Chapter 38: He Will Win!

At this moment, the third exam proctor, Gekkō Hayate, stood at the edge of the arena, his expression grave, his heart a tangle of conflicting emotions.

His gaze shifted back and forth between Rojie and Gaara, unsure whether he should end the match immediately.

According to the rules, that little boy from the Hidden Sand Village had not surrendered, so logically he had no reason to intervene.

Yet the power of Rojie’s ninjutsu before him was terrifying—this colossal sand sphere, if it truly crashed down, would surely kill someone.

Though ninjas aren’t children playing house, casualties during the Chunin Exams were not uncommon.

But today was different: the Kazekage of the Hidden Sand Village sat right there in the stands.

If someone died, wouldn’t that make the big shots lose face?

Gekkō Hayate weighed the pros and cons in his mind, trapped in an impossible dilemma.

Forget it.

After much deliberation, Gekkō Hayate ultimately chose to do nothing.

He was merely a Special Jonin; what could he possibly do against a Hidden Leaf genin—the strongest creature in the ninja world?

Even if he acted, he couldn’t save that little Sand Village boy.

Besides, the Hokage himself was here; if the sky fell, the tall ones would hold it up—why should he stick his neck out?

This was the self-discipline of a Special Jonin.

At that moment, Rojie stood with arms crossed, overlooking the battlefield; somehow, he had already stepped onto the sand and floated into the air.

How many floors do Itachi carry a sack of rice up?

Two floors!

Shinra Tensei… Tenkai Chinsei!

This was the real Hidden Leaf Destruction Plan.

Orochimaru’s plan was just child’s play.

To truly destroy the Hidden Leaf, Itachi need a Hidden Leaf genin.

The next instant, the massive sand sphere slammed into the ground with unstoppable force.

In an instant, the earth shook and the entire arena trembled violently; the impact triggered a terrifying storm.

The powerful winds surged like a roaring beast, sweeping wildly toward the surrounding spectator stands.

The spectators, caught off guard, panicked in terror.

They clung desperately to their seats, their bodies violently shaken by the gales; some unlucky ones were even blown into the air.

When the winds finally subsided, all eyes turned to the center of the sand sphere’s impact.

There, a terrifying crater had appeared; vast amounts of sand exploded outward from the blast, then quickly collapsed back in, filling the entire pit.

For a moment, dust choked the arena’s center, and silence reigned.

“Is he dead?”

Spectators just recovering from the genin battle’s aftermath, hearts trembling, turned their gazes toward Rojie’s opponent.

Was that poor Sand Village boy, Gaara, alive or dead?

Even Temari and Kankuro, standing on the second-floor balcony, now stared anxiously toward the crater, searching for their little brother’s figure.

Though their brother Gaara was a monster.

Clearly, Rojie from the Hidden Leaf was an even more terrifying monster.

They couldn’t help but fear for Gaara’s safety.

Just as everyone was filled with doubt and unease, a vast and terrifying chakra erupted violently from the crater.

That chakra carried an oppressive weight, instantly flooding the entire arena.

“That’s…”

Hiruzen Sarutobi’s previously calm face instantly turned grim.

His brows knitted tightly, a flicker of wariness in his eyes.

“Bōhō, that’s a Tailed Beast jinchuriki!”

In the crater’s center, Gaara’s body burst outward as if pushed by an invisible force, swelling rapidly.

Vast quantities of sand gushed from him like a violent geyser.

His chakra surged upward at a horrifying rate.

Simultaneously, Gaara’s form began to change.

His once-fine features twisted, his facial features blurred, his limbs lengthened and thickened.

Yes, the little fox demon was truly transforming into a fox… the One-Tail, Shukaku.

In the blink of an eye, Gaara’s body had fully completed its Tailed Beast transformation.

Shukaku’s massive body stood proudly atop the arena.

Its body loomed like a mountain, its thick limbs planted firmly on the ground; each step caused the earth to collapse like fragile paper.

Its thick tail swung wildly through the air, as if a single flick could shatter the surrounding stands.

Nirvana Essence Technique!

As Shukaku appeared, countless dreamlike white feathers drifted down like snow from above the stands.

The spectators, who had just been shouting loudly, instantly closed their eyes and fell into unconsciousness upon touching the white feathers.

“Fourth Kazekage, what is the meaning of this?”

Hiruzen Sarutobi noticed the changes around him and whirled to face the Kazekage beside him, his gaze filled with warning.

A surge of anger rose within him.

But Orochimaru paid no heed to Hiruzen’s accusation; he merely sighed to himself.

“Third Hokage, no—my beloved teacher—Itachi’ve grown even more senile.”

As he spoke, he slowly raised his hand and peeled off his face.

With the disguise gone, Orochimaru’s signature pale face and eerie vertical pupils were exposed before Hiruzen Sarutobi.

“Itachi’re…”

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at the familiar yet alien face, stunned.

He never imagined his most brilliant former student would disguise himself as the Kazekage, lurking beside him, plotting a conspiracy against the Hidden Leaf.

At that moment, four Hidden Sound ninjas hidden nearby suddenly appeared, swiftly surrounding the two.

Ambush!

It was a despicable ambush!

The four swiftly formed hand seals and shouted in unison: “Shi Shien Jutsu!”

Instantly, a rectangular barrier of translucent purple flame erupted, engulfing Hiruzen Sarutobi and Orochimaru.

Poor old Third Hokage is trapped.

The Hidden Leaf Anbu who rushed over, seeing the barrier before them, wore expressions of desperate anxiety.

They tried to charge in and rescue the Hokage, but the purple barrier blocked them.

Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at the roaring Shukaku outside the barrier, then at the Hidden Sound ninjas around him, and sighed softly.

Slowly, he removed the Hokage robe symbolizing his position, revealing the old man’s happy armor beneath.

In truth, ever since Orochimaru’s trail had appeared in the Forest of Death, Hiruzen Sarutobi had suspected his rebellious student would act during the Chunin Exams.

Added to that, his close friend Danzō had been unusually quiet lately.

Even with a genius like Rojie appearing in the village, Danzō had taken no action.

Knowing Danzō well, this only strengthened Hiruzen’s suspicions.

He sensed Danzō likely knew of this—and perhaps even participated.

Thus, Hiruzen Sarutobi had been prepared all along.

The only thing he hadn’t anticipated was that the Fourth Kazekage sitting beside him was Orochimaru in disguise.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath, steadying his bitter emotions, then shouted to the Anbu outside the barrier:

“Don’t worry—go evacuate the spectators and protect the village.”

“It won’t take long—I’ll deal with Orochimaru myself!”

He had staked the honor of the Hokage, and would bear the trust of everyone.

At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi had only one thought.

He will win!

Because he is the Monkey God… the strongest Hokage of all generations!

(End of Chapter)