"That person... is terrifying."
Near Naruto and Sakura, Kakashi suddenly emerged in a puff of white smoke.
Naruto complained, "Hey, Master Kakashi! Don't show up so suddenly."
Sakura anxiously asked, "Where's Sasuke? Is he okay?"
"He's fine," Kakashi replied casually. "He's already fast asleep at the hospital."
"Oh right, Master Kakashi, you said that masked guy was scary. Why?" Naruto looked toward Sasori.
"Didn't you notice?" Kakashi pointed toward where Sasori stood. "From the beginning to the end of the fight, he didn't move an inch from his spot."
The realization hit both Naruto and Sakura, and they exchanged horrified glances. Now they understood what Kakashi had meant earlier.
At this moment, information appeared on the electronic screen: "Next Match: Sakura Haruno vs Ino Yamanaka."
Both were admirers of Sasuke, and it was precisely because of their rivalry over him that they eventually fell out. Once best friends, now just fake friends at best. But judging by how Ino had rushed in to rescue her during the second stage of the Chunin Exams, she clearly still valued that bond. This battle between so-called friends was set to be explosive.
AnYa, who already knew how things would turn out, watched briefly before losing interest. She turned to the returning Sasori and asked, "How does defeating Genin feel?"
"Feels like nothing," Sasori shook his head. "Though, they seem to have recognized me. Will that affect our plans?"
"Not really," AnYa said casually. "This entire Collapse Plan was just a farce anyway—big beginning, weak ending."
Sasori relaxed and looked down at the arena, watching as Ino successfully activated her Mind Body Switch Technique, transferring her consciousness into Sakura's body.
[The outcome is clear.]
"Not necessarily."
Sasori frowned doubtfully. "Once caught in that jutsu, how could a mere Genin still manage to turn the tide?"
Amused, AnYa replied, "Just watch!"
Above them, Naruto shouted downward, "Don't lose to that girl obsessed with Sasuke!"
Under the influence of Ino's technique, Sakura began reacting to Naruto's words, struggling internally. Eventually, she forcefully broke free from the Yamanaka family's secret technique and reclaimed control over her own body.
A flicker of admiration passed through Sasori's eyes. "It seems your judgment of people was more accurate after all, Big Brother Kurotsuchi."
AnYa smiled without replying. Back when she used to watch *Naruto*, she always felt Sakura had a dual personality. Later, while scrolling through short videos online, she'd never encountered that theory, but comment sections often mentioned something called the 'Other Sakura' from a parallel universe—she looked really powerful.
Despite successfully resisting the technique, both girls' chakra reserves had nearly dried up. After one final punch from each other, they both collapsed simultaneously, marking the first draw in the history of the Chunin Exams.
Following this battle, the next round featured another duel between two female kunoichi: Temari vs Tenten.
Anya glanced at Sasori and said, "Tenten mainly attacks with weapons, and against someone using Wind Release like Temari, she's completely countered."
Sasori remained calm. "Tenten won't lose."
"Oh? So you've given her special training? Then I'll look forward to seeing it." AnYa couldn't help but feel excited. Based on Sasori's tone, this match wouldn't be a one-sided domination like in the original anime.
Temari held her giant three-star fan, her face beaming as she looked at Tenten. "Before the match started, I was secretly hoping my opponent would be you. Who'd have thought we'd actually end up facing off? Let me see just how far your skills have come."
Tenten asked in confusion, "Huh? Why is that? Do we have any kind of feud?"
"A feud? Maybe." Temari wasn't willing to admit the deep-seated jealousy buried inside her heart.
After all, she was the daughter of the Fourth Kazekage Rasa, even though her father had passed away—she still had noble status. But what exactly was Tenten? Just a ninja from another country. Yet in Sunagakure, Tenten received more love and respect than me. Every time Tenten visited the village, nearly every Suna ninja welcomed her with smiles and eagerly fulfilled her requests. Was it really only because she was related to Red Spider?
Thinking about this, Temari's gaze subconsciously shifted toward Sasori nearby.
Tenten, unaware of Temari's complex inner thoughts, quickly threw three shuriken at the start signal from the referee.
As Anya had predicted, since both were long-range attackers, Tenten's moves were heavily countered by Temari's technique, every attack easily neutralized without causing the slightest damage.
After repeatedly failing to land a hit, Tenten pulled out two Space-Time Scrolls and summoned numerous ninja tools for a powerful move: [Great Twin Circles.]
The scrolls transformed into dragon shapes midair, summoning a barrage of weapons that flew in all directions, each guided by thin wire strings. This fierce offensive finally made Temari take things seriously.
Yet the result remained the same. Using the nature transformation of wind chakra, Temari rode her large fan high into the sky, completely avoiding all harm.
"It's my turn now. [Sickle Weasel Technique!]"
Her massive fan created violent gusts filled with countless invisible blades hidden within the winds, using air currents colliding to create vacuum slashes that directly struck Tenten.
"Game over."
Temari closed her fan tightly, preparing for a final blow.
Tenten, lifted and battered by the tornadoes, already bore a wound cut across her body.
Sasori's eyes flickered slightly in surprise; Tenten still hadn't used the thing he gave her. If this continued, she'd definitely get hurt. Without hesitation, he let out a faint chakra vibration.
Next to him, Anya and Minato both sensed it and glanced his way simultaneously.
Then, amid the whirlwind, a scroll fell from Tenten's body. When it unfurled, dazzling brilliant light burst forth like an exploding sun. Everyone watching the fight at the training field winced painfully from the intense brightness.
Only Anya murmured to himself, "Sasori…you went too far. Iron Man?"
Once the light faded, Tenten appeared completely transformed. From head to toe, she was enclosed in a mechanized suit fitting perfectly to her curves. Golden wings unfurled from her back as she hovered midair like a battle-ready goddess descending from the heavens.
Everyone stared at Tenten's stunning new form, exclaiming in amazement, "What is that? That's insane!"
None of Temari's techniques could injure Tenten in the slightest.
Temari clenched her jaw as she stared at the person standing before her—who looked nothing like the Tenten she knew. If she had only suspected before, now that this mechanized suit had appeared, Red Spider's identity was obvious. That Takigakure ninja from just moments ago was actually Sunagakure's strongest puppet master. He had secretly ensured Tenten's victory in the Chunin Exams and even given her an unprecedented new puppet. How am I supposed to fight this?
While Temari burned with rage and despair, Tenten could only look back with regret in her eyes. She really did want to win through her own strength, which was why she hadn't planned to use this machine.
This one had been custom-made by Sasori, who'd even permanently infused Ryumyaku energy into it—an energy that could merge with her chakra. Once her chakra activated, the Ryumyaku energy would awaken, working together with the various weapons mounted on the mechanized suit and its aerial advantage. It wouldn't just dominate a mere genin like Temari—it could easily handle even a jonin.
Temari slid her Three-star Fan onto her back, stood in silence for a moment, then forced herself to say, word by word: "I… give up."
Genma Shiranui glanced upward toward Tenten and declared, "The winner of this round is… Tenten."
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