A third of Sasuke's chakra had already been depleted. Aside from this attack, he could only use Chidori three more times today. Unlike in the original story, where he could only use it twice per day, Sasuke now had a total of four uses.
"Lightning Release: Shunshin!" (Body Flicker)
Buzz—
Boom!
A thunderous explosion echoed as Sasuke activated Lightning Release: Shunshin once more. This technique significantly amplified his speed, making him appear as nothing more than a streak of blue lightning.
Gaara clenched his fists tightly in response.
Shukaku's massive arm instantly wrapped around him, encasing his body within a spherical shell of sand.
As the enormous arm morphed into a gigantic earthen sphere, a massive sand-formed eye appeared beside it, giving off an eerie presence.
But Sasuke paid no attention to it.
With another flash of blue light, he drove his Chidori straight into the sphere.
This time, its power and force were far stronger than at this point in the original story.
Countless bolts of lightning tore through the dense sand. The Chidori's sheer energy pulverized the compacted earth into fragments, piercing through several meters of hardened layers.
Sasuke's hand finally broke through to the center—straight into Gaara's chest.
However, he was already panting heavily.
Inside the sphere, Gaara stared in disbelief at his own bleeding chest.
"B-Blood... again…? Ahhh!"
His agonized scream filled the entire arena.
It no longer sounded human—more like the primal roar of a wild beast.
Sasuke had only managed to pierce the surface of Gaara's chest. Though blood gushed from the wound, it had not penetrated deep enough to damage any vital organs.
Yet Sasuke could feel Gaara's chakra surging wildly, his rage escalating.
A bad feeling crept over him.
He immediately tried to withdraw his hand from the sand, but the surrounding grains clung tightly to his arm, refusing to let go.
No matter how hard he pulled, he couldn't break free.
Worse yet, he realized that the sand beneath his feet was beginning to gather around him, attempting to encase his entire body.
If he didn't act fast, he would be crushed to death.
Gritting his teeth, Sasuke made a swift decision.
"Lightning Release: Chidori!"
Crackle—
Boom!
With no other choice, he formed seals with his free hand.
Instantly, lightning surged from his trapped arm, discharging a storm of electricity that blasted the surrounding sand apart.
Seizing the opportunity, Sasuke immediately leaped backward, putting several dozen meters of distance between himself and Gaara.
He was panting heavily now, with only a third of his chakra remaining.
Several fresh wounds had opened across his body, blood trickling freely.
Yet his Sharingan remained locked onto Gaara, unwavering.
Even though his right hand was bleeding profusely, even though his body trembled from exhaustion—
He refused to surrender.
Nearby, Genma Shiranui frowned deeply.
He hoped Sasuke would forfeit soon.
Gaara was clearly not a normal opponent—he was a Jinchūriki who had lost control.
Continuing this fight was pointless.
It could even be fatal.
This was just the Chunin Exams.
Genma didn't want anything to happen to Sasuke.
After all, Sasuke's performance had already been exceptional.
At this level, he was unquestionably Jōnin-tier.
He had no weaknesses anymore.
His taijutsu, ninjutsu, and the genjutsu-enhancing power of the Sharingan—
All of it had reached a Jōnin's level.
It was clear—if he had been in Sasuke's position just now, his performance against Gaara would have been far worse. In fact, he wouldn't have stood a chance.
Genma Shiranui didn't possess a high-damage jutsu like Chidori. If Gaara had grabbed his arm, it would have been completely crippled.
But Sasuke had managed to form seals with one hand and unleash Chidori again. That level of skill already placed him far above Genma.
He didn't want Sasuke to throw his life away over pride.
Even the Third Hokage, watching from above, furrowed his brows.
"Sasuke should surrender."
Just as he was about to signal Genma to stop the match—
Orochimaru, seated beside him, suddenly appeared behind him, seizing him and leaping onto the rooftop.
The sudden attack caught everyone off guard—including the Third Hokage himself.
The moment Orochimaru made his move, hidden ninja within the audience began casting Genjutsu: Temple of Nirvana.
In an instant, nearly everyone in the arena—except for a select few—fell unconscious under the genjutsu.
As the chaos unfolded, Baki and the Sand Village ninja also sprang into action.
Baki appeared in front of Gaara, while Temari and Kankurō rushed to his side.
Gaara's chest was still bleeding from his wound, yet he was still trying to fully transform into his Tailed Beast state.
His mind was in complete chaos.
With a violent outburst, he struck Temari and Kankurō away, sending them flying.
His cold, murderous gaze locked onto Sasuke.
"Uchiha Sasuke… I will kill you. I will kill you!"
Gaara had completely lost control.
Baki shot him a glance, frowning.
"What a hassle… Why can't he control himself?"
Gaara's premature rampage had thrown their entire plan into disarray.
At the same time, Genma appeared in front of Sasuke, positioning himself between him and Baki.
As a Tokubetsu Jōnin of the Leaf, it was his duty to protect Sasuke.
Sasuke had already exhausted most of his chakra. If Baki attacked, he wouldn't be able to defend himself.
Genma had no choice but to shield him.
Gaara, still intent on fighting Sasuke, took a heavy step forward.
Baki immediately called out, "Gaara, don't forget your mission."
But Gaara wasn't listening. He continued staggering toward Sasuke.
Though Sasuke's Chidori hadn't inflicted a fatal wound, Gaara had consumed too much chakra attempting his full transformation.
"Aahhh!"
The immense chakra drain nearly caused Shukaku to take over his body entirely.
Only then did Gaara regain some clarity.
Clutching his head, he collapsed to his knees, screaming in pain.
Baki frowned.
"This is all because you tried to force your full transformation."
Gaara's impatience had forced their operation to start prematurely.
Baki was deeply frustrated, but there was little he could do—Gaara was beyond his control.
Temari and Kankurō, regaining their footing, rushed to Gaara's side and helped him up.
After quickly assessing his condition, Temari spoke.
"His chakra is too depleted. He can't fully transform anymore."
Baki clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"Ridiculous. He wasted his chakra… all for a match."
Temari responded immediately.
"We need to get Gaara somewhere safe so he can recover his chakra first."
Baki, though still irritated, knew there was no other choice.
"Temari, Kankurō—take Gaara and retreat. Let him heal and restore his chakra."
Meanwhile, Sasuke stood frozen, staring at the sudden chaos around him.
His eyes darted toward the black barrier forming over the arena's roof.
"What the hell is happening…?"
Genma, noticing Temari and Kankurō about to leave with Gaara, quickly issued an order.
"Sasuke, you've already earned the rank of Chūnin. Now, I'm giving you your first mission—
Stop them."
Sasuke hesitated for a moment, glancing at the barrier overhead.
"But what about the Hokage—?"
Before he could finish, Genma cut him off.
"The Hokage will be handled by the Jōnin. You go after Gaara."
In truth, Genma wanted Sasuke out of the danger zone as quickly as possible.
Temari and Kankurō combined weren't a match for Sasuke at this point.
Gaara, injured and drained of chakra, posed little threat to him either.
Sending Sasuke to chase Gaara was essentially a way to get him out of harm's way.
Read advanced chapters at:
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