Sasuke, If You Don't Have the Strength, Can You Stop Acting Tough?

Konoha Year 38

There were still six days until the Third Ninja World Genin Tournament officially began, and quite a few ninja had already started arriving in Konoha.

It was said that in order to motivate the ninja, this tournament not only offered hefty cash rewards, but the five great ninja nations had each contributed a high-level ninjutsu, vast quantities of Chakra Spirit Stones, and high-grade Ninja Tools as prizes for those who achieved outstanding results in the preliminaries.

"Is this Konoha? It really is far better than Sand Village."

A young man carrying a puppet on his back and wearing a black hat gazed enviously at the bustling streets of Konoha.

"As expected of the number one village in the Ninja World. It's really prosperous. I heard Ichiraku Ramen is pretty good. Gaara, should we go in and try it?"

The speaker was a beautiful young woman with a voluptuous figure and a giant fan strapped to her back.

Standing between them was a man carrying a gourd on his back, with dark circles beneath his eyes as large as fists. He looked as if he had not slept properly in a month. Though his face was fairly handsome, it was filled with gloom, and an indescribable vicious aura radiated from him, making others afraid to approach.

"Fine."

With that, the three of them walked into Ichiraku Ramen.

At the moment, the ramen shop was packed, with no seats available.

"Hey, brat, why are you still hogging the seat after you're done eating? Get lost already."

The puppet-bearing man arrogantly pointed at the man beside him.

"Sasuke-kun, let's go. We should give them the seats."

Sakura scratched her head awkwardly and got up to pay, but Sasuke grabbed her.

"I'll leave whenever the hell I feel like it. What's it got to do with you? Besides, I'm not full yet. Sakura, go order me another ten bowls of ramen. I'm eating until tomorrow morning."

Sasuke glared unhappily at the three of them.

"What did you say?"

The puppet-bearing man glared furiously at Sasuke, setting down the puppet on his back as he prepared to teach him a lesson.

"Kankuro, stand down."

An incomparably cold voice rang out. The man called Gaara stopped Kankuro, pulled out a stack of bills, and tossed it before Sasuke. Without expression, he said, "Get lost before I get angry."

"I'll return those words to you exactly as they are. Judging by your forehead protectors, you're ninja from another village, right? Take my advice, panda eyes. Go back and get some sleep. Don't fall asleep during the tournament."

Sasuke secretly infused a thread of Chakra into the bills and viciously flung them at Gaara. They flew at incredible speed; if they struck him, Gaara would at least be injured.

Yet strangely, just as the bills were about to hit Gaara, a shield formed from sand suddenly appeared before him and blocked them.

"You... are... courting... death!"

Gaara clenched his teeth, his eyes widening like brass bells. His expression instantly became incomparably savage, and his entire body began to tremble uncontrollably.

"H-Hey, you bastard..."

Kankuro pointed at Sasuke in utter terror. Gaara hated being called panda eyes more than anything. Anyone who dared call him that would be mercilessly buried in a sandstorm.

"Temari, hurry and inform Lord Baki! Go, now!"

Kankuro shouted. If Gaara went berserk, only Lord Baki could stop him.

"Okay!"

The woman called Temari was so frightened that she even abandoned her giant fan, fleeing Ichiraku Ramen as fast as she could.

"Panda eyes, what are you shaking for? Did you see the Uchiha crest on my back and get scared stiff?"

Sasuke looked at Gaara with utter disdain.

"Blood. I need more blood to sleep well. Blood... hahahaha!"

Gaara's voice suddenly became incomparably hoarse, as though he were an entirely different person. It was so shrill it made one's teeth ache, and it held not the slightest trace of emotion—only a craving for blood.

It was over!

It was over!

Kankuro stared at Gaara in terror and shouted, "Everyone, run!"

As soon as he spoke, Gaara waved his left hand, and a sand serpent as thick as a baby's thigh surged toward Sasuke.

"Ah!"

Panic instantly erupted in the ramen shop, and everyone fled in all directions.

"Hmph, there are too many people here. If you've got the guts, follow me."

With a flash of movement, Sasuke dodged the sand serpent's attack, then leaped away into the distance.

"Sweet blood, where do you think you're going? Oh ho ho ho!"

Gaara chased after him.

One fled while the other pursued, and they finally stopped in an empty area with few people around.

Sasuke watched the monster before him with a grave expression. This guy was a formidable opponent.

But Sasuke was no pushover either. He had awakened the Sharingan, and just a few days ago, he had learned Kakashi's Chidori.

This guy was the perfect whetstone to test just how strong he had become.

"Nirai! Sand Style—Sand Shower!"

Gaara let out a furious roar. A mass of sand abruptly appeared above Sasuke's head, then transformed into sand needles that rained down like raindrops.

"Hmph! Too slow!"

Sasuke activated his Sharingan and moved like a slippery loach, dodging and weaving. No matter how densely the sand needles fell, they could not touch him in the slightest. To his Sharingan, they were simply too slow.

"What a stupid move. Take this—Lightning Style - Chidori!"

Zzzzt!

A dazzling blue light suddenly burst from Sasuke's hand. Chakra had actually materialized in his palm, as if a thousand birds were chirping.

Kakashi's signature technique: Lightning Style - Chidori. Chakra was gathered at the fingertips to pierce through the enemy.

"Perfect. I'll use you to test the power of Chidori."

Sasuke charged straight at Gaara.

"Huh?!"

Just as he was about to strike Gaara, Sasuke suddenly realized that something seemed to have restrained his legs. Looking closely, he found that it was a whirlpool of sand. No matter how hard he struggled, he could not break free.

"Idiot, did you think Sand Shower was only meant to attack you?"

Gaara gave a sinister smile.

I fell for it!

Only then did Sasuke realize that Sand Shower had merely scattered the sand and created a vast field of it. He had walked right into Gaara's trap.

Damn it!

Sasuke struggled with all his strength, but he could not break free no matter what. The sand was slowly swallowing his lower body and creeping upward toward his upper body.

Not only that, but the binding force was growing stronger and stronger. Sasuke gradually could no longer hold on, and the Chidori in his hand dispersed. The immense pressure forced a pained scream from him.

"Should I drink his blood all by myself? Or should I blow up his body and let everyone have a taste? Hmm, Mother said good things should be shared with everyone!"

"Ah, Mother, am I a good boy? You'll praise me, right? Hahaha, everyone, please enjoy! Sand Burial!"

Gaara formed hand seals with both hands.

"Eight Inner Gates, First Gate—Opening Gate—open!"

At the critical moment, a figure descended from the sky and, with tremendous force, kicked open a gap in the sand wrapping Sasuke before pulling him free.

Xiao Yun!

"Sasuke, if you don't have the strength, can you stop acting tough? If I hadn't happened to run into Sakura while buying sanitary pads for Tsunade today, you'd be a puddle of blood by now. How did the Uchiha clan produce such a useless piece of trash?"

Xiao Yun looked at Sasuke speechlessly.

"You..."

Sasuke's rage surged in his chest. Unable to catch his breath, his head tilted back, and he fainted...