"Looks like you aren't nearly as strong as you claimed."
Hearing the mocking words beside her, Granny Chiyo raised her head in a daze and looked at the young man named Sasuke Uchiha before her, her expression complicated.
He still wore that same cold expression, but Chiyo had no desire to argue with him now. Instead, a question arose from deep within her—
Had a boy this young really fought the kind of monster she had just seen?
And survived so unscathed?
Below the stage, many of those who knew Granny Chiyo's identity felt their hearts sink at her reaction. A ninja like her might not possess invincible strength, but her experience and insight were already at the highest level.
The Ōtsutsuki Konoha spoke of might well be extremely powerful. No one doubted that, but even power came in different tiers.
To think that someone like Granny Chiyo could be reduced to such a state after a mere instant in a genjutsu...
"That old woman... Why did she have to show off?"
Sasori, who had shown little interest in any of this, watched Granny Chiyo up ahead and gave a cold laugh.
"Hmm?"
Beside him, Orochimaru gave Sasori a thoughtful glance, only for Sasori to immediately glare back at him in warning.
"Do you have any further objections, elder?" Minato looked at Chiyo. Although he was usually a gentle, cultured man who was easy to talk to, he had also once been Konoha's Fourth Hokage. From his current position, he had no intention of sparing Granny Chiyo too much embarrassment.
After all, reducing doubts was the best way to improve efficiency.
"..."
Granny Chiyo said nothing. She silently glanced at Minato's serious expression, knowing that she, too, had become a tool for his demonstration.
But Chiyo knew all too well