Operation Begins

Though he did not know what Ninjutsu Gaara intended to use, Sasuke had no intention of sitting still and waiting for death.

"Perfect. My move needs a little time too."

With that, Sasuke performed several backflips to the edge of the arena, then leaped up, planted his feet against the wall, and began forming hand seals.

A dazzling lightning flash suddenly burst from his left hand, accompanied by a piercing sound like the cries of a thousand birds that rang in everyone's ears.

"Chidori!"

Chidori carved a long trail into the wall as Sasuke roared and charged at the ball of sand below, like an indestructible sharp spear. After breaking through the sand ball's defenses, it pierced straight into Gaara's body!

Inside the dark sand ball, Gaara felt pain and said incredulously, "What is this warm stuff? Mother, what happened?"

Blood dripped onto his hand, and Gaara suddenly screamed madly, "Ah! Blood—it's my blood!"

The sound was enough to make one's hair stand on end. Sasuke suddenly realized that a tremendous force had gripped his hand. He hurriedly tried to pull out his left hand, which was buried in the sand ball, but failed. He used Raikiri again, and amid an angry roar, finally tore his left hand free and swiftly jumped back.

A huge earth-yellow claw stretched out from the hole in the sand ball. After failing to catch Sasuke, it slowly withdrew.

Half-crouched on the ground, Sasuke panted heavily. Then, through the hole he had created in the sand ball, he saw an eye that utterly did not belong to a human!

What was that?

"Genjutsu, Temple of Nirvana Technique!"

White feathers suddenly appeared before every spectator in the stands, and one after another, they fell asleep.

Looking at the white feathers before him, Shiraishi Yoshijo said