"Let go of your restraints. Revel freely in the killing and the blood, Gaara!"
Deep within Gaara's mind, a low voice like a recurring nightmare echoed on and on, whispering, dripping with temptation.
"What are you afraid of, Gaara?"
"Heh heh heh."
Shukaku's voice grew louder, and more seductive.
"Did that little girl's words stir something inside you? Heh heh."
"Don't be naive, Gaara. No one in this world can understand you. Look. When that girl stepped into the arena, she had comrades cheering for her. She had parents. And you have nothing."
"Your brother and sister fear you. Your father only ever saw you as a tool for killing. And your mother, do you really believe she loved you? If she truly did, she never would have made you my vessel. She never would have let you become a thing of hatred and slaughter."
"Your mother never loved you, Gaara."
At those words, Gaara's control broke completely.
The scattered sand surged back together in an instant, coating his entire body once again, as though it meant to transform him into a creature of living sand.
"Come! Release my power! Kill the person in front of you! Use her blood and her suffering to prove yourself! Ha ha ha ha!"
Shukaku's voice inside Gaara's mind kept rising, like a tidal wave sweeping in to devour the last shred of his reason.
"Is he going to lose control?"
Watching the sudden change come over Gaara's body, Sakura's expression shifted.
What exactly is the Hidden Sand trying to do?
Sending a Jinchuriki to another village's Chunin Exam, that much Sakura could understand to a point.
Back in the Hidden Waterfall Village, Fu had been going on constantly about wanting to come to Konoha and take the Chunin Exam.
It was only because the registration window had already closed, and the Hidden Waterfall hadn't filed the appropriate notice with Konoha, that Fu had been turned away.
But what Gaara was doing now, tipping toward a full rampage, that was an incident of serious diplomatic consequences.
For a moment, Sakura genuinely didn't know what to do. Continue pressing the attack? Wait for a signal from the Hokage?
"Well, it looks like the plan will need to start early."
Kabuto, disguised as an ANBU operative, smiled faintly, then formed a rapid sequence of seals.
"Genjutsu: Ephemeral!"
A subtle wave of chakra spread instantly across the entire arena. The crowd, which had begun screaming and shouting at the sight of Gaara's transformation, fell utterly silent.
Soft white feathers seemed to drift down from the sky, and one by one, every spectator in the arena sank into a deep, dreamless sleep.
"Kazekage. Are you intending to start a war with Konoha?"
In the central viewing platform, the Third Hokage turned, his expression grave, and spoke in a low, hard voice.
"If you have been deceived by Orochimaru, then hear me clearly: whatever he has promised you, the Hidden Sand will gain nothing from this. You will only lose far more."
"Heh heh heh." Faced with the Third Hokage's fury, Orochimaru's expression didn't shift at all. A low, rasping laugh escaped him.
"I would love to answer your question on his behalf, but it seems I no longer have that opportunity. Teacher Sarutobi..."
"You are... Orochimaru!?"
Boom!
A tremendous explosion erupted from the central viewing platform. Dense smoke billowed out and engulfed the entire box, pulling the attention of nearly everyone in the arena.
"Protect the Hokage!"
The sudden blast made the nearby ANBU team react instantly, faces hardening as they rushed toward the central platform.
"The Hidden Sand has broken the alliance!"
Asuma flinched, then quickly turned to Kurenai at his side. "Kurenai, get ready to fight!"
"Well, this is an unexpected development."
Down in the arena, Genma pulled the senbon from between his teeth, stepped to Sakura's side, and looked toward the distant Gaara. "Be on guard."
"Right!"
Boom!
Another massive explosion shook the arena. A colossal arm of sand burst from the ground and slammed into the arena floor, making the earth itself shudder.
"Lee! Neji! Tenten! Protect the civilians!"
Might Kai's expression was dead serious as he gave the order to his three students.
"Yes!"
"Naruto, come with me to back up Sakura!"
Kakashi scanned the arena in a sweep and turned to Naruto.
"Got it!"
Naruto gave a quick nod and followed Kakashi down, dropping into the arena to stand alongside Sakura.
"Teacher Kakashi, Sasuke still hasn't shown up?"
Sakura looked around and found no sign of Sasuke. She asked quickly.
Kakashi shook his head. He was genuinely puzzled.
"Forget about Sasuke for now. With this much commotion, I'm sure he'll be here soon enough. Before he gets here, let's deal with the problem right in front of us first!"
Naruto clenched his fist, his expression tightening with frustration.
He had prepared for a long time for his match against Sasuke. Having this happen now was the last thing he wanted.
It put him in a terrible mood.
"Alright." Sakura could only nod, though a quiet worry sat in the back of her chest.
Sasuke. Don't you dare let anything happen to you.
---
On a rooftop some distance from the Chunin Exam finals venue, Torune Aburame watched the Four Violet Flames Formation rise in the distance and the sand creature emerge from within the arena. His eyes shifted slightly.
"The plan has started."
Torune murmured this quietly. A flicker of hesitation passed through his eyes, and then vanished just as quickly.
"Under the Third Hokage's leadership, the village has already begun to rot. Only Lord Danzo can lead the village toward a prosperous future."
Tap.
A sudden set of footsteps. Torune's guard rose, but when he saw the face of the one approaching, he relaxed and looked puzzled. "Fu? Didn't Lord Danzo send you to..."
"I have something urgent I need to report to Lord Danzo."
Before Torune could finish, Fu cut in.
"What is it? Wait, you're not..."
Torune's expression changed. But in the next instant, his entire field of vision was filled by a pair of crimson eyes. The world spun.
"Right. The situation is urgent."
The crimson light in Torune's eyes flashed and faded. His irises returned to black.
He gave his head a slight shake, his voice coming out slightly dazed. "Understood."
Watching this, Sasuke, disguised as Yamanaka Fu, smiled faintly. He held out an item and said flatly, "This is the intelligence."
"Understood." Torune took it, nodded, and said with gravity, "This must be reported to Lord Danzo immediately. There's no time to waste. Fu, come with me."
"Let's go."
With that, the two of them set off at speed toward the same destination.
As they moved, Sasuke glanced briefly at the Four Violet Flames Formation rising in the distance. The corner of his mouth curved up.
The Leaf that has basked in the sunlight is about to fall. How could the Root buried deep in the darkness not follow?
Heh.
___
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