"This was the only technique that could truly suppress it, but…"
"I haven't even had time to properly teach him yet!"
The thought flashed through Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind just as the massive One-Tailed Shukaku let out a manic roar. The monstrous beast raised its enormous claw and slammed it down toward Hinata and Sasuke.
No… this is bad!
"Stop!"
Naruto's voice thundered across the arena.
Seeing his comrades in danger, a surge of uncontrollable fury erupted from deep within him. His blue eyes burned with fierce determination.
"I won't let you hurt my friends!"
And in that instant—
"Diamond Sealing Chains!!!"
Time itself seemed to freeze.
The air grew heavy.
Every spectator in the Chunin Exam arena stared at Naruto in stunned silence.
Then, before anyone could react, an overwhelming surge of chakra burst from his body. It wasn't the wild, chaotic chakra of a Tailed Beast.
It was something far more refined.
Far more terrifying.
From behind Naruto, glowing golden chakra chains erupted into existence, each one shining with blinding brilliance. They whistled through the air like divine weapons descending from the heavens.
In the next moment—
They pierced straight through the massive body of the One-Tailed Shukaku.
Crack—
BOOM!!!
Even the Nine-Tails would struggle against the power of the Diamond Sealing Chains.
And Shukaku, already unstable and imperfectly manifested, was in no condition to resist.
The enormous sand body trembled violently. Shukaku let out an unwilling, enraged scream, but the chakra chains tightened mercilessly, binding it with overwhelming sealing power.
Naruto roared back at the beast, his voice filled with fury and resolve.
The Diamond Sealing Chains constricted further.
The sealing power surged like a tidal wave.
Under that absolute suppression, Shukaku's colossal body began to collapse. Sand scattered in every direction as the beast shrank rapidly, reverting from its monstrous full form into a half-manifested state.
Then further.
Smaller.
Weaker.
Until finally—
The sand fell away completely.
Gaara's real body was left behind, collapsing heavily onto the arena floor.
Shockwaves Across the Arena
"Diamond Sealing Chains?!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face turned pale.
Of course he recognized that technique.
It was the signature sealing technique of the Uzumaki Clan.
He had entrusted the scroll to Jiraiya, asking him to guide Naruto in its study. But mastering such a profound sealing technique required years of disciplined training.
Three to five years at the very least.
Yet Naruto had just used it—
Here.
In the Chunin Exam arena.
Without hesitation.
Without failure.
What kind of talent is this?
Beside him, the "Kazekage" Rasa narrowed his eyes. A strange light flickered within them.
"So this is the Uzumaki Clan's most powerful sealing art…"
"Uzumaki Mito… Uzumaki Kushina…"
"To think that this boy named Naruto possesses such terrifying depth."
His lips curled slightly.
Greed flashed in his gaze.
Below in the stands, Baki felt as though lightning had struck him.
"What?!"
"Gaara has already entered full combat mode. Our teams were prepared to coordinate attacks…"
"But the One-Tail was suppressed before it could fully unleash its power?!"
"How is this possible?!"
Temari and Kankuro were equally shaken.
"What kind of jutsu was that?"
"He suppressed the monster inside Gaara so easily?"
"Even Father would have struggled to subdue Shukaku…"
Baki's voice turned grave.
"That is the Uzumaki Clan's sealing technique—used to control Tailed Beasts."
"What's frightening isn't just the technique…"
"It's that this child can use it."
Mukade stepped forward urgently.
"Baki! This isn't the time to hesitate! Should we proceed with the operation?"
Baki clenched his fists.
"The arrow is already on the bowstring."
"It must be released."
"There's no turning back."
"Send word."
"Even without Shukaku… the plan continues."
"War has already begun."
Within the Sealing
Inside the sealed space, Shukaku roared furiously.
"Damn brat! What kind of power is this?!"
"Let me go!"
Then—
A cold, familiar voice echoed in the darkness.
"Enjoying the Diamond Sealing Chains, raccoon dog?"
Shukaku froze.
"That voice… you filthy fox!"
Kurama chuckled darkly.
"Uzumaki Kushina used this technique to suppress me once."
"Now it's your turn to taste it."
Shukaku raged.
"Keep that pain to yourself!"
"How can a brat like him possess this power?!"
Kurama fell silent.
More than anyone, he understood Naruto's struggle.
His loneliness.
His determination.
The power Naruto unleashed now did not surprise him.
If anything—
It was inevitable.
Gaara's Defeat
Back in the arena, the last of the sand collapsed.
Gaara's body lay on the ground, still trapped under the Fake Sleep Technique.
Naruto's chest heaved violently. Sweat poured down his face. His chakra reserves were nearly drained.
But his anger had not faded.
"Wake up, you bastard!"
BOOM!
He drove his fist into Gaara's body.
The impact sent Gaara flying into the arena wall. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he crumpled to the ground.
"This… is impossible…"
"You defeated Shukaku…?"
Naruto staggered forward, breathing heavily.
"It's your turn."
He threw another punch.
Gaara finally lost consciousness completely.
"Gaara!"
Temari and Kankuro shouted in horror.
Baki's face darkened.
"Damn it!"
"Shukaku appeared—only to be sealed!"
"Gaara has completely lost his fighting capability!"
"What kind of monster is Uzumaki Naruto?!"
"All our calculations…"
"Ruined!"
Temari gritted her teeth.
"But the war has already started, Baki-sensei."
"I know."
"Temari. Kankuro. Retrieve Gaara."
"Yes!"
The Announcement
Despite the chaos, Shiranui Genma forced himself to speak loudly.
"The winner…"
"Uzumaki Naruto!"
The declaration echoed across the battlefield.
But victory felt hollow.
Temari and Kankuro leapt into the arena to retrieve their brother.
Naruto's eyes narrowed.
"What are you doing?"
"Give Gaara back!"
"You've already won! Do you still want to kill him?!"
Naruto didn't intend to kill Gaara.
But something felt wrong.
The air.
The tension.
Then—
High above, hidden among the shadows—
A masked ANBU figure smiled faintly.
"The Demonic Illusion: Descending Hell Technique."
Suddenly—
White feathers began falling from the sky.
Soft.
Gentle.
Beautiful.
Like snow drifting down in slow motion.
At first, the audience marveled at the spectacle.
Then their eyelids grew heavy.
The world began to blur.
One by one—
Spectators collapsed into unconsciousness.
The massive-scale genjutsu spread across the arena like a silent plague.
Kakashi's visible eye widened.
"This is—"
"Genjutsu," Might Guy finished.
Kurenai Yuhi's expression sharpened.
"All Jonin—release!"
"Genjutsu… Release!"
In unison, chakra surged.
The illusion shattered with a thunderous ripple.
The feathers vanished.
The sky returned to normal.
Kakashi, Might Guy, Kurenai, Asuma, and the other Jonin immediately understood.
This wasn't random.
This wasn't accidental.
It was an attack.
And it had been timed perfectly.
Naruto stood in the center of the ruined arena, exhausted but alert.
The sealing chains had faded.
Gaara lay unconscious.
The audience slept.
Enemy forces moved into position.
The Chunin Exams—
Had become the battlefield.
And the fall of Konoha—
Had begun.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)