Inside the arena, after Genma announced the match pairings, Kurotsuchi had been staring at Sakura with a sharp, eager gaze.
"Even after seeing you fight so many times, that girl still hasn't learned her lesson?" Sasuke stood beside Sakura, leaning against the railing in the same posture, watching the fight between Naruto and Neji below.
"That girl is just like Naruto… hot-blooded, always charging ahead first. But honestly, I don't dislike them. In fact, I somewhat admire their talent for wearing their hearts on their sleeves." Sakura pulled out a marked kunai and began spinning it boredly by the ring on its end.
"So, you like Naruto?" The boy kept his head still, his black eyes shifting towards the girl beside him.
"It's just that compared to people who are two-faced, interacting with them is much easier." After responding, Sakura's gaze focused on the mark revealed when Neji took off his forehead protector.
An emotionally charged Neji was exposing the actions of Kumogakure from over a decade ago and the darkness within the Hyuga Clan, right in front of all the spectators and dignitaries present.
This immediately made Hiashi, who had been watching the drama, feel intensely uncomfortable. On the high platform, Hiruzen also turned his gaze towards the Raikage beside him.
"There is only one destiny in this world where everyone is equal, and that is death!" Tying the forehead protector back on, Neji charged at Naruto, striking him with a series of Sixty-Four Palms.
While destroying several shadow clones, he also sealed all the Chakra Points on Naruto's body, completely cutting off his ability to use Chakra.
"What are you babbling about? I'm just here today to beat you up and make you take back those words insulting Hinata!" Naruto stood up, clutching his arm, and roared indignantly at Neji.
"Insults? Don't you understand yet? This is the fate of mediocrities! Abandon your unrealistic fantasies sooner rather than later. Otherwise, the further you go, the deeper you'll hurt yourself!" Neji assumed the stance for the Thirty-Two Palms, preparing to finish Naruto.
Unexpectedly, at the critical moment, his opponent erupted with the Nine-Tails' Chakra, broke through Neji's restraints, and punched him.
Finally, in the collision between the Rasengan and the Revolving Heaven, Neji, with his incomplete technique, was defeated and knocked down.
"I lost..." The Hyuga boy lying on the ground gazed calmly at the birds soaring freely in the blue sky, lost in thought.
"Uzumaki Naruto, why? Why do lowly, ordinary people like you resist?"
"Idiot, I don't get all that stuff about control and destiny. But when you feel oppressed, isn't it the natural right of the living to fight back against the source of that oppression?" Naruto scratched his head, then turned and waved to Sakura on the high platform.
"Really... I lose to guys like you." Neji closed his eyes, let his head rest fully on the ground, and fell silent.
Seeing this, Genma stepped forward and announced Naruto's victory.
Next, Kurotsuchi, who could no longer wait, flipped over and leaped from the high stand into the arena, "Haruno Sakura, get down here quickly!"
The girl in red Ninja Attire smiled brilliantly, firmly believing that in a limited arena like this, her Lava Release would definitely counter that girl's Ice Release.
In the stands, Onoki covered his face with his hand, unable to bear the sight.
On the high platform, Hiruzen turned and spoke quietly to Onoki, "Your granddaughter certainly has a... lively personality."
"This is called leadership potential. If she lacks even this much mettle, how can she represent the village? And where is your village's genius? She's not scared, is she?" Onoki raised an eyebrow, offering a merciless evaluation.
"The Tsuchikage will witness it soon enough." Hiruzen replied flatly, then shot a look at Sakura. He raised his eyebrows, conveying a clear message: Hurry up and put on a show for them!
"Tch, such a prideful old man." Sakura clicked her tongue. The kunai she was spinning flew from her hand, stabbing into the center of the arena.
Whoosh! The next instant, a flash of light. Sakura's figure crossed the long distance, catching the dagger mid-air.
A long-unseen Jutsu flashed through the minds of the Ninjas and dignitaries… the Flying Thunder God Technique. Experienced Ninjas from Iwagakure and Kumogakure felt a jolt of recognition. The two Kage on the high platform were so shocked they stood up from their chairs.
"Hmph, showing off! I'll make you fly today!" Kurotsuchi pulled a kunai from her thigh pouch, pointing it at Sakura.
At Genma's command, Kurotsuchi attacked first. She leaped high, formed hand signs, took a deep breath, and sprayed a large amount of powdered lime directly at Sakura's face.
A classic trick: The Art of Lime to the Face!
"Is this a street fight?" Sakura simply threw a punch at the air in front of her. The violent force pushed layers of ripples through the void, generating a low, deep roar.
Boom!
The lime and dust were torn to shreds by the shockwave, flying back towards Kurotsuchi.
Kurotsuchi, however, seemed prepared. She raised a finger, injecting Chakra, "Water Release: Water Trumpet!"
A trumpet-shaped stream shot from her mouth, mixing with the lime, rapidly combining into a fast-drying cement blob.
"Fine then, let me show you something interesting!" Sakura raised her arm, black Armament Haki wrapping around her hand as she reached for the cement blob.
Splat!
The soft cement instantly covered Sakura. Kurotsuchi looked triumphant.
"Got her!"
'Cement hardening releases heat. Once the other uses Ice Release, I just need to keep coating her to isolate the cold!'
Kurotsuchi crouched low, legs taut, poised to strike. A strange hum spread. Within her perception, the Chakra in her technique was... was being grabbed by a hand?
"You've got to be kidding me?!" The girl's stunned eyes watched her technique crumble. Her opponent hadn't countered with another element or shattered it with force.
Instead, she had effortlessly pulled out the Chakra that had already formed the Jutsu.
"Cough, still need more practice, it seems." Sakura stepped forward, crushing the flawed, hole-riddled cement on the ground, shaking the dust from her pink hair.
Although she could grab and extract Chakra, partial extraction didn't work well for nature releases that created physical substances, and material residue remained.
"So, are you ready, my dear little princess~" Her emerald eyes filled with mischief, the pink-haired girl advanced towards the Iwagakure genius.
At that moment, the Great Kurotsuchi knew: her lifelong rival had appeared!