Temari, who was skilled at observing her surroundings, noticed immediately and felt a chill run down her spine.
What kind of terrifying ability could make a Jonin suddenly fall into a Genjutsu?
Goosebumps erupted all over her body as she shouted, "Sensei!"
Gaara noticed a moment later, his expression remaining unchanged. The sand in his gourd surged, wrapping Baki in layers and tossing him to the feet of Temari and Kankuro. He discarded him as if he were a burden.
Seeing Baki controlled in an instant, Kankuro's mouth went dry, his palms sweated, and his heart raced. He realized that Hiromi was not an enemy to be taken lightly.
Thus, no longer holding back, he immediately unwrapped the puppet Karasu on his back, ready to join the battle at any moment.
Temari immediately crouched beside Baki, her hands forming the Ram seal as she shouted, "Release!"
Baki's dull eyes immediately became vacant. A second later, he seemed to remember something and stood up abruptly.
Looking toward Hiromi, he was suddenly filled with terror.
Is this the Mangekyo that surpasses the Three-Tomoe Sharingan?
They aren't even on the same level!
"Retreat! Retreat!"
Baki's intense reaction, as if he had encountered an enemy like the Fourth Raikage, made Temari and Kankuro's hearts tremble with unease.
Although Temari and Kankuro were both children of the Kazekage and held a status far above ordinary villagers, they were not arrogant. They knew that Baki must have seen something and realized the opponent was not so simple.
But the opponent was just a seven-year-old brat. Could he be even more of a monster than Gaara? To run away just like this?
This made Temari and Kankuro, who were hailed as geniuses, feel very unwilling. However, they did not intend to disobey orders.
Gaara also turned back unhappily.
They seemed to intend to give up right then but Hiromi did not intend to let them go.
"Leave Gaara behind, and I can let you go."
'How does he know Gaara's name?' Temari and Kankuro became even more uneasy.
Was it the hunter encountering powerful prey, or the powerful prey eyeing the hunter?
Hearing this, Baki naturally opposed it strongly. His expression was somber, and he lowered his voice as if threatening, "Hiromi, aren't you looking for Orochimaru? Don't forget, this is Iwagakure territory. Making a scene with us will definitely not end well."
Hiromi smiled. In the next second, orange flames erupted from his body. The heat wave turned the surroundings dry and scorching like a spreading virus.
Temari, Kankuro, and Baki's pupils constricted sharply as they looked at the orange flames on Hiromi. Such terrifying high temperatures and heat that seemed capable of burning everything made the three of them, experiencing it for the first time, break into a cold sweat that soaked their clothes.
This is the Fire Release Chakra Mode?
It's too terrifying!
They were trembling with fear and panic. Even though they had never seen the Fourth Raikage's Lightning Release Chakra Mode, they believed it probably wouldn't be much stronger than the current Hiromi.
Seeing Hiromi actually dare to show hostility toward him, a madman-like smile appeared on Gaara's face. Under his will, the sand condensed into spikes, pointing at Hiromi.
Seeing this, Baki's face changed drastically.
"Gaara! Stop!"
He knew Konoha's evaluation of this Uchiha brat—easily angered!
They had just walked past earlier, which didn't count as attacking him and wasn't too offensive. But now that Gaara was attacking, it was different.
"Gaara, stop!" Temari shouted in concern.
...
While Hiromi and Baki's team were at loggerheads, two people stood on a distant rocky peak, one tall and sturdy, the other short.
The sturdy one was a tall, middle-aged man. He wore a red hat, had a large nose, a full beard, and a pointed goatee. He wore a tight red combat suit with brown chainmail on the outside. His left arm had a long red sleeve, while his right arm was bare.
He was the son of the Third Tsuchikage Onoki, Kitsuchi.
And the short old man standing next to him was the Third Tsuchikage Onoki.
They watched quietly.
"Father." Kitsuchi said.
"Hmm?"
"Aren't we sending people to surround them?" Kitsuchi asked.
As the saying goes, the first time is awkward, the second time is familiar. Iwagakure had once used over ten thousand ninjas to exhaust the Third Raikage to death.
Now that Konoha's strongest genius, Hiromi, was here, if not kill him now, then when?
To this, Onoki didn't even turn his head, but his mood seemed to have worsened. He huffed and asked, "Do you think the Uchiha's Root won't find out?"
Kitsuchi asked, "This is the Land of Earth, our territory. There's no need to fear the Uchiha, right?"
Onoki became even more displeased. The most superficial reason for not acting was that it would be discovered by the Uchiha clan, triggering an Uchiha riot and making them easily used as a tool by others. But the core reason was that there was no benefit to killing Hiromi. Instead, it would help others.
He couldn't bring himself to do such a thankless task.
Also, Hiromi coming to the Land of Earth to find Orochimaru meant that the Konoha Rogue Ninja, Orochimaru, was in the Land of Earth.
Why suppress such a good snake-hunter?
Besides that, there were many other reasons, but he was too lazy to say them.
"Just watch from here, no need to act." Onoki snorted.
"Oh." Kitsuchi stood beside him, his tall frame looking obedient, though his face was full of helplessness.