"You maniac, that kind of move will put an enormous strain on your own body."
"Who's doing more extreme things anyway?" Kakashi wiped a bead of cold sweat from his forehead.
Compared to what Dan had done, the Eight Gates Formation taught by Might Guy was undoubtedly an even more outrageous technique.
The battle in the arena continued to intensify. Gaara's defense, known as an alternate form of Absolute Defense, was constantly being breached by Sasuke. Even the incredibly solid armor of sand shattered piece by piece under his blows.
Crack!
Another sound of shattered sand armor rang out as Gaara was kicked violently backward.
Sasuke slowly lowered his leg. "Is this really all the strength you've got?" he asked coolly.
His gaze was calm, detached. At this moment, he radiated the unshakable confidence of a true genius.
He was no longer that weak individual, nor the one who struggled endlessly just to defeat each opponent.
"That's amazing!" both Sakura and Ino exclaimed simultaneously, shocked at how much he'd changed.
He was actually holding Gaara back using only taijutsu.
"But isn't that my taijutsu?" Lee looked confused too. Suddenly he recalled those words he'd spoken during their fight before the Chunin Exams.
"Even if your Sharingan can see it, if your body can't keep up, you won't be able to copy it."
So now, was Sasuke's body finally keeping up with the level he once demonstrated?
But no one noticed that Gaara, who had been defending the entire time, showed not the slightest trace of panic.
Suddenly, sand began spewing from the Gourd on Gaara's back.
Unlike the sand he previously controlled for attacks, these grains seemed far more agile.
They rose from the ground, swallowing everything upward until they enveloped Gaara completely.
Like a devouring tide, they ultimately concealed Gaara's eyes — a chilling gaze as sharp as blades, radiating murder and bloodlust.
Sasuke's expression darkened too. Once again, he charged toward Gaara at incredible speed, throwing punches with the same immense force as before.
This time, however, was different. He failed to break through Gaara's defenses. Instead, blood seeped from his right hand.
"No one in this entire Chunin Exam has any chance of defeating Gaara except Naruto."
Near the central Spectator Seats, someone muttered quietly, almost like a sigh.
From Shiki's perspective, Sasuke landed high atop the arena wall, facing directly downward.
"Actually, Sasuke only barely learned Chidori recently. He still needs a long sprint to prepare."
Observing this, Shiki made another judgment.
Yet gradually, his mood steadied, because he knew after this attack from Sasuke, the battlefield would undergo tremendous change at an extremely rapid pace.
Tori-Chiku-Tora.
Shiki murmured silently, reading the hand seals Sasuke formed.
Moments later, the black-clad Uchiha pressed his left hand tightly against the stone wall with his right.
Hiss…
A faint electric crackle filled the air as arcs of lightning danced around his right hand.
The sound intensified, resembling the chirping of countless birds [Chidori].
The chakra gathered in Sasuke's left hand violently transformed into fierce lightning.
The cries of birds still echoed, but Sasuke had already begun his charge.
His left hand fiercely rubbed against the wall, intensifying the awesome power of the lightning.
Arcs of electricity followed this black-clad boy as he rushed toward that seemingly indestructible wall of sand.
Like rolling thunder.
Like the sound of a sword drawn from its sheath, Sasuke's right hand pierced into the sand wall.
Yet all the electric arcs suddenly disappeared without a trace.
"Got you," Sasuke said, staring at the spherical sand barrier before him.
But
Who exactly was caught?
Suddenly, Sasuke noticed that his right hand couldn't break free. After struggling with all his might to finally break loose, a monstrous hand immediately emerged.
As everyone focused on the chaos inside the arena, something strange began to fall from the sky—feathers.
No. Those weren't snowflakes—at least, not real ones. They were feathers.
Chapter 194: Fierce Beast Mode
Kabuto Yakushi looked at Hinata and Kiba Inuzuka, both now lying injured beside him, and at the feathers swirling through the air.
He couldn't help but sigh slightly; the operation had finally begun.
His handsome face remained hidden beneath an Anbu mask. That was why, when Hinata's old wounds reopened earlier, he could tend to her injuries without being recognized.
Come to think of it, he was truly torn inside.
Even while participating in the destruction of Konoha, he couldn't help but assist those kids.
Sasuke and Gaara locked eyes, yet above them, the falling feathers seemed anything but gentle.
Everyone with strong chakra control had already sensed how strange this "snowfall" truly was.
[Genjutsu].
"Kakashi."
Might Guy and Kakashi exchanged glances. Both quickly shut their eyes tight and began forming [Hand Seals].
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