"Got him!"
Sasuke thought to himself.
Channeling Lightning Release chakra into his shinobi tools to enhance their destructive power was a technique he had only recently mastered.
He had tested it in private: once he infused Lightning Release chakra into a specially crafted kunai, it became a weapon capable of cutting through iron like mud, slicing even tempered steel in an instant!
Originally, he planned to save this move for the Chunin Exams, but facing a tough opponent like Darui, he had no choice but to use it now to make a statement!
Chzzzzt
Suddenly, a flash of lightning sparked along Darui's long blade!
Sasuke's pupils constricted, the smirk on his face freezing as he thought, "He can do it too?"
Seizing Sasuke's moment of shock, Darui flicked his blade, dodging the edge of Sasuke's kunai and slashing toward the wrist holding it.
Caught off guard, Sasuke's kunai slipped from his hand as he leaped back.
Darui pressed his advantage, swinging his lightning-charged blade toward Sasuke. With no time to counter, Sasuke pulled another kunai from his pouch to block.
But the specially crafted kunai capable of holding Lightning Release chakra was his only one, now lost. The ordinary kunai in his pouch couldn't withstand Darui's chakra-infused blade—they were sliced apart in just two strikes!
The tide of battle turned abruptly, catching the onlookers off guard.
Soon, Sasuke was cornered, pushed back to the edge of the crowd. The packed spectators had no time to scatter, letting out gasps and cries.
Furious and desperate, Sasuke gritted his teeth, ready to unleash Susanoo.
Whoosh
At that moment, a wave of sand cascaded from the sky, forming a barrier in front of Sasuke!
Darui's blade struck the sand, slicing into it, but the deeper it cut, the slower it became. By the time it nearly broke through, his momentum was exhausted, leaving only the tip of the blade piercing the sand, inches from Sasuke's face.
Staring at the blade tip so close to him, Sasuke felt a chill of fear, followed by a surge of shame and anger.
"That was close…"
"Yeah, who would've thought Hidden Leaf's Sharingan prodigy would be so weak? If not for that sand, Cloud's Darui would've cut him down!"
"Who stepped in?"
After a brief silence, the crowd erupted into heated discussion.
Only then did people notice that the one who had summoned the sand to shield Sasuke—and the onlookers behind him—was a shinobi from Hidden Sand.
Feeling the gazes around him, Gaara, unaccustomed to the attention, slowly recalled the sand, storing it back into the gourd on his back.
Darui glanced at Gaara, his expression growing serious.
To block his Lightning Release-infused blade so effortlessly… this strength demanded respect.
Then, Darui sheathed his blade and glanced at the humiliated Sasuke. "You're too arrogant. I fought you with everything I had, and you disappointed me!"
With that, Darui turned and left.
Having seen Shinji in action, Darui had assumed Sasuke, with his Mangekyo Sharingan, was on the same level as Uchiha Shinji—perhaps even stronger. So he held nothing back in their duel.
Yet, Sasuke was far weaker than expected, nowhere near the level of Shinji, who had defeated Akatsuki members Shinno and Hiruko.
As the Cloud shinobi departed, the crowd dispersed, leaving only Naruto and a few others, along with some pointing and whispering Hidden Leaf villagers.
Spotting Gaara, Naruto ran over. "Gaara, that was awesome! You really saved the day!"
Gaara forced a smile uglier than a grimace. "No need to thank me."
"Uh…" Naruto scratched his head. "Maybe don't smile like that!"
Gaara relaxed, his face returning to its usual stoic expression.
Naruto grinned. "Didn't expect to see you here! Are you joining the Chunin Exams too?"
"Yeah."
Gaara nodded.
Naruto's eyes lit up. "Awesome! This Chunin Exam's getting more exciting by the minute! But watch out—I won't go easy on you during the exam!"
Gaara replied earnestly, "Neither will I!"
Sakura approached Sasuke. "Sasuke, are you hurt?"
Sasuke shook his head coldly. "I'm fine."
Naruto, Gaara, Kaede, and the others joined them.
Naruto said, "Sasuke, I warned you! That Cloud guy's taijutsu is no joke!"
Gaara nodded. "He's strong."
Sasuke's face darkened, refusing to respond.
The situation had been heavily against him. The crowd limited his movement, preventing him from using wide-range ninjutsu. In close-quarters combat, Darui's blade work gave him the edge, leaving Sasuke at a disadvantage and humiliated.
Technically, he hadn't lost, but for Sasuke, not winning—let alone dominating—was as good as a loss!
Kaede apologized, "Sasuke, I'm sorry. This mess was my fault!"
"It's not about you."
Sasuke threw out the cold reply before storming off, his face grim.
The interrupted duel made him realize the Chunin Exams might be tougher than he thought. Both Cloud's Darui and Gaara, who had just bailed him out, displayed strength beyond his expectations.
For someone who only ever focused on Hidden Leaf's shinobi academy, this sparked a faint unease.
Kakashi, who had followed along, felt the same unease.
He had thought this was just a minor scuffle, one Sasuke's skills could easily handle. The outcome was unexpected.
"Cloud's Darui, Sand's Gaara… seems other villages have their share of prodigy shinobi too!" Shaking his head, he muttered, "This is going to be trouble!"
...
Hokage's Office.
The Third Hokage looked up from his paperwork. "What did you say? Sasuke lost to Cloud's Darui?"
The Anbu clarified, "The match was interrupted by Hidden Sand's One-Tail Jinchuriki, but Uchiha Sasuke was indeed overwhelmed, completely suppressed."
The Third frowned slightly.
Based on the village's prior assessment, with Yakumo and Sasuke participating, the Chunin Exams should've been a sure thing. But Sasuke's setback today suggested this double insurance might not be so reliable.
Moreover, intelligence indicated Hidden Mist had sent two new members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, and Hidden Rock had dispatched Onoki's granddaughter. What seemed like a clear situation had suddenly grown complicated.