Konoha: The Female Ninja Fell Apart After Their Diaries Were Exposed

Then,

his body turned into countless grains of sand and dispersed.

Sand Body Flicker!

Naruto Uzumaki: Fine, I'll Indulge My Own Teammate

"So that's the Magnet Release Kekkei Genkai? It looks so cool."

"Yeah, controlling sand is a pretty great ability."

"That was a cool entrance, but where's Sasuke Uchiha?"

As the sand drifting through the air slowly took Gaara's shape, the spectators looked on with envy.

At any time,

in the Shinobi World,

a Kekkei Genkai

was often a symbol of power.

Ninja who possessed a Kekkei Genkai were the envy of all ordinary Ninja.

"Sasuke Uchiha?"

With Gaara in position, Gekko Hayate called up toward the stands.

But

there was no answer.

Just then,

Sakura Haruno ran up to Gekko Hayate and whispered a few words in his ear.

Gekko Hayate nodded in understanding.

"Sasuke Uchiha still hasn't arrived. By the rules, he'll forfeit if he's ten minutes late."

"The countdown starts now."

Gekko Hayate raised his voice.

At his words, a ten-minute countdown appeared on the Giant Screen.

Ten minutes, nine minutes, eight minutes...

Two minutes, one minute...

Less than a minute remained on the Giant Screen, and Sasuke Uchiha was still nowhere to be seen. The spectators in the stands began to stir.

"What's with Sasuke Uchiha? Why isn't he here yet?"

"Is Sasuke Uchiha really going to be eliminated for showing up late?"

"What a shame. I thought we'd get to see a great fight."

"Hmph. I bet Sasuke Uchiha's afraid of losing to Gaara, so he's hiding instead of facing him!"

"The last survivor of the Uchiha Clan? He's just a coward."

As the countdown neared its end, the spectators grew irritable.

Showing up late for a match this important showed no sense of responsibility as a Ninja.

That kind of attitude

was infuriating.