NOVEL NEXT Chapter 12: Uzumaki Naruto Arrives
"What's that technique? It sounds like thousands of birds chirping—so powerful!"
"That's… Kakashi-senpai's Chidori! I didn't know Sasuke had learned it too!"
"It pierced right through Gaara's sand claw… The power must be incredible. An A-rank jutsu!"
"No wonder Uchiha Itachi could destroy his entire clan. That guy's a monster."
"But Sasuke's no less driven by hatred. He's consumed by revenge against that S-rank rogue ninja."
Konoha Village
"Incredible! Sasuke is amazing!" Sakura exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
Her heart raced. This was the genius of the Uchiha clan, the top student of their year, Uchiha Sasuke.
Training Grounds
"Impressive," Sasuke muttered, nodding slightly as he observed his own Chidori on the screen.
Compared to his fire-style jutsu, Chidori was a much more devastating attack.
"It seems this is from the Chūnin Exams, shortly after," Kakashi said, his tone serious. "You'll need to be careful during this time, Sasuke."
"It's so powerful!" Naruto gasped, his jaw dropping. Then, his excitement turned into a pout. "Kakashi-sensei, you're so unfair! You taught Sasuke something that cool, but not me!"
"Stop whining, kid. Isn't the summoning technique strong enough?" Jiraiya sighed, exasperated.
Inwardly, however, Jiraiya was already considering the next step in Naruto's training. It might be time… time to teach him that technique—Minato's jutsu…
[Onscreen]
"RAAAAH!!!"
Gaara howled in pain, clutching his arm, but soon a manic grin spread across his face.
"Hahaha… So that's it, huh?" Gaara growled. "Hurting those who hurt me. Taking everything from them. That's the purpose of my existence!"
"Come on, Uchiha Sasuke, hit me again!"
Gaara's body began to change. His massive claw regenerated before their eyes, and his tail grew longer, swaying ominously in the air.
"I'm coming for you!" Gaara roared.
Launching himself forward, his claw smashed into trees as Sasuke narrowly dodged, the Sharingan saving him from being crushed.
"Chidori… I can't use it again…" Sasuke muttered, realizing he had already reached his limit.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" he yelled, exhaling a blazing orb of fire.
Gaara charged straight through the flames, dispersing them with ease. His claw swiped, sending Sasuke hurtling through the air.
"The strength… Gaara is so strong!"
"Is this the power of a jinchūriki? It's overwhelming!"
"How is this even a fight between genin? This is insane!"
"They're not genin! Who are we kidding? They're practically jonin with these moves!"
"Forget the rank—this level of combat is out of reach for most ninja!"
The ninja world was in shock. Was this what genin could do in Konoha?
[Onscreen: Flashback]
In the training grounds, Kakashi looked at Sasuke.
"With your current chakra, you can only use Chidori twice a day at most," Kakashi said.
"And if I use it a third time?" Sasuke asked.
"You'll die."
Back in the present, Sasuke leaned against a tree, breathing heavily.
Gaara laughed coldly. "Is that it, Uchiha Sasuke? Is this the extent of your existence?"
"You're weak."
"You're far too naïve. Your hatred isn't strong enough. True hatred becomes killing intent. Killing intent fuels power… and vengeance."
Gaara's words cut deep, as Sasuke's mind flashed to the night of his clan's massacre. The one who let him live.
Itachi…
Gaara sneered. "Your hatred is nothing compared to mine."
"Shut up!" Sasuke yelled.
Electricity crackled in Sasuke's palm as he summoned a third Chidori. Blue lightning swirled and screeched like birds in flight.
"That's his third Chidori! He'll overdo it!" Kakashi said, his voice tense.
"Damn… It's Orochimaru's curse mark again," Jiraiya muttered, narrowing his eyes. "That snake's mark is corrupting him even further."
Sasuke dashed toward Gaara.
"You're weaker than me!" he roared.
Their attacks collided again. Sasuke's Chidori shattered Gaara's sand claw, but Sasuke collapsed moments later, his body unable to handle the strain.
[Onscreen]
Gaara stood, his left arm reforming with sand as his monstrous claw grew larger.
"RAAAAH!!!"
He lunged toward Sasuke, who had fallen onto a tree branch, unable to move.
"Dammit… my body… it won't move," Sasuke whispered in frustration.
"Die!" Gaara roared, claw raised to strike.
BAM!
A sudden blur shot through the trees, slamming into Gaara with a powerful kick. Gaara flew backward, crashing into the ground.
Sasuke stared in disbelief as a familiar figure stood between him and Gaara.
It was Uzumaki Naruto.
"That was close! Naruto finally showed up—I thought Sasuke was done for."
"Classic hero entrance at the last second!"
"Go, Naruto! Take down that sand raccoon!"
"Wait a minute… do you really think Naruto can win? Sasuke couldn't beat Gaara—how can Naruto?"
Skepticism began to spread.
Naruto was known as the dead last in Konoha. Could he really stand up to someone as terrifying as Gaara?
Gaara was a jinchūriki, a force of pure destruction.
Could Naruto, with all his progress, really stand a chance against such a monster?