Watching the joyous smiles of the crowd, even Itachi smiled, confident that, without asking for vote, he had a strong chance of winning.
The only person unable to smile was Naruto, who was left speechless, holding back tears of frustration.
He had experienced the entire Genjutsu firsthand and had to admit it was brilliant.
The problem? This was the very idea Naruto had been planning to execute.
Special effects would have been perfect for dazzling ordinary people, but now that Itachi had already pulled it off, so Naruto's attempt would not only pale in comparison but also come across as an unoriginal imitation. Reluctantly, he scratched the idea off his list.
'What should I do? What should I do...'
Naruto thought, his mind racing.
The previous contestants had all showcased their unique talents. If he failed to impress, it would be a disgrace. He needed something spectacular… but no ideas came to mind.
'I couldn't possibly deify Yukari, could I?' (T/N: Since Purple Maiden doesn't have name, I'll just use Yukari as her name. In Japanese, the name Yukari is associated with purple.)
'Huh?'
'Wait!'
'That is really possible!'
"Yukari, come here for a moment."
Naruto called out.
Yukari approached nervously, "It's my turn now. What should I do? I'm worried I'll mess up."
She had a clear understanding of the game's rules, but she felt utterly inadequate compared to the other contestants. Even though she was confident in her looks, she feared that without a memorable performance, she'd lose terribly.
Naruto reassured her with a smile. "Don't worry. I'm here. When you go on stage, you don't need to do anything. Just wave your hand."
"Just wave my hand?" Yukari hesitated before nodding, "Alright. I trust you!"
Yukari had no choice but to believe in Naruto. In fact, in her heart, she also felt a competitive desire to win the title of the most beautiful woman.
Walking onto the stage with trepidation, she barely had time to speak when someone from the audience let out a sinister laugh, "Goddess of Life, I've finally found you! Feel the anguish!"
With a dramatic wave of their hand, flames erupted across the audience, scorching them and filling the air with the scent of charred flesh.
Screams of agony echoed as the seats turned into a hellish inferno.
"I'll make the world see you for what you are… a useless fraud! You can't save anyone! What kind of pathetic 'Goddess of Life' are you? Hear this, people, your suffering is the result of her incompetence!"
Hearing this, the audience, who were overwhelmed by pain, lost all reason and shouted in despair: "What Goddess of Life? Why should we bear the consequences of your actions? Save us, save us!"
Yukari stood dumbfounded on the stage, her mind blank. At this moment, Naruto's words replayed in her head, "Just wave your hand."
She instinctively raised her right hand and waved.
At that moment, the sky was bathed in a radiant green glow, casting its light over the audience. Covered by the green aura, their pain vanished instantly.
"It doesn't hurt anymore?"
Not only were their burns gone, but even minor ailments they'd previously suffered from were cured. They felt rejuvenated, energized, and overwhelmingly comfortable, as if soaking in a luxurious hot spring. Some couldn't help but moan with relief.
"Ahhhh!"
On the other hand, the villain who had unleashed the flames suddenly screamed in agony, "Disgusting life breath! I didn't expect you to be this strong, 'Goddess of Life.' I… I won't accept this!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he exploded on the spot, turning into nothingness.
Upon seeing this, the audience looked at Yukari waving her hand on the stage, and their eyes were suddenly filled with reverence.
Again, they are just ordinary people, so they couldn't help but kneel down in submission upon witnessing divine miracles and seeing a 'goddess' vanquish evil.
But just as they were about to kneel, Yukari suddenly collapsed.
Yukari's heightened stress had caused her to faint.
Fortunately, Naruto reacted swiftly. He rushed to the stage and caught her in his arms.
Naruto addressed the audience solemnly, "You were all destined to perish in the flames. But the Goddess of Life, moved by compassion, sacrificed her own vitality to save you. She collapsed from the strain, but she'll recover with time. I believe the best way to thank her is to vote for her as the most beautiful goddess."
With that, Naruto carried Yukari off the stage.
Behind him, the chants began to rise.
"Goddess of Life!"
"Goddess of Life!"
Hearing the devout cries, Naruto smiled to himself.
The villain, of course, had been his disguise, and the green glow was a clever use of the Rapid Healing.
Though his methods were less than noble, the audience didn't know that. To them, the villain was gone, and the life-saving miracle had solidified their admiration for Yukari.
Anyone with even the slightest gratitude would cast their vote for the 'Goddess of Life'.
Naruto couldn't help but feel proud of his quick thinking.
His improvised plan had worked flawlessly.
"Alright, all five contestants have completed their performances. Now it's time for the audience to cast their precious votes. The final rankings will be announced shortly." The plump shop owner declared with a wave of his hand.
Then, two assistants carried a wooden box onto the stage, placing it at the center.
The audience formed a neat line, each person casting their vote in an orderly manner.
After the voting ended, the plump shop owner smiled and asked, "Who will be crowned the most beautiful goddess among the contestants?"
Hearing this, the crowd erupted in debate:
"It's definitely contestant number one. Her performance in the water is absolutely breathtaking!"
"Nonsense! Contestant number two's allure was absolutely captivating… she's the true beauty!"
"Haha, this is hilarious! How can you guys go against your conscience just because you took money from the boss behind contestant number three?"
"Humph! The contestant number four's ice-and-fire spectacle was something I'll cherish forever. Obviously, my vote goes to her!"
"Some people just have no shame! If it weren't for the Goddess of Life, we'd all be burnt to a crisp! Contestant number five deserves to win, hands down!"
The audience was in an uproar, their heated arguments escalating to the brink of physical confrontation.
Naruto observed from the sidelines, chuckling to himself, 'Now this is the chaos I was looking for!'
Seeing that the situation was going out of control, the plump shop owner simply smiled.
Earlier, Kakuzu had approached him backstage, suggesting they open a betting pool for the contest.
Initially, the host had been skeptical about its market potential. But judging from the current enthusiasm, he knew the betting pool would be a massive success.
Even if they took a loss on one contestant, the profits from the other four would more than cover it. It was a guaranteed win.