Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 79 The Konoha Crush Plan Begins

Neji was defeated without a doubt, and without a trace of resentment. The Dark Travel Technique created a pitch-black area that enveloped the entire arena; few could withstand such a genjutsu that consumed so much chakra. Therefore, no one actually saw how Neji lost; all they saw was Neji lying on the ground.

The battle was exciting enough, and the victor took the initiative to extend his hand. They had just had a friendly spar, stopping short of a fight and shaking hands to make peace afterwards. They even followed tradition and sealed each other with a seal of reconciliation before helping each other off the field.

The second match was Kankuro vs. Shino Aburame. Kankuro once again chose to forfeit, which meant that his sister Temari had to fight Nara Shikamaru.

"Sasuke, who do you think will win?" The victor, unharmed, naturally came to the rest room. He hadn't had the chance to watch a match alongside Sasuke in his past life, and he certainly couldn't miss it this time. Strangely, Sasuke wasn't late this time, but the order of the matches was the same as before. Perhaps this was true fate. Shikamaru is really lucky!

“That female ninja,” Sasuke analyzed based on the two’s strengths in ninjutsu. “The Shadow Imitation Technique has a range limitation, while the Sand Village female ninja is a Wind Release ninja who excels in long-range attacks. Shikamaru will have a hard time controlling her.”

Naruto stroked his chin, his smile a mix of smugness and brilliance. "That's not necessarily true. Shikamaru has always been quick-witted."

"What kind of expression is that...?"

This battle was equally exciting. Temari's Wind Release was powerful, initially forcing Shikamaru into a retreat. However, Temari, skilled in creating artificial wonders, had left behind numerous cover structures, including a semi-dry mud pit. Shikamaru fully utilized these wonders, skillfully guiding Temari's attention to the bait she had thrown out. His true killing move, however, was the cave Naruto had emerged from underground to stop Neji!

"He actually figured out exactly where I started burrowing underground and then used explosive tags to blast open the hole... Well, it seems Shikamaru won't have an easy time winning without me~" Naruto saw the exact same tactics as in his previous life again, found it funny, and also indulged in a bit of narcissism in front of Sasuke.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at him as expected, "He would have found another way even without you."

"Who just said Shikamaru couldn't win?!"

Shikamaru didn't win, but he voluntarily conceded after controlling his opponent, losing with considerable grace, earning him a standing ovation. However, after this match, it would be Sasuke and Gaara's turn, which also meant… the invasion was about to begin!

"Go for it, Sasuke!" Naruto smiled and saw Sasuke off. The moment the two arrived, the atmosphere became tense.

At this moment, Naruto was unaware that the main reason for the tense situation was that Gaara had tried several times to strike up a conversation but failed to overcome his mental defenses or find a suitable opportunity. Therefore, Gaara's resentment when he entered the fray was intense, and it was all directed at Sasuke, who had diverted Naruto's attention.

"Lord Jinlun! Akatsuki has invaded the eastern defense line of the Land of Owls! The enemy are puppeteers, and judging by their appearance, they can control over a hundred puppets! Even with our forces, the defense line is about to collapse!"

Did it have to come at such a crucial time?

Sasori of the Red Sand is attacking the Land of Owls. Activate Contingency Plan B.

[Received. Izuna, come with me.]

"Received... Couldn't it have been just an hour later? I wanted to see how Konoha's emergency response was going."

"Received. I'll take care of Izuna's target."

With a major event approaching, the three powerful figures from the Warring States period displayed a level of reliability completely different from usual; when it comes to serious matters, they are professionals!

Naruto felt slightly relieved and notified the Land of Owls that reinforcements would arrive soon. He also began to monitor the situation in the audience more closely. He was using his extraordinary senses to pinpoint hidden enemies among the spectators. Different environments nurture different people; the chakra of the Sand Village ninjas was more or less ethereal, while the chakra of the Sound Village, established only a few years ago, was very chaotic and difficult to discern. This is where Naruto's super-sensory abilities came in handy. Those who were unusually excited or nervous were most likely suspicious. He only needed to send his clones, hidden in the crowd, to secretly mark these people, allowing him to strike unexpectedly!

The battle continued, but this time Gaara was much more composed and could no longer transform into Shukaku so easily. Although he could still use Shukaku's power, he found it difficult to recreate Shukaku's form. When the ethereal sand enveloped him, he was no longer a complete sphere, but rather resembled a human figure embracing something. If it were the real Rasa, he might have seen his wife's figure in that abstract human form, but unfortunately, it wasn't him sitting on it.

Sasuke's Sharingan has indeed improved significantly. In the past, just locking onto an enemy with his Sharingan was exhausting, but now he has finally remembered that the Sharingan also has the ability to release genjutsu, and he has applied it in actual combat. Gaara was controlled twice. Although he regained his senses quickly, he was still hit several times. Finally, he obediently released his absolute defense and chose to use the Sand Eye to observe the situation, but then he was accidentally controlled again through the sand.

...No wonder the Sharingan is called the strongest bloodline limit in existence; this ability is truly impossible to defend against!

With the aid of genjutsu, Chidori tore through the barrier of absolute defense, nearly creating a hole in Gaara. Fortunately, his sand armor remained intact despite the genjutsu. As the battle below intensified, snowflakes of feathers appeared in the sight of everyone except Naruto.

Naruto couldn't see the starting signal, but he could sense the flow of chakra. He immediately turned around and used Earth Release: Earth Release. His swift and decisive action left the two Sand Village ninjas, who were already demoralized, completely unable to react.

Shino was startled, but all he did was accidentally release a few insects. He didn't question Naruto's sudden attack, but instead…

Should we kill him?

"Wait! What right do you have to attack us!"

Their response was an explosion from the highest seat; the location where the Hokage and Kazekage were situated had been attacked!

"No need, I still have questions to ask." Naruto stopped his friend from releasing the insects. His confidence stemmed from the fact that the technique he used to trap Temari and Kankuro wasn't entirely Earth Release; it was a recently devised defensive version of Lava Release that he had previously experienced. Breaking free from the bindings wouldn't be easy!

Temari and Kankuro suddenly realized that they were indeed too young, and the goodwill they had developed because of Gaara gradually turned into fear under his question.

“You had better explain what’s going on. Why are your people casting genjutsu on the stands? Why are the Sand Village troops mixed up with the Sound Village troops and gathered near the outer walls of Konoha? I will decide your life or death based on what you tell me.”