A Newborn Calf Fears No Tiger

"Heh! Truly a newborn calf that isn't afraid of the tiger. Does he really think those petty tricks of his can stump me?"

Orochimaru let out a cold snort, feeling that this Uchiha Sora was getting a bit too full of himself.

Although he had indeed been pushed back, he hadn't been using his full strength at the time.

Combined with the element of surprise, he had simply suffered a minor setback.

But now that he was prepared, Orochimaru didn't think much of a mere genin.

At this moment, a middle-aged man in disguise leaned in from the side.

"I say, Old Snake, is that Uchiha Sora? He looks like he has a real artistic flair. I wonder if I'll get to see his explosions later!"

There was no need to guess; this person was none other than Deidara in disguise.

"Don't be impatient! The organization attaches great importance to this mission. Besides you and me, Itachi Uchiha is also following... although it's troublesome, it's enough to deal with the old Hokage!"

"As for Uchiha Sora, if you aren't afraid of Itachi's retaliation, feel free to provoke him!"

Orochimaru wore a look of wariness.

It wasn't that he was truly afraid, but he believed that as long as the green hills remained, there would be no shortage of firewood.

Why provoke someone right in front of their older brother?

However, Deidara didn't care about such things; he was currently beaming with excitement, his hands trembling.

"Heh heh! It's fine, I won't hurt him. If his art is explosive enough, I might even recommend him to join the organization!"

As the two spoke, a middle-aged woman nearby chuckled.

"I personally think this Uchiha Sora isn't anything to be afraid of. Isn't it just some kind of ninja tool?"

"Once our village's Gaara makes a move, he'll be finished all the same. In the same age group, I've never seen anyone stronger than Gaara!"

This woman was also a person from Sunagakure in disguise.

Orochimaru curled his lip at the side.

"Is that so? If you say so, then let's wait and see!"

Orochimaru sneered inwardly.

Uchiha Sora was naturally not a concern.

But what was terrifying was that he had an older brother backing him!

That was someone he couldn't afford to provoke.

Deidara agreed wholeheartedly, his mouth stretching almost to his ears.

"Right! How about we go and spar with that Uchiha Sora later?"

The person from Sunagakure looked disdainful.

"That's him? Fine, but Gaara can handle him alone."

"Alright! Hurry up and get ready; we might have to make a move soon!"

And so, the three of them acted furtively.

Meanwhile, in another corner of the plaza, on a flight of stairs, a crow stood with crimson eyes, likewise staring at Uchiha Sora.

Is this Sora? So many years have passed, yet he seems the same, always calm and composed. He is far more mature than Sasuke.

All these years, it has been thanks to Sora looking after Sasuke...

This crow was clearly a clone of Itachi Uchiha.

He was also observing Uchiha Sora at this moment.

Having not seen him for many years, and considering he was his younger brother, Itachi Uchiha was curious about how Uchiha Sora's combat strength had progressed.

Judging by appearances, his chakra reserves should be quite substantial. Even though he hasn't displayed it, it should be comparable to what mine were back then.

It's just that his eyes are lacking; he has only awakened three tomoe, without any higher-level progression.

However! According to that fellow Orochimaru, Sora's strength doesn't seem to lie in his eyes, but in his ability to tinker with little gadgets.

The crow displayed a human-like expression of concern.

Still, I can't help but feel that relying on external forces is ultimately inferior to one's own strength. After all, they are just ninja tools; how strong can they really be?

Yes, how strong could they be?

This was the thought shared by everyone, as in the world of ninja, scientific methods were not considered sophisticated.

Some ninja tools were merely simple applications of chakra, slightly enhanced.

Sometimes, they really couldn't compare to ninjutsu.

Therefore, subconsciously, everyone looked down upon such gadgets.

At the same time, the battle below had already begun.

As a contestant, Rock Lee swung his arms and nimbly leaped onto the arena.

"The Blue Beast of Konoha, please favor me with your guidance!"

Rock Lee struck his signature pose, one hand extended forward and the other clenched into a fist behind his back.

He looked every bit the grandmaster.

Ahead of him, Gaara stepped out slowly, his eyes filled with contempt.

"Heh... I didn't expect to be in the first match. It seems the plan will be set in motion ahead of schedule, but I'll try to drag things out and play with you for a while!"

With that thought, Gaara merely waved his hand, and the sand covering the ground instantly coalesced, morphing into blades of sand before him!

The momentum was fierce and imposing.

"Ladies and gentlemen! The first match begins: Konoha Village's Blue Beast, Rock Lee, versus Sunagakure's Gaara!"

The announcer declared in a high-pitched tone, and the battle was ready to erupt at any moment.

Rock Lee launched the first attack, moving like a swift leopard as he pushed off his left foot and shot forward.

He aimed a kick directly at the top of Gaara's head.

It should have landed; no matter how tough one's skin or bones were, they would surely be injured.

However, the sand on the ground seemed to possess a life of its own, spontaneously gathering into a thick wall of sand.

It directly absorbed most of the force from the kick.

Under normal circumstances, it was difficult to move while stepping in sand, sometimes even more exhausting than swimming in water.

Therefore, even with ten parts of force behind the kick, it was neutralized by the end, leaving only three.

In the end, it caused virtually no damage.

"What!"

Rock Lee's eyes widened in disbelief.

Although that kick was meant as a probing attack, it still contained a fair amount of power.

Under normal circumstances, he had never seen anyone his age capable of blocking it!

"Is that it? And you dare call yourself the Blue Beast?"

Gaara smiled contemptuously and flicked his hand casually, as if brushing away dust.

The sand churned, instantly transforming into a giant hand that swung sideways, slapping toward Rock Lee!

It was too fast, and with one of Rock Lee's feet still trapped in the sand, he couldn't pull away in time.

Failing to dodge, he was struck squarely by the sand.

He went flying backward like a kite with a broken string, spinning through the air before slamming heavily into the thick concrete wall nearby.

With a loud thwack, Rock Lee spat out blood, his skin marred by several wounds; a closer look revealed large amounts of sand embedded deep within them.

At this moment, Rock Lee was in complete disbelief.

"How is it possible... you are actually this strong!"

When experts clash, victory or defeat is decided in a split second.

Although it seemed like a simple slap, the force contained within it, along with the lock-on before impact, was something most people could never achieve.

At the very least, Rock Lee was convinced now; he could see that the gap between them was quite large.

However, Rock Lee had no intention of giving up. He forced himself to stand, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with his hand.

"Regardless of anything else, this is the first time I'm going all out in front of my dear friend; I can't afford to lose face!"