"Gaara."
As Gaara was about to step onto the battlefield, Temari called out his name.
He looked slightly puzzled.
"Hinata Hyuga is Hokage-sama's apprentice."
Temari warned him, "You can defeat her, but don't go too far."
If it had been the old Gaara—defiant and untamed—he wouldn't have listened. But now, he understood the reasoning behind such advice.
He gave a slight nod and calmly stepped into the center of the arena.
While Sunagakure showed confidence in this match, Konoha appeared rather ordinary in comparison.
They all knew Gaara was the One-Tailed Jinchuriki and had already assumed Hinata would be unable to defeat him.
"Just do your best, Hinata."
Ino Yamanaka patted Hinata Hyuga's shoulder gently and said, "You've already done great."
"Yeah," added Shikamaru Nara lazily, "the Chunin Exams are just about earning the title of Chunin anyway."
"This one's Naruto's problem," Kiba Inuzuka said, nudging Naruto Uzumaki.
"No problem!" Naruto immediately replied with a grin. "I won't let him take first place either. Right, Sasuke?"
Sasuke Uchiha simply gave a calm nod and said, "He's just another of my defeated opponents."
They had once fought when Gaara briefly joined Kakashi Hatake's team for a mission.
With Mangekyo Sharingan and Susanoo, victory came naturally.
So, this time, he wasn't boasting at all.
"I'll do my best," Hinata said firmly and nodded before leaving the spectator stand.
She fully understood what her friends meant.
Gaara's previous performance had indeed seemed terrifying, and being a Jinchuriki didn't help matters.
Participating in the Chunin Exams was clearly unfair—almost like how it was for Naruto.
However, from the very beginning of her participation, Hinata had only used Gentle Fist techniques.
The Banishing Bow given to her by Natsume, or the Void Fist taught by Kaguya Otsutsuki—she had never used them.
She felt she might actually have a chance now.
After all the training from Natsume, she couldn't just quit now because of Gaara being a Jinchuriki.
Besides, that wasn't her nature.
Natsume stood nearby, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
I should have gotten the Tenseigan sooner.
Now, the outcome was hard to predict.
Contrary to Sunagakure's belief, Natsume thought the odds were almost even—fifty-fifty.
He was already ready to observe closely and intervene if necessary.
Of course, Hinata wouldn't come to any harm.
Plus, with Gaara being a Jinchuriki, any serious incident would create complications.
Both fighters now stood in the arena, sealing the hand sign of opposition, marking the official start of the match.
Gaara remained calm and expressionless.
He held a major advantage against purely Taijutsu-focused opponents.
Especially since he possessed an innate defense shield—often jokingly referred to as "Mother Susano'o."
Ordinary Genin-level Taijutsu users were no real threat to him.
Unless they were someone like Rock Lee.
If he activated the Eight Gates, his speed could surpass even Gaara's defensive barrier.
However, members of the Hyuga clan were an exception.
Speed wasn't their forte; instead, their use of the Byakugan and pressure-point strikes posed a challenge.
Once struck, his chakra flow might be disrupted, rendering him temporarily paralyzed.
Yet Gaara was unafraid of such attacks.
Because his body was protected by a shield.
Hinata Hyuga clenched her teeth and assumed the stance of the Gentle Fist, her expression tense.
Gaara raised his hand at the sight.
[Sand Binding Coffin!]
Yellow sand flew wildly, quickly condensing together like a tornado, wrapping around Hinata.
[Shifting Body Technique!]
Hinata had seen this technique before, so she stayed on guard.
In a flash, she dodged the swirling sands.
Midair, she hurled dozens of kunai.
However, just as they neared Gaara, a wall of sand rose before him.
The kunai buried themselves in the wall, rendered useless.
Hinata landed on the ground.
Looking up, she saw countless pellets of sand raining down like a storm.
[Sand Drizzle!]
At the same time, two bursts of yellow sand sprang from the ground, entangling Hinata's feet.
With a bang—
It was a shadow clone.
Gaara's eyes shifted slightly.
Behind him, a mound of sand rapidly hardened, shaping into a massive hand.
Before Hinata could land and deliver her Gentle Fist strike, she was already forced to retreat.
On the observation platform.
"This guy's a real problem."
Ino Yamanaka crossed her arms, frowning slightly as she spoke.
Gaara barely had to lift a finger to keep Hinata on the run.
"For Hinata to win, relying solely on the Gentle Fist is impossible," Sasuke Uchiha said calmly. "She can't get close or break through Gaara's defenses."
"Hey, Neji," Kiba Inuzuka couldn't help but ask, "does your Hyuga clan have any other techniques besides the Gentle Fist?"
"If it's Hinata, maybe something unusual," Neji Hyuga replied solemnly.
Everyone exchanged surprised looks.
But before they could ask anything else, the battle inside shifted again.
Hinata drew the Banishing Bow.
Neji's eyes immediately narrowed.
He'd seen this bow before—it left a strong impression.
For the others, though, it was entirely new.
"Since when does the Hyuga clan use bows?" Mei Terumī murmured to herself.
She remembered that Hinata was Natsume's apprentice—perhaps this was his doing?
After all, no Hyuga ninja had ever used a bow before.
Or any other weapons, for that matter.
The Hyuga were always best known for their fists.
Gaara showed some surprise, but not much reaction.
This chapter isn't over yet!
Hinata looked serious as she drew the bowstring taut.
From the earlier fight, she had identified the key.
Gaara's automatic defense—the Air Sand Protective Wall.
She needed enough speed to land an attack on him.
Although the Gentle Fist wasn't slow, its power wasn't sufficient.
Just a moment's delay would trigger attacks from controlled sand, forcing her to stop mid-action.
But the Banishing Bow was different.
It had been originally crafted by Kaguya Otsutsuki.
Its true form was the Box of Supreme Bliss.
Later, it had absorbed the power of Moryo.
In terms of chakra alone, it ranked just beneath the tailed beasts.
Yet its energy was far more focused.
If Hinata faced Naruto Uzumaki, she'd likely stand no chance.
After all, he already possessed the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.
But Gaara was another matter.
He had a terrible relationship with Shukaku.
In hindsight, his power actually surged dramatically after losing Shukaku.
This meant Gaara couldn't reasonably utilize the power of the tailed beast.
A semi-transparent arrow formed.
Gaara didn't hesitate either—he raised his hand.
Yellow sand swiftly transformed into a massive hand, striking out toward Hinata Hyuga.
At that exact moment, the arrow was released.
Judging purely by size, the arrow looked like an ant facing off against the yellow sand.
But once they made contact, the yellow sand rapidly collapsed.
An immense sense of danger surged forth.
Without hesitation, Gaara immediately went on defense.
[Desert Wave Technique]!
Countless waves of yellow sand surrounded him, instantly forming a thick, egg-like shell that encapsulated him completely.
Even Sasuke Uchiha's Lightning Cutter—a technique renowned for piercing through even the toughest defenses—could barely crack through this defense.
Yet now, it was pierced through instantly by the arrow.
[CRASH]!
The shell shattered, and Gaara flew backward violently.
"No way?!"
Temari stood up immediately, wearing an expression of total disbelief.
Next to her, Kankuro wore the exact same look.
They both knew just how strong Gaara's defense was.
Ordinary Jonin couldn't scratch him at all.
How could such an unremarkable-looking arrow possess such incredible power?
On the other side, after recovering from their shock, the Konoha ninjas began showing signs of hope.
Still, the outcome hadn't been decided yet, so they didn't get too excited.
Slowly, Gaara got back up.
Blood stained his chest.
Yellow sand poured out from within.
Frowning slightly, Gaara revealed a hint of killing intent.
But compared to before, it wasn't as bad.
After all, he'd been beaten far worse by Natsume.
Snapping himself back to focus, Gaara's gaze settled on the bow.
Its power surpassed his expectations.
Perhaps this match wouldn't be as easygoing as he thought.
Hinata frowned slightly.
She hadn't expected Gaara to have another layer of defense.
That last shot had already reached the limit of *the Banishing Bow*—a powerful artifact capable of amplifying chakra-based attacks.
Actually, it had reached the limit of her current abilities.
Though the Banishing Bow had immense potential, its full use depended entirely on the wielder's skill.
Suddenly, Hinata sheathed the bow.
Her sudden action left nearly everyone confused.
What did this mean?
Had she given up?
To anyone observing clearly, it was obvious that if she fired a few more arrows, Gaara might not hold up.
Even Gaara hesitated for a moment upon seeing this.
But Hinata had already taken up the Gentle Fist stance.
Gaara frowned.
What was going on?
Unable to figure it out, he stopped thinking about it.
Because of that arrow, he was now taking her seriously too.
Reacting instantly,
The gourd on his back opened, and countless waves of yellow sand blanketed the air, rushing toward Hinata Hyuga.
For a close-range martial artist, such long-distance attacks were undoubtedly the most effective.
Unless one could close the gap to Gaara instantly—
Which was obviously impossible.
[Void Fist: Sixty-Four Strikes]!
With a determined expression, Hinata suddenly launched a punch.
A massive surge of chakra gathered in her palms.
In an instant, sixty-four strikes were unleashed.
The very air seemed to tremble.
Gaara's eyes flew open in shock.
The once-cohesive yellow sand was like a blanket.
But this time, the blanket was torn open with sixty-four holes.
Moreover, the residual shockwave of chakra surged toward him without losing momentum.
Gaara's mind stirred instantly.
Slender threads of yellow sand gathered before him.
Yet in the blink of an eye, they were pierced through, landing instead on his automatically activated Air Sand Shield.
This supposedly absolute defense technique, the Air Sand Shield, actually shattered instantaneously.
Gaara flew backward once again.
But this time, he didn't get back up.
The intense pain nearly drove him crazy.
Just as he instinctively attempted to draw upon Shukaku's power, he realized—he couldn't summon it at all.
He hesitated, puzzled. What was happening?
Normally, when Gaara was hurt, Shukaku would get excited and rush out eagerly.
But today was different.
Gaara suddenly sensed something.
Shukaku knew that Hinata Hyuga was Natsume's disciple.
It was afraid.
Afraid to make a move.
Because Natsume was standing nearby at the observation stand.
Gaara was momentarily speechless.
He looked toward Hinata Hyuga, then abruptly raised his hand. "I surrender."
Truthfully, he had no strong desire to fight anymore.
Originally, he had only planned to defeat Hinata easily.
After all, if things went too far, it wouldn't just affect him—it would bring disaster upon Sunagakure Village.
Now that Shukaku refused to appear, continuing the battle would only cause him more suffering.
So quitting was the best option.
"Gaara has truly grown," Temari murmured after a pause.
"If it were the past, he definitely would've recklessly used the power of the One-Tail."
"Oh…"
Kanpo mused, sighing. "If Kazekage-sama witnessed this, perhaps he'd feel satisfied."
Temari exhaled deeply.
Lord Rasa had originally intended to attend in person, but was turned away by Natsume.
Natsume reasoned: "I'm busy flirting with the Mizukage—who invited you to crash the party?"
However, such a refusal was interpreted by Sunagakure as a sign of contempt.
In theory, if the Kazekage had arrived, he should've sat side-by-side equally with the Hokage and the Mizukage.
But now, it clearly implied that Rasa wasn't worthy.
This left everyone in Sunagakure deeply disgruntled.
But there was nothing they could do about it.
Compared to Gaara, Hinata Hyuga stirred much more discussion.
"Was that Gentle Fist?"
"No way! The Gentle Fist doesn't look like that!"
"What kind of martial art is that? How can its power be so immense?"
"Truly worthy of being from the Hyuga clan. They've developed yet another new Ninjutsu."
Murmurs rose steadily from the crowd.
Neji Hyuga found himself the target of many curious glances.
He gave a bitter smile. "Honestly, I don't know. Must've been taught by Hokage-sama."
As far as he knew, only Hinata Hyuga among the Hyuga clan practiced it.
"So it was Hokage-sama!"
Inuzuka Kiba and others immediately understood.
If it was Natsume behind it, then there was no issue at all.
That was the reputation he'd built over time.
"The winner is Hinata Hyuga."
Ao stood as the referee.
He looked at Hinata with slight surprise.
Since he stood close, he could sense it clearly.
The new martial art Hinata used appeared to share origins with the Gentle Fist.
Either this technique was newly developed by the Hyuga clan, or this girl possessed extraordinary talent.
Upon hearing those words, Hinata Hyuga exhaled in relief.
She had finally won without losing face.
She instinctively looked toward the high platform.
Suddenly, she let out a soft *hmm*.
Earlier, without activating her Byakugan, Hinata mistook Yugao Uzuki for Natsume.
But with her Byakugan active now, she realized it wasn't him.
Because the chakra didn't match.
More precisely, her Byakugan couldn't penetrate Natsume before.
Now that she could see through it, he definitely wasn't.
Where could Brother Natsume be?
Instantly, Hinata's excitement over defeating Gaara started to fade.
She had wanted to impress Natsume.
But he wasn't even here.
"Are you okay?"
Temari and Kankuro appeared beside Gaara.
They helped support his weakened form.
Seeing his wounds, both of them felt uneasy.
Gaara's body was usually protected by an Armour of Sand.
Normal attacks couldn't break through it.
Yet now, he'd been pierced like a sieve.
Thankfully, as a Jinchuriki, Gaara had a strong life force, and Hinata had held back somewhat. So there wasn't serious damage.
"I'm fine."
Gaara shook his head.
The three returned to the observation deck, where medics hurried over to treat him.
Seeing this, Hinata also went back to her seat.
But now, someone was sitting in her seat.
"Brother Natsume?"
Hinata's face lit up with surprise.
"Good job."
Natsume smiled warmly.
Hinata blushed in embarrassment.
"Teacher, it's our turn next!"
Naruto Uzumaki exclaimed.
Sasuke Uchiha gave a quiet snort, though his eyes gleamed with eagerness.
"You two need to know your limits."
Natsume thought for a moment before speaking.
"This is Mist territory. Causing too much destruction will reflect poorly on Konoha."
Sasuke Uchiha activated Susanoo while Naruto Uzumaki entered Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.
Once their fight was over, Mist Village would need rebuilding.
Mei Terumī would surely kill Natsume then.
Both Naruto and Sasuke looked disappointed.
Still, what Natsume said had to be obeyed.
"If you want to fight, there'll be plenty of chances."
Natsume waved his hand dismissively.
"Head down now."
Four thousand words. End of chapter.
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
~ 100+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
~ More *Free* Chapters and Books Available on Patreon!
patreon.com/Tansnovel
<><><><><><><><>