Sasuke stood outside the medical room where Ryuga was being treated, his arms crossed as he listened to Naruto argue with Mitsuki inside. He exhaled through his nose, shaking his head slightly. Despite his usual indifferent attitude, he felt a tinge of disappointment that Ryuga wouldn't be advancing.
"Tch. Looks like I have to carry the torch now."
He turned away from the room, his mind already shifting to the upcoming battle. With steady steps, he made his way through the corridor, emerging into the bright sunlight of the stadium.
The audience erupted into cheers as Sasuke Uchiha stepped onto the battlefield. Across from him, Gaara stood motionless, his cold, unsettling gaze fixed on Sasuke. The gourd on his back, filled with ominous chakra-infused sand, rested heavily against him. The tension was palpable.
The proctor raised his hand and announced, "The match between Uchiha Sasuke and Sabaku no Gaara will now begin!"
Gaara tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. "You are not the one I wanted to fight," he muttered, his voice laced with disappointment. His eyes flickered with murderous intent. "I wanted to kill Ryuga."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. This guy…
Hearing Gaara's words ignited something inside Sasuke. Ryuga was his rival, but he was also a friend—one of the few people Sasuke respected. The idea that Gaara had been aiming to kill him made Sasuke's blood boil.
"You won't lay a hand on him," Sasuke stated coldly. "You'll be lucky if you even touch me."
Gaara's lips curled into a disturbing smile. "We'll see."
The moment the match officially started, Gaara's sand burst from his gourd like a living entity, rushing toward Sasuke with crushing force.
Sasuke leaped back, narrowly avoiding the attack, but the sand pursued him relentlessly. With the precision granted by his Sharingan, he dodged each strike with graceful efficiency. His feet barely touched the ground as he maneuvered through the gaps in Gaara's sand.
The audience gasped as Sasuke moved with incredible speed, far beyond what they had seen in his previous matches.
"He's much faster than before!" one spectator murmured.
"This must be Kakashi's training…" another whispered.
Gaara's eyes widened slightly as his sand failed to capture Sasuke. "Faster than my sand?" he muttered.
Sasuke appeared beside him in a blink, his fist aimed directly at Gaara's face. The sand barely managed to rise in time, forming a shield. But this was exactly what Sasuke expected. With a sharp twist, he delivered a powerful kick to Gaara's exposed side, sending him skidding back.
Gaara clenched his teeth, his breathing slightly heavier. This… this isn't right.
Sasuke wasted no time pressing his advantage. He lunged forward, weaving through Gaara's defensive sand, landing precise blows on the Suna shinobi's body. Though the sand absorbed most of the impact, the force behind Sasuke's strikes was enough to send ripples through Gaara's defenses.
For the first time in his life, Gaara felt something unfamiliar—pressure.
He's breaking through my sand? Gaara's hands clenched into fists. No… impossible. No one touches me!
With a sudden roar, Gaara's sand surged outward violently, forcing Sasuke to retreat. The Kazekage, disguised as the Fourth, observed closely, intrigued by how much stronger Sasuke had become.
Meanwhile, Minato, watching from the Hokage's seat, smiled slightly. "Kakashi trained him well."
Hiruzen nodded. "Indeed. That speed… it reminds me of the Fourth Raikage's movements."
Sasuke exhaled, his eyes locked on Gaara. He could see the frustration growing in his opponent.
Then, Gaara did something unexpected—he knelt and brought his hands together in a seal. "I won't let you touch me again," he said darkly.
The sand around him swirled violently, forming a dense dome—a complete defensive shell.
Sasuke's eyes widened slightly. What is he planning now?
Kakashi, observing from the stands, frowned. So he's preparing for that…
Sasuke knew he had no time to waste. His hand crackled with blue electricity as he gathered chakra. The sound of a thousand birds chirping filled the stadium, making the audience murmur in awe.
"That technique…!"
Minato's eyes gleamed with understanding. "So Kakashi really did teach him Chidori."
Sasuke sprinted forward, his entire body charged with power. His Sharingan spun rapidly, locking onto a weak point in the sand dome. There!
With a burst of speed, he drove the Chidori forward.
A loud CRACK echoed through the stadium as his lightning-coated hand pierced the dense sand. Sasuke pushed deeper, feeling the resistance. Then—blood splattered across the sand.
Gaara screamed.
The sand dome collapsed as Gaara stumbled back, clutching his shoulder where Sasuke's attack had struck. His pupils trembled as he saw his own blood dripping onto the battlefield.
For the first time, Gaara felt fear.
"No… no…" Gaara's breathing grew erratic. "You hurt me…" His body trembled. "You hurt me!"
Suddenly, his sand began writhing uncontrollably, and an ominous chakra filled the air. Dark markings spread across Gaara's skin as his fingers dug into his skull.
Sasuke stepped back cautiously.
Then, Gaara let out an inhuman roar.
The sand around him exploded outward, forming massive clawed limbs. The air vibrated with raw, unstable energy.
Minato's expression turned serious. "He's starting to transform."
Kakashi tensed. "This isn't good."
Sasuke's eyes widened as the monstrous chakra filled the stadium. The proctor, sensing the danger, was about to intervene when—
BOOM!
An explosion of smoke erupted from the Kage's seating area.
Orochimaru, disguised as the Kazekage, leaped toward Minato, drawing his sword with a wicked grin. "It's time, Minato-kun."
The stadium fell into chaos. The long-anticipated attack on Konoha had begun.