Starts In Konoha: Unlocking Shadow Clone

The Sand Armor began to crumble piece by piece, dropping the embedded weapons to the ground with a series of sharp clinking sounds.

"What other tricks do you have? Feel free to use them. If you have nothing left, it's my turn!"

Gaara waved his hand and the sand condensed again.

The sand that had been baptized by blood became more and more agitated, with a faint layer of red mist floating around, emitting a metallic, bloody scent.

"Sigh…!"

Tenten exhaled deeply, then raised her right hand and said, "I... surrender!"

There was no helping it. Even her strongest attack couldn't break Gaara's defense. If she continued fighting, she would just be abused.

Now that she has shown all the results of her training, she is already very satisfied.

"Fifth match, winner, Gaara!"

Hayate announced.

With a flicker, Tenten returned to the stands, leaving Gaara on the field, who is visibly agitated and unable to release his pent-up energy.

Looking at Tenten who came back to the stands, Naruto was a little speechless.

'Wow, she showed off for a long time and then ran away after being satisfied. She was not even beaten after showing off. She is really capable.'

'If this had been the old, unsoftened Gaara, he would have likely erupted in fury long ago.'

Nevertheless, the battle had been a thrilling display of ninja skill. Both Gaara's Absolute Defense and Tenten's technique had delivered an incredible spectacle for the crowd, who applauded with enthusiasm.

Whoosh!

Gaara returned to the stands, his gaze turning red as he fixed his eyes on the smug Tenten.

"Okay, okay, don't be angry. Anger is harmful to your health. There's no need to be so hard on yourself. There's still the next match for you to let loose."

Naruto said, patting Gaara's shoulder, "And if that's still not enough, I'll treat you to a big meal after the matches."

"It's a deal!"

The anger in Gaara's eyes disappeared instantly, and he sat down with a rare look of contentment.

Seeing this, Naruto felt a chill in his heart. He always felt that Gaara had evil intentions towards him.

'What is he plotting? I don't like men!'

Of course, it was just as likely that Gaara felt grateful to him for bringing him a sense of belonging and for freeing him from Shukaku's torment, making him eager to stay close.

Seeing Kankuro and Temari coming over to check on Gaara, Naruto turned his attention back to Tenten.

Tenten sighed, "What a pity… I almost had it."

Guy pumped a fist and said, "Tenten, the road of youth is filled with bumps! Falling, then rising stronger… this is the essence of youth!"

Hearing this, Naruto couldn't help but shake his head speechlessly.

'Why can't Guy talk normally? Everything with him has to be about 'youth' and fiery spirit… he's a total hot-blooded nutcase.'

Then, he walked towards Tenten, patted Tenten's shoulder, and encouraged her, "Tenten, you have done very well. Against any other opponent, your technique would've won you the match. Choosing to concede was smart too. Remember this for future missions: seize the advantage, and if things look too risky, prioritize your safety. Losing isn't what matters, staying alive is. As long as you live, you'll always have chances to improve and make up for any past mistakes."

"I understand."

Tenten nodded firmly. She was very grateful to Naruto. If not for the grueling training regimen he set, she would never have reached this level. This visible progress alone had already filled her with satisfaction.

In fact, what she wanted was just a word of encouragement.

"Hiss~~~Hu~~~"

At this moment, Lee suddenly took a deep breath, his sudden movement earning him a solid punch from Guy, "Lee, what are you doing?"

Lee, rubbing his head in pain, explained, "Neji and Tenten have both proven themselves, and now I'm the only one from Team 3 who hasn't fought. I'll be up soon, and I'm going to showcase my training results. Not only that, but I'll secure the first victory for Team 3 and make you proud, Guy-sensei!"

"Good spirit, Lee! Go for it!" Guy nodded approvingly.

Although both Neji and Tenten had performed admirably, there was no denying that they both lost. Two people from Team 7, which is led by Kakashi, have already won, which stirred Guy's competitive nature.

"Sixth match, Rock Lee versus Haruno Sakura. Please come down and prepare!"

After the arena was repaired using Earth Release, Hayate announced the next match.

"Don't worry, Guy-sensei! I won't let you down!"

Lee flashed a thumbs-up and his signature smile, preparing to dash to the arena.

"Wait!"

Naruto stopped Lee and said, "Don't be so quick to show off this match. According to the match order, if you win this round, you'll be up against Gaara in the next one. You've seen his formidable defense. I'm not lying when I say that Gaara's strength goes far beyond what he's shown. Conserve your energy for that fight."

"So, what should I do in this match?" Lee asked in confusion.

Naruto pulled out a Poke Ball and placed it in Lee's hand, "Use this."

"What's this?" Lee asked in doubts.

Naruto explained, "It's a summoning-like device. Just press the button and toss it, and Squirtle will appear."

"What an amazing device! I was wondering why you hadn't brought Squirtle along. In that case, thank you in advance."

Lee said, accepting the Poke Ball without hesitation and charging toward the arena.

Neither Guy nor Tenten voiced any objections when they saw this.

They knew Naruto's intention well enough. Sakura had once insulted Squirtle, calling it a vile beast. It was clear Naruto planned to let Squirtle settle the score personally.

Over the past month, they'd all witnessed Squirtle's transformation, from a novice to a trained fighter. They had grown to respect and admire Squirtle's determination.

So now, allowing Squirtle to defeat Sakura before everyone's eyes was indeed the best approach.

"By the way, Naruto, you..."

Tenten wanted to say something else but when she turned around, she found that Naruto was already gone.

A full ten minutes passed before Naruto strolled back to the stands, just in time for the match's start.

"Where did you go just now?" Tenten asked.

"Of course I went to the bathroom, but why were you looking for me in such a hurry?" Naruto asked casually.

Tenten frowned and said, "Although Squirtle has made rapid progress, it's still only been a month of training. What if Squirtle loses? Wouldn't that just traumatize it again?"

Naruto waved his hand and said, "Don't worry, it won't happen. Lee is not a fool. If things go south for Squirtle, Lee will definitely step in."

Of course, didn't actually expect Squirtle to lose, and he felt certain of its victory.

As for his brief disappearance, going to the bathroom was only a cover. He had actually gone to discuss something with Sandaime.

But as usual, Sandaime had downplayed the matter, preferring a gradual approach to managing public opinion. Naruto, however, was running out of patience. Today's match was the perfect stage for stirring things up.

Since Sandaime wanted to stall, Naruto had no qualms about taking matters into his own hands. This time, he was determined to make sure Sakura would face complete social death...