Hidden Sand's Monster Corridor Standoff

A hand reached past Chiba's shoulder and took the spare form from the desk.

"Excuse me."

The speaker was a Hidden Grass examinee. Half a woman's face showed beneath her leaf forehead protector, and the chakra within her was so clean that no abnormality could be found.

Chiba did not stop her.

The piece of shed skin from earlier had already been rolled into his wrist guard by roots. Its lingering aura was completely different from that of the woman before him.

Asuma followed him out of the registration room.

"Are you sure it was him?"

"Not sure."

"You nearly tore up the entire floor."

"The Root did not emerge."

"There are cracks beneath every stone slab."

Chiba looked toward the end of the corridor. The gray-clad attendant had already vanished, while several Konoha ninja responsible for carrying documents were checking one another's identities.

"We won't find him."

"I'll have the Anbu investigate the people at registration."

"Don't make too much of a scene."

"You're worried about alerting the snake?"

"Snakes shed their skin."

The crowd ahead parted to either side. Gaara stood in the middle of the corridor, sand spilling from the mouth of his gourd and crawling across the floor around his feet.

Temari stepped aside to clear the way.

"Konoha ninja, move."

Chiba walked forward.

"The path is wide enough."

"Gaara does not like people getting close."

"Then he can walk with his back against the wall."

Kankurō raised a hand to stop Temari.

"Don't argue with this guy. He's that Senju."

Gaara raised his head, the character for love on his forehead visible amid his red hair.

Grains of sand rose from the ground and circled Chiba halfway, but did not truly touch his body.

"Your aura... makes Mother very uneasy."

Chiba looked at the churning