"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"
At the Konoha Chunin Exams venue, the second match was underway in full force.
Facing Gaara, Sasuke immediately used the A-rank ninjutsu he had only recently mastered.
In an instant, the entire Martial Arts Arena turned into a sea of flames. Fire shot toward the sky as Gaara stood at the center, sand and stone rising high to form walls against the blaze.
In the stands, Konoha's spectators erupted with excitement. Unlike the previous contestant, who had forfeited outright, Sasuke and Gaara had launched into an incredibly fierce clash from the very start. This was the kind of battle they wanted to see.
"Nice! That's it—get in there and take him down!"
Shouts rang out without pause, and some spectators even rose to their feet to cheer.
Even Konoha's ninjas watched the scene without blinking. Might Guy said in a low voice, "What powerful Fire Style. The Uchiha Clan truly is a clan proficient in Fire Style. That technique must be at least A-rank."
Kakashi, standing beside him, nodded. "Yeah, but that Sunagakure kid named Gaara won't be easy to deal with either. It'll be difficult for Sasuke to beat him."
The flames surged before gradually settling down. Even with Sasuke's chakra reserves, he could not sustain such a chakra-draining ninjutsu for long.
Gaara let out a light breath and narrowed his eyes at the sand scattered around him. If this continued, he could not be sure whether his sand would hold out.
"Desert Rebel Slave!"
Sensing Sasuke's exceptional strength, Gaara did not hesitate in the slightest and immediately seized the initiative.
A new round of attacks began, while Sasuke started circling the Martial Arts Arena.
Fire Style and Gaara's sand clashed continuously. Although this Sasuke lacked the hatred that had driven him in Naruto's