"Naruto is really strong!" Kabuto Yakushi, hiding in the bushes, had been observing the situation, especially Naruto's performance, which far exceeded his expectations. Then he said, "Naruto is very strong. It seems I have to update Naruto's intelligence data."
As the Earth Scroll was unfolded, black incantations appeared on the scroll. Those obscure incantations clearly indicated that something bad was about to happen.
Kanpo and Temari were greatly shocked because Gaara was the closest to the Earth Scroll at that time and thus bore the brunt first.
Suddenly, the sand automatically defended, forming a round sand ball that wrapped Gaara inside. The sand ball was airtight, enclosing Gaara tightly.
Kanpo was sweating profusely. He controlled his puppet and rushed towards the Earth Scroll. The puppet snatched the Earth Scroll and quickly moved away from Gaara.
"Gaara is okay!" Temari was overjoyed. After seeing Kanpo's puppet take away the Earth Scroll, the anxiety in her heart finally subsided.
"Hehe." Naruto also showed a confident smile.
Just then, the sand ball that wrapped Gaara began to gradually collapse. The sand couldn't coalesce and all turned into loose sand on the ground.
"Ah—" Gaara rolled his eyes. His face was full of horror, as if he had been greatly frightened. Then he fell to the ground and didn't get up.
"What!" Kanpo was greatly shocked. He clearly had the puppet take away the Earth Scroll. Why did something still happen to Gaara?
Kanpo took a closer look and found that the Earth Scroll taken away by the puppet had become a blank scroll. All the black incantations painted on it had disappeared.
"That Earth Scroll won't explode. What's recorded in it is a Genjutsu!" Temari realized. No wonder Gaara's sand couldn't defend. When the Earth Scroll was unfolded, the Genjutsu recorded on it had already been activated, and Gaara, who was the closest, was the first to be affected.
"Damn it! Sickle Weasel Technique!" Temari waved her huge tessen and forcefully fanned in the direction of Naruto and his group. A strong gust of wind rose from the ground and attacked Naruto and the others.
Naruto picked up Hinata and ran, leaving Shino Aburame and Kiba Inuzuka behind. As a result, Shino Aburame and Kiba Inuzuka were blown away by the sudden gust of wind.
Kanpo quickly appeared and flashed beside the unconscious Gaara. He carried the unconscious Gaara on his back and fled.
Temari didn't want to fight with Naruto at all. She just waved her tessen wildly a few times to force Naruto and the others back, so that Kanpo could take Gaara and escape first.
Seeing that Temari and Kanpo had taken the unconscious Gaara and fled, Naruto carried Hinata back.
Naruto put Hinata down. Hinata's face was extremely red, and she was too shy to say anything aside.
Kiba Inuzuka, who had been blown by the gust of wind and rolled on the ground for several somersaults, got up and said, "Naruto, you didn't even say a word when you were going to run away!"
Naruto showed an indifferent expression and said, "You guys are tough as nails. This little wind ain't gonna hurt you. It's just a bit of training for ya."
Kiba Inuzuka angrily asked, "Why did you only take Hinata and run away?"
"…" Naruto gave him a look as if he were an absolute idiot and said, "I'm too lazy to explain. Go ask Shino. He'll tell ya."
Shino Aburame glanced at Hinata, who was quite anxious at the moment, and Naruto, who was beaming with excitement. He instantly guessed the relationship between Naruto and Hinata.
"Shino!" Kiba Inuzuka asked, "Naruto said you know. What do you know?"
Shino turned his face away and said, "Don't ask me. I don't want to talk about it."
"What?" Kiba said to the little dog lying on his head, "Akamaru, do you know?"
Akamaru, the little dog, didn't understand anything and showed a very embarrassed expression.
"Hehehe..." Kabuto Yakushi, hiding in the bushes, felt like he had watched a good show. He had gathered a lot of information about Naruto and was actually a bit delighted. After all, Kabuto's greatest interest was collecting information.
Having dealt with the three members of Gaara's team, Naruto knew there was still a big trouble hiding in the dark, which was Kabuto Yakushi.
Naruto asked Hinata with concern, "Have you collected the Heaven Scroll and the Earth Scroll?"
"On the first day we entered the Death Forest, we used sneak - attack tactics and managed to collect both the Heaven Scroll and the Earth Scroll," Hinata replied in a very soft voice.
"Hinata, you're so amazing. You finished it on the first day," Naruto praised. "My team will take three days, and looking at Gaara's team, it seems they still haven't found them all even today. Hahaha."
"Not really..." Hinata said shyly, "I actually didn't help at all."
Naruto said, "In my eyes, you're the best."
Kiba Inuzuka beside them was dissatisfied and interrupted, "Shino contributed the most. Shino is familiar with the bugs in the Death Forest and set up booby traps using the local bugs to sneak - attack the enemies."
The smile on Naruto's face disappeared. He turned his head and looked at Kiba Inuzuka as if he were a fool, with an expression that seemed to say, "Can you stop bothering us?"
"Shut up," Shino Aburame walked over and directly grabbed Kiba Inuzuka by the collar and dragged him away.
"Naruto-kun, we're going into the Tower," Hinata asked, "When will you come?"
"Soon," Naruto said with a smile. "After I deal with the last bit of trouble, I'll come to find you. Go to the Tower quickly. It'll be safe there."
After watching Hinata, Shino Aburame, and Kiba Inuzuka leave, a strong killing intent appeared on Naruto. It even startled Kabuto Yakushi hiding in the dark.
Naruto quickly moved and rushed in the forest. This time, it was Kabuto Yakushi who followed behind Naruto.
Kabuto thought to himself, "Naruto is moving so fast. He's probably going to find Sasuke. Maybe if I follow Naruto, I can find Sasuke."
Suddenly, Naruto stopped and hid in a grass patch. Kabuto Yakushi was very puzzled by Naruto's actions. It seemed that Naruto was about to launch a sneak - attack on someone.
Kabuto quickly looked further ahead. Unexpectedly, he saw Temari and Kanpō, as well as Gaara, who was in a coma.
Temari and Kanpō took Gaara, who was in a coma, to a secluded place to hide, while Naruto seemed to be about to launch a sneak - attack. Does Naruto want to kill those three? Naruto is simply crazy.
Naruto took out a kunai. Just as he was about to rush out, Kabuto Yakushi flashed over and placed his hand on Naruto's kunai, as if trying to stop Naruto's reckless behavior.
Kabuto Yakushi wore a forehead protector with the Konoha symbol and black glasses. He looked like an honest and reliable guy.
"Naruto, don't do anything stupid," Kabuto Yakushi advised. "Although Gaara has lost his combat ability, the other two are not weak. You can't defeat them alone." After saying that, Kabuto Yakushi showed a friendly smile to indicate that he was there to help Naruto.
Looking at Kabuto Yakushi, who seemed like a warm - hearted senior from Konoha Village, Naruto asked, "Who are you?"
"My name is Kabuto," said Kabuto Yakushi. "As an old hand at the Chunin Exams, I'm telling you, don't stir up more trouble. Beating them won't get you anywhere. Just cut it out."
"Thanks! You must be a nice guy," Naruto said with a big smile.
Kabuto Yakushi breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. He didn't expect Naruto to be so easy to deceive. Sure enough, he was simple - minded.
"Lord Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, has been killed!" Temari suddenly blurted out a shocking piece of news.
Hearing this, Kabuto Yakushi's mind went blank. He wondered if he had heard it incorrectly. He simply couldn't believe it.
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