Orochimaru paused, taken aback.
[Then, she couldn't suppress the urge to smile.]
That's awesome!
All of this.
Orochimaru directly blamed everything on Sasuke, saying he did it because of Naruto.
[With comparison.]
Orochimaru was starting to lose control of his tongue.
He couldn't resist reaching out and licking his dry, red lips.
[If Sasuke had truly been entrusted to him... it would have taken him several years to reach this point.]
However, to Orochimaru's surprise...
Gaara.
[good. ]
At this moment, Gaara is already developing in the direction of becoming the perfect Jinchūriki.
[Because he not only withstood the Lightning Release: Kirin.]
[even...]
[Bang--]
A soft sound.
Sasuke felt like he'd landed on cotton.
But before he could even open his eyes...
A lot of sand and grit got into their eyes, mouth, and nose.
Sasuke: "..."
[At this moment.]
Everyone stared wide-eyed.
[He stared in disbelief at the scene unfolding in the arena.]
[Gaara was half-crouched, raising his hand, and sand kept falling from his hand and body.]
The sand covering him resembled some kind of earthen-colored monster, like a raccoon dog.
[It is constantly falling off.]
And Gaara himself.
[He did not suffer serious injuries.]
At least, that's how it appears from the outside.
The entire room fell silent for a long time...
"This...how is this possible?!"
"He actually withstood an extremely fast lightning release attack?!"
Then, discussions began.
[Above the stands.]
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face turned deathly pale.
He plopped down on his bottom.
Just a moment ago.
It thought... it was going to die.
[Just as the Qilin landed.]
I wonder if it's just my imagination.
It seems I... glanced at it.
That's how Hiruzen Sarutobi felt, anyway.
Look closely.
[One could vaguely make out Hiruzen Sarutobi's still-trembling old hand.]
[Seeing this.]
Orochimaru sneered.
"Alright, it's almost time."
"What?" Hiruzen Sarutobi was still in shock.
However, one of the ANBU ninjas behind him, whose entire body was covered except for the animal mask he wore, suddenly vanished.
Yes, I was so engrossed in watching it that I almost forgot about the important matter.
Orochimaru's gaze shifted from Hiruzen Sarutobi's aged face, which still held a lingering sense of unease.
[Glance at the spectator stands below.]
[Searching for that figure who has captivated him so completely lately, making him forget to eat and sleep.]
But that familiar yet unfamiliar blond-haired man seemed to have vanished into thin air.
"Will you stop me?"
"I don't think so, right?"
"We don't even know where Jiraiya is now..."
Orochimaru shook his head and chuckled softly.
He had a strong premonition.
I am very interested in Naruto.
[And Naruto himself seems quite interested in himself.]
What's good about unrequited love?
Orochimaru changed his previous attitude towards this matter.
A two-way approach is the right answer!
Thinking of this, Orochimaru couldn't suppress the smirk on his face.
She was really looking forward to it.
What would it be like to face Naruto again?
[...]
[Below.]
Gaara raises one hand.
A hint of apprehension lingered in his eyes.
We lost.
[good. ]
Gaara lost.
[If Shukaku hadn't offered her full assistance at the last moment.]
[The strange yet familiar warm chakra within me did not appear.]
He's probably lying down now.
Just like that one over there.
Gaara didn't even glance at him.
It was just a fleeting thought.
[The Shiranui Genma hidden in the sand was "spit out".]
[Lying on the ground, eyes closed, unconscious.]
However, judging from appearances, they are probably not dead.
Genma Shiranui: "..."
And seeing this.
Kankuro and Kiba Inuzuka secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Cool!
That was awesome!
Finally, I wasn't the one who suffered a setback.
Haha~
Gaara watched as everything was shattered and burned by the Kirin.
All his previous arrangements... have vanished.
Even with so much power supporting it.
Gaara still felt like he had just escaped death.
This technique.
[This is no less powerful than Naruto's Fire Release technique just now.]
Gaara was stunned again.
[Naruto's Fire Release?]
Gaara looked up.
Dark clouds gathered above Konoha.
[After that Qilin attack just now.]
[It hasn't dissipated much at all.]
[It's gotten even darker now!]
Gaara's eyelids twitched violently.
[I glanced subconsciously at the audience seats.]
[All I could see were Temari and Kankuro, their faces still showing traces of worry, but now replaced by joy.]
[After giving them both a reassuring smile.]
Gaara's brow furrowed slightly.
He had a premonition.
[Afterwards... you will witness true terror.]
Above this dark cloud.
[It seems there's an even more terrifying lightning monster lurking there than the Qilin.]
However, Gaara didn't want to think about anything else at that moment.
He needs some quiet time.
Then, with a wave of his hand.
[Grit poured into Genma Shiranui's eyes, mouth, and nose, intending to forcibly wake him.]
[Let them announce the results of the match.]
At this moment.
Everyone noticed it too.
Sasuke, enveloped in Gaara's sand, slowly descends.
Who won and who lost?
At this point, there's no need to look anymore.
Sasuke has lost.
Gaara won fair and square!
Of course, this is only on the surface.
In fact.
Gaara lost.
A complete and utter defeat.
[The only thing that can hold on.]
[It's probably just the tailed beast transformation.]
Even in tailed beast form, one would still need to be severely injured and on the verge of death.
[The Qilin is not just about lightning attacks.]
[but. ]
[This matter.]
Gaara doesn't value it.
Sasuke didn't care at the moment.
His mind was still preoccupied with the insights he gained after unleashing Lightning Release: Kirin.
At this moment.
[In the audience.]
A figure suddenly appeared.
[It was the one who had been standing behind Hiruzen Sarutobi, his entire body covered by robes, only his face, clad in an animal mask, was visible.]
"What amazing matches... I couldn't help but watch every single one."
"However, it's time to make a move."
"Lord Orochimaru is probably getting impatient too."
The 'Anbu ninja' wearing an animal mask smiled knowingly.
Then, he raised his hand.
He patted the shoulder of the audience member sitting in front of him.
[thump--]
The normal reaction would be for that audience member to turn around and look.
[But just as the 'Anbu ninja's' hand landed on the spectator's shoulder.]
The audience member immediately fell asleep.
At this moment, everyone's attention was focused on Sasuke and Gaara.
There was absolutely nothing unusual about this area.
[Under the animal mask.]
The pharmacist's lips curled slightly.
[Then, he began forming hand seals.]
The timing is good.
[So--]
The Konoha Crush Plan...
Let's begin.