"Big Brother Naraku, what are you doing? I still have things to say to Sasuke."
Naruto Uzumaki struggled to turn back, but Shihōin Naraku pushed him up onto the spectator stands along either side. Beside them, Sakura Haruno opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but did not dare speak.
There was no helping it. Conqueror's Haki had left far too deep a shadow over Sakura Haruno.
So Sakura silently glanced back at Sasuke, encouraged him in her heart, and followed them up to the stands.
"Hey, hey, Big Brother Naraku. Where did Kakashi-sensei go? I just saw him here."
"He had something to do, of course, so he left."
"Honestly..."
Naruto Uzumaki muttered under his breath. His instructor was always neglecting his duties, and they often could not find him anywhere.
"Big Brother Naraku, Sasuke will win for sure, right?"
Watching Sasuke Uchiha and Akadō Yoroi face each other in the center of the arena, Naruto Uzumaki felt a little worried. It was not that Naruto doubted Sasuke's strength; mainly, the three of them had yet to recover from their battles in the Forest of Death.
After reaching the Trial Tower exhausted in both body and mind, the three had no time to rest before the preliminaries began. Sasuke Uchiha was in the very first match, which really was troublesome.
Sakura Haruno nervously clasped her hands before her chest. Forgetting even her lingering fear, she looked at Shihōin Naraku with hope.
Shihōin Naraku was not only a jonin but also an important figure in the village. Naturally, he could tell who would win a battle between genin, and both of them looked at him hopefully.
"I thought you two weren't nervous at all." Shihōin Naraku's next words reassured them. "Don't worry. Sasuke Uchiha might suffer a little, but he