Chapter 128: Sasuke Crushes Gaara

Without the restraint of the forehead protector, Karin’s long red hair fluttered freely.

A pale-purple diamond-shaped mark appeared on her forehead.

On the viewing platform.

"Hahaha!"

"Rasa" could no longer hold back and burst into laughter.

He turned toward the Third Hokage and teased,

"This should be your disciple’s Strength of a Hundred Seal, shouldn’t it? As far as I remember, it’s not exactly a secret technique found anywhere else in the shinobi world.

"How did such an important secret technique end up in the Sound Village, Hokage-sama?

"Name your price. My Sand Village wants it.

"After all, it’s nothing special, right?"

Hiruzen’s expression darkened slightly, but he still replied,

"This is a sealing technique inherited from the Uzumaki clan. It wasn’t invented by my disciple.

"This Sound Ninja is a member of the Uzumaki clan, so it’s not unusual for her to know the Strength of a Hundred Seal."

But was that really the case?

Even Hiruzen himself didn’t believe those words.

Chakra Enhanced Strength, Heaven Kick, and the Strength of a Hundred Seal.

With all three combined, there was no need to guess her identity anymore.

Tsunade’s disciple!

What exactly was the relationship between Tsunade and the Sound Village?

If they had no connection, Hiruzen couldn’t believe Tsunade would accept a disciple from another village.

Even if she were an Uzumaki, as long as she belonged to another village, Tsunade wouldn’t accept her.

Hiruzen knew Tsunade’s personality very well.

Looks like I’ll have to ask Jiraiya about this in greater detail.

That was what he thought.

But Hiruzen had no idea where Jiraiya had gone.

After giving Naruto some time off a few days ago, he hadn’t seen him again.

Hiruzen felt another headache coming on.

I’ll probe them first.

With that thought, Hiruzen gave Enma Anbu Raido a slight signal.

Understanding the Third Hokage’s intention, Raidō nodded slightly before disappearing from the spot in a flash.

Seeing this, "Rasa" smiled but said nothing more.

Meanwhile.

On the battlefield.

Might Guy appeared on the field, caught the unconscious Rock Lee as he was sent flying, and neutralized the force behind his body.

Looking at Lee’s unconscious face and his dangling right arm, Might Guy’s eyes reddened.

That arm... is ruined.

Guy felt deeply guilty.

He shouldn’t have allowed Lee to use the Eight Gates.

Genma Shiranui, the referee, glanced at the unconscious Lee and sighed inwardly.

Then he announced,

"The winner of the first match is Karin of the Sound Village!"

The stands immediately erupted into thunderous cheers.

Genma turned toward Might Guy, who was holding Lee and mourning silently.

"Guy, don’t be so upset. Whatever happens, take him to the medical room first."

"Yeah. Thank you."

Might Guy carried Lee away and disappeared from the arena.

Nearby, Karin picked up her forehead protector and tied it back into place.

She didn’t care in the slightest that the Strength of a Hundred Seal on her forehead had been exposed.

She didn’t think much of it, nor did she feel any joy at winning the match.

There was nothing worth celebrating about defeating a Genin who didn’t even know how to use ninjutsu.

Karin left the battlefield and walked up the stairs on the side toward the waiting room.

Genma Shiranui raised his hand and loudly announced,

"Second match: Uchiha Sasuke versus Gaara! The two candidates, come down!"

Inside the waiting room.

Naruto glanced at Sasuke.

Sasuke gave a slight nod.

Then he immediately jumped down from the second-floor waiting room.

On the other side, Gaara did the same, leaping directly down from the second floor.

The audience erupted into enthusiastic cheers.

In the arena, Gaara looked at Sasuke with a sinister smile.

"Your blood must taste delicious."

Sasuke sneered.

"Shut up, you sand-reliant weakling."

At this point, Gaara’s taijutsu was extremely poor.

Years of failing to get normal rest had caused his reaction speed to deteriorate as well.

His mental state was also terrible.

Without his sand, he was practically useless.

With Sasuke’s current strength, calling him a weakling wasn’t an exaggeration.

"You called me a weakling?"

Gaara’s pride was thoroughly provoked.

He glared at Sasuke with a twisted expression.

"I’ll definitely kill you!"

The giant gourd on his back continuously released sand.

Seeing this, Genma immediately raised his hand and shouted,

"The match begins!"

The moment Genma gave the order, the corners of Sasuke’s mouth curled upward.

He immediately charged toward Gaara.

The sand floating around Gaara quickly moved to block Sasuke’s attempt to close the distance.

Sasuke moved left.

The sand followed left.

He moved right.

The sand followed right.

An idea came to Sasuke.

He began sprinting rapidly in circles around Gaara.

The sand automatically protecting Gaara moved along with him.

Sasuke spun faster and faster.

Faster and faster!

The sand autonomously protecting Gaara could no longer keep up with Sasuke’s speed.

Gaara frowned, his eyes constantly tracking Sasuke’s movements.

Suddenly, Sasuke broke through!

He violently kicked Gaara in the head!

Crack!

Gaara felt a sharp pain spread across his face as the sand armor protecting his head shattered.

At the same time, the immense force sent him flying sideways.

Sasuke immediately reached out and grabbed Gaara’s scarf, violently yanking him back.

He raised his leg and kicked again!

Crack!

Gaara felt the sand armor around his abdomen fracture, followed by another burst of intense pain.

Sasuke yanked him again, pulling the airborne Gaara back toward him.

Then he slammed his fist into the back of Gaara’s head!

BOOM!

Gaara was smashed into the ground.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

The sand armor covering his body continued shattering.

It broke apart piece by piece before falling away.

The sand protecting Gaara suddenly surged toward Sasuke.

Sasuke quickly retreated.

The sand then floated back around Gaara.

Inside the waiting room, Temari and Kankurō suddenly stood up.

They stared at Gaara in disbelief.

His sand armor had actually been shattered!

Seeing that something was wrong with Gaara, Kankurō couldn’t help trembling.

Back on the battlefield.

"How could this happen?"

Gaara climbed to his feet and stared blankly at the sand armor continually falling from his body.

The match hadn’t even lasted half a minute, yet his sand armor had already been completely smashed apart!

Gaara’s mind couldn’t process what had happened.

Weakling!

"No! I’m not a weakling!"

Sasuke’s earlier words echoed in his mind, and Gaara’s expression twisted once again.

He brought his hands together and formed a series of hand seals.

The sand floating around him rapidly surrounded his body.

Then it condensed into a gigantic sphere of sand, completely protecting Gaara inside.

Is this the sand sphere Naruto told me about?

Sasuke’s heart stirred when he saw it.

What a cowardly brat.

He only knew how to hide inside.

Without giving it much thought, Sasuke quickly leaped backward and reached the edge of the arena.

He extended his right arm downward, curling his five fingers slightly, while his left hand gripped his right wrist.

Suddenly!

A tremendous current gathered in his lowered right hand.

Intense blue lightning flashed violently.

The piercing sound of electricity rang out, resembling the cries of countless birds.

Sasuke pushed off the ground.

His body shot toward the sand sphere in the center of the arena at incredible speed.

In an instant, Sasuke reached the sand sphere.

The powerful lightning concentrated in his right hand suddenly thrust forward.

"Lightning Release: Chidori!"

BOOM!

A tremendous explosion rang out.

The Chidori, possessing astonishing penetrating power, pierced directly into the sand sphere.

Half of Sasuke’s arm disappeared into the sand.

Sasuke suddenly pulled it back out.

His right hand, still crackling with traces of lightning, emerged covered in bright red blood.