Five Defeats for Sasuke and the Opening of the Shura Field

At the training ground.

Naruto's Shadow Clone had already returned to his main body.

Naruto now stood face-to-face with Temari. As he looked at Shikamaru's future wife, he recalled how she had fought in the original story.

Temari specialized in Wind Release Ninjutsu, and the huge fan on her back was a Ninja Tool capable of unleashing powerful wind attacks. Naruto was skilled in Wind Release too, but his techniques fell short of what she could do with that fan.

He would have to find another way in, just as Shikamaru had done against his future wife in the original story: from underground.

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"Wind Release: Sickle Weasel!"

Temari struck first. She pulled the enormous fan from her back, opened it to reveal one star, and swung it hard at Naruto.

"Wind Release: Hurricane!"

Naruto answered with the B-rank Ninjutsu he had already mastered. But he had no intention of matching Temari's Wind Release head-on.

The two powerful gusts collided, whipping sand and stones across the training ground and obscuring their view of each other.

"Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu!"

Just then, a pair of hands shot up beneath Temari's feet, a heartbeat from seizing her ankles.

Temari reacted quickly and jumped clear. Naruto had anticipated that, though. The Shadow Clone underground leaped after her, Kunai in hand.

Another fifty Shadow Clones had already surrounded Temari from below. Their hands flashed through Hand Seals, and they shouted as one:

"Wind Release: Hurricane!"

Fifty hurricanes sprang up out of nowhere, swiftly growing as they closed in on Temari from every direction.

Temari froze. She had never imagined one person could create fifty Shadow Clones, much less have them all use B-rank Wind Release Ninjutsu at once.

Against a Pay-to-Win Player like Naruto, she had no reason to feel ashamed of losing.

Temari smashed the Shadow Clone pursuing her from below with her fan. Only then did she have time to open it to three stars and swing it with greater force:

"Wind Release: Great Sickle Weasel!"

She wanted to use an even stronger Wind Release Ninjutsu, but she had no time for Hand Seals. All she could do was hastily unleash the Great Sickle Weasel to block the hurricane directly ahead, then turn and swing her fan toward the others.

But she was already out of time.

The hurricanes on either side swallowed her whole. For the first time, she learned what it felt like to be battered by someone else's Wind Release.

Just then, a great mass of sand plunged into the hurricanes, shielded Temari, and dragged her out.

Naruto turned toward Gaara, who had appeared nearby. A grin tugged at his lips, and he itched to fight.

But if Gaara released Shukaku now, it might disrupt the Konoha Crush Plan. Naruto forced himself to hold back.

He looked toward Sasuke and Kankuro in the distance. They were still locked in a fierce fight, Sasuke's Fire Release and Lightning Release evenly matched against Kankuro's endless Puppet tricks.

When Sasuke saw the commotion caused by Naruto's Wind Release—and saw that Temari had already been defeated—his face darkened with frustration.

Kankuro looked stunned. He had never expected his formidable older sister to lose so quickly to some kid from Konoha.

"You two are a disgrace to the village!" Gaara set Temari down with his sand and gave her and Kankuro a cold look.

Ding! Congratulations, host, on defeating Sasuke for the fifth time. Progress on [Seven Defeats of Sasuke]: 5/7. Keep it up and claim the Mysterious Reward!

"Sasuke, you lost again!" Naruto ignored Gaara's attempt to look intimidating and turned instead to Sasuke, who liked doing the same.

The moment Kankuro saw Gaara, he was too frightened to move. Sasuke took the chance to end their fight, then walked over to Naruto with a snort, clearly ready to face the three Ninjas from Sunagakure.

"You're Ninjas from Sunagakure, aren't you? What are you doing in Konoha?" Sakura asked, standing beside Sasuke and watching the three of them warily.

"Hmph. You don't even know about the Chunin Ninja Exams?" Kankuro snapped. He was embarrassed that Sasuke, a kid he had looked down on, had held him off for so long.

"The Chunin Ninja Exams?" Sakura and Sasuke murmured with frowns.

"Hey, blond kid. What's your name?" Gaara asked Naruto, staring at him with dark circles under his eyes.

"Naruto Uzumaki," Naruto answered with a grin.

An entire minute of silence followed. Both Gaara and Sasuke began to look annoyed.

"Don't you want to know my name?" Gaara asked Naruto, at the exact moment Sasuke asked Gaara the same thing.

"Haha!" Naruto burst out laughing. "Not interested," he told Gaara.

Kankuro and Temari tensed at once. They watched Gaara in alarm, afraid he might fly into a rage.

Gaara narrowed his eyes at Naruto. A terrifying aura gradually rose from him.

In the end, reason won out over the madness inside him. But his gaze was cold enough to chill the blood, and he looked at Naruto as if he were already dead. "I'll kill you in the coming Chunin Ninja Exams."

"Remember this. The one who kills you will be me—Gaara, the Insomniac Boy of Sunagakure!"

With that, Gaara, the Insomniac Boy, turned and strode away.

"Haha." Naruto shook his head without saying anything. I'd like to claim your head too. Killing you should earn me plenty of points.

Ding! New mission issued: Chunin Ninja Exams!

One, Merciful Choice: Help Sasuke avoid Orochimaru's harassment during the coming Chunin Ninja Exams and persuade him not to defect. Reward: one [Bros Aura].

Two, Demon Choice: Seize the opportunity to kill freely, earn points, and grow stronger. Reward: unlock the [Shura Field]. Points earned per kill will be doubled!

"Haha." The new mission filled Naruto with delight. Every new mission brought him a huge reward.

Why shouldn't Sasuke defect from Konoha? So he can let people walk all over him like they do me? I almost want to defect with him!

With that thought, Naruto made his choice without hesitation:

"I choose the second one!"

Ding! Congratulations, host, on making your choice. The [Shura Field] has been unlocked! Make the most of this opportunity!

As he watched Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari walk away, Naruto's eyes flickered. He was calculating how many points killing the three of them might bring him.

Meanwhile, at Mount Myōboku.

Jiraiya knelt on one knee before the Toad Sage. "Toad Sage, why did you summon me here in such a hurry? Is something wrong?"

"Jiraiya, a new Child of Prophecy has appeared, but he's turning toward evil. You must find him quickly and guide him!"

The Toad Sage's eyes widened, and urgency crept into his voice.

"What?" Jiraiya was startled. He had never seen the Toad Sage so anxious. "Who is the Child of Prophecy? Where can I find him?"

"He's in Konoha. His name is Naruto," the Toad Sage said.

"Naruto? That sounds familiar. Isn't that the name of the main character in one of my novels?" Jiraiya asked, thinking the Toad Sage had made a mistake.

"Idiot, Jiraiya! Have you forgotten what Minato named his child?" the Toad Sage scolded, eyes wide.

"Oh! Right, right!"

Realization dawned on Jiraiya. After Minato had died during the Nine-Tails' attack, Jiraiya had returned to Konoha to see the child Minato had left behind, then departed again.

Twelve years had passed since he had last set foot in Konoha. That orphan was now twelve years old—and the Child of Prophecy.

Back then, Jiraiya had believed Minato Namikaze was the Child of Prophecy. He had obtained the Flying Thunder God Technique from the Third Raikage and taught it to Minato. But Minato had died in battle, proving Jiraiya wrong, and the loss had grieved him for a long time.

Who would have thought that Minato's son, rather than Minato himself, would be the Child of Prophecy?

Jiraiya thumped his chest and told the Toad Sage confidently, "Don't worry. No one would turn down personal instruction from one of the Sannin."

With that, Jiraiya hurried away.

Only after he had left did the two old toads, Fukasaku and Shima, ask the Toad Sage, "Sage Ancestor, did you have another dream? Was it a bad one?"

"Alas. I dreamed that this world would be destroyed. Even we Three Great Sage Lands won't be able to save ourselves," the Toad Sage said heavily.

"What!" Fukasaku and Shima exchanged an astonished look. "The Three Great Sage Lands have stood for over a thousand years and survived countless dangers. Are we really unable to escape this time?"

The Toad Sage gave no answer. He sighed again, closed his eyes, and fell silent.