"So..."
"You still don't intend to forfeit?"
Using the Water Body Flicker Technique, Haku appeared before the blasted-away Gaara in the blink of an eye, calmly looking down at him.
Years of diligent training by Yu's side, coupled with Yu's guidance, had laid a solid foundation for the elite jonin-level strength he and Kimimaro now possessed.
Given a little more time and the right opportunity, the two of them would probably break through to the Kage-level in two or three years. Of course, that would be during the Shippuden era.
"I'll kill you!!"
Hearing Haku's words, Gaara's ferocious expression completely twisted his originally delicate face as he continued to growl under his breath.
An immense amount of chakra began pouring from his body. The water-soaked sand around him gradually encased him in a giant sphere, forming an airtight Absolute Defense.
"Just like in the story... is he about to start using Tailed Beast transformation...?"
Seeing Gaara deploy his Absolute Defense in the arena, Yu could clearly sense through Observation Haki the enormous Tailed Beast chakra gathering within the spherical sand barrier.
"Hiding inside the sand is useless..."
After trying several more powerful Wind Release attacks and finding that they could not shake Gaara's Absolute Defense, Haku could only helplessly activate the Ice Release chakra within his body. "Our battle is already over, Gaara!!"
Ice Release: Cold Moon Frost Splendor!!
As Haku began using an Ice Release technique from his Kekkei Genkai, the water covering the entire arena rapidly froze, along with the sand surrounding Gaara's Absolute Defense, turning it into a massive sphere of ice.
This was an Ice Release technique that trapped the opponent inside ice. As long as the caster shouted "Shatter," the ice fragments would fall along with pieces of the opponent's corpse. To claim victory in