Naruto knew his battle strategy cold.
One punch could shatter any foe, any ninjutsu.
Flashy, stylish, unstoppable.
And he had a hidden ace up his sleeve.
Drawing a deep breath, he channeled chakra into his fist, compressing it tightly—a technique of monstrous strength taught by Jiraiya.
"This punch is for Lee!" Naruto roared, swinging his gloved right fist toward Gaara.
The air warped, shrieking in protest. Gaara's sand surged instinctively, forming a barrier before him. The crowd held its breath, especially the ninja who knew Gaara's power.
This was his "absolute defense" ninjutsu!
Boom!
A dull thud echoed.
Under Gaara's disbelieving gaze, his protective sand shattered, scattering into fragments under the sheer force.
Before he could process it, Naruto's fist smashed into his left cheek. The blow obliterated the Sand Armor coating his body, deforming his face in an instant. Gaara spiraled through the air, teeth flying, carving a long trench as he crashed dozens of meters away.
The arena fell into eerie silence.
Then, a tsunami of cheers erupted.
Spectators leaped to their feet, faces flushed, shouting with unrestrained fervor.
So thrilling.
So brutal.
As Shen Mo had said, humanity's blood burned for combat—especially this raw, primal brawl. Naruto, with a single punch, had shattered every defense, landing a devastating blow to Gaara's face.
The image of Gaara's spiraling flight alone spoke to the ferocity of that strike.
The crowd was ablaze with excitement.
All but the Sunagakure ninja—especially Kazekage Rasa.
Though he remained still, Rasa's eyes blazed with anger, his fists clenched tight, betraying his inner turmoil. He'd ordered Gaara's death multiple times, yet seeing him struck so viciously stirred an uncontrollable rage within him.
Gaara…
In the arena, Naruto basked in the cheers, grinning foolishly at the crowd's support. His heart swelled with overwhelming joy.
This was everything he'd ever dreamed of.
"Heh, heh," Naruto chuckled, scratching the back of his head, looking like a giddy fool despite his craving for the spotlight.
But then—
"Aaagh!" A piercing, agonized roar shattered the moment.
The crowd froze in horror as Gaara, his face half-mangled and bloodied, staggered to his feet, clutching his head and screaming wildly.
The cheers died down.
Spectators exchanged uneasy glances.
Gaara's cries sent shivers down their spines, raising goosebumps.
"How is he still standing?" Naruto's eyes widened.
That punch had combined his raw power, Jiraiya's monstrous strength technique, and a Critical Strike of Justice. It was his strongest blow.
Yet, a terrifying sight unfolded.
Sand poured from the gourd on Gaara's back, enveloping his injured face and half his body. The grains writhed like living flesh, exuding a savage pressure and chilling killing intent.
"I'll kill you! I will kill you!" Gaara growled, his form now wholly monstrous.
The stands stirred with unease.
"What is that?"
"A monster!"
"Is he really a monster?"
"So terrifying…"
The whispers reached Gaara's ears.
"Hear that, Naruto?" Gaara raised a massive, clawed arm, saliva dripping from his grotesque maw. "You're like me! You can become a monster too. When that happens, will your comrades, your so-called friends, still stand by you? No—they'll despise you, fear you, want you dead!"
Naruto flinched, stepping back, but forced himself to stand firm.
He thought of Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke, and Haku.
"People who don't know you might fear you like this!" Naruto shouted, his heart surging with courage. "But the ones closest to you—your true comrades—they'd never abandon you over something like this! Never!"
He wasn't convincing himself—he believed it.
He trusted his bonds, forged through hardship and life-or-death battles. No monstrous form could break them.
"Naive! Foolish! Laughable!" Gaara bellowed, his fury too vast for words. His monstrous arm slammed the ground, unleashing a thunderous boom and cratering the earth.
Gasps rippled through the stands.
Not just a monster's appearance, but a monster's strength.
"You only say that because you've never become a monster!" Gaara charged, his speed whipping up a gale. "Come on! Become like me! Feel the pain of abandonment!"
Naruto dodged frantically, but the sand—now faster and more massive—surged toward him.
In his beastly state, Gaara's sand control had grown exponentially.
A misstep, and a tendril of sand snared Naruto's right leg, yanking him down. Gaara's massive claw seized him, gripping tight.
The crowd erupted in shock.
Some ninja instinctively moved to intervene.
"Silence!" Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice cut through. "The match continues."
Because it was the Hokage's command, Konoha's ninja reluctantly sat, faces taut with worry.
"Is this wise?" Rasa turned to Hiruzen, his voice low. "Even I can't control him like this."
"I trust Naruto," Hiruzen replied, a cryptic smile on his face.
He meant it.
Yesterday, he'd called Naruto to his office.
He'd foreseen this moment—Gaara's transformation—and he'd prepared accordingly.