Naruto seemingly did not expect Gaara to attack suddenly.
Facing this wave-like sand assault, he could only hurriedly flee.
However, he did not have the speed of Jokichi or Lee, so his dodging was very ungraceful.
"What's wrong?"
Gaara grinned mockingly.
"Weren't you going to defeat me?"
"Weren't you going to pull me out of hell?"
"Is this how you plan to pull me out of hell?"
Naruto caught a glimpse behind him from the corner of his eye.
Behind the sea of sand, Gaara threw his head back and laughed wildly.
He looked majestic and awe-inspiring.
However, from this majestic exterior, Naruto saw the desolation behind it.
That was armor named power, armed to protect a fragile heart.
"Damn it!"
Recalling what Jokichi had said about Gaara's past, Naruto felt angry inwardly.
"I will definitely pull you out of the abyss of hell."
While running, Naruto formed seals with both hands.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
"Poof, poof, poof."
As the white smoke exploded, countless Narutos rushed out from inside.
Their sheer number momentarily occupied Gaara's field of vision.
"This is how it should be!"
Gaara was not alarmed but overjoyed.
"Only like this is it interesting to kill!"
As his voice fell, Gaara reached out his right hand and waved it.
The sand, like soldiers hearing a command, returned to defend.
It swept across in front of him like a tornado assault.
Those shadow clones shattered upon contact, turning into smoke and dissipating one after another.
Only.
The main body was not there.
"Over here!"
The voice, accompanied by the whistling of air, came from behind.
Gaara turned around somewhat flustered.
The figures of two Narutos rubbing a high-speed spinning chakra ball occupied his entire vision.
"Rasengan!"
The chakra ball broke through the sand's automatic defense.
It pressed fiercely against Gaara's abdomen.
Time seemed to pause briefly for a second.
The next moment, Gaara widened his eyes, his body spinning as he flew backward.
He crashed fiercely into the wall.
The massive power causing the entire spectator stands to violently tremble.
Such a powerful force caused the entire spectator stands to exclaim in unison.
None of them expected that a dead-last could use such a powerful ninjutsu while only a Genin.
Recalling Jokichi's performance in the first match, those Daimyos and ninja leaders could not help but exclaim.
"Are Konoha's Genin all this terrifying?"
"Poof!"
The shadow clone vanished.
Naruto stood quietly in place, without rushing forward recklessly.
He also heard the discussions from the spectator stands, but his heart did not waver in the slightest.
Past experiences, his father's teachings.
Now, knowing that Gaara possessed a past identical to, or even more tragic and dark than his own.
He only wanted to save this person whose body and mind were on the verge of destruction.
And the way to save him was to defeat him.
To defeat him with absolute power.
Naruto wanted to use this method to tell him that the path he was taking was wrong, and his own path was the right one.
Even if the road is bumpy, as long as you persevere and work hard, the road ahead will also be bright.
Suddenly, an ominous, terrifying aura spread out from the smoke and dust.
Everyone felt it, even though it was not directed at them.
Just sensing it made their hearts palpitate.
And those ninjas all looked solemnly at the smoke and dust rising in the arena.
That ominous, terrifying aura was coming from inside.
Feeling the solidified atmosphere in the arena, the Kazekage smiled lightly.
"Gaara is a Jinchuriki. Does him using the Tailed Beast's power count as a foul?"
"Naturally, it does not count as a foul."
Hiruzen glanced at the Kazekage, saying pointedly.
"However, if any unexpected changes happen to the competitors in the arena, Konoha's ninjas will step in to stop it immediately."
"With these words from Lord Hokage, I am relieved."
The Kazekage seemed to truly breathe a huge sigh of relief.
"Our Sunagakure's sealing techniques are not very mature, causing Gaara's mental state to be unstable. When the time comes, if any problems occur, I ask Konoha's ninjas to please help."
"As an ally, this is our duty."
Saying that, a sharp glint flashed in Hiruzen's eyes.
...
Let us not talk about outside the arena.
Inside the arena.
Naruto also felt this aura.
It made him feel terror and fear.
His legs could not help but tremble slightly.
"Is this the aura emitted by the monster inside Gaara."
Naruto looked resolutely at the smoke and dust, as if he could see Gaara inside through it.
"The people in his village were also afraid of him and terrified of him like this, right! If I am also afraid of him and terrified of him, isn't that just giving him a push while he's on the edge of a cliff?"
"This kind of thing."
"How could I possibly do that, ahhhhhhhh!!!"
Courage poured out along with the roar.
Pouring out together with it was that orange chakra.
That materialized amount of chakra was like flames burning.
With the appearance of this chakra, the previously emerged aura was swept away completely.
Also swept away was the palpitation felt due to that aura.
This roar from Naruto transmitted courage to everyone present.
Hiruzen, holding his pipe, smiled and nodded.
The ninjas all looked sideways at Naruto.
And those ordinary people, whether they were foreign spectators or villagers from the village, all spontaneously cheered and rooted for Naruto.
"Whoosh!"
The fierce wind howled.
A giant dark shadow broke through the smoke and dust, attacking Uzumaki Naruto.
It was a giant claw formed of sand, with violet patterns on it.
This surprise attack was not only large, but also very fast.
Many Chunin watching from the spectator stands did not even react.
But Naruto was no longer the Naruto from the start of the match.
Wearing the Demon Fox Cloak, his neural reaction, speed, and strength all skyrocketed.
Ordinary Jonin could not compare with him.
"Swish!"
The air tore.
Naruto turned into a dark shadow and vanished from his spot.
The next second, he appeared on the giant claw.
The people exclaimed in surprise at Naruto's boldness.
The sand on the giant claw constantly extended tiny hands, grabbing towards Naruto's ankles.
Naruto took strides, running along the giant claw towards the smoke and dust.
Those tiny hands could only eat his dust from behind.
As time passed, the smoke and dust there had mostly dissipated.
Gaara's figure was exposed.
The left side of his body was enveloped in sand, leaving only his eye exposed.
Only, that eye had also changed its appearance.
An eye that looked like sand, with a black cross-star pattern in the pupil.
Paired with that gaze full of killing intent and his hideous face, he truly was like a monster.
However, there was no fear in Naruto's heart.
He was only slightly surprised, then accelerated and charged towards Gaara.
His speed was so fast that just the air he stirred up tore the giant claw apart.
"Imposs."
"Boom!"
The chakra-wrapped fist smashed onto that face full of disbelief.
Naruto roared loudly.
"Nothing is impossible. Even if the world is pitch black, you can definitely find the light. Gaara, go find, go grasp the light that belongs to you!"
"Boom!"
Accompanied by a deafening sound, the entire arena trembled fiercely.
Inside the arena, it was obscured by smoke and dust.