Konoha's bustling shopping street rang with voices.
As the Chunin Ninja Exams drew near.
Large numbers of ninja from other villages poured into the village.
Making the already lively streets even more crowded.
"Let go of me!"
"You bastard!"
A young, furious shout shattered the harmony of the street.
There stood a boy from Sunagakure, dressed in a black jumpsuit with purple face paint.
He held a little boy from Konoha by the collar with one hand.
Suspending his entire body in midair.
The little boy struggled desperately.
But it did him no good at all.
The Sand ninja was none other than Kankuro.
And the boy he held in his hand.
Was Konohamaru, the Third Hokage's grandson.
Kankuro looked at Konohamaru arrogantly.
A nasty smile curled at the corners of his mouth.
"Hey, hey, brat."
"Can't you even apologize after bumping into someone?"
"Konoha really does a lousy job of teaching its kids!"
Standing nearby, Temari frowned slightly.
Resting a hand on the enormous Three-Star Fan on her back, she spoke up in warning.
"Kankuro, don't cause trouble."
"We're here to take the exams."
Kankuro curled his lip dismissively.
He made to throw Konohamaru away.
"What's there to be afraid of?"
"This brat bumped into me first anyway."
With an angry roar.
Naruto Uzumaki charged out of the crowd.
He pointed straight at Kankuro's nose and shouted.
"Hey! You!"
"Put Konohamaru down right now!"
"What kind of hero bullies little kids on our turf?"
Kankuro looked at the Konoha Forehead Protector on Naruto's forehead.
A trace of contempt flashed in his eyes.
"Oh? Another meddling brat."
"You want to stand up for him?"
"Then I'll teach you a lesson!"
Kankuro's fingers twitched.
Several Chakra Threads, barely visible to the naked eye, shot out instantly.
Wrapping tightly around Naruto's ankles.
Naruto was just about to charge forward.
When he felt something trip his feet.
He fell flat on his face with a heavy thud.
Drawing a burst of laughter from the surrounding passersby.
Naruto scrambled up and shouted furiously.
"Damn it!"
"What trick did you pull?"
Kankuro sneered.
He raised Konohamaru again.
"Idiot."
"Since you want to play the hero, I'll start with this brat!"
Just as Kankuro was about to act.
Whoosh!
An unremarkable pebble shot like lightning from a distant tree with a piercing whistle.
Striking Kankuro's wrist with perfect accuracy!
Smack!
"Ah!"
Kankuro's grip loosened in pain.
Konohamaru dropped, and Naruto caught him.
Kankuro clutched his red, swollen wrist.
He glared in the direction the pebble had come from.
"Who's there?"
Everyone looked toward the voice.
There, on the trunk of a nearby tree.
Sasuke Uchiha stood with his hands in his pockets.
Striking what he thought was the coolest pose.
He looked down at Kankuro from above.
Sasuke spoke coldly.
"Acting so arrogant in someone else's village."
"I guess Sand ninja don't have much class."
He had just taken a beating from Shengu Xuan's wooden dummy at the training ground.
Anger was simmering inside him.
Now he had finally found someone to vent it on.
Naturally, he had to put on a good show.
And regain a little of his confidence as an Uchiha prodigy.
Kankuro's expression instantly darkened.
He reached for the bandage-wrapped object on his back.
"You bastard..."
"Looks like you won't learn your place until I teach you a lesson!"
"Crow!"
Just as Kankuro was about to undo the bandages and deploy his puppet, Crow.
An icy, utterly emotionless voice suddenly rang out above everyone's heads.
The voice seemed to come from the deepest depths of hell.
"Stop, Kankuro."
The instant that voice sounded.
The surrounding air seemed to freeze.
A terrifying, icy presence filled with almost tangible killing intent instantly enveloped the entire street!
Naruto and Sasuke.
And even Kakashi, who was hiding in the shadows.
Could not help shuddering!
Sasuke jerked his head up.
His Sharingan activated instantly.
He discovered, to his shock.
That on the branch above his head.
A red-haired boy carrying an enormous gourd had somehow appeared, hanging upside down!
The boy had heavy dark circles around his eyes.
The blood-red character for "love" was carved into his forehead.
His pale green eyes held no human emotion.
Only a pure, spine-chilling desire to kill!
Hearing that voice, Kankuro trembled all over in fright.
His arrogance instantly vanished without a trace.
Cold sweat ran down his forehead.
"Gaara..."
"You... let me explain."
"They provoked us first..."
Gaara cast Kankuro a cold glance.
His gaze was like that of someone looking at a dead man.
"Shut up."
"Say another word, and I'll kill you!"
Kankuro immediately shut his mouth.
He did not even dare breathe loudly.
Temari also stepped aside with a tense expression.
Gaara's body turned into a mass of sand.
Instantly reforming on the ground.
He ignored Naruto and Konohamaru.
Instead, he fixed his gaze firmly on Sasuke in the tree.
Gaara's voice remained icy.
But a hint of bloodthirsty excitement showed in his eyes.
He could sense it.
The black-haired boy before him seemed like decent prey.
"You. What's your name?"
Sasuke was cowed by Gaara's killing intent.
But his Uchiha pride made him hold his ground.
"Sasuke Uchiha."
"And you?"
"Gaara of the Sand Waterfall."
Their gazes met.
Fierce sparks seemed to clash in the air.
A fated showdown between prodigies seemed ready to erupt at any moment.
Yet at this moment of peak tension.
A languid voice with a hint of teasing suddenly came from the edge of the crowd.
"Yo, it's pretty lively here."
"Are you throwing some kind of welcome party?"
Everyone turned to look.
They saw Shengu Xuan holding a skewer of three-colored dumplings.
He strolled over slowly as he ate.
He had just finished testing the Rat Talisman and gotten hungry.
He happened to be passing by.
When Sasuke saw Shengu Xuan.
His expression immediately turned extremely ugly.
The satisfaction of showing off vanished instantly.
Replaced by the humiliating memory of being thrashed by the wooden dummy.
Gaara also turned his head.
He looked at this ordinary boy who had suddenly appeared without the slightest chakra fluctuations.
At first, Gaara paid Shengu Xuan no mind.
But the instant his gaze met Shengu Xuan's deep, pitch-black eyes.
Something suddenly changed!
Gaara's previously icy expression changed drastically!
He abruptly clutched his head.
He let out a muffled groan of pain!
"Ah..."
Inside him.
The terrifying monster, Shukaku the One-Tail, who had always clamored for slaughter and blood.
Now actually resembled a rat that had encountered its natural predator.
He let out a shrill, terrified scream!
"What is that!"
"Those eyes... that presence... impossible!"
"How could a monster like this exist in this world!"
"Don't look at him!"
"Gaara!"
"Close your eyes, now!"
"He'll tear us to pieces!"
"Run!"
"Run, now!"
Shukaku's terrified roars.
Echoed wildly through Gaara's mind.
They made Gaara's head feel as if it would split apart!
Gaara staggered back two steps.
He stared incredulously at the boy eating dumplings before him.
He had never seen Shukaku so afraid!
Even when facing his father, the Fourth Kazekage.
Shukaku had only been angry.
He had never trembled like this from the depths of his soul!
This guy named Shengu Xuan.
Just who was he!
Shengu Xuan swallowed his last mouthful of dumpling.
He looked at Gaara's terrified face.
A meaningful smile curled his lips.
He took a step forward.
A dark red light flickered deep in his eyes.
"Oh?"
"It seems that little pet inside you has a bit of a problem with me?"
"Would you like..."
"Me to help calm him down?"
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