Gaara controlled all the sand in the gourd on his back, forcibly drawing up even the sand, gravel, and minerals from deep beneath the village and mixing them together.
In an instant, it condensed into an enormous defensive shield with outstretched arms and a head strikingly similar to Shukaku's, blocking the path of the descending giant sword.
"Bang!"
As the crimson Chakra sword slammed into Shukaku's Shield, a deafening blast erupted, and the entire sand shield scattered into yellow sand that filled the sky.
The powerful shockwave made the sand platform beneath Gaara's feet shake violently, more than half of it collapsing.
He himself was left dizzy from the impact and staggered several meters backward.
Only then did he barely steady himself on a newly condensed sand platform.
Although Shukaku's Shield had been shattered, it had at least blocked one attack from the mysterious figure.
The Sunagakure ninja below rubbed their eyes in disbelief at the shocking sight, hardly daring to believe it was real.
Thus, a glimmer of hope for victory was rekindled in their despairing hearts.
One Sunagakure ninja muttered, "He... he blocked it?! Gaara blocked it!"
Soon afterward, even more Sunagakure ninja erupted into cheers.
Gaara knew this was no time to celebrate. He immediately gathered Chakra again, forming a sand spear marked with red runes in his hand before hurling it fiercely at Susanoo's head.
Uchiha Hikari snorted. "Tricks like this..."
"Bang!"
Susanoo did not dodge, allowing the sand spear to strike the crystal before its forehead. In the end, it only left several cracks.
They were repaired in the blink of an eye.
Gaara had not expected that spear to defeat the mysterious figure.
Gritting his teeth, he extracted the last of his Chakra once more.
Desert Layer Great Burial Seal!
Rumble!
More sand surged