Chapter 228: Art is Disaster [Four] (Patreon)

Chapter List: Naruto: Sakura Blizzard

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The entire Central Tower arena seemed to tremble, and everyone could only feel the earth shaking beneath their feet. Countless debris started flying around, and a massive fireball shot up into the sky from the arena. A powerful shockwave began to spread outward.

Those who could use Earth Release immediately created barriers, while those who couldn't found nearby places to take cover. The stands erupted into chaos.

Gaara, who was standing to the side, chatting with his sister, Temari, simply had to think, and a pile of sand from his gourd floated out, shielding them both from the flying debris and the shockwave caused by the explosion.

Baki, hiding in a corner, briefly considered asking Gaara for help but quickly dismissed the idea. He couldn't fathom why Gaara was protecting Temari, but he was certain that if he dared to approach, he would be turned into pulp by Gaara before the explosions got him.

"This heartless little one is actually playing favorites..." Baki muttered under the headscarf he used to cover his face, his resentment almost tangible in his eyes.

The explosion lasted for more than ten seconds, and when the fiery blast finally dissipated, the entire arena had turned into a ruin. The giant handprint statues had been reduced to fragments, and the ground was charred, as if it had been plowed over.

"Cough, cough... Tenten, are you trying to destroy the arena? That was a bit too much, wasn't it?" Sakura and the others all had grimy, disheveled looks. The explosion had shaken the stands, covering them in dust, and they were all focused on defense, completely disregarding their appearance.

"You've got some nerve saying that!" Sasuke's eyes were filled with resentment, and Kiba was nearly grinding his teeth. "If it weren't for you constantly talking to her about that insane explosive art, she wouldn't have turned into this maniac who's obsessed with blowing things up all the time!"

"I just mentioned it casually; who knew Tenten would actually take a liking to it!" Sakura rubbed her nose, sounding sheepish. It had been a passing thought, and she had mentioned Deidara's art to Tenten. Somehow, Tenten had inexplicably become someone with a shared interest, and there was no turning back.

In an instant, most of the blame was directed at Sakura, not just Sasuke's resentful gaze. It turned out that she was the mastermind behind it all.

"Um, maybe we should just watch the match..." Sakura awkwardly tried to change the subject. If they kept this up, she felt like she would be pierced by their gazes.

"Plop..."

"Cough, cough, cough..."

The sound of bricks falling and a series of coughs echoed together. In a corner of the arena, Tenten pushed aside the shattered shield covering her body, while Retsu crawled out from the ground, covered in wounds. Their coughs synchronized quite neatly.

"You're absolutely crazy," Retsu said, looking at Tenten as if she were a lunatic. The explosion had affected not only him but also Tenten, the one who had started it. If he hadn't used the Earth Release Hardening Technique and then desperately used Earth Release to dive underground in time, they would probably both be reduced to rubble by now.

"You're too kind," Tenten replied with a smile, patting her hand. She had forgotten for a moment that the arena had limited space, and playing on such a grand scale would inevitably lead to collateral damage. Fortunately, she had brought countless ninja tools with her and could use her shield to withstand the blast.

"Want to go another round?" Tenten asked as she stood up. Her injuries weren't too severe; she could still take on another Genin.

"No, no, I surrender..." Retsu lay on the ground, panting heavily. He wasn't a fool. Another round? He was afraid he'd be blown to ashes before he even had a chance to react. "Honestly, I didn't even want to participate in the Chunin Exams, let alone fight and kill people. That's not my thing. But things didn't go as planned, and I ended up joining the Chunin Exams..." And running into a maniac like you!

He refrained from saying the last part out loud, fearing that Tenten might take it as a challenge.

"Ugh, so boring..." Tenten sounded disappointed. She hadn't really gotten into the action yet, just tossing a few kunai and shuriken. She didn't expect her opponent to surrender so easily; it was too anticlimactic.

"Heh..." Retsu lay on the ground and rolled his eyes. Boring? You nearly blew yourself up, and you call it boring? What kind of excitement are you looking for?

"The... the winner, Tenten from the Hidden Leaf Village. Cough, cough, cough..." Gekko Hayate announced the result, then erupted into a fit of coughing. The air here was stifling.

"Young man, you're quite injured..." Just as Retsu was trying to get up, he heard someone say this. He looked up to see two smiling medical ninja approaching, especially the one with his face wrapped in bandages, who had an unusually strange grin.

"It's you guys? What do you want? Stay away, I warn you, stay away..." Remembering their attitude towards the previous injured individuals, Retsu suddenly broke out in a cold sweat and struggled to get away. But with his body covered in injuries from the explosion, there was no way he could escape.

"Stop struggling; injured people should look like injured people..." Haku briefly examined him and then drew a conclusion. "The injuries are manageable. There are serious burns on the skin, displacement of internal organs due to the shockwave, and signs of a mild concussion. In short, you'll be fine!"

After Haku finished his examination, he signaled to Zabuza, who promptly threw Retsu over his shoulder and left, ignoring Retsu's protests.

"Get a few skilled Earth Release users to quickly repair the arena..." The Third Hokage couldn't stop smiling. Fixing the arena was a trivial matter for him, but today's match had clearly demonstrated the potential of Konoha's future. The young ninja from Konoha were all exceptional talents, and he could now justify his decisions to his sensei.

"Tenten, are you planning to take us all down with you?" Sakura and the others from the stands surrounded Tenten, their expressions unfriendly.

"N-no, I just got carried away. I couldn't hold back..." Tenten nervously stuck out her tongue, her clothes covered in dirt.

"Alright, we'll forgive you this time. But, Tenten, don't you want to go to the hospital? Your injuries don't look light at all!" Sakura sighed, concerned as she looked at Tenten. Despite the shield, being at the center of the explosion must have taken a toll on her.

"It's okay. Let's wait until the match is completely over." Tenten waved her hand nonchalantly. Her injuries weren't too severe, after all. Those shields were top-notch, and she had chosen a corner with the weakest explosive force, so the explosion hadn't done much damage to her.

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Next Chapter >>Chapter 229: The Interception of Driver Sakura