As the sharp "beep" rang out—
The final race officially began.
All the ninja contestants immediately activated their custom 4WD cars and bolted down the track.
These were no ordinary toys—each ninja's 4WD car had been specially crafted and linked to a black ring worn on the user's hand. Through that ring, they could channel chakra directly into their cars and control them at will.
So right from the start, everyone unleashed all kinds of flashy techniques.
Some cars leapt ahead with a "Toad Jump"; others slammed into nearby cars the moment the starting tone rang out, deliberately destroying their competitors' cars; and others…
"Ohhh! Who's that? That green car—is that the Youth Express? Just as green and vibrant as its owner!"
"But… what is the owner of the Youth Express doing? The race just started, and after shouting 'This is youth!' he bolted off on foot and vanished?!"
Tobi's voice echoed through the arena again.
"Did he just abandon his own car? Or is there some hidden trick behind this? Because… this bizarre move—I'm a seasoned 4WD expert, and even I can't make sense of it!"
At that—
Following right behind Lady Tsunade, Kakashi looked blankly at Might Guy, who was already vanishing into the distance. He muttered, "Nope. No trick. That's just him."
"What an intense start! The competition's barely begun, and things are already this chaotic! But now that the Youth Express has no driver, what's going to happen next?"
At that moment—
"Huh?"
Tobi suddenly let out a confused noise.
"Look, everyone—pay close attention! The Youth Express isn't even a chakra-linked model—it runs on regular batteries! This makes it even harder to understand. Did that passionate contestant do this on purpose? Or did he just not have enough money to buy a custom ninja version? Either way… as a professional 4WD racer myself, I'm dying to know what he plans to do next."
Then, switching to a smug tone—
"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Tobi, Deputy Director of the Sunagakure Research Academy, a veteran 4WD racer. I was once so unbeatable on the race track that I had to retire… now serving as both a race judge and commentator!"
"Being invincible… is so lonely~"
"Boo!"
The entire crowd responded with a wave of disdainful jeers.
At that moment—
"Jiraiya!!"
Tsunade, who'd been stuck at the back and violently smashing through other contestants' cars, suddenly turned and roared at the bouncing idiot.
"Stop standing around and get to it!"
"O-okay!"
Jiraiya, who'd been shamelessly creeping toward Kaguya with a pervy grin, snapped back to reality. He realized if he didn't take this seriously, once the race was over… Sunagakure Hospital might not have a bed left for him.
He quickly looked down at his own vehicle, Toad Sage, then glanced at Byakugō, Tsunade's car, a few slots behind his.
He formed hand signs:
"Toad Sage—Tongue Binding Technique!"
With that command—
Toad Sage launched into the air, leaping far higher than its previous hops. Before everyone's eyes, a pink tongue-like appendage coated in sticky slime extended from the front of the car, shooting toward Byakugō. It wrapped around the car and reeled it directly to Jiraiya's side.
"Unbelievable! Absolutely unbelievable!"
Tobi shouted again, his voice full of amazement.
"Who would've thought the Toad Sage had this kind of ability? He pulled Byakugō up to third place in one move. It's just that..."
His tone turned from excitement to disgust.
"It's kind of gross. He got the whole car covered in sticky goo. You can just tell that's not a proper technique."
"Heh heh~" Jiraiya scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed, seeing the same disgust on Tsunade's face.
"It's just lubricant! Legit stuff! If I spit it onto the track, it makes the surface slick."
"Then what are you waiting for?!" Tsunade's eyes lit up. She didn't even care that her own car was covered in goo. She spun around and snapped at the Konoha ninja behind her.
"That Guy bastard… always the same! Completely ruined my perfect plan! If we lose this, it's all his fault!"
"..."
Honestly, I don't think you were going to win anyway.
Of course, Jiraiya kept that part to himself.
He hesitated before asking, "What now?"
The Youth Express was still technically in the race, but everyone had pretty much written it off.
"Stick to the original plan!" Tsunade narrowed her eyes, watching the other cars closing in behind her, then shouted at Kakashi, "Move out!"
"Alright~" Kakashi shrugged lazily. He glanced at Shisui Uchiha beside him, gave a subtle nod, then looked down at his vehicle, "Shadow" car, and began forming seals.
"Lightning Style: Lightning Current!"
As the jutsu activated, Shadow car was engulfed in crackling electricity, transforming into a bolt of lightning that surged forward at terrifying speed. Every car it passed seemed to stutter or lag as if the chakra flow had been disrupted.
At the same time, Shisui had also finished his seals.
His car, Future car, flickered like it was using Body Flicker Technique, instantly reappearing behind the slowed-down cars that Shadow car had zapped. Then—he pulled out a mini kunai, just like the one Uchiha Itachi used, and stabbed forward—
"Squelch—"
One by one, the opponent cars were scrapped.
"So devious… used Lightning Style to disrupt their chakra control, then followed up with kunai to destroy their cars."
Tobi sighed dramatically.
"As expected of Konoha shinobi—coming up with such underhanded tactics. But… I still believe victory will belong to Lady Kaguya!"
The race was changing by the second. The shinobi contestants were all using their 4WD car to execute familiar jutsu and techniques.
Fortunately, the course had been built extra sturdy in anticipation of such mayhem. Otherwise, this entire race track might have been torn to shreds by now.
But at that moment—
Having already been slammed by Byakugō at the start, and then brutally targeted by Konoha's ninja—
The other villages' contestants were fuming.
They exchanged glances and seemed to reach a mutual understanding.
Moments later—
"We can lose the race—but Konoha MUST DIE!"
A furious roar echoed across the arena, filled with resentment and rage.
The other villages' ninja gave up on the competition entirely and instead began assaulting the Konoha team's cars in full-blown vengeance mode.
The Konoha ninja were stunned.
"What the hell is wrong with these people?!"
And just like that, a chaotic battle erupted again!
"Lose the race, but Konoha must die!"
"What unshakable courage! Even when facing the terrifying power of Konoha, they remain fearless—pressing forward with everything they've got! Go on! You're the fattest—I mean, the best!"
Tobi, ever the instigator, poured more oil on the fire.
"Since you're going to lose anyway, you might as well go all out for revenge. Look over there!"
Now adopting a reverent tone, he cried:
"Lady Kaguya has already pulled far ahead of the other racers! Her graceful strides across the track, her pure-white 4WD car bathed in moonlight—Moon Goddess—is now entering the second phase of the course: the Hurricane Track!"
He added with a sigh:
"Ahhh… the gap in strength is just too massive. This was a race decided from the very start. But still—go for it, everyone~!"