Chapter 445: Feel the Pain
The next morning, at dawn, Konoha Stadium.
Masahiko led Kimimaro's trio to meet up with Kushina's family at the same spot as yesterday.
Naruto was in high spirits: "Great Ancestor, I'm heading over to Kakashi-sensei's side now. Just wait and watch me flatten Sasuke!"
Masahiko chuckled. Naruto always possessed this enigmatic self-confidence. Should he call him simple-minded, or just plain simple-minded?
"With ten people drawing lots, the probability of you encountering Sasuke right away is... well... uh... very small. Don't be careless and lose to someone else!"
"Impossible! No matter who I encounter, I'll flatten them!"
"Silly brother, add oil!" Tsukika waved her small fist.
Naruto flashed a radiant grin: "Mm!"
Once Naruto scampered off eagerly, Masahiko extended both hands toward Tsukika and scooped her onto his lap again. Holding the chubby little girl was addictive, and pinching her cheeks was even more addictive...
Little Tsukika leaned back into him, letting Masahiko pamper her. Her unresisting posture was exceptionally cute. Soon enough, as the stadium filled up with spectators, the little girl actually drifted off to sleep.
"Great-grandfather, the Fourth Kazekage has arrived," Kushina spoke up, leaning in.
Masahiko smiled: "I know. You guys take care of keeping an eye on him; I'll handle watching the matches."
"Great-grandfather, can't you sense whether there's actually something wrong with him or not?" Kushina pressed further.
Masahiko scratched his head: "Ah, there are always a few days every month where my sensory abilities aren't sharp. But he... does seem to have a bit of an issue."
"The Fourth Kazekage?" Karin turned her head in confusion upon hearing this. After a visible shudder, she turned right back: "Why do I get a kind of... disgusting feeling when looking at him?"
Masahiko paused: "A woman's intuition?"
"Great Elder, what are you saying? I'm still just a young girl!"
Masahiko curled his lip: "Now that you mention it, I have a disgusting feeling too."
Karin: "..."
Kushina fundamentally couldn't keep things hidden when something was on her mind, repeatedly turning around to size up the Fourth Kazekage. Minato couldn't help but speak up: "Kushina, watch the Chunin Exams with peace of mind. I'll keep an eye on him."
Masahiko shook his head helplessly. Orochimaru had likely discovered them long ago and must be planning his escape route right about now, shouldn't he?
I wonder if this counts as a failed attempt to assassinate Hiruzen. Will it fetch me any Witness Points?
Masahiko fell into a brief moment of contemplation. A moment later, the stadium quieted down, snapping him back to reality as he looked up. The big screen had begun to roll.
"Today's first match is... pfft! Cough!"
"W-What's wrong, Great Ancestor!" Tsukika snapped awake from her slumber, a thread of glistening drool still hanging from the corner of her mouth. Meeting Masahiko's gaze, her little face flushed red as she hurriedly wiped it clean.
Masahiko raised his eyebrows: "Look at the big screen."
"Naruto Uzumaki vs... Sakura Haruno? Eh? Big Brother and Sister Sakura!"
Kushina also stopped focusing on the Fourth Kazekage. Her son was matched against the girl he liked; as a mother, it was absolutely mandatory to take joy in his misfortune...
"Hahahahaha...!"
Naruto looked as though he had turned into Shikamaru, walking into the center of the stadium as if heading to an execution ground, his facial expression entirely filled with 'disbelief'.
Masahiko's voice rippled beside Naruto's ear via telepathy: "A true man keeps his word. No matter who your opponent is, you must flatten them, okay?"
"Dammit..."
Sakura's pace wasn't particularly light either, but it was fairly steady. She was acutely aware that among the ten contenders today, she was the weakest. Drawing Naruto was already a top-tier luck. Although she couldn't win, Naruto would at least afford her the opportunity to display the full extent of her capabilities... He definitely would!
"I'm sorry, Naruto."
As the two stood fixed face-to-face, Sakura first offered an apology for her inner intent to take advantage of Naruto, but Naruto clearly misinterpreted the statement.
"Sakura, I still have to flatten Sasuke, so I can't afford to lose to you here."
"Flatten... Sasuke-kun?!" Sakura muttered through gritted teeth, her previous apology instantly tossed to the wind.
In the stands, Karin's body stiffened: "That smelly brat... why does he like her?"
Masahiko chuckled. Karin had likely seen an aspect of herself in Sakura: "You hold a unique devotion to Kimimaro. Naruto has no choice, so he can only look for a substitute of you."
"No way..." Karin began to flatter herself, "Did I inflict that much trauma on this brat?"
In the arena, the two had already engaged.
Naruto still didn't use a single Shadow Clone, relying purely on taijutsu, resulting in him getting thrashed quite a few times by Sakura's fists...
"Big Brother truly likes Sister Sakura a lot."
Masahiko rubbed Tsukika's little head: "You're still young, there are some things you don't understand."
Tsukika indeed wore a bewildered expression. Beside them, Karin curled her lip and spoke up: "Great Elder, stop tricking little Tsukika. It's obvious that smelly brat fell for that girl's disruption Genjutsu, which is why he got hit."
"True, a disruption Genjutsu..." Masahiko pursed his lips. "Sakura's Genjutsu talent is indeed quite high. It's a pity she can't break through his defense, otherwise with Naruto being this careless, he really might have lost."
Exactly as Masahiko noted, Sakura's fists hitting Naruto couldn't break through his defensive durability at all. Naruto would fall for the disruption Genjutsu once or twice, but he wouldn't fall for it a third time. She very quickly ran out of options and raised her hand to forfeit.
However, she had already displayed her entire arsenal of capabilities—Genjutsu, taijutsu, and even medical ninjutsu. Whether she could become a Chunin now depended entirely on the 'Hokage's decree'.
The big screen rolled once more.
"Shino Aburame vs. Gaara!"
Masahiko knit his brows: "There really is no under-the-table match-fixing. Obito is so upright! How is Shino supposed to fight Gaara? Parasitic insects don't eat sand."
It was a total landslide of a battle. Half a minute later, Shino threw down his weapons and surrendered.
The big screen rolled once more.
"Tenten vs. Shikamaru Nara!"
Masahiko sat up straight, positioning Tsukika properly. This match actually had something worth watching.
"Tsukika, keep your eyes pinned on Shikamaru Nara. Take a good look at how a high-IQ talent like the Great Ancestor fights!"
Hearing this, Tsukika hurriedly closed her large eyes tightly: "I'll watch very carefully!"
Beside them, Karin let out a stealthy chuckle, causing Masahiko to realize something was off. Peeking over at Tsukika's tightly shut eyes, he said no more and just pinched her cheeks!
"Great Ancestor is so annoying, let go!"
Karin: ???
A splendid battle did indeed unfold in the arena. Shikamaru made full use of the terrain that had been left heavily cratered by previous battles, calculating layer upon layer, and his Shadow Imitation Jutsu successfully connected.
However, in the very next second, a turbulent wave of chakra erupted from Tenten's body, and a visible shroud of crimson chakra drenched her skin.
Snap!
The Shadow Imitation Jutsu snapped.
"I forfeit!" Shikamaru raised his right hand high.
An uproar erupted through the arena. The number of people who had wagered on Shikamaru was massive. Fortunately, he still had a slight opportunity to make the top eight, and since Shikamaru had lost to a championship seed like Tenten, it was considered normal, allowing everyone to slowly calm down.
"I feel like trouble is brewing. These Konoha villagers don't possess a very firm mentality when it comes to accepting a gambling loss." Masahiko wore a broad grin. This wave was a guaranteed win!
The big screen rolled once more.
"Sasuke Uchiha vs. Hoshino Uchiha!"
Masahiko's smiling face instantly stiffened: "These two kids actually crossed paths, what a coincidence!"
"It seems Sasuke is about to feel the pain of the Chidori... I wonder if he'll beg me to teach him after he feels it? Hehehe."
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