Temari was the most outstanding Wind Release ninja of Sunagakure's younger generation, and her sensitivity to wind-natured chakra was exceptionally keen.
At that moment.
From that terrifying "Serrated Light Sphere," she sensed an immensely concentrated mass of Wind Release chakra, filled with a power that could tear things apart.
It was nothing like a simple Wind Blade. It pushed the properties of "cutting" and "tearing" to their absolute limits.
"Gaara! Watch out!! Don't try to take it head-on!!" Temari shouted in alarm, no longer caring about anything else.
Temari couldn't bear to imagine it.
Could Gaara survive after taking that attack?
Gaara didn't need her warning. He had already sensed the threat.
"Desert Wave!"
Gaara brought his hands together violently.
Rumble!
All the sand flowing around him surged back in a frenzy.
In an instant, it gathered and compressed around his body, forming a huge, solid sphere of sand.
Gaara was enclosed inside it, with not even the tiniest gap left open.
Yo slowly raised his head. The Rasenshuriken had already taken shape in his hand.
"Try this... Wind Release: Rasenshuriken!"
Yo flung it forward. The Rasenshuriken, emitting a destructive hum and a piercing cutting sound, flew toward the sphere of sand.
Once it was no longer under his control, the chakra structure inside—highly compressed and in violent conflict—suddenly expanded.
Vmmm!!!
The Rasenshuriken's original shape rapidly grew as it flew, turning into a spiraling storm several meters across.
It spun and roared, carrying a terrifying force that seemed capable of annihilating everything, and slammed into Gaara's Desert Wave.
The instant they made contact, the highly concentrated, destructive Wind Release chakra clashed with the sand in a violent explosion of force.
Screeeee!
The high-pitched friction of a grinding wheel cutting through steel rang out, along with a tearing sound that made everyone's scalp crawl.
Dazzling blue-green light swallowed the entire sphere of sand.
Boom!!!
A deafening explosion erupted into the sky. The arena floor shattered and flew apart as if it were made of paper.
The berserk shock wave, mixed with sand that had been pulverized to dust, spread outward in every direction like a sphere.
Dust and turbulent chakra currents engulfed the entire arena.
The stands fell utterly silent!
Everyone held their breath, staring fixedly at the roiling cloud of smoke, their hearts in their throats.
Naruto forgot to shout.
Sasuke clenched the railing.
Sakura and Ino covered their mouths. Hinata's Byakugan widened, while Temari and Kankuro turned pale as paper.
That power... It had far surpassed the level of an ordinary Chunin. It even exceeded what one would expect from a battle between Jōnin.
How could a Genin from Konoha know such a terrifying Wind Release jutsu?
Could Gaara withstand it?
After a long while.
The raging dust and turbulent chakra currents finally settled and dispersed.
When everyone saw what had happened in the arena, they were left dumbfounded.
At the center of the arena was a terrifying crater, over ten meters in diameter.
Its walls were smooth, as if they had been shaved away by a massive grinding stone.
The bottom was covered in a thick layer of sand that had been pulverized to dust.
At the very center of the crater, Gaara knelt on one knee, one hand braced against the ground as he panted heavily.
The Sand Armor covering his body was riddled with spiderweb-like cracks.
Several gaping holes, each the size of a fist and deep enough to expose the flesh beneath, marked the front of his chest.
Blood seeped slowly from them, dripping onto the sand beneath him and leaving dark red stains.
"He's... bleeding..."
Temari's voice trembled. "Gaara... he's hurt?"
"H-he should be okay, right?" Kankuro swallowed, his voice full of fear.
"Blood... I'm bleeding..."
Gaara stared at the blood on his hand as his body began to tremble.
"I actually... bled... Unforgivable... I'll kill you... I'll kill you!!!"
Boom!!!!
A mass of chakra far greater than before burst out of Gaara.
The yellow sand scattered across the crater seemed to answer its king's call. It surged wildly and gathered around him.
In an instant.
It formed a terrifying wave of sand, towering dozens of meters high like a tsunami. With the force to engulf everything, it swept toward Yo from all sides.
Sand Waterfall Flow!
"He took an attack like that... and he's still alive?"
"Not just alive... What's with all that chakra he just released? Is that guy really a Genin?"
"Monster..."
"Yo-kun! Watch out!"
The stands erupted in an uproar.
Only a moment ago, everyone had been cheering over Yo's earth-shattering attack.
Now, the terrifying wave of sand had left them petrified.
"Looks like Konoha isn't the only village with a monster. Sunagakure has one too!"
Kakashi, Might Guy, Asuma, and the others tensed, watching the arena closely and ready to rush in at any moment to save someone.
This battle had long since gone beyond the bounds of a Chunin exam match. One wrong move could cost someone their life.
"Yo! Get out of the way!"
Naruto clutched the railing in panic, leaning halfway over it.
His face was full of worry. He wished he could jump down and shield Yo himself.
Sasuke gripped the railing tightly, unable to hide his anxiety behind his usual cool expression.
He might always act aloof, but he cared deeply about his only older brother.
Sasuke couldn't bear to imagine anything happening to Yo.
In the arena.
Compared to the Sand Waterfall Flow, which towered dozens of meters high like a tsunami, Yo looked incredibly small.
The wave hadn't reached him yet, but sand was already flying into his face.
"I wanted to keep a low profile, but you just had to make me show off!"
Yo brought his hands together sharply. "Wood Release: Rankhai no Jutsu!"
Rumble, rumble, rumble!!!
A gigantic Demon-Faced Giant Shield rose from the ground, growing and swelling until it stood firmly in front of Yo.
Its surface was marked with clear wood grain, and a fearsome face was carved into its center. It radiated a steady, imposing power.
It was the defensive Wood Release jutsu used by the First Hokage to protect against Tailed Beast Balls!
The next moment.
Crash!!!!!!
The terrifying wave of sand slammed into the Demon-Faced Giant Shield.
The earth-shaking impact rang out, making everyone's eardrums ache.
The force of the wave was powerful enough to destroy an iron fortress in an instant.
And yet.
The wooden Demon-Faced Giant Shield only trembled slightly, stopping the entire oncoming wave of sand.
Behind the shield, not even the hem of Yo's clothes stirred in the gusts.
The sand split around both sides of the shield, scattered, and swept across the ground, but it couldn't cross the line.
Wood overcomes earth!
An absolute elemental advantage!
The entire arena fell silent.
The Third Hokage's pupils contracted as he stared at the Demon-Faced Giant Shield.
Wood Release!
It really was Wood Release!
Uchiha Yao... had actually mastered Wood Release!
Kakashi had reported this to him, and the Third Hokage had believed him.
But seeing Yo use Wood Release with his own eyes was still deeply shocking.
An Uchiha... had actually mastered the First Hokage's Wood Release?
It was almost impossible to believe!
"W-what is that?"
"A wooden... wooden shield? It stopped an attack like that?"
"Wait! That jutsu's shape... Could it be..."
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! The First Hokage's Wood Release Kekkei Genkai was lost long ago..."
The entire arena erupted in astonishment.
Might Guy, Kurenai Yuhi, Asuma, and the others were dumbfounded.
Wood Release!
It was Wood Release!
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