The elimination rounds gradually neared their end. Under Konoha's strange assortment of ninja techniques and tools, quite a few ninjas from other villages began getting ideas.
As they entered the scratch-off ticket shop, Wu Di warmly came forward to greet them.
Temari smiled softly. "Boss, we're here to scratch tickets again!"
"Welcome, welcome! How much are you planning to scratch this time?"
Wu Di rubbed his hands together, looking every bit like a shady merchant.
He had long guessed that once the elimination rounds ended, many people from other villages would come by to scratch tickets.
Temari glanced sideways at Gaara beside her. After thinking for a moment, she said thoughtfully,
"This time, we'll get the one-thousand-ryo tickets. Give me three!"
Wu Di pulled out three one-thousand-ryo scratch-off tickets from behind him and handed them over.
Temari chuckled. "The tools that came out of your shop during this Chunin Exam really stole the show!"
Wu Di smiled ingratiatingly. "Really? Even I didn't expect that!" Though he said so, he had already anticipated the outcome.
Then Temari handed one scratch-off ticket each to Kankuro and Gaara.
The three of them began scratching with great anticipation.
However, when they were halfway through, Temari's expression clearly froze for a moment.
Kankuro and Gaara, who were at the same point as her, had both already seen golden light burst from their tickets.
Only hers had not flashed with golden light.
Seeing this, Wu Di consoled her.
"Scratch-off tickets are a form of gambling. It's normal not to win anything, so don't be too upset!"
Her face darkened as she gave a cold laugh. Turning to look at Gaara and the others, she sighed softly.
Kankuro finished first. A spool of fishing line floated out from his ticket.
He looked utterly puzzled.
After reading the description, Wu Di explained with a smile.
"This tool is called Tough Fishing Line."
"The user can use the fishing line to control puppets. No matter what happens, the line cannot be cut!"
"You happen to be a puppeteer, so this spool of fishing line suits you perfectly!"
Kankuro's eyes lit up as he listened to Wu Di's explanation.
As a puppeteer, what he feared most was having his Chakra threads cut. Once that happened, he would completely lose control of his puppets.
With this spool of fishing line, he would no longer need to fear that when controlling puppets in the future!
Wu Di pursed his lips and smiled. It was easy to guess Kankuro's thoughts from his expression, so he reminded him,
"This fishing line is only a one-time consumable. Once used, it cannot be recovered, so think carefully before using it!"
Kankuro's expression instantly turned much uglier.
After sighing, he still put away the fishing line. After all, even one chance to use his puppets without restraint was rare enough!
At that moment, something floated out from Gaara's ticket as well.
It was a somewhat silly-looking tanuki ear hair clip.
Wu Di froze, then burst into laughter like a honking goose.
"This thing of yours is called Shukaku's Ear..."
The moment those words left his mouth, Gaara's nerves abruptly tensed.
What kind of luck did he have? He had scratched tickets only twice, yet neither time had he managed to avoid Shukaku.
He suddenly clenched his fists.
Although Shukaku's Tail had helped him win during the previous match,
the thought of having to carry a tail around wherever he went made him wish he had never won at all.
And now there was another ear. This scratch-off ticket shop was really trying to dress him up like Shukaku!
"Your ear is pretty amazing!"
Wu Di smiled lightly. "It can increase your hearing tenfold!"
Gaara's face was extremely gloomy. "I have Absolute Defense. What use is better hearing?"
Wu Di pondered for a moment, then argued back.
"With tenfold hearing, you can clearly hear sounds within a hundred meters. Isn't that good?"
"Not good at all!"
Gaara slowly stood up. Just as he had last time, he threw Shukaku's Ear onto the counter and headed outside.
When he reached the door, he looked back. "You're nothing but a shady merchant!"
That one sentence instantly enraged Wu Di.
When had anyone ever called him a shady merchant?
Though even he sometimes felt that he did business without a conscience,
he absolutely could not tolerate hearing someone else say it.
Wood Style: Thousand Years of Impalement Technique!
With a startled shout from Wu Di, Gaara had no time to dodge before he was trapped within it.
A sharp, exhilarating pain instantly swept through his entire body.
"Ah—!" Gaara's wail echoed through the street, and passersby all looked over.
But after seeing his elegant pose, they all blushed and quickly turned away.
In the gap between the Wood Release Hand and his chrysanthemum, Shukaku's Tail went rigid, every strand of fur standing on end as though it felt the same pain.
Wu Di glanced at Shukaku's Ear on the counter and said softly, "Go on!"
The next second, Shukaku's Ear hair clip flew up and landed directly atop Gaara's head.
A brainwashing chant followed it into his ears.
"You seem a little irritated. Shukaku's Ear will help calm your mind!"
Wu Di gave a carefree smile. With a wave of his hand, the Wood Style vanished. Kankuro and Temari lifted Gaara and quickly left.
On the streets of Konoha.
Naruto had a toothpick in his mouth as he stared blankly into space.
Looking at the silver notes in his wallet, which had already shrunk considerably, he let out a long sigh.
He had no money left to keep scratching tickets. What was he supposed to do about the later exams?
By now, all his savings had been exposed to his companions!
Just as he was feeling troubled, he spotted someone atop a rockery in the distance: a white-haired man wearing wooden clogs.
The man held a pair of binoculars and gazed into the distance, drool continuously spilling from his mouth.
"Kawaii—"
Hearing his lecherous voice, Naruto froze slightly. Turning to look, he saw that the man's binoculars were aimed directly at the women's bathhouse!
"Hey! Who are you? Why are you peeping on people bathing?!"
Naruto's voice was so loud that even the people inside the bathhouse heard it.
Instantly, chaos erupted within the bathhouse.
Quite a few people hurriedly grabbed things to cover themselves.
The middle-aged man sprawled across the rockery immediately flew into a rage. He turned around and shouted angrily,
"You little brat, why did you ruin my business?! That's material for my training!"
Furious, he leaped down in one bound and landed before Naruto.
Seeing that he was also a ninja, Naruto immediately became wary and hurriedly backed away, afraid that this strange old man wearing a forehead protector with the character "oil" on it would hit him.
"Listen up! I am Jiraiya, ranked first on Konoha Village's Top Ten Handsome Men list, known far and wide as the Sage of the Toads!"
"Why don't you get over here and let me beat you up to vent my anger?"
Jiraiya's voice was deep and booming. Naruto could not help shivering, but his hands honestly formed seals.
Wood Style: Thousand Years of Impalement Technique!
How could Jiraiya, who was still striking a pose, have expected it?
He had already revealed his identity, yet that kid still dared to attack.
And it was... Wood Style!
By the time he reacted, Naruto had already trapped him. The Wood Release Hand that burst from the ground gave him a feeling of drifting into paradise.
"Ah!"
His face flushed red as he roared.
Then, enduring the pain, he lowered his head and said, "Kid, I'm the Sage of the Toads..."
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