The Konoha Crush

Naruto changed into a fresh set of clothes and returned to the competitors' seats.

The other competitors couldn't help looking his way, their gazes tinged with awe.

That battle had far surpassed the level of Genin and Chunin. The visual impact of their blows colliding head-on had convinced them to keep their distance. They absolutely didn't want to get close.

Only Gaara seemed to be having a fit. His eyes, ringed by dark circles, were wide with disbelief. Even as he walked toward the entrance tunnel, he kept his gaze fixed on Naruto.

Sasuke felt that the gap between them had grown again. He'd thought learning Chidori would bring him closer, but after witnessing that battle, the distance between them seemed greater than ever.

It was as if he stood in the shadows, his vision steadily receding, while Naruto stood tall in the light.

"Do your best to catch up with me."

As he watched Naruto walk toward him, every step felt like it landed on his chest, making his breathing grow heavier. He even found himself wanting to activate his Sharingan.

Yakushi Kabuto still wore his bright, sincere smile as he praised him. "You're really amazing, Naruto. Luckily, I didn't get paired with you. Otherwise, I'm afraid I'd have to forfeit right away."

At the word "forfeit," Sasuke's gaze darkened further. So he wouldn't forfeit when facing him. Was this guy really as strong as Naruto had said?

The fourth match began: Gaara versus Shino Aburame.

It was a contest between bugs and sand, and Gaara won without a doubt. But after Naruto's stunning performance, Gaara's decisive victory seemed rather underwhelming.

At last, they reached the final match of the first round. Yakushi Kabuto invited Sasuke to enter the arena through the same tunnel, saying he hoped Sasuke would go easy on him and give him a chance to surrender.

But after Naruto's reminder, Sasuke simply jumped off the platform and ran down the steps, skimming along the top of the wall. His entrance was quite stylish.

The two stood facing each other with Gekko Hayate between them. Yakushi Kabuto looked like a friendly older brother, while Sasuke had already activated his Sharingan.

As the last genius descendant of the Uchiha Clan, Sasuke attracted plenty of attention. His fame had spread to neighboring countries, and many had come to watch him fight.

Almost every notable figure had bet on Sasuke to win. Before Naruto's match, most people had even thought he could take the championship.

At the start of the match, Sasuke unexpectedly sprinted in the opposite direction, running from the center to the edge of the arena and then climbing back up the wall.

Chakra gathered in his hand, taking on a visible, solid form as sparks crackled around it.

Then he dove down from above. The wall beneath his feet was gouged with a long furrow, as if a plow had cut through earth.

The crackling electricity sounded like a flock of birds chirping.

It was Kakashi's original technique, a deadly move created for "assassinations"—Chidori!

It had earned its name from the loud sound it made when activated, like a thousand birds chirping.

And according to legend, Kakashi had once used Chidori to cut through lightning, earning it the alternate name Lightning Blade.

Yakushi Kabuto seemed to be so frightened that he couldn't move a muscle.

Only when Sasuke was about to hit him did Yakushi Kabuto move. But instead of dodging, he opened his arms and lunged toward Sasuke, offering his side to the Chidori.

Shk!

Sasuke's right hand, wreathed in blue lightning, touched Yakushi Kabuto's body. It tore through his clothes and flesh, piercing him with almost no resistance.

The audience erupted in cheers.

"That Uchiha brat really is strong!"

"Maybe that Naruto guy isn't a match for the Uchiha, either!"

Before the cheers could last, a sudden change took place. The flesh around the hole in Yakushi Kabuto's side began rapidly growing back, while his left hand clamped around Sasuke's forearm.

His right hand swept swiftly through the air. A razor-sharp Chakra Scalpel instantly severed the calf muscles and Achilles tendons in Sasuke's legs, leaving him unable to push off on his toes.

Then Yakushi Kabuto slashed across Sasuke's knees. Sasuke immediately fell to his knees, unable to stand.

"Impressive, Sasuke," Yakushi Kabuto said through a mouthful of blood. "You really are a genius."

His entire right side was a bloody mess, but none of his vital organs had been damaged. On top of that, he'd planned where to take the injury and had treated himself beforehand with the Medical Ninjutsu Yin Healing Wound Destruction.

He'd used up quite a bit of Chakra, but in the end, he'd still managed to subdue Sasuke.

The audience booed.

"What a useless brat from the Uchiha Clan! I waited all this time for nothing."

The nobles shouted, "Give us our money back! This is rigged!"

The competitors' handbook had made it perfectly clear: Yakushi Kabuto was an overage loser who had failed the Chunin Ninja Exams again and again.

Now he'd defeated Sasuke in an instant. That clearly meant Konoha had falsified its records and rigged the betting, all to swindle them out of their money!

As he listened to the curses and faced defeat, Sasuke felt a pain beyond words.

But his pain couldn't change the facts. He couldn't move. Despair at being unable to resist closed in around him, and he could only watch helplessly as everything unfolded.

Just then, feathers began drifting down from the sky.

The crowd, which had been worked into a frenzy moments before, began nodding off. Row after row of people collapsed into sleep.

Even the Genin weren't spared. Yamanaka Ino and Kiba Inuzuka both fell asleep without putting up any resistance.

Only Haruno Sakura sensed the Genjutsu. She formed the "Tiger" hand seal with both hands. "Release!"

In the arena, Yakushi Kabuto hoisted Sasuke over his shoulder and tried to climb out.

The proctor, Gekko Hayate, naturally wouldn't allow it. He drew his sword and moved to stop him.

But a swirl of sand appeared before him, and a patterned-faced man stood there, his headband covering half his face. He was Baki, the jōnin leading the Sunagakure team.

"I'll leave this to you." Yakushi Kabuto continued running toward the exit.

Baki nodded and looked down at Gekko Hayate with disdain.

After all, the other man was merely a Special Jōnin with talent in one particular area, while Baki was a genuine Jōnin, qualified in every regard.

Every Jōnin needed the Hokage's personal approval before being promoted.

In the stands, Kakashi and Might Guy were about to rush to the rescue.

The Anbu they'd assumed were Konoha's hidden forces suddenly removed their masks and tore off their black cloaks, revealing Sound Ninja Forehead Protectors. More than fifty of them surrounded Kakashi and Might Guy.

But Kakashi suddenly exploded into a pile of wooden logs. He'd already prepared a Substitution Technique.

His real body emerged from behind a tree in the arena and stood in Baki's way.

"Thanks to Naruto, I was able to confirm our target." Kakashi pulled his hands from his pockets, gripped a Kunai, and tugged down his mask. His Three-Tomoe Sharingan slowly spun. "Hayate, save Sasuke."

"Understood." Gekko Hayate immediately pursued Yakushi Kabuto, who was running off with Sasuke over his shoulder.

On the broad, upper floor beneath the arena's roof, Hiruzen Sarutobi asked, "Kazekage, what does this mean?"

Before he could finish, smoke billowed across the floor. The guards behind his chair were instantly pierced through the face by four shuriken.

The Kazekage spun behind him and pressed a shuriken against Hiruzen Sarutobi's neck. "Master, you really have grown old."

Four Anbu leaped onto the upper floor, taking positions at the northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest corners. "Ninja Art: Four Violet Flames Formation!"

A translucent purple wall of flame rose around them, forming a barrier.

"So it was you, Orochimaru."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed. He'd been prepared ever since learning of Orochimaru's whereabouts, with a large number of people stationed inside and outside the village.

But he'd never imagined Orochimaru would disguise himself as the Kazekage.

"Then what happened to the real Kazekage?"

Orochimaru peeled off his face and disguise together. His sinister features shone with an almost ecstatic excitement as he said, "He's leading Sunagakure in an attack on Konoha, of course."

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head with a sigh. "I'm afraid he's already been killed."

Orochimaru stuck out his tongue and chuckled. "Sensei, you know me so well. Why bother persuading someone when it's easier to kill him and take his place?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes hardened. He shattered his Hokage Robe, revealing the warrior's armor and helmet he'd worn in his youth. Then he turned and spat a mouthful of fire at Orochimaru's face.

But it only melted a lump of yellow mud.

A Kage Level battle was about to begin.

Naruto had been waiting for the full picture of the chaos to emerge. At last, his long-awaited opponent had arrived—Gaara.