Gaara, You're Seeking Death!

"Damn it, I already warned them, yet it still happened."

"Then... will Gaara hold back like he did before?"

Zeyu Nichiro pondered, his brows locked in a tight frown.

Bolstered by his Lightning Armor, he darted through the forest at high speed.

"No, I can't take that gamble. I have to go stop him."

"Ah—!" A piercing scream suddenly tore through the air, sending a flock of birds scattering from the trees.

Hearing the sound, Zeyu Nichiro quickened his pace.

That scream—it must be those Rain Ninja being killed. Hinata and the others will be next. I have to be faster. Zeyu Nichiro gritted his teeth, his gaze fixed on the path ahead.

Elsewhere, Hinata, Kiba, and Shino watched from the bushes, witnessing three Rain Ninja being brutally slaughtered by Gaara.

Their eyes were filled with terror, and cold sweat beaded on their foreheads.

"This is bad, we have to go," Kiba forced himself to stay calm, whispering to Hinata and Shino as he prepared to retreat.

After Kankuro secured the Scroll of Heaven they needed, he prepared to call out to Gaara and Temari to head toward the Central Tower.

"Shut up. It's not enough yet," Gaara interrupted coldly, his eyes shifting toward the nearby bushes.

The three hiding in the brush shuddered at the sound; a chill raced up their spines, and cold sweat poured down their backs.

Damn it, we've been spotted. Kiba gritted his teeth, a sense of impending doom washing over him.

Kankuro and Temari also noticed the three in the bushes, but they had no intention of continuing the fight and tried to persuade Gaara to stop.

"Trash, don't try to order me around," Gaara said with a cold glare.

"You need to stop this," Kankuro stepped forward, grabbing Gaara by the collar. "You should try listening to your brother and sister for once."

Gaara swatted Kankuro's hand away, his face remaining cold. "Shut up. I don't consider you siblings. If you dare to get in my way, I'll kill you just the same."

As he spoke, he raised his hand, claws aimed at Kankuro. Temari stood to the side, her expression filled with worry as she tried desperately to reason with him.

"Come on, don't say such heartless things. Just stop, Gaara, I'm begging you, please."

Hearing Temari's plea, Gaara didn't press the issue with Kankuro, but instead shifted his hand toward the bushes.

Hinata, Kiba, and Shino felt a sudden sense of dread and began to pray silently.

Kiba: Damn it, are we going to die here?

Shino: In this situation, we have no choice but to fight them. At the very least, I have to ensure Hinata escapes. I promised Zeyu Nichiro.

Hinata: I'm sorry, Zeyu Nichiro. It looks like things are looking grim this time. Thank you for everything you've done for me.

Just then, with a whoosh, a figure shot out from the woods and landed heavily in the clearing.

The ground shattered, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The six of them looked over in unison, their brows furrowing.

Akamaru, who had been trembling in Kiba's arms from Gaara's killing intent, suddenly grew excited and began wagging his tail vigorously.

"What is it, Akamaru?" Kiba noticed the change and leaned down to whisper.

Shino and Hinata looked over as well. After interpreting Akamaru's barks, Kiba explained, "Akamaru can sense an enemy's chakra and scent through his nose. He says the person who just appeared is our ally, and he's very strong."

"Eh? Who is it?" Hinata and Shino asked, turning their eyes back to the cloud of dust.

Oh? This chakra... interesting, Gaara thought.

Before the dust had fully settled, Zeyu Nichiro waved his hand to clear it, then pointed at Gaara. "Gaara, lower your hand! You are not allowed to hurt my companions!"

Seeing Zeyu Nichiro, Gaara remembered the kid who had stared him down before the start of the exams. A subtle irritation rose within him, and he made no move to lower his hand.

With a dark expression, he asked, "What is your name?"

"Zeyu Nichiro. I'll say it again: lower your hand," Zeyu Nichiro said, his eyes cold and sharp.

Gaara grew even more incensed, glaring at him. "What are you? How dare you give me orders?"

Temari and Kankuro were drenched in cold sweat. It was obvious that the person opposite them was not someone to be trifled with, yet Gaara was being so arrogant. He had his sand for protection, but they didn't.

They hurriedly stepped forward to urge Gaara to let it go.

But Gaara, blinded by his temper, wouldn't hear of it. He snarled coldly, "Get lost. Don't stand in my way, trash."

As his emotions surged, the sand around him began to stir, floating into the air and swirling around him.

Kankuro and Temari dared not say another word after witnessing this scene, obediently retreating to the side.

On this side, Hinata, Shino, and Kiba felt both relieved and puzzled to see that it was Zeyu.

"It's Zeyu!" Hinata stood up and said, "It's too dangerous here, you need to leave quickly!"

Zeyu kept his eyes locked on Gaara, replying to Hinata without looking away, "It's alright, Hinata. I won't let him hurt any of you."

"Hey, Hinata, Zeyu is here to save us, and it looks like he's not weak at all," Kiba remarked.

He clicked his tongue inwardly, thinking, Tch, this guy Zeyu—he looks so strong just standing there. He's been hiding his true power all this time.

"Truly unexpected, in every regard," Shino added.

Gaara looked at the frowning red-haired boy, then glanced at Hinata and the others nearby.

The corners of his mouth curled up, and he addressed Zeyu with a playful, mocking smile.

"Heh, since you care about them so much, what will happen if I kill them?"

"You wouldn't dare!" Zeyu roared, his foot shattering the ground beneath him.

As he spoke, Gaara rotated his palm, and a ring of sand rose up around Hinata and her companions, encircling them and beginning to creep up their bodies.

Terror was etched across all three of their faces.

Zeyu gritted his teeth, his body erupting with Lightning Style chakra as he dashed forward at high speed.

Gaara's palm turned slowly, and the sand was on the verge of completely engulfing them.

"Zeyu..." Hinata called out.

Zeyu arrived in front of the trio, his hand transformed into a blade, and he swung it fiercely. The sand covering the three, along with the grass they were hiding in, was slashed away, leaving a deep gash on a nearby tree.

Once rescued, the three collapsed on the spot, their legs trembling uncontrollably.

"Phew, saved," Kiba gasped, lying on the ground.

"Zeyu, thank you," Hinata said, looking up at him with teary eyes, her small hands still shaking incessantly.

Zeyu stood with his back to them, turning his head to glare at Gaara with one eye as he roared.

"You're courting death!"

An astonishing aura exploded from his body, and everyone present felt a powerful wave of pressure.

Gaara was momentarily stunned by the shout, staring at Zeyu with a vacant expression as sweat trickled down his forehead.

Zeyu walked slowly toward Gaara with a dark expression, the Lightning Style chakra on his body crackling and hissing, making the very air seem to vibrate.

The gourd on Gaara's back grew restless, and the sand inside surged out, snapping the dazed Gaara back to his senses.

He immediately waved his hand, controlling the sand to rush toward Zeyu.

Hinata, who had just been rescued and had yet to recover, grew worried as she watched Zeyu face Gaara's terrifying sand attack and shouted.

"Zeyu, look out!"

But Zeyu did not dodge or evade; he stood his ground, using his hand as a blade to slash left and right, cutting through all the incoming sand.

Seeing this, Hinata couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief.

Shino and Kiba were left dumbfounded, and Temari and Kankuro, standing behind Gaara, were equally shocked, rendered speechless by the sight.

Gaara watched as Zeyu remained so composed, his sand being cut away as easily as if it were mere weeds.

Sweat seeped from his palms, and he felt a deep sense of unease.

He immediately controlled even more sand to rush at Zeyu, the grains converging into a massive wave of sand.

Zeyu watched the roaring sand wave approaching, charged forward, leaped high into the air before the wave could hit, and flew toward Gaara.

He clenched his fist and flew straight at him.

Gaara gritted his teeth, drenched in sweat, and controlled the sand to gather frantically above his head, desperate to block the strike.

Temari, watching Zeyu in the air, sensed that something was wrong and quickly stepped forward.

She reached Gaara's side, unfurled her Giant Folding Fan, and swung it upward with all her might.

"Wind Style: Wind Sand Dust!"

A gale carrying a torrent of sand blasted toward Zeyu.

Zeyu tensed his body, taking the attack head-on.

"It hit!" Temari thought with a hint of glee.

However, protected by his Lightning Style chakra, Zeyu didn't suffer a single scratch.

He was merely blown to a halt in mid-air.

As the wind died down, Zeyu used his hand as a blade and struck down toward Gaara.

The blow landed squarely on the sand atop Gaara's head.

Violent lightning crackled, and the seemingly impenetrable sand cracked open with a massive fissure.

Temari screamed for Gaara to run, reaching out to grab his gourd.

Gaara was still raising his hand to control the sand, which gathered from the side toward Zeyu.

Zeyu's body was half-enveloped by the sand, but protected by his Lightning Armor, he remained completely unaffected; with a mere wave of his hand, the sand was scattered.

Stepping onto the sand, he coiled his other hand into a fist and swung it toward the cracks.

Oh no! If this continues, both Gaara and Temari are done for, Kankuro thought. He extended his hands, shooting out chakra threads—one end connected to Gaara's gourd, the other to Temari—and yanked them backward with all his might.

He leaped backward along with them.

Zeyu's fist, encased in the Lightning Armor, easily pierced through the sand, and was just about to strike Gaara.

At this critical moment, Gaara was pulled backward, as was Temari behind him.

The punch missed its mark and slammed heavily into the ground, triggering an explosion.

The ground shattered instantly, and bolts of lightning scattered in all directions.

Although the three of them had dodged the punch, they were sent flying by the shockwave of the explosion, and the chakra threads were snapped apart.

Temari, being closer, slammed hard into a tree trunk, spat out a mouthful of blood, and collapsed to the ground.

Kankuro also tumbled a long distance away.

Gaara had the protection of his sand and his Armor of Sand, but even so, the armor shattered, and a wound appeared on his face, from which blood began to seep.

Because he was relatively heavy, the impact was not as severe; after flying for a distance, he landed on the ground, his feet carving long furrows into the earth.