Gaara's recovery ability couldn't compare to Naruto's. After being blasted three times in a row by the Vapor Explosion, the One-Tail was severely depleted and had no energy left to assist him. Gaara could only rely on his own recovery to slowly restore his chakra.
Regardless of what the Sunagakure ninjas had previously thought, the current situation was clear—they had been deceived by Orochimaru. That was the only explanation needed. If they wanted to dig deeper, the root of the problem lay in Orochimaru impersonating the Fourth Kazekage.
Tensions between Sunagakure and Konoha? Don't be ridiculous! The two villages shared an unbreakable alliance—all the wrongdoing was Orochimaru's doing! Of course, Konoha bore some responsibility for allowing Orochimaru to run rampant, but that would likely just amount to a slap on the wrist.
Both in name and in reality, Gaara had to avenge his father.
He was the main force in this fight. If he was left panting and completely drained, how could he possibly seek revenge?
Even as a Jinchuriki, restoring chakra still took time.
Shikaku intentionally slowed the advance of the main force. Heaven and earth could bear witness—this was entirely for the sake of their allies, a selfless act of goodwill. It definitely wasn't about waiting for the Third Hokage to die on his own.
Naruto seized the opportunity to strike up a conversation with Gaara. The two indeed had plenty in common. Though their bond wasn't as deep as it had been in the original timeline, they still shared a solid foundation of friendship.
Ino gathered her teammates Shikamaru and Choji, and the three quietly slipped away from the main force, returning to the Chunin Exams arena. No matter what, she had to see the Reaper Death Seal with her own eyes.
At the same time, Kidomaru, one of the Sound Four, released the internal seal on his side and whispered a few words to Orochimaru.
The message had been relayed by Yakushi Kabuto, who had been roaming the outskirts of the battlefield but never truly left it.
After hearing the news, Orochimaru's golden pupils gleamed with a sinister light. "Oh? The timing of those ninja clans' intervention is quite impeccable. Do they really care so little for Sarutobi-sensei's old life? This grand celebration should be even livelier, heheh..."
Suddenly, he issued an order: "Dismantle the Four Violet Flames Formation."
The Sound Four responded in unison, "Yes, Lord Orochimaru!"
The four immediately formed hand seals, and the violet barrier slowly dissipated, reconnecting the inside with the outside.
The Third Hokage was stunned. "Orochimaru, you—!?"
He couldn't understand why Orochimaru would break their unspoken teacher-student understanding. Orochimaru flashed him a wicked grin. "Sarutobi-sensei, you still don't understand me well enough."
Before his words even faded, two Anbu ninjas hurled kunai straight at him. He raised the Kusanagi Sword and deflected them one by one.
If the Anbu's attacks could reach him, then the assaults from the First Hokage, the Second Hokage, and the Fourth Kazekage could also break free.
Without the constraints of the Four Violet Flames Formation, the two Anbu ninjas were instantly engulfed by the Second Hokage's Water Release. The surging flood then cascaded downward, rushing toward the village below.
Civilians who hadn't yet evacuated were swept up in the torrent, mingling with debris, rubble, and trees. After a few desperate cries, they vanished without a trace.
The First Hokage clapped his hands together, and towering trees erupted from the ground. The orderly streets were instantly transformed into a dense forest—his signature technique, Wood Release: Advent of a World of Trees.
Meanwhile, the Fourth Kazekage summoned a storm of golden sand, blotting out the sun's radiance in an instant.
"Orochimaru!!" The Third Hokage's fury burned as he glared at the snake sannin.
The fifty-year-old woman showed no fear, her eyes filled with nothing but provocation—as if daring him to try striking her down.
With his dwindling chakra reserves, the Third Hokage created three shadow clones to deal with the three Edo Tensei Kage while he and his summoning beast launched a fierce assault on Orochimaru. Yet the effects were minimal, as Orochimaru had given the reanimated Kage only one command: destruction. They unleashed their ultimate techniques indiscriminately, without any specific objective.
When Ino arrived at the scene, she was shocked—the Four Violet Flames Formation had been dispelled.
The ground was flooded, giant trees sprouted everywhere, and the sky swirled with yellow sand. This chaotic landscape no longer resembled Konoha or a battle between ninja—it looked more like three Logia-type Marine Admirals had suddenly crashed the party.
The battlefield had devolved into utter chaos. Some fought alongside the Third against Orochimaru, others attempted to restrain the three reanimated Kage, while Sunagakure ninja gathered around the Fourth Kazekage, joining in the carnage.
Shikaku's carefully laid plans had been completely derailed by this mess. Even if Gaara normally spoke softly like a gentle boy—or even if he had Zhang Fei's booming voice—it wouldn't matter. The battlefield was too chaotic!
Could his leadership possibly compare to the Fourth Kazekage, clad in his Kage robe and wearing the traditional hat?
You say the Fourth Kazekage is fake? Look at this Magnet Release, this Gold Dust—does any of this seem fake to you?
Ino and her team didn't charge forward recklessly. Instead, they focused on rescuing civilians nearby.
She truly hadn't planned on stealing the spotlight, but when she saw the floodwaters rushing toward her family's flower shop, she couldn't hold back.
"Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"
Her technique clashed against the Second Hokage's Water Release: Water Colliding Wave, the violent currents colliding to form a towering water wall over ten meters high.
The Second Hokage merely glanced at her before turning away to another part of the battlefield. The Third's shadow clone arrived moments later, nodding approvingly at Ino's flood barrier before continuing pursuit of the Second.
Villagers and several injured ninja took refuge inside the Yamanaka Flower Shop, where Ino spotted Sakura among them.
The poor girl was covered in dirt and grime, looking like some unearthed relic, her entire body caked in mud.
"What are you doing here?" Recognizing her, Ino reached out and pulled Sakura up to the shop's second floor.
Sakura had long abandoned any pretense of ladylike composure, collapsing in a starfish position on the floor as she gasped for air.
How had the Chunin Exams turned into this? She still couldn't comprehend it.
Originally, she'd been chasing after Sasuke, but he'd moved too fast and they'd gotten separated. After that, she'd somehow ended up helping Konoha Hospital's medical ninja transport wounded. Three minutes ago, endless yellow sand had suddenly poured from the sky, followed by floodwaters. Seeing everyone running, she'd joined the panicked stampede.
Along the way, she'd even attempted her ultimate technique: Summoning Jutsu—Naruto. Useless. If Ino hadn't blocked the Second Hokage's water technique when she did, Sakura might have drowned.
Ino sighed inwardly. Sakura's strength made her dangerously vulnerable in this kind of battle—a single stray attack could finish her off, and she might not even realize how she died.
"Ladies, save the chatter for later—the water's rising fast!" Shikamaru warned urgently.
The terrain around the Yamanaka Flower Shop was slightly elevated, but not by much. With the village now flooded, the Second Hokage had just been repelled by her, but water from other areas would still seep in.
Faced with numerous civilians and injured people, Ino had to step forward.
"Don't be afraid, everyone! Watch this—Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!" Four earthen walls, each carved with the faces of Team 10, rose from the ground, blocking the floodwaters and completely surrounding the Yamanaka Flower Shop.