Naruto had already started timing it.
Going by the schedule...
Next would be Sasuke versus Gaara, followed by the battle breaking out halfway through.
Orochimaru would launch his attack!
The Sand Village ninja accompanying Gaara would turn and run.
Excellent!
Naruto thought, If I ever become the Shadow of the Five Kage...
Then we'll need popcorn and soda at the Chunin Ninja Exams.
Maybe I'll start a Vortex delivery service and a Naruko courier service, too.
"Sasuke! Do your best!"
Seeing Sasuke return, Sakura felt much more at ease.
It was as if the cruel image of Naruto in her heart had suddenly been driven away.
All that praise meant nothing to Sasuke.
He wasn't getting stronger for these people's approval.
He was doing it for revenge!
"Sasuke! Give it everything you've got—for me!"
Naruto used a summoning tool to fetch the loudspeaker from home and shouted at the arena.
"Shut up!"
Sasuke instantly lost his composure, his face turning red.
"Gotcha!"
"It's been a month, and you two still have the same old bond. How boring. Now this is entertaining."
Naruto tossed the loudspeaker back and continued watching.
"Idiot!"
Sakura was furious.
"Naruto, this is your fault! Sasuke isn't smiling anymore!"
Ino was beside herself with anger.
The fangirls all looked ready to tear Naruto apart.
"He's as aloof as I am. Is that a problem?"
Naruto flopped down like a rich old man. Who would dare come at him?
"Hmph."
Gaara already disliked Naruto. First, Naruto had saved Rock Lee at the hospital.
And now he was joking around with Sasuke.
He hated this thing called a bond!
Sasuke was just as displeased with him.
The two met like sworn enemies and exchanged a few words.
There was talk of the strongest defense.
Then the Chidori appeared, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Naruto watched until he nearly fell asleep. It was pretty much the same as in the anime.
If Sasuke had the Mangekyō Sharingan right now, how incredible would Susanoo be?
The battle was halfway over.
Sasuke thrust his hand through the sand wall!
What was going on?
Naruto felt like swearing.
Time was up!
Whoosh!
Orochimaru struck first.
Konoha had been infiltrated from within, and a battle erupted.
The person disguised with the Transformation Technique was actually Orochimaru!
Well, all right!
Naruto had known about this for ages.
Someone even tried to use genjutsu to make everyone fall asleep.
But Naruto stayed wide awake.
He was even looking forward to something.
[Stop!]
[The Konoha Crush Incident has begun. An advanced mission has been triggered.]
[Initial Mission: Awaken the goodness in Gaara's heart and form a bond with him. Let this poor child learn to love the world.]
[Advanced Mission: Save Konoha and protect the Ninja World's balance, which is on the verge of collapse. Turn the tide.]
[Initial Mission Success Reward: 20 Goodwill Points. Advanced Mission Success Reward: 50 Goodwill Points.]
[Initial Mission Failure Penalty: 200 points. Advanced Mission Failure Penalty: 500 points.]
"Oh?"
Naruto had been thinking about something else entirely.
Could it be that after reincarnating, it wasn't just his talent that had grown stronger, but his soul as well?
Or perhaps he had a strong talent for genjutsu, too!
Naruto was one of the few Genin who hadn't passed out.
"Sakura! Your talent for genjutsu... huh?"
Kakashi saw Naruto sitting there, completely unharmed.
"Naruto, you have a talent for genjutsu, too? Since when?"
How strange.
Kakashi had never noticed it before.
"I'll deal with these people. Go after Sasuke first. If that Sand ninja goes all out, Sasuke will be in danger!"
Had this triggered a mission?
Naruto stood up, but before he could move, Kakashi flashed over with the Body Flicker Technique.
"Watch out!"
Kabuto was trying to attack Naruto before leaving!
"Watch out for what?"
Naruto's hair suddenly grew longer.
His steel-hard hair repelled the kunai in Kabuto's hand.
"You were prepared? When did you realize?"
Kabuto had never expected Naruto to have been watching his every move.
Naruto had read the manga five times. How could he not know where Kabuto was?
"You talk too much, Kabuto."
Naruto was even faster than Kakashi, who was charging toward them.
He turned and spat out the chakra he'd been building up.
"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
Three fireballs attacked at once, surrounding Kabuto.
"Damn it!"
Kabuto hadn't expected to fall at Naruto's hands.
"I'll take it from here! Go find Sasuke!"
Kakashi charged forward.
He had no idea how Naruto's strength had suddenly improved so much.
But there was no time to explain.
There was only one thing to do now: fight!
"Let's go! Sakura, everyone!"
Shikamaru, Choji, and the others had been roused.
They all followed Naruto in pursuit.
"Naruto's so fast! What kind of Body Flicker Technique is that?"
Choji saw Naruto reach the edge of the arena in the blink of an eye.
"It's probably the move he used to beat Neji Hyuga."
Shikamaru followed behind.
But Naruto was just too fast!
"Why?"
Sakura ran with all her might.
Forget catching up to Sasuke. Just catching sight of Naruto's back would be a huge improvement for her.
How had it been only a month?
How had the other members of Team 7 become so strong?
Sakura wondered if she would always be unable to close this gap in strength.
Deep in the forest.
Kankuro and Temari didn't even see what had rushed past them.
"What was that?"
Kankuro stared in disbelief.
"It looked like a streak of golden light!"
Temari guessed.
High in the trees.
Gaara was already enraged.
He had to defeat Sasuke, to utterly crush the one who had dared attack him!
Gaara regretted not killing Rock Lee. Sasuke had to die!
Even Gaara in his Possessed Body form was a little beyond Sasuke's abilities.
"You're such a nuisance!"
"Die!"
"Sand Burial!"
Gaara's killing intent erupted.
Sasuke sensed a threat far beyond anyone his age.
He hadn't felt this during the Chunin Ninja Exams. This was the killing intent Gaara could unleash without any restraints!
"Chidori!"
Lightning danced in Sasuke's hand, and the cries of a thousand birds rang out.
Boom!
The battle erupted once more.
Speed was power, but against overwhelming size, speed seemed insignificant!
What's more...
There was someone even faster here!
When Sasuke got back up, he was already injured, blood dripping from both hands.
"You're too weak! Sand Shuriken!"
Gaara pressed his advantage.
But at that moment, a streak of golden lightning cut through the forest.
The Rampaging Lion's Mane still wrapped around Naruto was also infused with Lightning Release chakra.
Naruto moved so fast he dazzled the eye.
"Rasengan!"
Time for a real fight.
First, give Gaara a tasty little ball!
In an instant...
Gaara's sand defense was destroyed.
Naruto struck with unstoppable speed.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Poof! Poof! Poof!
Naruto's shadow clones filled the forest.
Sasuke looked around, seeing no end to them.
Gaara had been the one to truly witness Naruto fighting Neji.
In his eyes, the strongest person in Konoha wasn't Sasuke or Neji. It was Naruto!
"Shadow Clone Shuriken Jutsu!"
Every Shadow Clone threw a shuriken at the same time.
Then, in midair, each shuriken transformed into a thousand Shadow Clones!
"What?!"
Sasuke was stunned.
He'd spent a month recovering and training, and Naruto had already grown this strong!
"You really are stronger than him."
Sand encased Gaara's entire body.
"Even so, you still can't break through my Absolute Defense!"
Gaara was still lost in his own world.
"Absolute Defense?"
"The last person who said that already lost!"
A brand-new Rasengan spun in Naruto's hand.
He'd practiced hundreds, even thousands of times.
He'd tried to fuse Lightning Release chakra into the Rasengan.
Lightning crackled and roared at incredible speed.
A Rasengan more than a meter in radius lit up the forest, its sunlight blocked by the Shadow Clones.
Sasuke and Gaara's expressions changed at the same time.
"Thunderstorm Rasengan!"