Chapter 239: The Never-Ending Spiral Pill [Part One] (Patreon)

Chapter List: Naruto: Sakura Blizzard

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"The winner of this match is Zichuo from Hidden Cloud Village..."

Gekko Hayate was relieved that he hadn't left the arena, or he would have had to come back again. After announcing the match's outcome and waiting for Zabuza to drag away the body with an unhappy expression, Gekko Hayate naturally shifted his gaze to Gaara and the last member of the Sound Ninja Village trio, Murakoto Tsumugi.

Of course, Gekko Hayate could swear to the heavens that he genuinely had no prior knowledge of the Third Hokage's plan. It was purely a matter of male intuition.

"Please welcome Gaara from Hidden Sand Village and Murakoto Tsumugi from the Sound Ninja Village to the arena, and prepare for the match..."

As expected, the electronic screen displayed the names Gaara and Murakoto Tsumugi. Gekko Hayate smoothly called out the names of the competitors, showing no signs of cheating.

Temari, upon hearing Gekko Hayate call Gaara's name, suddenly looked worried. She started fussing like an overprotective mother. Even though she knew Gaara's strength was unquestionable, she couldn't help but worry, especially after discovering her newfound affection for her little brother.

"Examiner, I forfeit..."

Before Temari could finish her sentence, Murakoto Tsumugi on the other side immediately chose to forfeit. She had seen through it all. After seeing Sakke and Tosu, both strong ninjas, get defeated, she realized that she would likely meet the same fate if she went up against Gaara, who exuded an aura of danger.

Gaara, the not-so-friendly one: "..."

Gaara's expression darkened, and sand started trickling out of the gourd on his back. What did this mean? There hadn't been a single forfeit in the previous matches. Did they look down on him or something?

"Gaara, stay calm and don't be impulsive..." Temari quickly reassured Gaara, soothing his sensitive heart. In fact, she was quite happy about Gaara not having to fight; at least it meant he wouldn't be in any danger. She silently applauded Murakoto Tsumugi for her wise decision, unlocking the "Big Sister Like a Mother" achievement in her heart.

As Gaara was comforted by his older sister, Sakura couldn't help but imagine him as a national treasure from her past life, clutching his nanny's leg and demanding a bottle of milk at the zoo.

"This Murakoto Tsumugi is pretty clever. She knows not to mess with her opponent and wisely forfeits. Although it's a bit embarrassing, at least she's preserved her life!"

Hinata didn't openly express her disdain for Murakoto Tsumugi's timid forfeit, as she didn't have any particular connection to her; after all, she wasn't from Konoha.

"Preserve her life? That's not certain!" Sakura shook her head with a smile. If she remembered correctly, in the original plot, the Sound Ninja trio suffered serious injuries and were eventually used as sacrifices for Orochimaru's Reanimation Jutsu. While Sakke was injured and Tosu was killed by Zichuo, Murakoto Tsumugi might seem fine now, but she would probably end up as one of Orochimaru's sacrifices in the end. It might seem like she was safe for now, but in reality, she had only bought herself some time.

Now there were only four people left in the stands who hadn't participated in the matches: Naruto, Sakura, Gangshi from Hidden Rock Village, and Kira from Mist Village. Naruto's gaze kept shifting between Gangshi and Kira, wondering who his opponent would be.

"I wonder who my opponent will be..."

Just as Naruto muttered these words, Gekko Hayate called out his name.

"Please welcome Uzumaki Naruto from Konoha Hidden Village and Gangshi from Hidden Rock Village to the arena, and prepare for the match..."

"Oh, it's my turn?" Naruto was somewhat surprised, but excitement quickly followed. "Haha, I didn't expect it to be my turn finally..."

"Don't be too careless; be cautious!" Sakura reminded him. Ninjas were creatures who never revealed their full strength until the last moment. Unexpected twists were common, and Uchiha Izuna was a prime example.

"I understand!" Naruto took a deep breath, calming his excitement, and then jumped down from the stands.

Gangshi seemed like a quiet person with an ordinary appearance, but the dark, raven-like look in his eyes didn't inspire much goodwill.

"Do you find my voice strange?" Gangshi's slightly surprised expression in response to Naruto's curiosity was understandable. He was used to being looked at with unconventional eyes. "My voice used to be normal when I was a child, but due to some accidents, my vocal cords were severely damaged, resulting in my current condition. You're not the first one to look at me strangely, and you won't be the last."

"Uh, sorry!" Naruto scratched his head, expressing his apologies. He hadn't known the backstory, which had seemed strange to him.

"It doesn't matter; I've gotten used to it!" Gangshi responded with indifference. His laughter was even more grating, and as he talked about these things, the darkness in his eyes deepened. "Even my fellow villagers often gossip behind my back, and no one wants to communicate with me. Your reaction is quite normal."

"Why?" Naruto didn't rush into the fight with Gangshi. Instead, he asked, genuinely puzzled. "Why do people gossip behind your back?"

"Do you know why I wrap so many bandages around my body?" Gangshi didn't answer Naruto's question directly but posed his own.

"I don't know," Naruto honestly replied.

"When I was seven years old, I was playing outside with my friends. We encountered a bear, and I fought it to protect my friends. Although I held on until the village's ninja arrived to rescue us, I was left with a body full of injuries..."

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Next Chapter >>Chapter 240: The Unending Spiraling Pill [Part Two]