The so-called impenetrable "Absolute Defense" shattered beneath Sakura's fist!
The suddenness of it left everyone stunned. Even Gaara froze in disbelief, unable to comprehend how Sakura's raw, physical strike could unleash such destructive power.
After all, even Rock Lee, when he opened the Eight Gates, had only been able to break through Gaara's defense by using sheer speed, overwhelming the sand before it could react.
But Sakura had chosen the opposite path. With one blow, brute force against force, she smashed right through Gaara's shield.
"Sakura's punch…" Naruto's throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. Not even in his wildest dreams had he imagined her physical attacks could be this terrifying.
If that fist had landed on him…
"Too scary." Just the thought alone sent a shiver down Naruto's spine.
Sasuke, however, didn't look surprised at all, as though he had already expected this.
"What… how can that girl have so much strength?" Kankurō stood dumbstruck, utterly shaken. In his experience, no human should be capable of such monstrous power.
"This is… absolute strength." Temari couldn't help but gasp, her voice filled with awe.
In the blink of an eye, the girl who had always seemed so ordinary suddenly turned into a fearsome dark horse.
But Gaara wasn't about to crumble. Though stunned for an instant, the sand surrounding him carried an automatic will to protect. As soon as his shield was shattered, fresh sand surged together, condensing quickly in an effort to block Sakura's next strike.
"Haaaah!"
Sakura roared, raising her right leg high above her head like a battle axe before slamming it down.
With the full weight of her monstrous strength, the strike not only split Gaara's defense again but also tore open the arena floor, carving a deep fissure that spread outward like a wound in the earth.
Gasps and sharp intakes of breath echoed through the stands—no one could remain calm in the face of such terrifying power.
"This… this is your doing, Senju Haruto?" Kakashi's eyes widened, words spilling out in shock.
To him, there was no other explanation. Only Senju Haruto could have made Sakura this strong in such a short time.
"Yes." Haruto nodded calmly, not denying it in the slightest. There was nothing shameful here—so what if everyone knew?
"The technique Sakura's using is called 'Chakra-Enhanced Strength.' By focusing chakra into a single point, then releasing it explosively, the power multiplies many times over."
"In this way, even if she can't match Lee in speed when he opens the Fifth Gate, her strength already surpasses his—and unlike the Gates, it causes no damage to her own body."
Haruto's tone was light, almost casual, but his words left both Kakashi and Guy in awe.
In truth, Sakura would eventually wield this very skill in the Shippuden era. Her precise chakra control was a rare gift—even to the extent of mastering the legendary Byakugō Technique.
In the original timeline, it had taken her years of training under Tsunade to achieve that level. But with Haruto's guidance, the years had been cut down to mere months.
Boom!
Another deafening crack thundered across the arena. The sand, painstakingly condensed into defense, was once again scattered by Sakura's unrelenting blows.
"As long as I keep pressing… cracks will appear!"
Her gaze sharpened, her entire focus locked on Gaara.
The sand shield might react fast at first, but once blasted apart, it needed time to reform. If she kept striking, strike after strike, Gaara wouldn't be able to keep up.
"My speed might not rival Lee's…" Sakura muttered under her breath, her voice low and determined. "…but in strength, I surpass him."
Her relentless offensive pushed Gaara back step after step.
"These Konoha shinobi…"
Gaara ground his teeth. None of them fit into the logic he had built his world upon. One after another, they defied reason.
"Desert Wave!"
Gaara inhaled deeply and changed tactics. Sand surged around him, wrapping tightly until his entire body was sealed within a sphere the size of a grown man.
"This is…"
Sakura frowned. She didn't know exactly what Gaara was planning, but the sphere wasn't all that large. With her enhanced strength, if she targeted a single point, she should be able to punch straight through it.
Still… Gaara wasn't just another genin. He was the one who had set new records in the Forest of Death, the one who had crushed Lee in the preliminaries.
He was strong.
But Sakura had no choice.
She had no wide-range ninjutsu to unleash. Her kunai were weaker than her fists. Against Gaara, her body and her strength were her only weapons.
"I'll just… bet everything on this!"
She clenched her teeth. And when she thought of Sasuke watching from behind her, she threw herself forward without hesitation.
"Haaah!"
With another roar, Sakura charged at the sand sphere, ready to smash it open.
But the moment she closed the distance, the sphere sprouted countless spikes. They shot out like fangs, piercing into her arms, legs, and stomach.
The entire arena gasped in horror.
"Sakura!"
Naruto and Sasuke both shouted, their hearts seizing at the sight.
Her strength was overwhelming, yes—but her defense was nothing like Gaara's. A single strike like this could leave her crippled… or worse.
"It's over."
Temari exhaled, shaking her head. "Your comrade fought hard, but in the end…"
She never finished her sentence.
For in that instant, Sakura—skewered by Gaara's spikes—suddenly pulled herself free, staggering back, blood streaming from her wounds.
The referee immediately signaled for the medical team to rush in. "Stop the match! Gaara wins—"
But then something no one expected happened.
Even in such a grievous state, Sakura shook her head, refusing the medics' help.
"I've come this far… I've already thrown away my image as a delicate girl…"
"…I won't lose to you here."
Despite her bloodied form, Sakura smiled, her lips curving upward with defiant confidence.
Her body screamed in agony. Her fist ached to strike that one blow to end everything. And yet she hesitated…
What are you afraid of?
Scolding herself in her heart, Sakura lifted her trembling hand to her forehead.
With a resolute motion, she unraveled the seal engraved there.
This was the trump card Senju Haruto had taught her.
No matter how severe the injury, it could restore her in an instant.
The ultimate jutsu…
The Byakugō Technique!