Chapter 17: The Rival's Challenge
Using the mirrors Tenten controlled, Takahashi bounced between them at impossible speeds. As long as the mirrors stayed intact, catching him was hopeless. Gaara, protected by his sand armor, was too slow. He was pummeled by Takahashi's blinding speed, unable to even see his attacker.
In a flash, he'd taken over a dozen hits. The sand defense was strong—an ordinary person would be dead by now—but cracks were already spreading across Gaara's armor, threatening to shatter it completely.
Temari and Kankuro looked on in horror. What ninja could move like that? But what scared them more was Gaara himself. He was becoming unstable. His eyes burned with pure killing intent. A low, beast-like growl rumbled in his throat. Sand churned violently around him.
It was a sign the tailed beast was waking up. Temari, terrified, rushed to his side, trying to calm him. If the One-Tail fully emerged, it wouldn't care who was friend or foe. It would just destroy everything in sight.
With their continued pleas, Gaara slowly regained control. But he was snarling, his eyes full of hate, completely helpless against Takahashi.
The most infuriating part was Takahashi, still flickering in the air, mocking him. "Is this all you've got? This is your big plan? So weak. If I were you, I'd be looking for a hole to crawl into by now."
He wasn't afraid of the tailed beast. Part of him wanted Shukaku to appear. The chaos would be the perfect cover to reach the tower. But it seemed Gaara's self-control was better than he'd thought.
Temari and Kankuro were now filled with regret. They'd picked the wrong team to ambush. If every Konoha genin was this strong, they might as well just go home to the Wind Country now.
Takahashi flashed back to his team. His expression was no longer kind. "So? Do you want to fight to the death for the scrolls? Or will you let us pass, and we all live in peace?"
If possible, he didn't want an all-out fight. Gaara's own power was equal to several jonin, and he had a tailed beast inside him. He was incredibly difficult to deal with, having only taken minor damage from such a fierce assault.
Given enough time, Takahashi could probably kill them all. But the problem was Orochimaru. With a powerful enemy watching from the shadows, he couldn't afford to waste too much energy.
Temari whispered something in Gaara's ear. His expression shifted, a flash of bitter unwillingness in his eyes.
Seeing this, Takahashi knew there was a chance. He didn't push, just waited quietly.
Finally, Gaara stood still, not moving. This was his last bit of stubborn pride. Kankuro and Temari stepped aside, clearing the path. They were letting them pass.
Tenten, Lee, and the others broke into smiles. They'd expected a bloody fight. This was a great outcome.
They were about to leave when a familiar voice stopped them.
"I didn't say you could go."
The voice came from above. They looked up to see a figure drop down gracefully from the trees.
It was Sasuke.
Takahashi wondered where this kid found the confidence to challenge him.
Then it hit him. Orochimaru was here, and that guy always had backup vessels. Sasuke must have gotten the Cursed Seal. That was the only thing that could explain this sudden boldness.
He'd even left Naruto and Sakura behind to find Takahashi. That night must have really gotten under his skin. What was the point of all his training if some "talentless" guy could surpass him so easily? He carried the Uchiha's bloody legacy. If he couldn't even beat this guy, how could he ever get revenge?
What he didn't know was that his own brother had been there that night, too, and had left in confusion, not daring to get close.
Neji and Lee didn't know that story. They just looked at Sasuke with hostility, especially Neji. He still remembered the insults to his clan. "Sasuke, if you want a fight, I, Neji Hyuga, will face you anytime."
Sasuke's confidence seemed to have blown up to a breaking point. The Cursed Seal's power made him feel reborn, and his arrogance was out of control.
"You?" Sasuke sneered. "You're not worthy to fight me now. The one I'm challenging is Takahashi. The rest of you, if you don't want to get hurt, get lost. My team is waiting for me. I don't have time to waste on you."
Even the good-natured Lee was angered by this. Why was he so arrogant? Just because he was an Uchiha?
Nearby, Kankuro and Temari smelled an opportunity. If these two fought, they could swoop in and take the spoils. This was exactly what they wanted to see.
But Takahashi's face darkened. It wasn't because of Sasuke's childish challenge. It was because he saw a figure in the shadows not far away—Orochimaru. The snake Sannin's long tongue flicked out, a strange smile on his face. His eyes held a naked, greedy hunger.
So, the snake had finally made his move. And he'd set his sights on Takahashi.
Fine, Takahashi thought, his resolve hardening. You want to see this body's potential? You want a vessel? Then let me show you what this body can really do.