After Naruto returned to the contestant area, Gekko Hayate stepped onto the field again, looking sickly as ever.
"The second match: Gaara vs. Sasuke!" he announced in his raspy voice.
Watching Hayate cough nonstop, Yang Tao couldn't help but think, *This guy might end up coughing himself to death before Baki even has a chance to kill him.*
Not that he felt any sympathy.
Even someone like Hayate had a girlfriend—Yugao Uzuki!
*The only reason Hayate is still alive is indirectly because of me. I wonder if Yugao would be grateful for that?*
With nothing to do on the stands, Yang Tao let his thoughts wander aimlessly.
Meanwhile, Gaara and Sasuke had already stepped onto the battlefield—on time, unlike in the original story.
Sasuke still looked lost in thought, his usual cool and proud expression missing.
Gaara stood there, his face as unreadable as ever.
"Begin!"
Hearing the signal, Sasuke snapped back to reality.
He threw a few shuriken at Gaara to test him, but the sand surrounding Gaara immediately blocked them.
Without hesitation, Sasuke activated his Three-Tomoe Sharingan and dashed toward Gaara, moving even faster than in the original story.
Gaara's sand couldn't react in time.
Sasuke landed a direct punch, cracking Gaara's sand armor.
As Sasuke kept up his relentless attacks, Gaara had no chance to fight back.
Or rather, he didn't have any suitable counterattacks yet.
He still hadn't mastered the powerful jutsu he would later use against Kimimaro.
Realizing he was at a disadvantage, Gaara controlled his sand to form a protective sphere around him.
Sasuke tried attacking, but the sharp sand spikes on the sphere forced him back.
"Chidori!"
Lightning crackled in Sasuke's hand, accompanied by the piercing cries of birds.
Somehow, despite the changes in the timeline, he had still learned Chidori from Kakashi.
And with Orochimaru's help, he didn't even need a running start anymore.
Watching this, Naruto became visibly annoyed.
He clenched his fists and muttered angrily, "Kakashi-sensei, once the Chunin Exams are over, I'm telling my parents to give you a good scolding!"
Thinking back, Naruto felt that no matter if it was in the original story or reality, Kakashi had always treated Sasuke differently.
Private training, advanced techniques—while Naruto got nothing but *Thousand Years of Death!*
*Seriously?! Sasuke isn't even a Namikaze! He's an Uchiha! Guess it's true—bros before students, huh?*
Sasuke darted forward, dodging the spikes and plunging his Chidori into the sand sphere.
Inside, something stirred.
Shukaku, the One-Tail sealed within Gaara, sensed danger and tried to take control of his body!
A massive arm covered in purple markings burst out of the sand sphere, swinging at Sasuke.
But under the power of Chidori, it shattered instantly.
Gaara began transforming into his Tailed Beast state, and Sasuke froze in shock.
Just then, countless white feathers started falling from the sky.
Many spectators slumped over, caught in a Genjutsu, while only a handful of strong ninja remained unaffected.
The Konoha Crush had begun.
Sand shinobi launched their attack, throwing the entire arena into chaos.
The Third Hokage turned sharply to the Kazekage sitting beside him.
"Kazekage, what is the meaning of this?! Are you trying to start a war between our nations?!"
The Kazekage smirked.
Then, his face twisted and changed, revealing his true identity—Orochimaru.
Licking the corner of his mouth, he gazed at Hiruzen with a sinister smile.
"Hiruzen-sensei, you're getting old. It's time for you to step down."
The Third Hokage's eyes widened in shock before filling with sorrow.
"Orochimaru… I never thought you would go this far."
"I should never have let you escape back then!"
Orochimaru chuckled.
"Haha… Hiruzen-sensei, Konoha is already rotting from the inside. Its defenses are so weak that even enemies can walk in without being noticed!"
"Then let me change everything!"
But suddenly, a familiar voice spoke from behind Hiruzen.
"Orochimaru, I never expected you to come back!"
A silver-haired ninja appeared behind the Third Hokage—it was Jiraiya!
Orochimaru grinned as he looked at Jiraiya. "Didn't think a loser like you would come back either!"
Jiraiya, who had always hoped to bring Orochimaru back, looked at him with pleading eyes.
"Stop, Orochimaru. You can't win this!"
"Oh? Is that so? I don't believe you."
"You guys have fun here. I'm going to finish what I was ordered to do!"
With that, Orochimaru turned to leave. Jiraiya stepped forward to stop him, but a shadowy figure suddenly appeared and blocked his path.
The Third Hokage stared in shock at the people before him.
"The First?! The Second?! The Fourth Kazekage?! Orochimaru, you dare to toy with the souls of the dead?! This is unforgivable!"
The resurrected Hokages no longer had emotions—they were completely under Orochimaru's control.
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