Chapter Twenty-Five: The Plan, Set in Motion!

Early the next morning, everyone scattered across the Hidden Leaf Village, lying in wait without being detected by patrolling shinobi.

Hao Yun led the Twelve Young Prodigies to the training arena, where they waited for the tournament to begin.

By mid-morning, the feudal lords of the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind arrived with their families. Ministers, their relatives, and the audience had all taken their seats. The third match was about to commence!

After enduring a series of mind-numbing speeches, the host, Hayate Gekkō—who, having not uncovered Orochimaru and Baki’s plot, was still alive—leaped onto the stage to announce the first bout!

“Now, let’s welcome our first contestants to the arena!”

“They are: from the Hidden Leaf Village, a formidable member of the Uchiha Clan—Sasuke Uchiha! And from the Land of Wind, the son of the Kazekage in the Hidden Sand Village—Gaara!”

Cheers erupted from the stands. Sasuke glanced coldly in the direction of the Third Hokage… Hmph, he felt no sympathy for the old man! His only regret was that he would have to deal with Danzo soon and wouldn’t witness the Third’s demise with his own eyes.

Though, out of respect for his instructor Tsunade, he couldn’t act directly… the Third, the shadowy perpetrator who tacitly allowed Danzo’s schemes, was just as guilty in the massacre of the Uchiha Clan!

With a single leap, Sasuke landed in the arena at a speed invisible to ordinary eyes—leaving a massive crater beneath his feet.

Cracks radiated from the impact, splitting the earth around him. Simply by appearing, Sasuke displayed his overwhelming strength.

In the stands, Baki’s brow twitched as a sense of foreboding washed over him. If a mere Genin possessed nearly Kage-level physical power, could they truly hope to seize enough resources in their assault on the Leaf?

He hadn’t forgotten the intelligence he’d gathered in recent days: there were twelve children like Sasuke in the Leaf! They were hailed as the future hope of the village—the Twelve Prodigies of the Jade Era!

He grabbed Gaara, who was moving toward the arena, his tone more serious than ever before.

“Be careful. Your opponent is strong.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t lose to anyone.”

Gaara replied haughtily. His undefeated record in the Hidden Sand gave him boundless confidence when facing any unknown challenger.

He patted the gourd on his back—sand surged out, forming a golden cloud that carried Gaara to the center of the arena.

On the central dais, the Third Hokage stroked his beard with satisfaction and boasted to the Kazekage about the children of his village.

“Rasa, our young ones are impressive, aren’t they? Who do you think will win this match, Gaara or Sasuke?”

A low voice emerged from beneath the Kazekage’s cloak. “I know this child—an Uchiha. What a pity that such a powerful clan is now reduced to a single orphan.”

The Kazekage’s words left Hiruzen Sarutobi speechless. Curse him—was there any need to rip open old wounds so bluntly?

Besides, the Leaf had so many talented clans—losing one or two meant little! Unlike the Sand, whose only legacy was puppet mastery, lacking in true powerhouses.

Of course, though he raged inwardly, his heart bled. Who could have guessed that, back then, Danzo would truly annihilate the Uchiha Clan, leaving not a single child behind?

Down in the arena, Gaara and Sasuke cared nothing for the opinions of others. Their gazes had long since locked, each fixed solely on the other.

Hayate Gekkō glanced at Sasuke, then at Gaara. With a swift gesture, he signaled the start of the match and leapt back.

“First bout—begin!”

“Ninjutsu: Sand Burial!”

Though proud, Gaara would never underestimate someone even his sensei had warned him about. From the very first move, he unleashed his ultimate technique, unfazed by the chakra it consumed.

A sandstorm erupted on the arena floor, blinding all sight. Countless grains of sand surged, relentlessly crushing toward Sasuke.

Sasuke’s lips curled into a faint smile. Going all out from the start? He could do the same.

“Rinnegan: Almighty Push!”

Sasuke’s eyes spun, the tomoe whirling wildly in his Sharingan. In less than a tenth of a second, his visual power exploded—his tomoe morphed into swirling threads, tightly winding around his pupils.

With a raised right hand, he clenched his fist—an immense repulsive force burst from his body! Not only did Gaara’s sand fail to crush him, it was blasted away, clearing the sky.

Gaara was sent flying backward over ten meters, landing on one knee and carving a deep furrow in the ground.

On the high platform, the Third Hokage sprang to his feet in terror. Sasuke’s eyes… had mutated?

“Sensei, do you remember the day you cast me out of the Leaf? Today, I’ve come for you.”

Before the Third could respond, the Kazekage beside him lifted his hat, revealing a cold and sinister face. Though his appearance was no longer that of Orochimaru’s true form, his aura and the way he spoke left the Third with no doubt as to his identity.

“Orochimaru, you—”

“Move!”

“Ninjutsu: Temple of Nirvana!”

Orochimaru gave the Third no chance to speak. Hidden Sand shinobi, long lying in wait around the arena, suddenly appeared, unleashing the C-rank genjutsu Temple of Nirvana. Countless feathers drifted from the sky, sending anyone they touched into a deep sleep.

At the same time, four Grass ninja suddenly emerged around the platform, each taking a corner and weaving hand signs.

“Barrier Sealing Technique: Four Violet Flames Formation!”

Purple flames enveloped the platform, trapping only the Third Hokage and Orochimaru inside. This barrier, hailed as the strongest in history, was not something ordinary people could break. The Third was now forced into a one-on-one duel with Orochimaru.

In the arena below, as the feathers began to fall, Sasuke moved to leave, showing no intention of entangling himself with Gaara.

“Baki, sensei?”

With Sasuke’s departure and the plan activating ahead of schedule, the situation had diverged completely from what was previously arranged. Temari and Kankuro looked anxiously to their leader, Baki—should they proceed as planned?

“Something’s wrong—take Gaara and get out, now!”

Baki sensed the shift in events, his earlier warnings coming to pass. The Kazekage revealing himself as Orochimaru nearly made him lose his composure. Knowing he’d been manipulated, he abandoned all thoughts of the so-called ‘Destruction of the Leaf’ plan, and urgently ordered Temari and Kankuro to get Gaara out.

His own task was to hold off the Leaf’s jonin, especially Hayate Gekkō, and ensure Gaara—whose talent was unparalleled—returned safely to the Hidden Sand.

In the stands, the jonin who remained unaffected by the Temple of Nirvana glanced at one another. Just as they moved to act, Kakashi and several other clan jonin stepped in to block them.

“Gentlemen, I’ve just received word—the Leaf is under attack. Half of you should stay to protect the spectators, the rest must immediately assist the civilians throughout the village!”