"The fourth match: Uzumaki Naruto of Konoha vs. Gaara of Sunagakure! Contestants, enter the stage!"
After Deidara was escorted off the battlefield, the fourth match began. The tension in the air intensified. This was no ordinary fight. On one side stood the son of the Fourth Kazekage. On the other—the legacy of the Fourth Hokage.
A showdown between two Jinchūriki.
A clash of heirs.
"This is gonna be good," someone muttered in the stands, barely containing their excitement.
"Kill you... I'm going to kill you!" Gaara screamed, his expression twisted with rage. "Why do you smell like me... but you can still smile?!"
Naruto blinked, confused. "Huh? What's this guy's problem?"
From the viewing platform, Fugaku's brows furrowed. "Kazekage, your son seems... unstable."
"You worry too much, Hokage," replied the disguised Orochimaru beneath the Kazekage's hat, voice controlled but stiff. "Gaara's just a little... eccentric. Besides, with Uchiha Shisui overseeing things, there's nothing to worry about."
In the arena, Naruto took a step forward.
"Enough talking. Let's go!" he shouted. "Wind Style: Gale Palm!"
A sudden gust burst from his palm, sweeping away the sand scattered on the stage.
"Tch. So you noticed," Gaara muttered.
He had deliberately spread sand across the arena earlier, hoping for an advantage. But clearly, Naruto wasn't as naive as he looked.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Dozens of Narutos charged in from different angles. But Gaara stood still, arms crossed, as his sand danced protectively around him—swatting away the clones one after another.
Naruto quickly reassessed. "His sand's fast... and wide-range. Normal attacks won't work."
Physical assaults weren't his strength—he wasn't Rock Lee. So he retreated and changed tactics.
"Wind Style: Wind Cutting Technique!"
Invisible blades of wind slashed toward Gaara. In response, Gaara's sand surged back and wrapped around him like a fortress.
"Sand Shield!" A thick layer of sand surrounded him, dense and immovable.
When the wind died down, Gaara emerged unscathed.
"Your attacks are meaningless. Give up," he said flatly.
Then his sand launched again.
But Naruto stood his ground.
"Unbreakable defense? I don't buy that! Shadow clones, let's go!"
"Wind Style: Breakthrough! x6!"
"Fire Style: Flame Bullet! x6!"
"Combined Ninjutsu: Flame Bomb Breakthrough!"
A coordinated inferno surged across the arena as Naruto and his clones unleashed a storm of fire and wind. The flames roared, wrapping the battlefield in a fiery dome. The spectators erupted in cheers, swept up in the fierce display of power.
"Is the Hokage's foster son using Fire Style now too?" the Kazekage asked with a smirk. "Almost like he's an Uchiha."
Fugaku chuckled. "You're flattering us. Naruto only knows the basics of Fire Style. Wind's more his specialty. But his biggest advantage... is chakra. He can cast combinations like that a dozen times without breaking a sweat."
Several Kage looked displeased at Fugaku's obvious boasting. But the results were hard to argue with.
When the flames cleared, molten sand glowed across the arena floor. Gaara stood amid the scorched landscape, his outer defense charred into useless slag.
Only the sand in his gourd remained usable.
"Why... can't I control the rest of the sand?" Gaara muttered.
Naruto responded calmly. "Sand is mostly quartz. When exposed to high heat, its crystal structure changes. That makes it harder to manipulate. Simple."
Gaara blinked. "...Quartz? Crystal structure? What are you talking about?!"
Even Su Xiuyu, observing from his mirror space, raised a brow. "Hold on... did Naruto just science his way through a fight? Am I in the wrong genre?"
Mito snorted. "So even you don't know everything."
"Hey, I never claimed omniscience! I'm a ninja, not a chemist."
Back in the ring, Gaara stood frozen.
The words hit harder than Naruto expected—not because of their meaning, but because of who was saying them.
"You're a Jinchūriki," Gaara whispered, voice cracking. "Same as me. But why is your life so different?"
"You had the Hokage raise you. You have friends. A purpose. My father only taught me how to kill... told me my worth would come from death."
Gaara's breathing grew erratic. "Why... why is it different for you?!"
His inner turmoil boiled over.
"Hahaha... This isn't sleep—it's freedom!"
The ground trembled. Sand burst from Gaara's body like a geyser. The voice that came next wasn't human.
"Oh no!" Temari's face paled. "His seal's breaking! This isn't what we planned!"
She turned to Baki in panic. "This is different from the original strategy! What do we do?!"
But there was no time to act.
"Finally! I'm free!"
A monstrous chakra surged forth. Gaara's body began to twist and morph, the One-Tail's influence taking over rapidly.
Naruto stepped forward on reflex, but a hand caught his shoulder.
"Stop. I'll handle it now," said Shisui, eyes firm.
"Kazekage!" Fugaku barked, fury rising in his voice. "Your son is a Jinchūriki—and you let him go berserk in Konoha? What is the meaning of this?! Do you think we can't handle the One-Tail?!"
At that moment, the Fourth Kazekage chuckled.
A familiar voice slithered out from beneath the hat.
"Fugaku... it's been a while. Do you still recognize me?"
The mask peeled away—revealing the pale, snake-like face of Orochimaru.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"Orochimaru! Where is the real Kazekage?" Fugaku demanded.
Orochimaru smiled wickedly. "What do you think, old friend? I've replaced him. Do you think I'd leave him alive after that?"
"You dare show your face after attacking my son?!"
"Relax," Orochimaru sneered. "I was merely testing Sasuke's growth. I have business with Sarutobi-sensei anyway. But while I'm here... enjoy the hospitality of the Raikage and the others."
-------------------------
"Chiyomai—Thunderclap Level! Die, Fugaku!"
A blinding flash of lightning tore through the air.
Even with his back turned, Fugaku felt the killing intent crackling behind him. The Raikage's fist was fueled by more than chakra—it carried the bitterness of defeat from the last war.
With a thunderous bang, the blue-armored Uchiha was launched across the field, crashing into the spectator stands. Luckily, most civilians had already evacuated, allowing Fugaku to smash through the stone without any casualties.
As the dust settled, a towering light-blue skeleton shimmered faintly around him.
"Susanoo... tch. Troublesome technique."
Raikage narrowed his eyes. His sneak attack had failed. Tiny cracks along Susanoo's ribs showed how powerful the strike was—if not for the ethereal warrior, Fugaku's head would've been rolling.
Fugaku rose from the rubble, eyes glowing beneath his forehead protector.
"Fourth Raikage, are you declaring war on Konoha?"
His voice echoed across the now-tense stadium. Behind him, Shisui had already stepped in front of the Tsuchikage, sharing his own silent warning.
"Or are you saying this assault was agreed upon in advance?"
The sudden silence was pierced by a sharp voice.
"The Hokage's being dramatic. We're not here to play house—"
Before the Kirigakure Chūnin could finish, a searing glob of lava fell from the sky.
"Lava Release: Dissolving Technique!"
FWOOSH! The man was instantly reduced to ash.
"Hokage, Kirigakure has no intention of joining this madness. Anyone who dares provoke war—I'll kill them myself."
Terumi Mei stood calmly, smoke rising from her fingertips. The rogue agents within her ranks, previously emboldened, now shrank away in terror. Mei's message was clear—Kirigakure would not be used as a pawn.
"Tch... coward," Raikage growled. Still, he didn't press further. Forcing Kirigakure to stay might only create more problems.
"And you, Ōnoki?" Fugaku asked, eyes sharp.
The old Tsuchikage crossed his arms. "I'm just helping my apprentice blow off steam. After all, your Uchiha Shisui gave him quite the scare."
It was the laziest excuse anyone had heard all day.
Deidara, still bandaged offstage, beamed.
"Old man! You're the best! My injuries aren't even that bad!"
Fugaku had to bite his cheek to keep from laughing. This kid… he actually believed it.
Ōnoki, face twitching, silently cursed the heavens. If his skin weren't as thick as his pride, he might've pulverized Deidara right then and there with Dust Release.
Raikage didn't waste time. "Fugaku! Higashi, Yugito, and Kumogakure's strike force are already at Konoha's gates. Surrender now. You've lost."
The statement struck hard. Tension rippled through the Konoha shinobi ranks. Just moments ago, they were spectators—now, they were soldiers.
Fugaku's voice rang out sharply. "Itachi! Get Naruto, Sasuke, Karin, and the others to safety."
"Hmph. A perfect time to take a hostage," the Raikage muttered.
He vanished in a flash of lightning, reappearing inches from Naruto.
CRACK!
The Raikage was blasted backward, sent flying into the ruined stands.
"You dare attack Konoha Genin?! How low will you stoop?"
Golden hair swayed as Tsunade Senju stepped forward, fists clenched. The shockwave from her punch still rippled through the ground. Her figure stood tall, powerful—and unmistakable.
The legendary Sucker of the ninja world had arrived.
The Raikage emerged from the rubble, rubbing his chest. That punch hurt—but she hadn't gone all out.
"Tsunade... so that's your trump card, Fugaku."
"Brother!"
"Raikage-sama!"
In an instant, Killer Bee and Yugito flanked him, both radiating the raw chakra of their Tailed Beasts.
"Perfect timing," Raikage smirked. "Four against three now, Hokage-sama."
Behind Ōnoki, three figures appeared: Kitsuchi, Han, and Roshi. Four Jinchūriki, two Kage, and elite support.
"And what does Konoha have left? A retired Sannin, an injured Kage, and a traitor? Hah! You should've surrendered."
Suddenly, a thunderous boom echoed overhead.
A massive toad landed in the arena, sending tremors across the ground.
"You forgot someone."
Jiraiya, perched on the head of Gamabunta, appeared with a confident smirk. On his shoulders, the Two Great Sage Toads rested calmly.
"I was tracking Orochimaru, but it seems I got here just in time."
"Jiraiya-boy, is Konoha under siege again?" the old toads asked in unison.
"Yes. There's no avoiding this fight," Jiraiya said grimly.
"Then don't worry. With us here, you won't fall."
The Raikage's smug grin wavered. Among the Three Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya's intel had always been the most limited—making him the most unpredictable.
That uncertainty gnawed at him.
"Yugito, Bee—release the Tailed Beast Ball! Level this place if you must!"
The two Jinchūriki didn't hesitate. Their chakra surged as they began their transformations.
"Collapse Technique!"
Jiraiya summoned Gamaken and Gamahiro. The two toads dropped down, crashing atop the Jinchūriki mid-transformation, interrupting the build-up.
"Whew... made it just in time." Jiraiya sighed. Had those Tailed Beast Balls detonated, Konoha would've been devastated.
But it wasn't over yet.
Raikage darted forward, smashing both toads aside with raw power. They were sturdy, but Raikage's speed and strength were overwhelming.
Gamahiro and Gamaken staggered to their feet—wounded, but not out.
"Tch. Let's see how long you can hold out."
Ōnoki turned to his men.
"Han, Roshi—stay calm. Don't charge in like the Raikage. Hold your targets. Keep your distance from Fugaku and Shisui—the Mangekyō Sharingan is dangerous for Jinchūriki."
His voice was calm, but in truth, Ōnoki's instincts screamed at him. Something didn't feel right. He could see it in Fugaku's quiet confidence—something unexpected was brewing.
And if Raikage wanted to rush ahead blindly… well, that was his business.
Ōnoki would play the long game.
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