Chapter 57: Chapter 57
Gaara's murderous intent was nearly tangible, but it wasn't aimed at Uzumaki Zixu. His bloodlust was directed without restraint toward the veiled Kazekage on the podium.
If possible, he would rather kill the so-called "loving father" who had turned him into nothing more than a weapon.
At some point, Aburame Hatsuizumi and Hyuga Chinano had silently left the arena. Even Hyuga Neji had departed with them. However, in such a massive venue, a few people leaving wasn't particularly noticeable.
Right now, most of the village's combat forces were gathered here. If there was ever a time to act, it was now.
---
The Plan in Motion
Chinano and Neji swiftly returned to the Hyuga Compound, where a group from the branch family was already waiting, fully prepared. The moment they saw Chinano arrive, they understood what was about to happen.
Meanwhile, Hatsuizumi did not return to the Aburame Clan. Instead, she pulled Karin along with her, already having packed her insects in advance.
To her, this was nothing less than an adventure—one she was thrilled to embark on.
Karin, however, was utterly confused. Adjusting her glasses, which were slipping due to their rapid movements, she stammered,
"Where… where exactly are we going?"
Hatsuizumi chuckled, adjusting her own glasses as well.
"Of course, we're running away." She grinned. "Zixu said that in the future, we'll be building our own organization… even our own village. What do you think? Just imagining it gets me pumped!"
Karin froze, taking a moment to process the words before responding weakly,
"Then… wouldn't that make us rogue ninja?"
Hatsuizumi tilted her head, pondering for a second before shrugging.
"Rogue ninja? Hmm… Zixu said we're not to be called that. We're 'revolutionaries' or something like that. Whatever, doesn't really matter to me."
Karin, still adjusting to her recent peaceful life, sighed. It seemed those days were already coming to an end. Whether she should feel relieved or anxious, she wasn't sure.
---
"The match begins!"
Genma Shiranui blew the whistle, officially announcing the start of the fight.
Gaara immediately released a tidal wave of sand, his chakra-infused grains spreading across the arena like a bloodstained desert. Even the audience could feel the oppressive force from a distance.
Uzumaki Zixu stretched his arms, loosening up. The tension in the air was thick, but he remained relaxed. His shirt, now completely torn open, revealed dark-red tattoos that had unknowingly appeared on his body. He clenched his fists.
A sudden surge of wind erupted around him.
"Kamaitachi no Yaiba!" (Sickle Weasel Blades!)
A barrage of razor-sharp wind blades shot out like shockwaves, cutting through the sand defenses Gaara had conjured. The speed was terrifying, and the sheer sharpness of the attack effortlessly penetrated the sand's barrier, slicing straight toward Gaara.
Gaara quickly compressed his sand, forming an ultra-dense shield as thick as a fortress gate.
But Gaara's defenses had never worked against Zixu.
The wind blades tore through the barrier as if it were nothing more than paper. Even the hyper-compressed sand, hardened to the extreme, was cleaved apart like tofu. The attack stopped barely half an inch from Gaara's throat before dissipating.
Cold sweat dripped down Gaara's forehead.
He had been a hair's breadth away from death.
What he couldn't understand was why Zixu had canceled his attack at the last moment.
Regardless of the reason, he had been spared.
---
Zixu frowned slightly.
"Why the hell is Kabuto taking so long? Guess we'll have to wait a bit more."
Meanwhile, the crowd was ecstatic.
They had no idea Zixu had held back. All they saw was an intense clash between equals—blades of wind and walls of sand. Compared to the one-sided fights earlier, this was a spectacle.
On the high platform, Sarutobi Hiruzen narrowed his eyes.
"This boy… isn't his chakra nature supposed to be lightning? How is he wielding wind techniques with such mastery?"
The Kazekage—who was, in reality, Orochimaru in disguise—watched with interest.
"Konoha's new generation… quite impressive."
"Yes, far too impressive," Hiruzen replied, though his polite smile concealed his growing wariness.
Meanwhile, down in the arena, Gaara touched the small cut on his neck, staring at the blood on his fingers.
His expression twisted into something unhinged, his body trembling with barely contained madness.
Zixu sighed.
"Yeah… this guy needs to be disciplined. Suppressing him isn't going to work anymore."
Gaara's body was suddenly encased in a sphere of sand, leaving only a small opening for his eye.
Zixu exhaled, shaking his hands loose.
"Guess I'll have to beat him back into shape."
But before the battle could continue, something strange happened.
The once-roaring crowd fell silent.
Snow-white feathers began to descend from the sky like falling sakura petals. One by one, the spectators—including civilians and ninja alike—closed their eyes and collapsed into a deep sleep.
The "Nehan Shōja no Jutsu" (Temple of Nirvana Technique) had taken effect.
Kabuto—who had cast the genjutsu—was now crouched on the ground, gasping for breath. The technique had drained him considerably.
Outside the village, Sound and Sand ninja received the signal. Konoha's defenses were breached. They stormed into the arena, heading straight for their true target—Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Zixu smirked slightly.
"It's time."
Scanning the area, he noted that Hatake Kakashi and Might Guy were still awake, standing guard.
Kakashi instructed Sakura to wake Naruto and Sasuke while he and Guy moved to intercept the incoming enemies.
On the high platform, Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly rose, his expression grim as he turned to the veiled Kazekage.
"So this is what Suna calls 'peace negotiations'?"
Orochimaru, still disguised, simply smirked.
The tension reached its peak.
As Anbu rushed to protect Hiruzen, a sudden burst of smoke filled the area. When it cleared, four Sound ninja had surrounded the platform, hands forming seals in perfect synchronization.
"Shishienjin!" (Four Purple Flame Formation!)
A massive, rectangular barrier of purple fire materialized, isolating the Kazekage and the Hokage inside. The flames flickered with a deadly aura, forming an impassable prison.
One foolish Anbu attempted to breach the barrier. The instant he touched it, he was engulfed in violet flames, burning alive within moments.
Orochimaru pressed a kunai against Hiruzen's throat, tightening his grip.
The once-proud leader of Konoha… now a prisoner in his own village.
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