Shukaku is Scared…!
Shiro and Karin exchanged glances before stepping forward, each choosing Gaara and Sasuke as their respective opponents. They positioned themselves strategically between them.
Gaara frowned as the sand at his feet surged toward Shiro. However, just before it struck, an ice wall materialized, blocking the attack.
Immediately, sharp ice spikes formed and launched toward Gaara, only to be intercepted by his Sand Shield.
"Ice Release Kekkei Genkai… too bad your attacks won't work on me," Gaara remarked, shaking his head slightly.
But then, his expression changed. Looking down, he realized that a thin layer of ice had spread across the ground, freezing his legs and restricting his movement.
Shiro suddenly appeared behind Gaara, raising a kunai made of Ice Release.
Gaara smirked. In an instant, his frozen body dissolved into a Wind Clone. Emerging from a pool of sand nearby, he directed his gourd sand to engulf Shiro—only for Shiro's body to flicker and disperse into a Water Clone.
While Shiro and Gaara's battle showcased intricate jutsu exchanges, the fight between Karin and Sasuke was far more straightforward. It wasn't that Sasuke wasn't trying to showcase his skills, but Karin predicted his every move with uncanny precision.
Unlike Sasuke's calculated approach, Karin fought like a berserker, trading blows fearlessly. Her healing factor allowed her to recover almost instantly, a trait that unsettled Sasuke. It reminded him of the frustration he once felt fighting Naruto.
Realizing direct combat wouldn't work, Sasuke activated his Sharingan and cast a genjutsu.
But the illusion barely lasted a second before Karin broke free. Golden chains erupted from her back—the Adamantine Sealing Chains of the Uzumaki Clan.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. He had no choice but to reevaluate his strategy.
The spectators stood in stunned silence.
After enduring multiple missions, they were no longer green Genin, and many had been recommended for the Chunin Exams. But this battle—this was beyond Chunin level.
"Sai, do you think Sasuke can win?" Sakura asked, glancing at him.
Sai merely responded with a polite, empty smile, leaving her frustrated.
"Having two cool and detached teammates is nice, but they really make me feel like an idiot sometimes," she thought bitterly.
Nearby, Choji munched on his potato chips and nudged Shikamaru.
"Shikamaru, don't you think that red-haired ninja fights a lot like Naruto?"
Shikamaru nodded, but his gaze drifted toward Shisui, who stood nearby.
"Uzumaki…" he thought. He had heard of Uzushio from his father—a village once allied with Konoha, its ninja feared for their resilience and sealing techniques.
Now, the Uzumaki Clan had returned to the village, walking in the open.
Though the Hokage himself had invited them to participate in the Chunin Exams, something about it felt… off.
Their fight had even drawn the attention of Konoha's Anbu. A squad appeared in the alley, watching closely.
Eventually, the battle was halted under Anbu's intervention. No clear victor had emerged, but the sheer strength displayed had left an impression.
Though the Anbu likely weren't strong enough to subdue them all, their presence symbolized Konoha's authority.
With a silent exchange of glances, Karin and Shiro withdrew, regrouping with Naruto.
"Lord Menma, those two are insanely strong! They're almost as powerful as the Jonin instructors at the academy. Are Konoha ninja really this strong?" one of their allies asked.
Naruto shook his head.
"The one with the gourd is Gaara, the Jinchuriki of Sunagakure. The other is Uchiha Sasuke—Shisui's relative and Aunt Mikoto's son."
Karin's eyes widened.
"Aunt Mikoto's son?!" she exclaimed, visibly shocked.
Shisui stepped in.
"Yes, but for various reasons, he remained in Konoha. This Chunin Exam will be one of your biggest challenges."
Karin scoffed.
"If I use natural energy, that won't be the case."
Naruto didn't challenge her confidence. Both Karin and Shiro bore Curse Marks, allowing them to temporarily reach Jonin-level strength. In the original timeline, Sasuke alone might not be able to defeat them, but Gaara was different.
No matter how controlled a Jinchuriki might seem, their power was at least on par with an elite Jonin.
Naruto had achieved his goal—showcasing Uzushio's strength. Not wanting to draw too much attention, he left the scene quickly.
"It's always better when the one pulling the strings makes their move last."
Meanwhile, the Anbu leader addressed the combatants.
"Since this is your first offense, we won't take action. But if you fight in Konoha again, we will not hesitate to intervene."
Given that the participants had unique backgrounds or represented powerful villages, the Anbu couldn't afford to escalate the situation. After issuing a warning, they dispersed.
As they left, Temari and Kankuro finally exhaled in relief.
Had Gaara lost control, it could have triggered a diplomatic crisis between Sunagakure and Konoha, jeopardizing their mission.
Turning to Gaara, Temari asked, "The Ice Release user countered your sand, but he shouldn't have been too much trouble for you, right?"
But Gaara wasn't even thinking about Shiro. His expression was unusually tense.
His gaze locked onto a different figure.
"Not them," he murmured. "The black-haired ninja with the bandages… he's strong. Very strong."
A chill ran down Temari's spine.
"What? But… why would you say that?"
Gaara clenched his fists.
"I can feel it. Shukaku is afraid…!"
His body trembled involuntarily. Temari and Kankuro exchanged a stunned glance, unable to believe what they had just heard.
Gaara was feared as a monster in Sunagakure, not just because of his own skill but because of Shukaku, the One-Tailed Beast sealed within him.
Shukaku was a force of destruction—an unstoppable calamity in the desert.
Yet now, Shukaku itself was afraid?
Just how powerful was that ninja? Had they already surpassed their father, the Fourth Kazekage?
Sunagakure had come to the Chunin Exams with confidence, believing they would dominate.
But now, even survival seemed uncertain.
---
Meanwhile, the Konoha Genin were preparing to leave.
Kiba waved his hand in front of Hinata's face, snapping her out of her daze.
"Hey, Hinata, what are you looking at? Everyone's gone already."
He paused before adding with a grin, "Though honestly, with competitors like that, I don't think you'll be winning this year, huh?"
Hinata didn't respond.
As she turned away, she muttered to herself,
"That person… looked familiar."
She didn't care about winning or losing. Becoming a Chunin was inevitable for her, whether she passed the exams or not.
She had entered to prove herself—to show the world, and one person in particular, that the timid girl who used to be bullied was now a true ninja.
That Naruto-kun would see just how far she had come.
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