Gaara stood on a mass of sand suspended in midair, trembling uncontrollably.
Under the combined strain of pain he had never experienced before and sheer rage, his mental state had begun to unravel.
At last, he traced the slash back to its source and saw Hinata Hyuga, who had already settled back into her stance.
"Our match isn't over yet, is it?"
Hinata took a deep breath, forcing down the trembling that followed her use of the Tenseigan.
Her eyes had now returned to a state where she could activate her Byakugan normally.
Being able to use the Tenseigan's power once—that was the result of her month of training on Mount Myōboku!
"Or do I have to cut off your other arm before you'll treat me as an opponent?"
"You. Are. Dead!"
Gaara's expression twisted for a long moment. Was this woman insane?
What match? Did she actually intend to continue the Chunin Ninja Exams now?
Didn't she understand the situation?
But he couldn't attack Hinata Hyuga. Unlike with anyone else, the moment he felt any intent to kill her, Shukaku inside him would interfere with his chakra without letting up!
With Shukaku's chakra interfering at full force, he couldn't even control the sand that normally moved as naturally as his own limbs.
"Gaara! You..."
Temari, one of only two people in the arena who weren't being attacked by the sand, hurried over.
She was stunned when she saw sand gathering around the stump of Gaara's arm.
Gaara, who had never even been injured in his entire life, had just had his arm severed in a single strike?
What had happened to his absolute defense?
What about his Sand Armor?
Then she hurriedly looked toward Gaara's opponent. That attack had come from her...
Seeing Hinata's Byakugan, Temari couldn't help thinking