"The match is over! The winner: Naruto."
By the time Hinata was being treated, the result of the match had already been decided. Once Naruto tapped into the Nine-Tails chakra within his body, the battle lost its suspense.
Neji was indeed a rare genius. This battle had not been an easy win for Naruto. In the end, he relied on a Shadow Clone to divert attention while his real body hid underground, allowing him to pull off a sneak attack and clinch victory with a single punch.
Hearing the announcement, Kiba and Hinata quickly turned their heads. They happened to see Naruto with his arms wide open, running joyfully around the arena to celebrate his victory.
In the spectator stands, the applause was as thunderous as a storm. The audience felt the match was spectacular, filled with twists and turns as the situation reversed time and time again.
To everyone's surprise, the one who emerged victorious was Naruto, the boy no one had favored before the match. One had to remember that Neji hailed from the Hyuga clan, one of Konoha's noble houses. It could even be said that the Hyuga were currently the strongest clan in Konoha.
Furthermore, Neji himself possessed extraordinary natural talent; though he was still a Genin, his true strength put many Chunin to shame. For such a powerful genius of the Hyuga family to be defeated by the "dead last" Naruto, many in the crowd were left with their jaws dropping in shock.
On the left side of the stands, Sakura and Ino cheered loudly for Naruto. In the aisle behind them, Kakashi and Might Guy were also discussing the outcome. Both were somewhat surprised that Naruto could win.
"That kid Naruto actually beat Neji."
Kiba spoke with an amazed tone, a smile appearing on his face. He had lost to Naruto in the previous round of the Chunin Exams. Among the spectators, if anyone believed Naruto could create a miracle, it was certainly him. Only after truly exchanging blows did one realize how terrifying Naruto's potential was.
Hinata watched the arena in silence. Her cousin Neji lay on the sand, covered in wounds. In this fight, she hadn't wanted either side to lose. But there was no helping it; that was the nature of combat. In fact, battles between shinobi often ended with one person living and the other dying.
---
After finishing Hinata's treatment, Luo Chen returned to his seat. Naruto and Neji were the first pair. There were three more matches to follow.
Shino Aburame of Konoha versus Kankuro of the Hidden Sand.
Shikamaru Nara of Konoha versus Temari of the Hidden Sand.
The results of the matches were exactly as he remembered. Kankuro forfeited, giving Shino Aburame a victory without a fight. Temari and Shikamaru had their duel, with the former emerging as the winner.
"That boy named Shikamaru Nara is truly clever."
Kalifa spoke with deep feeling after watching the match. Throughout the battle, Shikamaru's tactical designs were layered one after another, like a seasoned hunter gradually forcing his prey into a trap. It was hard to believe a twelve-year-old child possessed such high-level combat intelligence.
Luo Chen smiled. "Shikamaru Nara has an IQ of over 200. Among the people I know, perhaps only Vegapunk is smarter than him."
Kalifa nodded, then pointed toward the arena. "Why is there only one person?"
Inside the arena, the red-haired Gaara stood with his arms crossed, a giant gourd on his back. His opponent had yet to appear. In the stands, the crowd began to grow restless. Everyone knew the final match was Gaara versus Sasuke Uchiha.
But where was Sasuke Uchiha now? If he didn't arrive soon, he would be disqualified for being late.
Luo Chen swept the area with his Observation Haki and found that Sasuke Uchiha was on his way. Three to five minutes later, Sasuke Uchiha arrived at the very last second before disqualification. He leaped over the high walls of the stadium and descended from the sky, landing in the center of the arena.
"Sasuke Uchiha."
In the arena, the black-haired youth announced his name with a cold, composed expression. In the front row, Kiba curled his lip and muttered under his breath, "What a show-off."
Luo Chen caught his words clearly and couldn't help but smile.
"The unrest should be starting soon."
He remembered that during the duel between Sasuke and Gaara, Orochimaru would suddenly strike, taking the Third Hokage hostage. Subsequently, the Hidden Sound and Hidden Sand shinobi under his lead would launch a full-scale assault on Konoha.
Ultimately, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, would sacrifice his life to seal both of Orochimaru's hands, forcing Orochimaru to retreat. Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin, would return at the final moment to work with the people of Konoha to repel the invaders.
While Luo Chen was reminiscing, the battle between Sasuke and Gaara reached a fever pitch. Sasuke activated his crimson Sharingan and unleashed the A-rank Ninjutsu taught to him by Kakashi—the Chidori.
Gaara manipulated a massive amount of yellow sand, condensing it into a spherical sand shield around his body. He was completely encased in yellow grit, leaving only a single eye filled with hideous killing intent visible.
Sasuke channeled the Chidori and charged at extreme speed. His palm, gathering a massive amount of Lightning Release chakra like a sharp spear, thrust directly into the yellow sand shield.
With a soft *thud*, the yellow sand exploded, leaving a hole the size of a human head. Gaara's Absolute Defense had been breached. At this moment, the audience watched unblinkingly, holding their breath.
The shock on Gaara's face was clearly visible under the azure lightning. Blood splattered into the air, and the sound of tearing flesh rang out in the quiet arena. Gaara let out a cry of agony, his figure retreating violently several meters.
Clutching his wounded chest, he knelt on the ground. Blood flowed steadily between his fingers, dripping down. Gaara's eyes instantly became bloodshot, and a violent, bestial aura began to emanate from his body. It was as if a shackled beast was about to break free from its constraints.
"Strike!"
From the high platform where the two Kage were seated, a cold shout suddenly rang out. Immediately following, thick white smoke billowed across the platform, obscuring the figures of the Hokage and the Kazekage.
In the stands, three figures flashed like black streaks, appearing instantly within the arena. They were the Hidden Sand Jonin, Baki, and the participating Genin, Temari and Kankuro. They directly intruded into the match grounds.
"Gaara, can you still release *it*?" Baki asked in a cold voice.
Gaara simply knelt on the ground, gasping for breath; it seemed the duel with Sasuke had left him exhausted. Baki's face turned grim. Looking at Gaara's current state, he didn't seem to have the strength to release the One-Tail Shukaku within him.
According to the original plan, while the Kazekage launched the attack, Gaara was supposed to release the Tailed Beast. Combined with the Hidden Sand and Hidden Sound shinobi lying in wait inside and outside Konoha, they would rapidly execute the "Konoha Crush."
But now, Gaara was merely panting, unable to release the One-Tail. The plan had to be adjusted... Baki's mind raced, and he made an immediate decision.
"Temari, Kankuro, take Gaara and go recover his strength. Once the Tailed Beast can be drawn out, let Shukaku appear and wreak havoc on Konoha!" Baki said in a heavy voice.
Even with the Konoha Proctor, Genma Shiranui, standing opposite him, he made no attempt to hide his intentions. The abnormal chakra Gaara had exposed just a moment ago was similar to Naruto's. The people of Konoha must have already realized that Gaara was also a Jinchuriki. There was nothing left to hide.
Temari and Kankuro acted quickly, picking Gaara up and fleeing toward the exit of the stadium.
Genma Shiranui stared at Baki with a cold and vigilant gaze. He was only a Special Jonin, while Baki was a renowned elite Jonin of the Hidden Sand. There was still a certain gap in their respective strengths.
Holding a senbon needle in his mouth, Genma Shiranui cast his gaze toward the high platform and the spectator stands. The Hokage's position was shrouded in smoke, making it impossible to see the situation.
The chaos in the stands was also significant. Ethereal white feathers drifted down, causing many spectators to fall into a strange sleep. Those numerous white feathers were undoubtedly some form of Genjutsu.
Several Jonin, such as Kurenai Yuhi, Asuma Sarutobi, and Kakashi, had dispelled the Genjutsu and were now observing their surroundings. A large number of Hidden Sand and Hidden Sound shinobi had been hiding among the audience. The appearance of the enemy shinobi from both villages temporarily pinned down Kakashi and the others, as well as Konoha's Anbu.
"Sasuke, protect yourself."
Genma Shiranui took a deep breath. For now, he could only rely on himself to deal with Baki. This was a full-scale assault on Konoha, launched jointly by the Hidden Sand Village and the Hidden Sound Village.
The situation was extremely dire.
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