"Naruto… what are you going to do next?"
Rock Lee watched as Gaara's absolute defense took form once again. He immediately understood something crucial.
During the Chūnin Exam preliminaries, the only reason he had managed to injure Gaara was sheer luck. Gaara hadn't reacted in time.
If this absolute defense had been in play during their fight, he wouldn't have stood a chance.
"As expected," Rock Lee muttered in frustration, "without ninjutsu, you can't truly call yourself a ninja."
Not far away, Uchiha Sasuke was silently calculating.
If I were to face Gaara now… what would my chances be?
Chidori had grown much more powerful under Kakashi's guidance. He knew this technique might be able to pierce through Gaara's sand.
Thinking of this, Sasuke narrowed his eyes and snorted coldly.
"None of them are a match for me," he muttered with quiet arrogance.
Meanwhile, Uzumaki Naruto suddenly gathered a massive amount of chakra. His hands began forming seals rapidly.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
As soon as the words left Naruto's mouth, a massive sea of flames erupted and surged toward Gaara, engulfing him in a blazing inferno.
"Wait… isn't that the Great Fireball Technique, a C-rank jutsu?" Sasuke was dumbfounded.
As a member of the Uchiha clan, known for its mastery of fire-style techniques, he had every right to be proud.
But the fireball Naruto had just unleashed… was far more powerful than any flame-based jutsu Sasuke had ever seen.
"That's no C-rank jutsu… that's A-rank at the very least!"
Sasuke clenched his fists tightly, his pride taking a direct hit.
Can I… do something like that?
The answer echoed in his heart before he could even complete the thought—No, not yet.
---
Kage Watching Dimension – Reactions
Hatake Kakashi furrowed his brow. "That Fire Style jutsu… does that mean Naruto in this world is a fire-style ninja?"
Ohnoki spoke up next. "He's already shown lightning, wind, and now fire. That Naruto has mastered three chakra natures!"
Terumi Mei crossed her arms and smiled confidently. "It's rare, but not unheard of."
Of course, she had every right to speak with authority. Not only did she rival Tsunade in strength—both as a shinobi and, debatably, in certain physical attributes—but her chakra control and jutsu expertise were top-tier.
She was a powerful kunoichi proficient in three chakra attributes: Water, Fire, and Earth.
The Fourth Raikage added thoughtfully, "I don't think it ends there. I've got a feeling Naruto has mastered all five chakra nature transformations. If he uses Earth or Water next, I won't even be surprised."
Uzumaki Naruto, meanwhile, scratched his head in confusion.
"Uh… what are you all talking about? I don't get it."
He looked completely lost.
Chakra attributes?
What's that?
Even now, Naruto didn't know his own chakra nature. Even Rasengan, the strongest technique in his arsenal, had no chakra attribute—it was pure chakra manipulation.
Nara Shikamaru blinked in disbelief. "Wait… you defeated Hyuga Neji, and you don't even know about chakra nature transformation?"
He couldn't help but feel puzzled.
Just what did Kakashi-sensei teach him?
And if not Kakashi, then what about Jiraiya?
These were basic fundamentals any ninja should know—especially those from major clans. Most genin from the Nara, Yamanaka, or Akimichi clans learned about chakra natures early on.
Mastering your own chakra attribute was crucial to increasing the power of your techniques. For example, Sasuke's lightning-based ninjutsu became stronger thanks to his natural affinity for it.
But… the more Shikamaru thought about it, the more he had to accept the truth.
This is Naruto we're talking about…
He relied on sheer recklessness. There was no chakra strategy. Just raw willpower and—
"The Nine Tails should pay rent!" Shikamaru muttered sarcastically.
Still, he couldn't deny one thing—being a Jinchūriki was convenient.
---
Back to the Arena
Under the terrifying pressure of Naruto's Great Fireball Technique, Gaara looked like a roasted cocoon.
Although he didn't suffer any physical injuries, the temperature inside his sand armor had risen rapidly.
Sand conducts heat well. The heat was now trapped inside, making him feel like he was suffocating.
Gaara's consciousness wavered. Sweat drenched his entire body. He struggled to remain conscious.
"Desert Funeral!"
With a roar, Gaara unleashed a huge wave of sand that surged out in every direction.
The fire around him was immediately extinguished by the sheer force and volume of the sand.
Although he managed to save himself from being roasted alive, the rapid consumption of chakra weakened his absolute defense—creating a momentary opening.
Naruto saw it and reacted instantly.
BAM!
He delivered a powerful kick straight into Gaara's side just as the sand tried to reform around him.
The kick shattered the remaining sand armor and sent Gaara flying into the arena wall.
"You're just a weak little raccoon cat," Naruto said coldly, deliberately provoking him.
This wasn't even a warm-up.
Finally, Gaara snapped.
"Uzumaki Naruto!!!"
"I'm going to kill you!!!"
The gourd on his back exploded in a cloud of sand.
The grains of sand surged forward and wrapped around his body like armor. His face twisted with rage and madness, his limbs transforming—arms into massive claws.
He no longer looked human.
Naruto smirked. "There you go. Let it all out, Gaara. Show me everything!"
---
Audience Panic
Temari and Kankuro were horrified.
"No… Gaara is transforming into a Tailed Beast!" Temari shouted.
Although it wasn't a full transformation, Gaara had already reached the half-tailed beast stage—dangerously close to losing control.
Guard Captain Baki was nowhere to be seen.
If Gaara lost control now, no one would be able to stop him.
Kankuro looked toward the viewing stand, his gaze settling on the Fourth Kazekage.
"Why… why isn't he doing anything?!"
While Kankuro panicked, Temari's eyes locked onto Naruto.
Please… don't hurt Gaara…
She knew Naruto couldn't hear her, but she still prayed silently.
Despite everything—despite Gaara's cruel, unfeeling nature—he was still her brother. A brother she wanted to protect.
None of this was Gaara's fault.
It was the Hidden Sand Village that had treated him like a monster… that had sacrificed him.
If it meant saving her brother… she would do anything.
---
The Political Crisis Unfolds
Up in the viewing platform, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a deep sense of unease.
The daimyō of various nations were present. They were civilians—not shinobi.
If anything went wrong here, the Land of Fire and the entire Hidden Leaf Village would be blamed.
He turned to the Kazekage, preparing to call off the match.
But the Kazekage stopped him.
"There's no need to rush, old man," he said with a strange smile. "The fun has just begun."
Sarutobi narrowed his eyes.
That voice… it was wrong. Feminine… yet familiar.
His heart skipped a beat.
No… it couldn't be…
"You… you're…"
The Kazekage's disguise dissolved in his mind, replaced by a much more terrifying figure.
"Orochimaru!!!"
---
To be continued…