With Uchiha Sasuke's brilliant performance ahead, the upcoming battles seemed a bit boring to everyone.
Until two familiar names appeared scrolling on the electronic screen.
Gaara of the Sand VS Uzumaki Naruto!
"Naruto."
Sasuke looked at the name on the screen, feeling even more worried.
She had personally experienced the strength of Gaara from the Sand Village—his power was definitely not something an ordinary Genin could match.
Especially that annoying sand of his.
Sasuke could dodge it with her speed, but what would Naruto do?
Just as she was thinking this, Naruto stepped out of the resting room.
But his pale face and lifeless, somewhat vacant eyes only deepened Sasuke's worries.
"Are you okay?"
Sasuke quickly walked over and grabbed Naruto's sleeve, her bright eyes showing a strange emotion she couldn't explain.
"I'm fine, just a little tired."
Naruto forced a smile, pulled his arm free from Sasuke's hand, and lowered his head, hiding his true expression. "Don't worry, I'm not that fragile."
"Let the fighters take their places!"
Hayate Gekko coughed weakly before urging them on.
Naruto jumped down from the platform and stood firmly in the ring. Looking at Gaara opposite him, he felt an unexplainable sense of familiarity.
At that moment, he suddenly heard Sasuke's voice from the stands behind him:
"Last place, don't forget our promise!"
Naruto was silent for half a second. He didn't look back but raised his fist and said in a low voice, "Ah, I won't forget. We'll meet again at the Chunin Exams!"
"Sasuke, is Naruto really going to be okay?"
For some reason, Sakura suddenly imagined Naruto covered in mysterious markings, his eyes filled with worry.
"Don't worry. He'll definitely be fine."
Sasuke took a deep breath and smiled lightly.
"He'll make it. Because he's the kind of man I respect!"
Hearing this, Sakura looked at Sasuke thoughtfully, a bold guess forming in her mind.
Could it be that Sasuke Uchiha, who has been admired by countless girls since childhood, has actually fallen for that idiot Naruto?
"Sasuke!"
Gaara's eyes never left Sasuke. In his eager gaze was a terrifying killing intent.
"Hey, what are you looking at?" Naruto frowned and shouted at him.
"Your opponent is right here!"
But Gaara ignored him completely, still staring fiercely at Sasuke.
Among all these Genin, the only one Gaara considered worthy was Sasuke. Only Sasuke deserved to be his rival!
What about Erii?
She has already withdrawn.
At the start of the matches, after witnessing Erii's strength, the Jonin from various countries couldn't hold back.
They jointly appealed to the Hokage, claiming the participant from Takigakure was breaking the rules.
In the end, after discussions, Erii was directly granted the title of Chunin and withdrew from the exam.
Having such an overwhelmingly powerful participant was an unfair disadvantage to the others.
Among this generation of Genin, there were even rumors calling her the "Great Demon King," showing just how terrifying Erii's dominance was.
Back to the main event.
"Duel... start!"
With a swift shout, Hayate Gekko declared the match officially begun.
Swish, swish, swish.
As soon as the words fell, Naruto threw several shurikens.
Sasuke had warned him that the opponent could control sand, so he needed to be very careful—but Naruto wanted to test it himself.
Sure enough, the shurikens were stopped by a wall formed from sand.
The sand seemed almost alive, like it had its own will.
Naruto had never seen anything like this before, and now he finally understood why Sasuke had said this opponent was very tricky.
"I will win. I must win!"
Naruto repeated in his heart, his eyes growing even more determined.
"Even without relying on anyone else's power, I'll find my parents!"
The next moment, he crossed his hands to form hand signs.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Using the classic opening move, Naruto planned to probe the opponent's true strength.
Dozens of Naruto clones appeared, surrounding Gaara from all sides as they charged forward.
"You're not the opponent I want."
Gaara's expression was cold and indifferent. He stood still without moving.
But strangely, the sand seemed alive, gathering into several whip-like strands several meters long, whipping fierce storms through the air.
Bang, bang, bang.
The dozens of shadow clones were instantly destroyed.
Taking advantage of the smoke and dust that clouded the view, Naruto gripped his kunai and dashed forward.
Sharp kunai flew from a blind spot, aimed straight at Gaara.
But, unsurprisingly, the sand quickly gathered into a wall, blocking the rare opportunity he had created.
Gaara glanced at Naruto, and the sand immediately grabbed the latter, then slammed him heavily onto the ground.
Bang!
The impact wasn't light at all — the ground even caved in.
Yet the sand wrapped tightly around Naruto's arm did not let go; it held him firmly, dragging the blood-spitting Naruto out of the pit before suddenly flinging him hard against a nearby wall.
Boom!
The solid wall was smashed into a human-shaped dent.
Naruto tilted his head back, coughing up fresh blood. He was dazed and disoriented, as if countless stars were spinning before his eyes and his mind buzzed loudly.
"Naruto!"
"Naruto~"
Sasuke and Sakura, watching from the stands, turned pale, their faces filled with a mix of fear and worry.
"You're too weak, Uzumaki Naruto."
Gaara remained standing with his arms crossed like an arrogant demon king, coldly looking down at the struggling Naruto.
"I have no interest in the weak. Just leave."
"Don't get too cocky!"
Naruto struggled to get up, gasping heavily, eyes locked fiercely on Gaara.
"I haven't lost yet!"
With that, he charged at Gaara again.
*******
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