In the shadows.
Hidden in a tree, Jiraiya quietly watched the battle below.
"How does this kid weave hand seals so fast?"
Luo Mang and Gaara fought, moving from a contest of technique to trading ninjutsu at range. Luo Mang held the advantage throughout.
The Chidori Sharp Spear, extending in an instant, really could catch an opponent off guard.
That move looked familiar. He had seen it in the Diary!
"Is this the ninjutsu that last Uchiha used in the Video?"
He was a little surprised, honestly. It certainly looked useful.
Jiraiya continued watching closely. Rather than keeping an eye on Naruto Uzumaki, he observed Luo Mang from the shadows. After all, he was also afraid something might happen to Luo Mang.
With the progress his student Naruto Uzumaki had made over the past few days, could he confidently say the boy no longer needed his supervision?
What did he think of the scene before him? Nothing much. He would keep watching. Luo Mang had special abilities, after all. Perhaps he had already foreseen this.
Jiraiya refrained from interfering. Unless he recognized a threat to Luo Mang's life, he would not step in to stop anything.
Because his intervention would mean failing the exam.
"If I step in, I'll expose my whereabouts, too. Hopefully Luo Mang can pull this off."
Jiraiya shook his head gently. Luo Mang clearly had the upper hand below, but the fear that many others might target him afterward kept Jiraiya from feeling too pleased.
That morning, Jiraiya had realized that the Kazekage might be Orochimaru in disguise.
He worried that if he announced in front of him that he was going to inspect the second stage, Orochimaru would refrain from attacking Sasuke and the others.
If he could not catch Orochimaru, would his role as