Chapter 101: I Don't Want You to DieThe next morning.Hokage Rock.As an iconic landmark of Konoha, this place had already become a tourist attraction.Even Temari, an outsider to the Village, had heard the saying: 'One is not a true hero until they have climbed the Hokage Rock.'Of course, Temari didn't consider herself a 'hero,' but she came anyway.Following the stairs, she ascended step by step.Standing atop the massive stone faces and looking down at the bustling streets of Konoha, Temaricouldn't help but feel a bit emotional.In only one month, the current peaceful era would be overturned.As the daughter of the Kazekage, she was very clear about the details of the Konoha Crush plan.Facing Shukaku, who would be released in its complete form, these rows of buildings would be leveled to the ground.Thinking of this scene, Temari felt neither joy nor sorrow, only a sense of melancholy.Unlike Gaara, who was excited for the impending slaughter, and Kankuro, who executed the superiors' plans without hesitation...When Temari first learned about the Konoha Crushplan, she had strongly opposed it.In her view, this act of tearing up a treaty and provoking war was undoubtedly very foolish.Unfortunately...An arm can't twist a thigh; she couldn't fight the powers that be."Has anyone ever told you that you look beautiful when you sigh?"A familiar voice came from beside her ear.Temari spun around, her lips curling upward. "Why does it feel like I run into you everywhere?"Naruto gave a light hop and jumped onto the guardrail. "I was about to ask you the same thing. Staring at someone else's Village and sighing brings to mind some bad things.""Maybe I actually am thinking about bad things?" Temari countered."Then I'll be sad," Naruto answered with a grin."Tch," Temari snorted and turned around, leaning her back against the railing. "You didn't pop up just to flirt with me, did you?"Though she was confident in her charm, she could sense that Naruto had another purpose.Naruto answered frankly, "I just wanted to know a bit about Gaara. After all, he's my opponent in the next match.""Scouting the enemy? But do you really think I'm the type of person who leaks teammate intel?" Temari rolled her eyes."No, I said it before, didn't I? I want to teach that guy who doesn't know how to value his comrades a lesson," Naruto shook his head, denying her claim. "But I am curious about his story, because from the way you guys treat him, there's genuine concern mixed in with the fear.""Even for actual blood relatives, given Gaara's attitude toward you, it shouldn't be possible to nurture such deep feelings. He must have some hidden secret, right?"Temari sighed upon hearing this. "Your intuition is quite sharp..."Saying that, she tilted her head back and looked at the sky.After a long silence, Temari finally spoke: "Our father is the Kazekage."After speaking, she turned to look at the calm Naruto. "You don't seem surprised by this?""Konoha is an equal Village," Naruto tilted his head and looked over with a half-smile. "It wouldn't even be a problem if you went and punched the Hokage's grandson."Speaking of which, he hadn't seen Konohamaru in a while.He wondered how much the kid had understood from the previous 'Lesson 3.'"Equal, huh?" Temari chewed on the word, then gave a bitter laugh. "Unfortunately, fate hasn't been equal for Gaara.""Before Gaara was born, our father sealed a monster from the Village inside him. Because of this, his birth caused our mother to die from a difficult labor.""Due to being unable to suppress the monster inside him, Gaara often went on rampages in the Village, causing massive casualties. He was feared and shunned by the villagers.""And because of that, our father considered him a failure and sent assassins after him multiple times.""Under such high-pressure circumstances, Gaaragradually closed off his heart and lost his meaning for living.""For him, only killing people can make his heart feel full. Especially killing geniuses—the more talented they are, the more he feels the meaning of his own existence."Naruto was stunned for a moment, then gave a dry cough. "Ahem, you don't say... you really don't say. It seems your Sunagakure is even more dedicated to 'equality' than we are.""Stop being a smart-mouth." Temari rolled her eyes and straightened up. "I told you Gaara's story just to tell you to surrender early. Otherwise, he really will kill you."She paused for a moment before continuing, "At least for someone like you, I don't want you to die.""Many thanks, then." Naruto gave a solemn bow.He could see that these were Temari's sincere words.Temari didn't answer; she just waved her hand and left.Watching her back disappear, Naruto rested his chin on one hand, lost in thought."Am I late?" Jiraiya's voice sounded from behind him.Naruto turned his head. "You've been hiding nearby and watching for a long time, haven't you?""Heh heh, ruining a date between a young boy and girl is an unforgivable act."Jiraiya walked up and stood side-by-side with Naruto, nudging him with an elbow, a smile on his face that was definitely not for children."But I have to say, your luck with women is almost second only to this Sage himself. You even managed to hook up with a girl from Sunagakure!"Encountering a Jiraiya who was even more unreliable than himself, Naruto could only roll his eyes. "It was just a chance encounter. By the way, why did you ask me to meet you here yesterday?""Well," Jiraiya climbed onto the guardrail, a nostalgic look appearing on his face, "I just wanted to come and see the portrait of the Fourth Hokage."He leaned his head out and looked down at the Fourth Hokage below."Huh?" Naruto didn't understand.Jiraiya turned his head. "You should know, right? The Nine-Tailed inside you was sealed there by the Fourth Hokage.""I've heard rumors." Naruto looked down and touched his stomach."After hearing about your cultivation situation and problems, I had a bit of an idea," Jiraiya lightly patted the railing. "I just didn't know if this approach was right or wrong, or if it aligned with the Fourth Hokage's intentions, so I came to confirm it with my own heart.""You being like this... tsk."Naruto couldn't help but click his tongue.He really wasn't used to Jiraiya suddenly talking about serious topics."I have the key to the Eight Trigrams Seal and can strengthen the seal for you, but that would only treat the symptoms and not the root cause. What you need is to adapt to and utilize the Nine-Tails Chakra. Then, the development of Vibration Release can proceed smoothly."Jiraiya ignored Naruto's reaction and stated his suggestion.Naruto was first startled, then his eyes lit up.His views coincided exactly with Jiraiya's.Ever since his previous conversation with the Nine-Tails about changing its way of existence, Narutohad been silently cultivating, mixing the Nine-Tails Chakra into his body in an attempt to adapt to its presence.There had been some effect, but because the Nine-Tails Chakra was only leaking out slightly, progress was slow."So, what do I need to do?"Naruto's opinion of Jiraiya improved, and he took the initiative to ask."The first thing you need to do is..."Under Naruto's expectant gaze, Jiraiya gave a grand wave of his hand."Practice the Summoning Jutsu!"
Chapter 102: The Third ExamTime flew by, and in the blink of an eye, a month had passed.Sakura arrived at the arena for the final rounds of the Chunin Exams, her heart filled with frustration.For the past month, she had been all alone.Not only were Naruto and Sasuke gone, but even Kakashi-sensei had vanished without a trace.That wasn't even the worst part; what was even more frustrating was that people kept assuming she knew where they were.First, it was Hinata, who kept appearing before her, whether intentionally or not.Then there was Ino, who ran straight up to her to ask if she knew where Naruto was, completely disregarding her status as his official teammate.Even Temari from the Hidden Sand Village had come by a few times to press her for Naruto's whereabouts.Heaven knows how Naruto got tangled up with Temari; did that kid somehow collude with the enemy at some point?"I finally felt like I was starting to catch up to them, so why have I been left behind again?"Sakura sat in the spectator stands, propping up her chin gloomily.Even as the atmosphere heated up and the matches began, the rest of Team 7 had yet to show up.Fortunately, the combatants for the first match were Shino Aburame and Akado Kai."Hey, kid, if you surrender now, I might go easy on you!"As soon as they entered the arena, Akado Kaiimmediately began to taunt him.Shino Aburame didn't answer, only silently looking toward the proctor.The proctor for this match had been replaced by Shiranui Genma, who had a senbon dangling from his mouth.With a broad wave of his hand, he announced the start of the match."As expected, that sickly-looking proctor from the last round... I guess he's kicked the bucket, huh?"Sakura was grumbling from the stands when she suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder.She quickly turned around with a smile, but it froze on her face the very next second.Standing before her was not Naruto or Sasuke, but Rock Lee.His injuries had fully healed, and his face beamed with confidence: "Yo, Sakura! Are you here all by yourself?""Of course she isn't!"Just as Sakura was struggling to find a polite way to decline, Ino's voice rang out."Eh? It's you."Rock Lee paused for a moment, unable to recall her name.Ino didn't mind; she sat down next to Sakura and looked up at Rock Lee: "We two girls are going to share some secrets. Are you planning to eavesdrop?"Seeing Rock Lee blush and scurry off to a distant seat, the two girls burst into laughter.Over the past month, perhaps because they both shared a concern for news about Naruto, their relationship had improved significantly."Have you heard?"Ino leaned in close."Heard what?""For this past month, there's been a girl constantly by Naruto's side!""Huh?" Sakura's eyes widened.Ino pointed toward Hinata on the other side of the stands: "It was Miss Kurenai Yuhi, the teacher of Hinata's team, who said so.""How does she know?" Sakura quickly asked for details."Apparently, a few days ago, Miss Kurenai Yuhi and Anko, the chief proctor of the second exam, went to the Hot Spring Street together, and they ran into a perverted voyeur." Ino recalled carefully.Sakura listened intently, nodding from time to time....While the two girls were chatting enthusiastically, the battle below had reached a fever pitch.Although Akado Kai possessed the ability to absorb an opponent's Chakra through contact, his technique became useless against the Kikaichu, which could also absorb Chakra.Thus, to secure a victory, Akado Kai had no choice but to close in and attempt to defeat his opponent with Taijutsu.However, he ultimately fell short, defeated after being tricked by Shino's Insect Clone.Since there were at least five matches to be held, the exam schedule was tight; as soon as Akado Kaileft the field in defeat, the next pair of opponents stepped up."Unfortunately for you, your opponent is me, so it's best if you surrender as quickly as possible."As soon as he stepped onto the field, Neji spoke coldly.Kankuro had a look of disdain on his face: "You Konoha Ninja really love to talk big, don't you?"Neji didn't reply; he just gave him a cold glance before looking away, seemingly not taking his opponent seriously at all.Kankuro's mouth twitched, and a flame of anger rose within him.Following Shiranui Genma's announcement of the start, Kankuro immediately charged forward."That idiot, he's actually choosing to challenge Nejiin Taijutsu? Is he crazy?"Seeing Kankuro's actions from the spectator stands, Tenten couldn't help but speak up."I wouldn't be so sure. If you underestimate Kankuro, you'll regret it."It was Temari who answered Tenten.The two were currently sitting in seats not far from each other."No matter how strong that guy is, he's no match for Neji."Tenten shrugged."Humph."Temari snorted.Facing the incoming Kankuro, Neji didn't dodge or evade; he waited until the opponent was close before slowly raising his hand.Gentle Fist!Neji didn't strike often, but when he did, it was swift and fierce.Hardly anyone could see his movements; only a blur of afterimages was visible as several consecutive Gentle Fist strikes were unleashed."Eh? Why is Neji...?"Tenten looked curious.Neji's strikes didn't land on Kankuro; instead, they hit the empty space around him.Outsiders naturally wouldn't understand this action, but Temari immediately furrowed her brows, realizing what was happening.Sure enough, amidst the confusion of the spectators, Kankuro's dash came to an abrupt halt, and he slammed heavily onto the ground due to momentum.Just as people were wondering what was going on, the bandage-wrapped bundle on Kankuro's back suddenly unfurled.Then another Kankuro jumped out, grabbed the scattered bandages, and swung them toward Neji.It's a puppet!Clearly, Neji had discovered Kankuro's true body, which was why he could accurately use the Gentle Fist to strike and sever the Chakra Threadscontrolling the puppet.Facing the bandages Kankuro swung, Neji swatted them aside effortlessly and dashed forward, closing the distance.His Gentle Fist strikes were delivered in succession, the offensive sharp and dangerous.Kankuro didn't dare to be careless; as he retreated, his fingers flicked rapidly, reattaching the Chakra Threads.Clack!The puppet lying on the ground suddenly stood up, interposing itself between Kankuro and Neji, with blades popping out from various parts of its body, glinting with a dangerous chill.Kankuro's lips curled slightly, but he still didn't feel secure enough, so he hooked his fingers again.With a sharp shink, the puppet's arms shot out, blades extending from its palms, attacking Nejifrom two sides."Good! Kankuro's won!"Seeing Neji besieged from three sides, Temariclapped her hands and smiled.At this point, it was too late for Neji to retreat; even if he stopped, managing to deflect attacks from two sides would already be impressive.Moreover, once Kankuro gained the upper hand, with the puppet's help, his attacks would be relentless.By then, even if Neji had three heads and six arms, he wouldn't be able to cope!However, Tenten shook her head confidently: "No, the winner will definitely be Neji!"A second later, as if in response to Tenten's words, a slight smirk appeared on the corner of Neji's mouth."Rotation!"
Chapter 103: Naruto Must Not Be Objectified"Rotation!"Hearing Neji call out his technique's name, the Head of the Hyuga Clan could no longer remain seated in the spectator stands.His expression changed drastically as he stared intently at Neji: "Eight Trigrams Palm: Rotation? Isn't that a secret technique passed down only within the Main House? How can he use it?"Yet, the reality was right before his eyes.Using his right leg as an axis, Neji spun rapidly like a top.Simultaneously, a massive amount of Chakraerupted from his Tenketsu, forming a hemispherical Chakra shield as he spun."That is Neji's [Absolute Defense]!"On the stage, Tenten smiled confidently, while Temari's expression grew solemn.Kankuro's attack struck the Rotation shield and was immediately repelled.His pupils couldn't help but shrink, and in the next instant, he felt a figure flash before his eyes.Kankuro subconsciously manipulated his puppet, attempting to block the attack for himself."Eight Trigrams Palms!"Using his fingers instead of fists, Neji struck the puppet over a dozen times in an instant.Kankuro sneered at the sight.His puppet wasn't a human body; even if it was hit, it wouldn't...The next second, the smile froze on Kankuro's face.Because every one of Neji's strikes had precisely hit the puppet's joints.With a loud clatter, the entire puppet shattered, turning into a shower of various flying parts."Not good!"Kankuro's face changed instantly, and with a flick of his fingers, he sent out Chakra Threads, trying to control a few parts to launch an attack, or at least stall Neji's advance.However, Neji wouldn't give him that chance.Seeing that his opponent was already within range, Neji did not hesitate and began to spin at high speed once more."Rotation!"This time, the Rotation enveloped Kankuro as well.A miserable scream rang out, and then Kankurowas sent flying backward, slamming heavily onto the ground.Having finished his move, Neji stopped and stood proudly in place, looking as if victory was already in his grasp.Shiranui Genma stepped forward and, finding that Kankuro was unconscious, announced loudly: "The winner of this match, Hyuga Neji!"Whoosh!A wave of cheers erupted from the spectator stands.Neji, however, seemed not to hear them and calmly turned to leave."That guy is so strong!"Sakura couldn't help but exclaim in wonder."Yeah."A familiar voice suddenly sounded in her ear.It wasn't Ino, but...Sakura whipped her head around and saw the figure she had been longing for.Naruto had a smile on his face as he looked directly into Sakura's eyes.At this moment, there seemed to be a thousand words between the two of them."Naruto? When did you get here?"Ino cried out in surprise, rushing forward to pounce on Naruto and hugging him tightly."..."Seeing Ino beat her to it, Sakura's lip twitched.I was clearly in the middle of being moved here, okay?Can't you pig-head read the room?"I've been here for a while, but you two were so engrossed in the match that I didn't say anything,"Naruto replied with a smile, while looking down at the defeated Kankuro.Rotation...Spinning..."Perhaps I can learn something from this..."He had watched the entire battle just now, and Neji's technique had left a deep impression on Naruto."Where have you been all this time?"Sakura stepped forward, yanked Ino off Naruto, and couldn't help but ask."Eh? Didn't Kakashi-sensei tell you? Third Old Grandpa helped me find a teacher, and I've been training with him lately."Naruto looked surprised."Kakashi-sensei is also nowhere to be found!" Sakura grumbled with a pout.Ino, meanwhile, questioned him with a grin: "What's this? I clearly heard you were peeping at the women's bath in the Hot Spring Street!""Uh... no I wasn't!"Sweat broke out on Naruto's forehead as he hurriedly denied it.It's all that bastard Jiraiya's fault. While I was practicing the Summoning Jutsu, he ran off to peep at the women's bath again, and it just so happened that Kurenai Yuhi and Anko were visiting the Hot Spring Street that day.After discovering the big pervert, the fully dressed Anko immediately attacked, chasing the panicked Jiraiya away, while Kurenai Yuhi was busy fixing her clothes.At that time, Naruto thought an enemy had appeared and rushed over, only to witness a vivid and sensual scene.Thinking of this, Naruto felt his nose grow slightly warm and subconsciously turned his gaze away, glancing toward Team 8 not far away in the spectator stands.Kurenai Yuhi noticed his gaze and made a throat-slitting gesture with her finger, the threat in her eyes being all too obvious.Then Hinata also felt Naruto's gaze; she looked up and gave him a smile, her face flushing red.Naruto awkwardly withdrew his gaze and gave a dry cough: "It was a complete misunderstanding!""It better be."Ino's beautiful eyes flickered as she scanned Naruto with a half-smile.In contrast, Sakura was much more considerate, her gaze wandering around the area: "Where are Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke? It's his turn in the next match.""Oh, right!"Naruto seemed to remember something and hurried toward the main stand."Kakashi-sensei said that Sasuke's training is at the final stage, so he'll be a little late!"A few minutes later.On the main stand, an Anbu member walked over, leaned down, and whispered a few words to the Third Hokage."Hey! Why hasn't the match started yet?""The next one is that Uchiha kid's match, right?""We came specifically to see him, why hasn't he shown up yet?"Because the match was delayed, the audience began to get noisy.Especially since the next match featured the survivor of the Konoha elite clan, Uchiha Sasuke; everyone's expectations were already through the roof."Kazekage-sama, Uchiha Sasuke needs to arrive a bit late due to his training. What do you think we should do?"The Third Hokage asked with a chuckle after hearing the report.Sitting beside him, the Fourth Kazekage replied with an equally pleasant smile: "The guest follows the host's lead. Naturally, we will follow Hokage-sama's arrangements.""In that case..." The Third Hokage was only being polite, so he nodded in agreement, "Then let's postpone Uchiha Sasuke's match and have the contestants for the following match come up first.""Yes!"After a brief communication, Shiranui Genma faced the increasingly restless stands and shouted: "Everyone, since the candidate has not yet arrived, this match is postponed. We will proceed with the duel between the candidates of the next match first!""What is Konoha doing?""What a waste of emotion!""Who's in the next match?"The spectator stands were filled with a clamor of voices.But these sounds could no longer affect Sakuraand Ino at all.As opponents in this match, they stared at each other with piercing eyes, their gazes almost sparking.The two, who were once best friends, stepped into the Arena in unison."Let's use this match to determine who gets to claim Naruto!"Ino thrust her fist toward Sakura, full of confidence."Naruto is not an object to be fought over. If you don't even understand that, then I suggest you give up early."Sakura's gaze was resolute as she replied word for word."..."Shiranui Genma looked at the two of them, speechless.Please, this is the official Arena for the third stage of the exams, not a place for you two to fight over a man!
Chapter 104: My Body Defeated Your Spirit"Match start!"Shiranui Genma gave the order.Sakura and Ino looked at each other, the air between them thick with hostility."Who do you think will win?"Naruto stood in the corridor behind the spectator stands when a soft voice reached his ears.He looked back and found it was actually Kurenai Yuhi.The woman had walked up to him at some point, a smiling expression on her face.However, as soon as he saw her, the scenes from yesterday couldn't help but surface in Naruto's mind."Uh..."Naruto gave an awkward smile.Kurenai Yuhi rolled her eyes at him. "You little pervert, you must be thinking about something bad, aren't you?""No!" Naruto immediately denied."Tch, don't think I don't know," Kurenai Yuhipointed at the girls who had already started fighting below. "Both of them have their eyes on you, right?"Hearing her mention something else, Narutobreathed a sigh of relief. "A young girl's heart is always fickle. If we went back four months, the two of them would have been fighting over Sasuke.""Oh? I didn't expect you to have such self-awareness." Kurenai Yuhi glanced at him."I consider it one of my strengths," Naruto replied with a smile.Nearly two months had passed, and compared to when he was in the Land of Waves, his height had grown again, reaching 1.7 meters—exactly level with Kurenai Yuhi.His face had long since lost its childishness, and the way he looked at her gave Kurenai the feeling that she was communicating with a peer.This feeling made her unconsciously remember the events of yesterday. It was no longer possible to treat it as a child's prank, and she couldn't help but cough awkwardly."Ahem," Kurenai Yuhi cleared her throat, suppressing the slight shame rising in her heart, and turned her gaze toward the spectator seats. "However, there is one person who I think will not change her feelings for you as time goes by.""Are you talking about Hinata?"Naruto raised an eyebrow and followed Kurenai Yuhi's gaze to the small figure in the front."At least since I've known her, your name has often been on her lips."Looking at her disciple, a gentle smile appeared on Kurenai Yuhi's face.Then she leaned in slightly and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "So if you dare to let down my cute disciple, I will kill you without hesitation!""Uh..."Naruto scanned Kurenai Yuhi up and down, still looking speechless.Only this time it wasn't because of embarrassment, but..."You?"Kurenai Yuhi read those two words from Naruto's gaze."Hey, don't underestimate me, you bastard!"She clenched her fist and shook it in front of Naruto.Naruto rubbed his nose and said, "I think Sakurawill win.""Huh?"Kurenai Yuhi froze for a moment, then reacted. "Your ability to change the subject is way too poor!"Naruto stopped talking and looked toward the arena.The battle between Sakura and Ino had been going on for some time.Sakura had the upper hand in the situation.After all, she had already learned Hamon from Naruto, giving her a massive boost in physical strength and stamina, the kind that could completely crush Ino.Although Ino hadn't been without progress over the past month, she was still far behind compared to Sakura."Hah!"Sakura gave a sharp cry and threw a punch.Ino hurriedly sidestepped to dodge, and Sakura's fist struck the tree trunk behind her.Crack!The large tree, originally thick enough to be hugged by one person, snapped instantly under her punch.Flying wood chips hit Ino's face, causing a dull ache."Even though I knew Sakura's taijutsu had improved a lot during the preliminaries, this level is just too freakish, isn't it?"Ino secretly groaned in her heart while constantly backing away.After trading two punches with Sakura at the start and suffering for it, she no longer dared to face her head-on and could only keep running.This pathetic state made Ino, who had always prided herself on being stronger than Sakura, feel incredibly frustrated.She just had no choice; with fire in her heart, she kept looking for an opportunity."Ino is in trouble now."Shikamaru shook his head from the stands.Choji, sitting next to him, was stuffing potato chips into his mouth in large handfuls. "I don't think she has a chance."Asuma patted Shikamaru's shoulder. "In this situation, what would you do if it were you?"Shikamaru spread his hands. "Find a way to use the Mind Transfer Jutsu, of course. Ino only has a hope of winning if she uses her secret technique, right?""Yeah... I hope Ino can think of how to use it." Asuma nodded.The Mind Transfer Jutsu was the Yamanaka Clan's inherited secret technique, allowing one's spirit to forcibly occupy the opponent's body.However, the biggest weakness of this jutsu was that it required aiming in advance to launch one's spiritual energy at the enemy.Moreover, the launch speed of the spiritual wave was very slow; as long as the opponent was prepared, it could be easily dodged.With Sakura's current speed, she clearly wouldn't give Ino that chance."Sakura!"Ino suddenly stopped and called out her best friend's name loudly.Sakura also stopped and looked at Ino curiously, wondering what other tricks she had."You still remember this long hair of mine, right?"Ino stroked her long ponytail."Of course, I remember you grew it out because you heard Sasuke liked long hair back then, didn't you?"Sakura replied with a nod."Yeah, thinking about it now, that really was childish."Ino shook her head self-deprecatingly, then looked at Sakura seriously."I'm very angry right now because I've always felt that it's impossible for you to surpass me. Clearly, I was the one who led you out of the shadows; you were always just my follower."Sakura showed a confident smile. "People always change, just like the me standing before you now.""You're right, people always change."After Ino finished speaking, she pulled a Kunaifrom the tool pouch at her waist and slashed down fiercely."You?!"Sakura froze, not expecting Ino to be so decisive as to cut off her own long hair.Then Ino tossed the hair in her hand, and the golden strands covered the ground."The current me has also made a change! I will absolutely not lose to you!"As she spoke, she made the aiming gesture for the Mind Transfer Jutsu."Unfortunately, I know your jutsu very well, so you won't be able to hit me!"While Sakura spoke, she dashed to the side, avoiding Ino's aim.Hum~Sure enough, Ino's spiritual wave hit nothing but air."Now your spiritual energy should be almost depleted, right?"Sakura walked slowly toward Ino, a winning smile on her face."Wrong! You've fallen for it!"Seeing Sakura take a few steps, Ino also started laughing."What?"Sakura felt her footsteps falter and quickly looked down.It turned out that when Ino threw out her cut hair earlier, she had mixed in extremely thin steel wires.As Sakura moved, the steel wires entangled her feet, and at the same time, they were infused with Chakra.Under the restraint of the steel wires, Sakura found it difficult to even take a step, let alone dodge."Now... the battle is over!"After catching Sakura, Ino raised her hands, calmly aimed, and cast her jutsu.Mind Transfer Jutsu!Sakura's body trembled, then she suddenly looked up, while Ino's original body slumped forward."Heehee, now I just need to raise my hand and surrender."Sakura's body spoke with Ino's voice, but in the next second, her laughter froze."Wait? Why? Why can't I control this body?""Perhaps it's because I've practiced Hamon. My body is very special; maybe my body defeated your spirit."Sakura's voice rang out."No! Impossible!"Ino found it hard to accept.Clearly her technique had hit; how could such a thing happen?But Sakura didn't care what she thought. She stepped forward and threw a punch that landed squarely on Ino's chin. "Sorry, this victory belongs to me!"
Chapter 105: Konoha's Geniuses are Worth Killing Too!Bang!With a dull thud, Ino was sent flying by Sakura's punch.The moment her spirit took damage, it returned to her own body."Ugh..."Ino groaned and fainted.Seeing this, the proctor Shiranui Genma stepped forward, checked Ino's condition, and announced the winner."Yay! I won!"Sakura enjoyed the cheers coming from the spectator stands.Ino was revived by Shiranui Genma and looked sullenly at the jubilant Sakura.The girl who used to be her follower had actually grown to a level she could no longer reach.Physical strength defeated the Mind Transfer Jutsu? You've really got something, haven't you!Ino sighed and turned her head toward the spectator stands.As if they shared a silent understanding, Sakuraalso looked toward the figures in the stands."They are both looking at you."Kurenai Yuhi teased.Naruto gave thumbs-up to both Sakura and Ino, his face beaming with a smile: "They are both excellent girls."Whether it was Ino, who cut her hair to win, or Sakura, who defeated the Mind Transfer Jutsu with her own will, both had given him a great surprise."So, which one are you going to choose? Or will you choose neither?"Kurenai Yuhi had no intention of letting Naruto off the hook."Uh..."Naruto paused, remaining silent.Kurenai Yuhi laughed: "You're always like this, staying silent whenever you encounter a difficult question.""It's my turn in the next match."Naruto changed the subject.Actually, the next match was supposed to be Sasuke versus Temari, but since he still hadn't arrived, Naruto naturally had to fill in."Good luck with your victory."Kurenai Yuhi waved at him with a smile.Naruto smiled back, then with a leap, jumped into the arena."Ohhh! Naruto is up!"Tenten's voice carried a hint of excitement.Temari curled her lip: "That kid is no match for Gaara."As she spoke, she tapped her fan irritably: "Why hasn't that guy named Sasuke shown up yet? He's my opponent; is he scared?""Tch, you people from the Hidden Sand Village are so arrogant!" Tenten made a face at Temari.Temari rolled her eyes at Tenten: "You'll soon find out how powerful Gaara is!"Compared to Naruto who jumped in, Gaara walked slowly from the contestant tunnel.Standing in the arena and looking at Naruto across from him, his breathing became a bit heavy."Alright, this match, Uzumaki Naruto versus Gaara, begin!"After Shiranui Genma finished the announcement, he immediately left the scene."You... are strong!"Gaara didn't attack; instead, he stared intently at Naruto, his eyes bloodshot.Since their first meeting, Naruto had a quality that attracted him—an impulse to tear him in half.It had been a long time since Gaara had felt such a desire to kill just by looking at someone."I hope you don't disappoint me!"Gaara spoke in a raspy voice, his chilling killing intent like a knife pressed against Naruto's neck.Naruto adjusted his forehead protector and showed a happy smile: "I've been looking forward to fighting you for a long time too. No, to be precise, I've wanted to teach you a lesson for a long time, you bastard!""Then why don't you come and try!"Gaara spread his arms, his words carrying a faint hint of madness.Whoosh—A sharp wind rose as Naruto vanished from his spot, reappearing in front of Gaara and throwing a punch.Bang.A dull thud.Naruto frowned, finding a wall of sand rising from the ground, blocking Gaara.Moreover, the defensive power of the sand wall was surprisingly good; his punch actually failed to break it.Considering Sakura's Hamon was far inferior to Naruto's and she could still break a tree as thick as a man's embrace with one punch, the power of Naruto's fist was beyond doubt.However, Gaara wouldn't give Naruto time to think; large hands formed of sand attacked from both sides, grabbing for his waist.Seeing this, Naruto retreated quickly, avoiding the sand's attack."Heh, see that? That guy can't even break Gaara's Shield of Sand!"Temari raised her chin triumphantly.Tenten shook her head: "That's not for certain."As she finished speaking, Naruto launched another attack.This time, his attack was no longer straightforward; instead, he increased his speed and circled behind Gaara.The Shield of Sand moved quickly, blocking Gaara's rear.But Naruto vanished again, circling to his side.The Shield of Sand moved to block, but its speed was half a beat too slow.Seeing this, Naruto smiled, his speed surging as he circled to Gaara's other side.This time, the Shield of Sand failed to react.Naruto's punch landed squarely on Gaara's face.Bang!Naruto took half a step back, his brow furrowed.The feeling was wrong?That punch just now didn't feel like it hit a human body; instead, it felt like hitting the Shield of Sand.Compared to Naruto, Gaara was much more disheveled, stumbling back three steps, causing Temari's pupils in the spectator stands to shrink.Crack, crack...Countless cracks appeared on Gaara's face.Then his pale face turned the grayish-brown of sand, breaking and falling off piece by piece."What is that?!"Tenten's eyes widened in surprise."That's Gaara's Armor of Sand—a powerful, constant defense created by attaching sand to his body."Temari explained, but her brow was tightly knit.Although the defensive power of the Armor of Sand wasn't as strong as the Shield of Sand, it certainly couldn't be underestimated.Yet Naruto's single punch could make Gaara retreat several steps; this was definitely not simple!At this moment, Gaara felt his head spinning; he shook his head several times before finally regaining his senses.His gaze carried a hint of shock as he glanced at Naruto's fist."It's the technique from that time!"Gaara remembered the scene of Naruto's fight with Little Lee.Back then, Naruto had used many bubble-related Ninjutsu.And the moment he threw the punch just now, his fist seemed to be wrapped in a mass of bubbles.After experiencing it personally once, Gaaragrasped a bit of the feeling.That mass of bubbles contained vibrating power that could penetrate the Armor of Sand and attack him directly.In that case...Gaara controlled the sand to attach to his body once more.Naruto loosened up his limbs and launched another attack.His pattern was the same as before: first using high speed to draw away the Shield of Sand, then punching through the gap.His fist landed directly on Gaara's face.But unexpectedly, this time Gaara only tilted his head slightly."It didn't work? No, the Shockwave clearly hit!"Naruto was startled, then a vicious wind reached his ears.Without hesitation, he flew backward, letting the incoming sand miss its mark.After landing, Naruto's brow furrowed even deeper.This time, the sand was different from before; it was closing in from all directions.If Naruto hadn't retreated quickly, he would have been trapped in a cage of sand.Obviously, Gaara did it on purpose.He knew his new Armor of Sand could block Naruto's punches, so he relaxed the defense of the Shield of Sand and instead focused on controlling the sand to form an encirclement.But what method exactly did Gaara use?Naruto's gaze scanned Gaara back and forth.To this, Gaara's only response was a single sentence:"Good! Konoha's geniuses are worth killing too!"
Chapter 106: The Next Part of the Battle Won't Be So Artistic"Not bad! It seems Konoha's geniuses are worth killing after all!"Gaara's eyes widened as he stared at Narutoneurotically, his gaze filled with cold killing intent.Naruto tilted his head and looked at him, feeling that the other's state was somewhat familiar."Hah!"Gaara didn't give Naruto any time to think and waved his hands.With this boost, the speed of the Shield of Sandincreased significantly, grabbing at him like two giant hands.Vibration Release: Shockwave Fist!Naruto didn't dodge; bubbles appeared on his fist as he met the incoming giant sand hands head-on.With two soft thuds, Gaara's attack was dispersed.Most of those two giant hands were shattered by his fists.In an instant, sand and dust splattered, enveloping Naruto.Sand Shuriken!Gaara controlled the remaining parts of the two sand hands, decomposing and condensing them into the shape of Shuriken, which then shot rapidly toward Naruto's position.The Sand Shuriken carried powerful momentum as they disappeared into the dust cloud.But in the next second, they flew back out at their original speed, as if they had been repelled."That move again!"Gaara frowned, immediately recalling Naruto's previous battles.This guy seemed able to create bubbles from all over his body, wrapping himself in a large bubble.Furthermore, the bubble's defensive performance was excellent; even Rock Lee, who had opened the Fifth Gate during the Preliminaries, couldn't break it with a single punch.Sure enough, as the flying sand dispersed, a large bubble was revealed before everyone.Naruto was inside the bubble, his hands pressed against the inner wall, carefully observing Gaara.He was certain that this guy had come up with a way to defend against the Shockwave, to the point that the Shield of Sand's defense had also been specifically improved.Based on the feedback from the probing attack just now, Naruto had adjusted the power of his Shockwave Fist to be just enough to completely shatter the two sand hands.But the result was that half of each sand hand still remained.Pop!Naruto wanted to analyze the secret behind Gaara's defensive technique, but a soft sound suddenly reached his ears.The Vibration Release bubble, which was originally incredibly solid, suddenly shattered!"How can this be?"Naruto frowned.Gaara sneered, "Hmph! I already thought of a way to break this move!""I see. You mixed sand into my bubble and destroyed it from the inside."Naruto's eyes swept over the area, and he immediately figured out Gaara's method.But Gaara wouldn't miss the opportunity, so with a wave of his hand, he attacked again.Sand Drizzle!Naruto felt his body grow heavy as hands condensed from the sand at his feet grabbed his calves.Immediately after, large amounts of Sand Bulletscondensed above his head and in front of him, firing like machine-gun bullets.Faced with this situation, most of the audience in the stands thought Naruto was doomed to lose.Even Tenten and Hinata turned their heads away, as if they didn't want to see the scene of Naruto's defeat.However, Naruto himself appeared relaxed and at ease.He swung his arms, and a large number of disc-shaped bubbles shot out, meeting the Sand Bulletsfrom the front and above.Vibration Release: Ripple Blade!Boom! Boom! Boom!A series of explosions rang out.The collision of two opposing forces within the Ripple Blade created a powerful Shockwave, obliterating all the incoming Sand Bullets.At the same time, Naruto exerted force with his legs, easily breaking free from the sand hands' grip at his feet, and leaped a short distance away."I understand now."Naruto shook his hands and looked at Gaara with a look of appreciation on his face."You mixed a large amount of air into the sand, forming a multi-layered cavitation drainage structure like a shock-absorbing spring. So when my Shockwave hits it, the effect is minimal because it's all absorbed by the air inside!"Despite having only a brief moment to think during the gaps in the battle, the experienced Narutoquickly saw through Gaara's defensive technique.As soon as these words were spoken, there were gasps of amazement in the spectator stands.Even the Jonin watching couldn't help but cast surprised glances."To have discovered Gaara's methods in such a short time, it seems this Uzumaki Naruto is very talented, Hokage-sama."The Kazekage sat high on the Main Stand and chuckled.Although the Third Hokage's old face was beaming with a smile like a blooming chrysanthemum, he didn't forget to trade compliments: "Not at all, not at all. Gaara was able to come up with such a counter-strategy immediately after being attacked by Naruto; he is the true genius.""Hahaha..."Amidst the awkward laughter, Gaara attacked again.After seeing that even Sand Drizzle couldn't threaten Naruto, he realized he had to get serious.This only made Gaara more excited."Good! Very good! Only people like this provide pleasure when they are killed!"Watching Gaara laugh maniacally toward the sky, Naruto didn't even bat an eyelid. "Pleasure in killing? Isn't your personality a bit too twisted? Do you have some childhood trauma? Like, for example, losing control of your bowels in front of everyone?"Quicksand Waterfall Flow!With Gaara as the center, a vast amount of sand gushed out, like a dam bursting.Facing the massive flowing sand that covered the sky and kicked up waves several meters high, Naruto immediately slammed his palms onto the ground.A bubble inflated beneath him, lifting Naruto up and letting him float.Rumble!After a loud roar, the gushing sand finally stopped.The entire Arena had turned into a desolate desert.Furthermore, the ground had risen by at least two meters due to the massive accumulation of sand!"He even changed the terrain?!"In the spectator stands, Sakura, who was originally full of confidence in Naruto, couldn't help but show worry on her face.Gaara was already a powerhouse at controlling sand, and now he had transformed the terrain into a desert that was extremely advantageous for him.Fighting under these circumstances, even Narutowould likely find it difficult to cope, wouldn't he?!"Heh... heh..."After using such a massive-scale Ninjutsu, Gaaraalso showed some signs of fatigue.But he didn't rest; instead, he looked at Narutofloating in mid-air and laughed excitedly, "Come on! Show me more! Try to survive my attacks!"Following his words, countless sharp spears condensed from the desert below, shooting toward Naruto's position.Sand Waterfall Spear!"Tsk tsk, what a monster..."Anko appeared beside Kurenai Yuhi at some point, shaking her head as she watched the battle in the Arena.As a Genin, Gaara's Chakra was simply terrifying.To have used so many Ninjutsu in succession, especially the Quicksand Waterfall Flow and Sand Waterfall Spear.Either one of these two techniques would be enough to drain the Chakra of a stamina-depleted Jonin like Kakashi.But looking at Gaara now, he even seemed to have strength to spare!"What, are you worried about him?"Kurenai Yuhi turned her head to look at her best friend."That kid? Hah, he's a monster too!"Anko sneered, showing no sign of worry at all; instead, her eyes sparkled with excitement.Although she didn't know Naruto's true strength, she had great confidence in him.And Naruto, who Anko held high hopes for, looked at the sand spears shooting up from below.He knew they weren't something the Ripple Bladecould block, so he couldn't help but sigh and close his eyes."Sorry, the next part of the battle won't be so artistic."In the next second, as a terrifying aura leaked out, Naruto snapped his eyes open.Those sky-blue pupils had turned into crimson, slitted fox pupils!
Chapter 107: BleedingNaruto sat on a floating bubble.Facing the countless Sand Spears shooting up from below, he had no intention of dodging; instead, he sat cross-legged, his hands forming a hand seal to gather Chakra."What is Naruto doing?!"Sakura's face was full of anxiety and panic."Has this kid given up?"Temari frowned and stared."The brat is about to get serious."Anko crossed her arms, her expression that of someone watching a good show."Aren't you a bit too confident in him, Anko?"Kurenai Yuhi teased from the side."You might as well say that to Kakashi. After all, this kid is a genius who has surpassed the Fourth Hokage—those were his words."Anko's chin lifted slightly, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.Under the gazes of everyone—some worried, some solemn, some trusting—a powerful and terrifying aura radiated from within Naruto.Fierce, violent, ruthless, scorching...It was as if a wave of heat had slapped them right in the face."This Chakra..."Gaara looked up, his eyes widening even further."Excellent! Just like that! Only by killing you, who possesses such Chakra, can I truly feel alive!"Gaara let out a wild, hideous laugh.On the main stand, the Third Hokage's brow furrowed. "This feeling is undoubtedly the Nine-Tailed, but that boy Jiraiya should have reinforced the Eight Trigrams Seal..."At the moment the Sand Spears closed in, Narutofinally snapped his eyes open.Those clear, sky-blue eyes had now transformed into blood-red, slitted fox pupils.Pop!A soft sound.The bubble beneath Naruto was like a sheet of paper, easily punctured by the Sand Spears.But before that happened, Naruto had already vanished.Countless Sand Spears whistled through the air, but they all missed their mark."He disappeared?"Although Gaara had become neurotic, his basic combat instincts and rationality still remained.So, the moment he realized Naruto had vanished, he manipulated the surrounding sand to erect several solid walls.Slash!Naruto appeared in front of the Shield of Sandbehind Gaara and struck out with a claw, directly piercing through the shield, which was far stronger than steel.Gaara remained unruffled; instead, he reinforced the Shield of Sand that had been pierced.Naruto frowned, feeling his arm being locked tight by the sand.The surrounding sand followed suit, launching an attack from a vast area.Sand Binding Prison!It was different from the Sand Binding Coffin.The capture range of this technique was enormous.Considering that Naruto might break free from the Shield of Sand's restraint, Gaara strove to expand the range to catch Naruto's body.Yet, looking at the vast expanse of sand descending upon him like a shroud, Naruto neither dodged nor avoided it, allowing himself to be enveloped by the mass of sand.Sand Waterfall Funeral!Gaara had no intention of holding back now.Seeing that he had captured Naruto, he immediately unleashed his killing move.He stared with eyes bloodshot with countless veins, his gaze full of excitement. "Hahaha, die!""No!"In the spectator stands, several girls cried out in unison.Even Temari leaned over the railing in worry, her breathing quickening.Although she felt Naruto wouldn't die that easily, his opponent was that monster, Gaara!Who knew if the kid would suddenly suffer an unexpected defeat!However, their concern ultimately could not stop Gaara's killing intent.As the pressure on the sand increased sharply, the sphere that originally enveloped Naruto was squeezed into an irregular lump.However, what gushed out from the gaps in the sand was not blood, but a cloud of white mist."It's... it's a Shadow Clone!"As his teammate, Sakura knew Naruto well, so she immediately understood the reason.Gaara was stunned for a moment before realizing that he had only caught a clone.So where had Naruto's real body gone?This question flashed through Gaara's mind, and then the vibrations coming from the desert beneath his feet made him realize."Digging a hole beneath my feet to try and launch an ambush? Naive!"Gaara's expression turned cold.Going into the sand himself was simply walking into a trap.Although that guy's movement speed in the sand was very fast and couldn't be caught with ordinary Sand Style Ninjutsu...it didn't matter. He just needed a wide-range Ninjutsu to obliterate everything within the sand!Sand Waterfall Imperial Funeral!Gaara clapped his palms together.But just as he began to gather Chakra, his expression changed slightly.Naruto had already reached him from below and was preparing to attack!Gaara dared not be careless and had to move backward.Poof!With a soft sound, Naruto's figure emerged from the sand where Gaara had originally been standing."Fool!"Gaara smiled contemptuously and raised his hand to control the sand, preparing to launch an attack."The foolish one is actually you, isn't it?"Naruto smiled.In the next second, Gaara's brow furrowed.He could clearly sense that all the sand within a ten-meter radius beneath his feet had suddenly lost all control!How is this possible?!"The only sand you can control is the sand infused with your own Chakra. That's why, to save Chakra, you always carry that large gourd filled with sand already saturated with it."As Naruto spoke, his hand clawed upward through the air.The Demon Fox's Chakra condensed into invisible claws, lunging toward his opponent.Gaara had no time to react; he didn't even understand what was happening before a sharp pain struck him.Slash!Three long claw marks appeared on Gaara.Not only did they tear through the Armor of Sandattached to his body, but they also caused a massive wound.A large amount of blood gushed out, staining the sand beneath his feet red."He did it!"Sakura jumped up in excitement and hugged Inotightly beside her.Hinata felt as if she had jumped from hell back to heaven; her small face flushed red, her breathing became a bit labored, and her hands gripped the hem of her clothes tightly. "This battle...""Naruto won!"Anko made her judgment, her eyes full of pride."Just now, to change the terrain, you scattered all the sand from your gourd, mixing it into the desert beneath your feet to gain control over the entire field."Naruto looked down at Gaara, who was kneeling on one knee, and continued."But unfortunately, my Vibration Release has the property of dispersing Chakra. That's why I hid in the sand—to purge your Chakra from the surrounding ground."But by now, Gaara was in no state to listen to Naruto's explanation.He panted heavily, his hand trembling as he gently touched the wound on his chest.The subsequent sharp pain made Gaara shudder.He slowly lowered his head and stared at the crimson on his palm, his eyes nearly bursting from their sockets."Blood... it's blood..."Gaara's face twisted visibly, and then he let out a shrill, piercing scream."Aaaaaah! It's my blood!!!!!""Those who kill must be prepared to be killed. If you don't even have the resolve to see your own blood, then you'd better go home early and cry in your mother's arms."Naruto walked over slowly.But as he reached Gaara, his expression changed slightly.He could feel something awakening inside Gaara!
Chapter 108: There's a Monster Raised Inside Me Too"Oh no!"Seeing the situation on the field, Temari's expression changed drastically.Gaara was protected by the Shield of Sand and had never been injured before.Now, bleeding from Naruto's attack, it was very likely his mind would be stimulated, causing Shukaku to go on an uncontrollable rampage.This situation was not what was planned!Unfortunately, Kankuro had been knocked unconscious by Neji in the battle just now.Even if Temari wanted someone to discuss this with, she couldn't find anyone now."I'm going to kill you!"Gaara suddenly raised his head, his fierce gaze fixed on Naruto.At the same time, streams of sand rose from the desert ground beneath his feet."How is this possible? I clearly dispersed all the Chakra in the nearby sand!"Naruto's pupils constricted.Then he realized that powerful Chakra was surging from within Gaara's body, pouring entirely into the sand.This meant Gaara had regained control over the sand.Thinking this, Naruto didn't hesitate; he stepped forward, rushed in front of Gaara, and struck with a claw.Boom!A loud explosion rang out.A powerful shockwave spread between the two.Naruto felt he couldn't stand his ground; he was actually blown away, flipping several times in the air to dissipate the force before landing on the ground.Gaara, however, was like a nail, firmly rooted in place.And more importantly, Gaara's current appearance had also changed significantly.The sand he controlled to gather together partly turned into armor covering the wound on Gaara's chest, while the other part attached to his right arm, forming a strange and hideous giant hand covered in countless intricate purple patterns."What kind of monster is that?"In the spectator stands, Hyuga Neji suddenly stood up.Through the perspective of the Byakugan, it could be clearly seen that terrifying Chakra was surging and pouring out of Gaara's body.This amount of Chakra was even more astonishing than when Lee opened the Eight Gates.Neji had never imagined that someone in this world could possess such an enormous amount of Chakra."It's the Possession Form!"Temari couldn't sit still either and turned to look at the edge of the spectator stands.There, an Anbu wearing a cloak and mask had already begun forming hand seals.Temple of Nirvana Technique!The next second, countless white feathers descended from above the arena.The audience looked up curiously, their eyes filled with surprise as they admired this magnificent and fantastical scene.However, most of the Konoha Ninjas present noticed something was wrong."This is genjutsu!"Kurenai Yuhi and Anko exchanged a look and each formed seals.Release!Performing the same action were Konoha's Joninand several excellent Genin present."How..."In the field, Naruto blinked, his body swayed slightly, and he slumped down."How did this kid fall for a genjutsu?"Temari, on the platform, noticed this, and a look of anxiety appeared on her face.She hesitated for a moment, then flipped and jumped into the arena."Hah! Die!"Gaara had already gone mad.Seeing his opponent caught in a genjutsu, he didn't hesitate to strike.That hideous and strange giant claw rapidly elongated, reaching for Naruto's chest.At the same time, a smile appeared on Gaara's face, as if he could already see Naruto being disemboweled by him.Wind Release: Air Current Wild Dance!At the critical moment, Temari, in mid-air, swung her giant fan.The sweeping gale severed the Sand Claw and also kicked up a large cloud of smoke, obscuring Gaara's vision.Taking this opportunity, Temari landed beside Naruto, grabbed him by the collar, and retreated into the distance."Temari! What are you doing?!"As the instructor Jonin of the Hidden Sand Villagetrio, Baki also jumped into the field, came to Temari's side, and questioned her loudly."I just don't want him to die. Letting this kid live shouldn't ruin your plan, right?"Temari looked directly into her teacher's eyes, without the slightest guilt or backing down."While I know you didn't agree with this plan from the start, your actions right now are a bit too reckless."Baki sighed, and as he spoke, he pressed his fingers together and flicked them forward.Ding!An invisible Wind Blade struck the incoming senbon, making a crisp sound."You'd better hand that kid over."Shuranui Genma flipped over and landed not far away, his sharp gaze scanning Baki and Temari."Whatever you want, Temari."Baki turned around to face Shuranui Genma."Anyway, Gaara has already entered the Possession Form, and the plan is half-complete. Just take him elsewhere and wait until the battle is over."Temari hadn't expected Baki to say that and hesitated: "Then, teacher, you...""I will stay and fight!"Baki didn't look back.Seeing this, Shuranui Genma, who had been worried about Naruto, breathed a slight sigh of relief.At least for now, it seemed Temari wouldn't harm Naruto.Then the next thing to do is to deal with the enemy in front of me!"Is the host of this banquet Orochimaru?"Shuranui Genma said as he pulled a senbon from his waist and leisurely held it in his mouth."Who knows," Baki smiled, "Anyway, let's heat things up first!""Awoooh!!!!"Temari wanted to say something more but heard the beastly roar coming from Gaara's direction.It seemed that not finding an opponent had already made him restless; the Possession Form could evolve again at any time.In that case, the only option was to take Narutoaway temporarily to take refuge.Temari took a deep breath and grabbed Naruto's collar.But just as she was about to move, she suddenly felt her body freeze, unable to control herself."Wh...at..."Temari struggled to look down, only to find that Naruto had opened his eyes at some point.A strange tingling sensation flooded her body, making Temari feel weak all over.Naruto pulled her into his arms without making a sound."Hey, if you're going, hurry up, otherwise Gaara..."Baki noticed Temari had gone silent and thought she was hesitating, so he shouted a reminder.But halfway through his sentence, a massive impact slammed into his back.With a dull thud, the caught-off-guard Baki was sent flying.Shuranui Genma seized the opportunity and lunged forward.Several senbon were clamped between his fingers, and in a single pass, they all pierced into Baki's body."Ugh!"Baki groaned; he had been blindsided and, with his head lolling to the side, fell unconscious.Shuranui Genma wanted to go forward to finish him off but was stopped by Naruto: "Wait!""He's the enemy, kid." Shuranui Genma looked back and nodded his chin toward Temari in Naruto's arms. "She's no exception."Naruto took a deep breath: "I'll ensure they can't participate in the battle anymore."Shuranui Genma studied Naruto, the corners of his mouth curling slightly.He was about to say something when he heard Gaara's roar approaching and quickly assumed a defensive stance."Go find another opponent. I'll take care of Gaara; my fight with him isn't over yet!"Naruto also looked toward the source of the sound and said in a low voice."Are you sure? That guy is a monster."Naruto turned back and looked at him seriously: "Don't forget, there's a monster raised inside me too!""You kid..." Shuranui Genma's brow relaxed. "Good luck!"
Chapter 109: I Must Deal With You Here!"You lied to me? You weren't under the Genjutsu at all?"Temari's resentful voice came from Naruto's arms.Although Temari felt weak and limp all over right now, her consciousness remained clear.She remembered that Naruto hadn't even formed the seal to release the Genjutsu before launching a sneak attack on her and her teacher, Baki.This meant that this guy hadn't been affected at all.That meant his earlier appearance of being dazed by the Genjutsu was just a lie.This made Temari burn with rage, feeling that her little bit of kindness had been ruthlessly trampled upon."Whether you believe it or not, I didn't lie to you."Naruto looked down, staring directly at Temariwithout flinching.However, Temari could no longer listen to any explanations and just glared deathly at Naruto.In the next second, Naruto's figure blurred and vanished from the spot.Boom!Two giant Sand Claws struck, blasting a deep crater into the spot where Naruto had just been standing.Carrying Temari in his arms and holding the unconscious Baki in his hand, Naruto stood on the Arena wall, looking at Gaara through the light dust and smoke.In less than a minute, this guy's appearance had drastically changed again.Gaara's entire upper body was encased in sand, forming the hideous and ferocious appearance of a monster."Is this... a Tanuki?"Naruto recognized the monster form Gaara had transformed into.At the same time, Gaara also discovered Naruto's presence.With a swing of his large hand, two Sand Hands rapidly swelled and swatted toward Naruto.Naruto lashed out with a backhand, his Nine-Tails Chakra condensing into an invisible giant claw that shattered the incoming Sand Hands.However, amidst the swirling yellow sand, Gaararaised his hand again.This time, it wasn't just two Sand Hands, but dozens of giant hands condensed from countless grains of sand.Boom! Boom! Boom!Empowered by the Nine-Tails Chakra, Naruto's speed was extremely fast, escaping the attack range of the Sand Hands in an instant.Each of the giant hands missed its mark, slamming heavily into the Arena walls.The immense power contained within them caused the once-solid walls to shake.Crisscrossing cracks also began to appear on the walls."Damn, this guy's Chakra is still skyrocketing!"Naruto glanced at the cracked wall and thought to himself that things were looking bad.Gaara's attacks were already powerful, and with his Chakra surging, their might would only increase further.If the walls were shattered, the spectator stands above would collapse.When that happened, the spectators dazed by the Genjutsu would suffer heavy casualties!"I have to lure this guy out of the Village!"Thinking this, Naruto didn't hesitate and sprinted forward.Bang!A dull thud.Naruto delivered a fierce kick right to Gaara's face.Amidst the splashing sand and dust, the Tanukimonster's head was shattered by his kick, revealing Gaara's hideous face inside."Roar!"After being struck heavily, Gaara was exceptionally furious, his vicious gaze fixed deathly on Naruto."Come and hit me, you idiot!"Naruto dropped a provocative remark, then leaped up, flipped over the wall, and ran toward the outskirts of the Village.Gaara's movements were not slow either, following him like a shadow.The two chased each other all the way into the woods outside the Village.Using the cover of the trees, Naruto successfully shook Gaara off.He then found a hidden spot to stop and set down Temari and Baki."What are you doing?"Temari found that she had regained her mobility and looked at Naruto with a frown."I've sealed Baki's mobility. Stay here and look after him; don't go back to join the fight."Naruto dropped those words and, without saying more, leaped away in the opposite direction.Temari's expression shifted; she wanted to give chase, but looking at the still-unconscious Bakibeside her, she gave up on the idea.On the other side.Without the two burdens, Temari and Baki, Naruto's speed skyrocketed.Even in the complex woods, his pace never faltered.Soon, following his Life Fluctuation Perception, Naruto found Gaara.At this moment, he stood in a forest clearing, his gaze scanning the surroundings in confusion, seemingly looking for Naruto's trail.The frustration of not finding his enemy caused the Shukaku Chakra inside Gaara to continue rampaging.He let out a long howl to the sky, releasing terrifying Chakra that completely destroyed the surrounding trees.Naruto raised his arms to protect himself, and once the shockwave dissipated, he was shocked to find that with Gaara as the center, everything within dozens of meters had become a clearing.Gaara had also evolved further toward a monster, that hideous appearance now completely covering his upper body.Even so, Naruto didn't show the slightest fear. With a step, he flashed in front of Gaara.Shink!A claw swung out.Gaara's monster arm was sliced off right at the root.The Sand Hand fell away from his arm, revealing three wounds gushing blood beneath."Waaaaagh!"Gaara clutched his arm and knelt on one knee, letting out a scream of agony.He looked up, glaring fiercely at Naruto.This was already the second time Gaara had been injured by him.Hatred filled his chest, surging and pouring out.Naruto had originally thought about continuing his attack to peel Gaara out of the sand monster's exterior.But Gaara's Chakra gushed out like a tsunami, the powerful shockwave forcing him to raise his arms in defense.Then, Naruto felt the ground beneath him give way as the once-solid earth turned into soft sand.Despite the suddenness, Naruto forced a twist of his body, performed a somersault, and retreated.While in mid-air, he was surprised to find that within a ten-meter radius around Gaara, the entire ground had turned to sand under the influence of the Shukaku Chakra.Then, the sand rose up and encased Gaara's body, forming a massive sphere at least ten meters in diameter.Naruto took a breath after landing and found that the giant Sand Sphere in front of him was motionless.The entire battlefield fell silent, an eerily quiet atmosphere.Seeing this, Naruto stepped forward and placed his palm against the Sand Sphere."It's extremely hard, comparable to steel."After making his judgment, Naruto tried to infuse Hamon into it, attempting to destroy it with Vibration Release.However, sand was not a good conductor for Hamon; he could only destroy less than half a meter of the Sand Sphere's surface.Furthermore, the damaged parts were immediately repaired by the sand gathering back together."Maybe I can just leave it here and come back after the battle is over?"Naruto thought, leaning his head close to the Sand Sphere."Hmm?"He frowned, feeling like he heard some kind of sound."Hehe, good boy, cut off his head...""Then crush his head and watch his brains flow out...""Kill to your heart's content! I'll give you my power!""Kill everyone, only then can you truly be considered alive..."It was an unfamiliar voice, yet it possessed a powerful seductive quality.Naruto shook his head to calm himself down.Then his gaze turned cold, knowing that if left alone, Gaara would evolve into something even more troublesome.And so...Naruto formed a seal, and the evil, violent Nine-Tails Chakra poured out recklessly.A translucent Tailed Beast Cloak with a crimson blood-like hue appeared on his body."I must deal with you here!"
Chapter 110: Shattering Mountains and Destroying Peaks, Shaking the Heavens and the EarthHuuu—Naruto opened his mouth and exhaled a breath of scorching air.He could feel the blood inside his body heating up.It wasn't because of the Hamon, but rather that surging Nine-Tails Chakra."Is my body reaching its limit?"Naruto felt the blood rushing to his head, his face turning a deep shade of red.Maintaining consciousness in the one-tailed Tailed Beast Cloak state was the result of his training over the past month.He had to deal with his opponent as quickly as possible, otherwise...Naruto's gaze narrowed, and he stopped thinking about extraneous matters.With a swipe of his hand, a large chunk of the massive Sand Sphere's outer wall was instantly gouged out by invisible claws."It's working!"Seeing this, Naruto's spirits lifted, and he swung his hands repeatedly.Like a burrowing pangolin, he lunged into the Sand Sphere, his body delving deeper and deeper.Accompanied by a series of thunderous booms, the Sand Sphere protecting Gaara began to disintegrate, sending yellow sand flying everywhere."Can you feel it? He's coming!""Give your body to me, or else he'll kill you.""Good boy!"Amidst the seductive whispers, Gaara's heart was wavering.Naruto heard the voices too, his brow furrowing.This voice seemed to belong to the monster inside Gaara.Was it tempting Gaara to let it out?If that thing got out, it would likely be a real headache.So, before it appears...Just as this thought emerged in his mind, a terrifying aura emanated from ahead.Naruto's expression shifted slightly, and his movements came to a halt.Immediately after, alarm bells rang in his heart.Disregarding further excavation, Naruto swung both claws together, creating a massive shockwave of force in front of him.In the next second, a giant hand made of sand lunged out from within.Naruto's claw strikes failed to cause any damage to this hand."Ugh!"Naruto let out a muffled groan as he was snatched up by the giant hand.Immense pressure squeezed in from all sides, making it difficult for him to breathe.Not only that, but the giant hand continued to elongate.Boom!Naruto was carried dozens of meters by the giant hand, only stopping when he slammed into a large tree."Is this guy's size really this huge?"Compared to the previous Possessed Form state, the sand hand now was ridiculously large.Naruto's body, by comparison, was like a grain of rice in its hand.Of course, this grain of rice wasn't without the power to resist.Naruto took a deep breath and forced his arms open as the Nine-Tails Chakra surged out.Bang!The sand hand gripping him shattered with a bang.Naruto landed on the ground, but there wasn't the slightest hint of relief on his face.Because before him, the Sand Sphere with a diameter of over ten meters had already begun to collapse.Emerging from the massive Sand Sphere was a giant monster whose size was still expanding.Its body was covered in purple cursed seal patterns, and it looked like a massive Tanuki-like creature.Shukaku of the Sand revealed its true form here!"Is this the true appearance of the monster inside Gaara?"Naruto muttered to himself, then focused his gaze and spotted Gaara.Gaara was standing on the head of this monster, his head hanging low.Although the wounds on his body had stopped bleeding, his eyes were full of confusion, devoid of his previous ferocity and neuroticism."This guy's will is about to give way!"Naruto immediately assessed the situation, stepped off the ground, and soared into the sky, lunging toward Gaara.However, Shukaku beneath Gaara's feet would not let him have his way.Shukaku's two giant hands blotted out the sky, slamming down toward Naruto with brute force.Naruto swung his claws repeatedly; although he shattered one of the giant hands, he was still struck by Shukaku's other claw.Boom!Naruto had charged in fast, but he fell even faster.Like a cannonball, he spiraled into the forest, snapping a towering tree dozens of arm-spans thick."Waaagh!"Under the violent impact, Naruto spat out a mouthful of blood.But Gaara's—or rather, Shukaku's—attack wasn't over yet.Wind Release: Infinite Sand Dust Great Breakthrough!Standing atop Shukaku, Gaara formed hand seals while Shukaku cooperated by taking a deep breath and exhaling powerful wind pressure toward Naruto.The terrifying desert storm swept across a radius of several kilometers in the blink of an eye; its power was more than ten times that of the Great Breakthrough Orochimaru had used in the Forest of Death!"Vibration Release: Sage Way Hamon Infused Hard Wall!"Fortunately, compared to a month ago, Naruto's strength had also improved by leaps and bounds.By propping up a Vibration Release Bubble in front of him, he narrowly blocked the raging hurricane.Standing on the battlefield that had been leveled, Naruto's breathing was heavy and rapid.He hadn't experienced this kind of physical exhaustion in a long time.Even the Tailed Beast Cloak on his body had become thin."The output of the Nine-Tails Chakra is weakening."Naruto looked down and found that the originally crimson Tailed Beast Cloak was gradually losing its color.At the same time, the Chakra on Gaara's body surged once again."Again?!"Naruto snapped his head up and looked over in shock.He saw Gaara forming hand seals."False Sleep Technique!"He slowly closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep."Yahoo! This great one is finally free!"Shukaku beneath Gaara's feet let out a piercing, excited shriek.As if to celebrate its liberation, Shukaku looked around and took a deep breath.Wind Release: Air Bullets!Shukaku spat out dozens of massive wind orbs from its mouth.Each of these wind orbs contained a massive amount of Chakra.They had no specific target; Shukaku was simply firing them in all directions as a form of venting.Boom! Boom! Boom!Countless explosions rang out from the forest, and even the earth began to tremble."Hoho! As a gift for my escape, let's have a massacre!"Shukaku danced around, its voice high-pitched like an ignorant child, but its words were chilling."This bastard seems to be getting a bit carried away."In the Seal Space, the Nine-Tailed sensed Shukaku's aura and curled its lip in disdain.Of the eight Tailed Beasts besides itself, the Nine-Tailed hated Shukaku the most.Such a noisy fellow with only one tail—it was simply shameful to be associated with it!Thinking this, the Nine-Tailed looked down at Naruto outside the iron seal gates.Naruto was currently kneeling on one knee, his breathing no longer as steady as usual.The water beneath his feet was slowly surging upward, attempting to envelop him entirely.Crimson blood-water also mixed in, eroding Naruto's body and spirit."Your body has reached its limit; borrowing more of my power will only hurt you."The Nine-Tailed sighed."Thank you, Nine-Tailed..."Naruto panted heavily, looking up at the Nine-Tailed.Despite the immense pain and his face beginning to contort, a smile still graced his lips."You helped me break free from the genjutsu before, and then you lent me your power...""Having your help is... truly... so..."Before he could finish, Naruto's voice gradually faded away...."Kurama, you bastard!"After Temari had settled Baki, she followed the Chakra fluctuations and arrived.Hearing that high-pitched, rage-filled roar, she came to a halt.Standing on a high treetop, Temari leaned against the trunk, her body feeling weak.What appeared before her was a massive leveled plain spanning several kilometers.On the plain, two ferocious giant beasts dozens of meters tall were locked in combat.They bit and clawed at each other, every strike sending out shockwaves that distorted the air.Watching a battle of this level, only one thought remained in Temari's mind—Shattering Mountains and Destroying Peaks, Shaking the Heavens and the Earth.