"Damn it, get down already! Your chakra's gone—what are you still hesitating for?!"
"No! Barbecue coupons… barbecue coupons…"
Inside the arena, the fight had fully turned into brutal hand-to-hand combat.
Suigetsu was gasping for breath, sweat pouring down his face.
Choji looked even worse—completely drenched, his body visibly slimmer as large amounts of fat had already been burned away.
Choji's vision was blurring.
Only one obsession remained in his mind.
Free barbecue.
Boom!
Suigetsu threw a punch—his body exploded into water.
When he re-formed, he staggered.
"Damn it… not enough chakra."
His expression changed.
"Human Boulder—!"
Choji suddenly expanded again, curled into a massive ball, and came rolling in with a thunderous roar.
"Why do you still have chakra?!" Suigetsu yelled.
He was smashed head-on.
His body rippled violently—only half of it managed to liquefy. The rest took the hit directly.
Boom!
Suigetsu crashed to the ground, chest heaving, completely unable to move.
Choji also stopped moving. His body shrank again, returning to a slim, surprisingly handsome boy.
"Can you get up?" Shiranui Genma asked, walking over to Suigetsu.
Suigetsu struggled, hands trembling against the floor, tried with everything he had—then collapsed again.
"…Barbecue coupons!"
Before Genma could even speak, Choji roared and charged again.
"Oh my god… I really lost because of barbecue," Suigetsu muttered, tears filling his eyes.
By all logic—by ability matchups—his Hydrification Technique completely countered Choji. He should've won easily.
But he never imagined Choji's obsession with food could be this terrifying.
When chakra ran out, Choji burned fat.
When fat ran low, he kept going anyway.
"The winner is decided! Victory goes to Konoha Village—Akimichi Choji!"
Genma grabbed Choji and announced it loudly.
"What about the barbecue coupons?" Choji asked weakly.
"Here! You think I'd go back on my word?" the barbecue shop owner shouted from the stands. "Not just one month—I'll give you another half month free!"
Choji stared blankly.
The shop owner laughed loudly, heroic and proud.
Choji finally relaxed—and promptly collapsed unconscious.
"Hahaha! Mizukage-sama, sorry about that—Konoha wins another match."
Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't hide his smile. The joy on his face was unmistakable.
Too many surprises had come in a row.
He was starting to float.
Yagura frowned but said nothing.
Kirigakure was effectively eliminated.
He didn't blame Chojuro or Suigetsu—both had clearly given everything they had. One was simply outmatched; the other had lost to sheer madness.
Onoki and the Fourth Raikage both felt the pressure rising.
Next was Temari of Sunagakure versus Omoi of Kumogakure.
Raikage was tense. Cloud had already lost once—if Omoi lost too, his face would be completely gone.
Onoki was just as uneasy. Next after this would be Kurotsuchi, Iwagakure's last hope.
They couldn't afford another loss.
"Kazekage-sama… are we moving?" a Sand Jonin asked quietly behind Rasa.
"Not yet," Rasa replied coldly. "It's not Gaara's turn. Without the tailed beast involved, Konoha can't be thrown into chaos."
"…Understood."
The Sand Jonin stepped back, resuming his role as guard.
A Rock Jonin nearby glanced at him suspiciously.
"What are you Sand ninja planning?"
In the arena, Temari and Omoi took their positions.
"Match start!"
"Wind Style—Sickle Weasel!"
"Body Flicker!"
Temari snapped her iron fan open.
A violent storm exploded outward, countless wind blades tearing through the air.
Omoi vanished instantly, moving at extreme speed.
"Wind Style—Air Barrage!"
"Cloud Flow—Three Suns and Moons!"
Dust filled the arena. Their figures flickered in and out of sight. Weapon clashes rang out, shockwaves rippling through the air.
"These two are strong."
"They say Sunagakure declined, but this doesn't look weak at all."
"The Sand kunoichi is powerful, but I'm betting on Omoi—he's calmer, more precise."
The crowd buzzed with excitement.
In the stands, an ANBU quietly appeared beside Kakashi.
"What is it?"
"This intelligence is from Uzumaki-sama. It lists all spies hidden in the audience. He requests that Kakashi-sama discreetly pass it to the Jonin present so they can be captured in one sweep when the signal comes."
"…Understood."
The ANBU vanished.
Kakashi glanced at the list. His eye twitched.
That's a lot.
"Yo, Kakashi! See that? My disciple's amazing, right? Hahaha! I'm sure he'll take first place!"
Might Guy stood proudly in front of him.
"Yes. Congratulations," Kakashi replied calmly.
"Though… my student is already a Jonin."
"Damn it, Kakashi! Can you stop stabbing me with that every time?!"
"Sorry. That's all I've got."
The two continued bickering as usual—one blazing hot, the other deadpan.
Quietly, Kakashi passed the information on.
Guy read it. His brows furrowed—then relaxed.
Asuma, Kurenai, and the other Jonin received the intel as well.
None of them reacted outwardly.
But inside, they were shaken.
Jiraiya and Tsunade read the files too, scanning the crowd carefully, matching faces to names.
At first glance, they looked like ordinary spectators.
But if you looked closely—
Their eyes were cold.
Their bodies tense.
Power coiled inside them, waiting to explode.
The information was accurate.
"That Naruto… how did he gather all this?" Jiraiya muttered. "So many people, so much chaos—finding spies like this shouldn't be possible."
"He's always been a mystery," Tsunade replied. "At this point, nothing about him surprises me anymore."
They exchanged looks, both shaken.
The more Naruto revealed, the deeper he seemed.
Like the deep sea.
The more you dive, the more terrifying it becomes.
A twelve-year-old boy like that…
If he truly became Hokage—
Would it be a blessing?
Or something far more dangerous?
Neither Jiraiya nor Tsunade had an answer.
Their hearts were heavy.
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