Arrogant Gaara

As explosions erupted across the tournament venue and the purple barrier rose, the Sound Ninja who had been lying in wait on Konoha's streets and near several important facilities tore away the last of their disguises, grinning viciously as they pressed the switches on the detonators in their hands.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A relentless chain of explosions went off all across Konoha, savagely tearing apart the village's peace.

Windows of civilian homes shattered under the shock waves, shop signs burned fiercely, and the carefully arranged festival decorations in the streets became kindling. Thick smoke and flames rose everywhere.

The carefully chosen blast points caused not only physical destruction, but also sparked panic among the civilians.

The civilians in the village were stunned by this sudden, all-out assault and, for a time, plunged into utter chaos.

Crying, screaming, alarms, explosions, the sound of buildings collapsing...

Amid this chaotic prelude, the Star Ninja who had long since split up according to plan moved like unsheathed blades, silently stabbing toward Konoha's vital points.

Sato Sayun, Suzuhara Ai, and Morishita Shun-jin—three Jonin who had already begun to make their names among the new generation of the Land of Stars—each led an assault squad made up of two elite Chunin, racing through the chaotic streets, alleys, and rooftops.

Their objective was clear: to create the greatest possible chaos around the outskirts of Konoha's Root base and Anbu base, pinning down the defensive forces in Konoha's core area.

Sayun's lightning blade, Kiba, flickered with dangerous blue lightning. Wherever he passed, the scattered Konoha ninja usually collapsed limply to the ground after a single exchange.

The miniature puppets Suzuhara Ai controlled were like a swarm of butterflies, slipping into ventilation ducts and hidden corners to install jamming devices and Explosive Tags.

Morishita Shun-jin, meanwhile, was like a