Chapter 130: Chaos!

Chapter 130: Chaos!

Dikayi's face twisted into an expression as if he had swallowed something foul.

With his dark skin, it was hard to tell if he actually had.

No matter how much the Cloud Village disliked Konoha, they were technically allies on paper. Open hostility in such a public setting wasn't an option.

This time, Dikayi had no choice but to endure the humiliation.

What was initially a four-on-one situation, with Tonari and his team at a clear disadvantage, now became a three-on-two scenario if the Cloud Village sided with Konoha. The balance had shifted.

Tonari didn't give Dikayi a chance to refute or argue. Instead, he continued, "But with just us five teams, it still doesn't feel lively enough, does it?"

As soon as he finished speaking—

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Several more figures leapt into the scene.

They weren't from Konoha but rather from smaller villages.

After all, the more people, the merrier.

When these minor village shinobi saw the participants from the Five Great Shinobi Nations, their expressions turned wary and cautious.

"Self-proclaimed 'Konoha's Little White Fang,' disciple of one of the Legendary Sannin, Orochimaru, and also a student of another Sannin, Tsunade. He holds the honorary title of Chūnin created just for him and is one of Konoha's 'New Three Ninja,' alongside Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina."

The Cloud kunoichi, Satsui, ignored the newcomers as she rattled off Tonari's information in meticulous detail.

"The Uchiha prodigy, who awakened his Sharingan at twelve. Judging by his current state, his Sharingan has already evolved to two tomoe. A true genius."

"The Nara clan's young kunoichi, proficient in Shadow Imitation Jutsu, serving as the team's controller. Not to be underestimated."

Tonari's expression remained stoic, but his tone was laced with teasing. "Hey, Cloud girl, you've done such thorough research on me. Are you sure you're not interested? Given the relationship between our villages, I might just consider a political marriage—especially since you've got such impressive… assets."

"You!"

Satsui's eyes widened in fury, her face flushing red. Confronted with Tonari's shamelessness, she found herself at a loss for words.

"What exactly are you trying to pull here?" Yekura, the Sand kunoichi, interrupted. "Surely you didn't gather us all here just to pick us off one by one?"

If she could redirect most of the hostility toward Konoha, she was more than willing to play along.

As a survivor of the recent conflict between Konoha and Sunagakure, Yekura had heard firsthand accounts of Tonari's exploits—how he had managed to single-handedly kill a Sand Jōnin.

No matter the methods used, results were what truly mattered in the world of shinobi.

Despite her confidence in her Scorch Release, Yekura remained cautious.

Tonari responded with a disarming smile. "Yekura-san, words can be as dangerous as kunai. You're here of your own volition. How could this possibly be my doing?

"My team and I only appeared to help you all. After all, it's been quite some time, and no one has managed to capture a salamander. I'm simply doing my part to ensure everyone passes the second round of the exam."

No one believed a word of his explanation.

Even so, acknowledging Tonari's involvement openly would give the Cloud Village—and potentially others—a justified reason to attack Konoha.

"How exactly do you intend to help us?" asked Kari, the Iwa shinobi with Explosive Release.

Another target, Tonari thought silently.

"Perfect. Now that everyone's here," Tonari said, licking his lips in anticipation.

He formed a series of rapid hand seals.

Boom!

The small salamander swimming peacefully in the swamp suddenly exploded, scattering foul-smelling spheres across the water.

Everyone stared in stunned silence.

Seconds passed. Nothing happened.

"This is your idea of 'helping'? Killing the only salamander in the area?" Maki from Sunagakure questioned, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Tonari waved a hand dismissively, ignoring the accusations. Instead, he reached into his ninja pouch and smeared a bit of blood onto his hand.

With practiced ease, he formed another set of hand seals.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Boom!

A massive plume of smoke erupted as a gigantic blue serpent appeared beneath Tonari's feet.

"You called for me, Tonari?" the serpent hissed, its eyes scanning the surroundings with interest.

"Blue Snake, you've grown again," Tonari remarked, noting its increased size.

The shinobi from other villages tensed, gripping their weapons tightly.

Tonari ignored their hostility, motioning for Uchiha Yoshinari and Nara Yoshino to join him atop the snake's head.

"Tonari, something's—" Blue Snake began, its tone serious.

But before it could finish, the ground beneath them began to quake violently.

What had once been solid earth now crumbled into a vast swamp, thick and unstable.

A guttural roar echoed from the depths.

"Tonari, what's happening?" Yoshinari asked, his Sharingan spinning rapidly.

Tonari's gaze was fixed on the churning ground. "The most terrifying creature in this swamp…"

"Salamanders?" Yoshinari guessed.

Before anyone could respond, an enormous salamander burst forth from the earth, its massive form dwarfing Blue Snake.

The beast's gaping maw released a cloud of thick, noxious gas, instantly withering trees and vegetation. Even Blue Snake hesitated, its usually confident demeanor replaced with wariness.

Tonari's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"This is why I brought them here," he said. "When I sent my snakes to scout for the largest salamander, I discovered this beast.

"I thought Hanzo's salamander was the pinnacle, but this… this is something else entirely."

The chaos continued as smaller salamanders began to emerge, swarming the area.

Tonari casually captured three of the creatures, securing them in a storage scroll.

"We're leaving," he commanded.

Blue Snake didn't hesitate, swallowing Tonari and his team before diving back into the swamp.

Left behind, the other shinobi found themselves facing an overwhelming threat.

Their only option was to flee.

---

Outside the swamp, the various leaders of the participating villages watched the chaos unfold.

Hanzo of the Salamander stood atop a high platform, his sharp eyes observing the rising purple haze.

"The Salamander King has awakened… This is bad," he muttered, his expression grim.

He had chosen the swamp for its danger and ability to weed out weaker participants. But this was beyond what anyone could have anticipated.

If all the young shinobi from the Great Villages perished, Rain Village would bear the brunt of their wrath.

Hanzo quickly summoned the village leaders.

"Gentlemen, you've seen the situation. The second round is over. If we don't act now, the losses will be catastrophic," Hanzo declared.

His tone left no room for argument.

Even the usually fiery Rōshi of Iwagakure, who had no fear of Hanzo, agreed. "Fine, but you owe us an explanation."

Hanzo's gaze swept over the gathered leaders. "The Salamander King has been dormant for decades. Its awakening has triggered a chain reaction throughout the swamp.

"My own salamander… is merely one of its offspring."

The room fell silent as the weight of his words sank in.

---

Meanwhile, Tonari and his team remained hidden inside Blue Snake's protective coils.

"Tonari, I think you've overdone it this time," Yoshinari remarked, his Sharingan reflecting the chaos outside.

Even Yoshino looked uneasy.

Tonari shrugged. "Perhaps… but wasn't it worth it?"

As the Salamander King wreaked havoc, Tonari couldn't help but smile.

The chaos was far from over.

---

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