstances.
Yet somehow, Kushina had managed to perceive his true nature despite these elaborate countermeasures.
"You can't hide that artificial layer attached to your chakra system from me," Kushina said with a deepening frown, her enhanced perception allowing her to clearly sense the foreign substance coating the attacker's energy signature.
In this Nine-Tails enhanced state, her sensory abilities had reached extraordinary levels of sophistication and precision.
More than a decade ago, during that terrible night when Konoha had come under devastating attack, she had detected a familiar resonance within the overwhelming chakra that had sought to destroy everything she held dear.
Now, standing face to face with this black-clad enemy who had infiltrated their sanctuary, Kushina finally recognized that same unmistakable feeling - the distinctive chakra fluctuations that could only belong to someone sharing her bloodline.
This person possessed the unique chakra signature characteristic of the Uzumaki clan.
"Remarkable perception indeed," the attacker admitted after a moment of contemplative silence, his composure gradually returning as he reassessed the tactical situation. His gaze moved analytically between Kushina and Shisui, calculating odds and potential outcomes.
"The Fourth Hokage's mark," he observed with knowing recognition.
There was indeed one of Minato's specialized Flying Thunder God kunai markers placed on Kushina's body. The moment she channeled chakra into it, Minato would instantly detect the signal and be able to teleport directly to her location within seconds.
Facing a combination of Mangekyō Sharingan wielder and a jinchūriki who had achieved remarkable control over the Nine-Tails' power, his chances of successfully capturing Gaara had diminished to almost nothing.
"BANG!"
As this tactical assessment crystallized in his mind, terrifying repulsive force suddenly erupted from his body with devastating intensity, far exceeding anything he had demonstrated previously.
"Damn it! Is he trying to bring this entire place down on our heads?" Shisui cursed internally, immediately recognizing the catastrophic implications.
This underground shelter had been constructed within a natural cave system along Konoha's outer perimeter, and the structural integrity was nowhere near sufficient to withstand such overwhelming force.
The omnidirectional repulsive blast threatened to collapse the entire cavern complex in the blink of an eye, potentially crushing everyone inside.
At the critical moment when the cave system began its inevitable collapse, dark golden chakra exploded outward from Kushina's body with desperate intensity, forming protective barriers wherever it was needed most.
"RUMBLE!"
The cave structure collapsed completely with a thunderous roar that echoed for miles, sending massive chunks of stone and earth crashing down where moments before dozens of innocent people had been sheltering.
In that terrifying instant, most of the evacuated civilians and visiting dignitaries barely had time to process what was happening, instinctively trying to shield themselves however they could from the incoming devastation.
However, the expected crushing weight and suffocating pressure never materialized. Looking up in amazement through the settling dust and debris, Naruto and the other survivors discovered that Kushina's dark golden chakra had formed a perfect protective dome around them all, deflecting the collapsed ceiling and creating a pocket of safety within the destruction.
"Mom!" Naruto exclaimed with joy and relief, recognizing that it was his mother's incredible power that had saved everyone's lives.
Even as he spoke these words of gratitude, Shisui had already moved with characteristic efficiency to kneel beside the still-struggling Gaara, gently lifting the boy's head and making direct eye contact.
"Swoosh!"
Under the hypnotic influence of his Mangekyō Sharingan, Shukaku's violent uprising was immediately suppressed and contained before it could reach full manifestation.
At that same moment, Kushina's enhanced senses swept the area around them, but the black-robed attacker had completely vanished without leaving any trace of his presence or direction of escape.
"We need to get back to the village immediately to provide reinforcements," Kushina declared with grim determination, her expression reflecting the severity of their situation. "If they're willing to make such bold moves, they're definitely planning to launch their main assault very soon."
This enemy coalition had clearly come meticulously prepared for every contingency, which meant that even Konoha's legendary defenses and Minato's tactical brilliance might not be sufficient to keep the battle contained outside the village proper.
Obviously, the core strategy behind this coordinated attack was remarkably similar to their previous assault - deliberately directing the conflict into Konoha itself, where the village's protective measures would be hampered by the need to avoid civilian casualties and infrastructure damage.
When the enemy operates from the shadows while the defenders must fight in the open, tactical disadvantages become virtually inevitable.
"Understood," Shisui acknowledged with a sharp nod, then turned to address Naruto, Sasuke, and the other young ninja present. "As a jōnin of Konoha, I'm giving you direct orders!"
"Your mission is to escort all the civilian evacuees to the designated emergency shelters and ensure their safety!"
High above Konoha's skyline, cutting through the clouds with predatory grace, a massive white bird soared through the afternoon sky.
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Perched atop the clay creation, Deidara surveyed the village spread out below him with the calculating gaze of an artist preparing his masterpiece. He slowly reached toward the specialized ninja tool pouch secured behind him, his expression filled with anticipatory excitement.
Among all the S-rank criminals recruited by the masked man for this operation, Deidara represented the single greatest threat that Minato and Konoha's leadership most feared and respected.
The sheer destructive potential of his explosive clay techniques was simply unmatched in terms of raw devastation and area-of-effect capability.
"Let's start with a little test run," Deidara murmured to himself with obvious satisfaction.
He withdrew his hand from the tool pouch, revealing the distinctive mouth-like opening in his palm as it began to work and churn. Several small white creatures slowly took shape between his fingers, each one perfectly crafted and imbued with explosive potential.
With casual precision, he released them toward the village below, watching their descent with the critical eye of an artist evaluating his work.
"Buzz..."
At that exact moment, a brilliant flash of light emanated from multiple points throughout Konoha's defensive perimeter, and an enormous protective barrier slowly shimmered into visibility around the entire village.
Observing this development, Deidara immediately formed the necessary hand seals just as his initial explosive creations were about to make contact with the energy barrier protecting Konoha.
"Ha!" he called out with theatrical flair.
The clay explosives detonated directly against the barrier's outer edge, creating considerable vibrations and shock waves that rippled throughout the protected area.
However, within moments, these disturbances gradually faded away as the barrier's energy absorption and distribution systems compensated for the attack.
Witnessing his artistic expression being so casually deflected, Deidara felt a surge of personal affront and creative indignation. He stomped on the bird's back in frustration, causing his mount to descend significantly closer to the village.
"Even though this barrier won't be able to stop Sasori and the others from infiltrating through physical means, it's absolutely humiliating for my art to be dismissed so easily," he muttered with growing annoyance.
After a moment of contemplation, he thrust both hands deep into his ninja tool pouch with renewed determination.
When he withdrew them after several seconds of focused creation, a sophisticated explosive construct that resembled an oversized doll had materialized in his palms.
"Bang!"
He released it with a gesture of supreme confidence, and the clay creation immediately began expanding on the bird's back, growing to truly massive proportions.
"This time, let's see how your pathetic defenses handle my supreme artistic expression!" Deidara declared with fanatical enthusiasm, his eyes gleaming with the fervor of a true believer in his craft.
He hurled the giant puppet explosive directly toward Konoha with all his strength and artistic passion.
"Behold the baptism of my highest art form!"
At this moment, Deidara's expression had transformed into something approaching religious ecstasy, completely consumed by his devotion to destructive beauty.
"Art is explosion!" he proclaimed with absolute conviction.
"HA!"
The massive puppet explosive detonated the instant it made contact with the giant barrier protecting Konoha from aerial assault.
"BOOM!"
A truly horrific explosion erupted in the sky above the village, its devastating force radiating outward in all directions. Based on the trajectory and positioning of Deidara's attack, the tremendous shock waves swept across the entire village with terrifying intensity.
The enormous barrier that had been Konoha's primary protection began to tremble and shake violently under the overwhelming assault, its energy matrices struggling to maintain cohesion against such concentrated destructive force.
"BANG!"
Simultaneously, deep within Konoha's residential districts, the black-robed figure who had previously confronted Kushina and Shisui materialized in a strategically chosen location.
He immediately looked upward when the devastating explosion sent shock waves through the village's foundation, a satisfied smile playing across his hidden features.
"So Deidara has begun his performance," he observed with cold appreciation.
His attention then shifted to the woman standing before him, noting her distinctive flame-patterned cloak and the ominous black markings covering her face. His smile widened with predatory anticipation.
"Then let's begin our part of the symphony as well!"
"Summoning Jutsu!" he declared, completing the necessary hand seals with practiced efficiency.
In an instant, the previously peaceful and quiet streets of Konoha were suddenly engulfed by towering walls of flame and destruction. Even with the protective barrier's continued functioning, the sky above the village darkened ominously as massive shadows blotted out the sun.
Back at the Chunin Exam venue, the masked man observed these developments with cold indifference, his single visible eye fixed on Minato with obvious amusement.
"Why didn't you establish the barrier yourself, or at least have Uzumaki Kushina handle the defensive coordination? All of these standard protective measures are utterly meaningless against Deidara's explosive clay techniques."
"Indeed," Minato replied grimly, his expression reflecting both frustration and grim acceptance of their tactical situation.
Although he remained the primary target that this coalition of enemies most wanted to eliminate, they had clearly developed comprehensive contingency plans for neutralizing every other aspect of Konoha's defenses as well.
Maintaining the village's protective barrier required not only the continuous chakra input of powerful ninja, but also the specialized control hub that had been constructed within the Hokage Building's most secure levels.
If defensive resources had been concentrated entirely on reinforcing the barrier's central control systems from the beginning, it would have been impossible to adequately protect against this coordinated assault by S-rank wanted criminals from multiple nations working in perfect synchronization.
"ROAR!"
"AHHHHH!"
Just as the massive explosion erupted in the sky above Konoha, different and equally terrifying sounds began echoing from various districts throughout the village, suggesting that multiple fronts of the coordinated attack were now beginning simultaneously.
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