Chapter 203 Sasuke vs. Gaara

Through Orochimaru's secret letter, Tatsuya learned of the grim fate Hiruzen had inflicted upon the rogue Sannin. Hiruzen had employed the forbidden technique, the Reaper Death Seal, to seal away Orochimaru's hands.

At the time, Hiruzen likely believed that his grudges against Orochimaru would die with him. After all, Orochimaru was one of the main culprits behind Hiruzen's isolation and pain. The thought of his son Asuma's face twisted in agony due to Orochimaru's schemes must have fueled the old Hokage's resolve.

Yet Hiruzen lacked the chakra reserves necessary to end Orochimaru outright. Instead, he chose a more insidious punishment—stripping Orochimaru of his hands, condemning him to a life where he could no longer weave hand signs or perform ninjutsu.

For a shinobi, such a fate was worse than death.

Tatsuya, however, had little interest in meddling with the long-standing enmity between Hiruzen and Orochimaru. Their grievances were personal, a history of betrayal and vengeance he had no desire to entangle himself in.

Still, when Orochimaru made a request, Tatsuya found it difficult to refuse. He penned a response, dispatching a trusted intermediary to deliver his reply. Once the messenger had left, Tatsuya promptly burned Orochimaru's letter.

The memory of the letter disgusted him—not for its contents, but for the smudges of saliva left on it. The thought of touching anything Orochimaru's tongue had been near made Tatsuya's skin crawl.

He resolved to address this the next time they crossed paths. If you're going to send me a secret letter, don't seal it with your saliva, Tatsuya thought with a shudder.

Meanwhile, far from the hidden villages, chaos was brewing. Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki, having escaped the confines of the moon, used the power of the divine tree and Ōtsutsuki's secret arts to resurrect his fallen kin—Ōtsutsuki Kinshiki and Ōtsutsuki Urashiki.

In doing so, Momoshiki himself regressed, shedding his fused form to return to his original state.

The Ōtsutsuki had originally intended to collect the Tailed Beasts on Earth in one decisive sweep. However, they hadn't anticipated encountering such an anomaly.

This anomaly was Tatsuya—a human whose strength far exceeded their expectations.

Faced with this unforeseen challenge, the Ōtsutsuki were forced to revise their plans. They decided to avoid Konoha entirely and test the waters in other villages. If the "inferior creatures" of Earth could produce more individuals like Tatsuya, their mission would become far more complicated than anticipated.

Still, the Ōtsutsuki had observed the Earth's inhabitants long enough to know that most of these "inferior creatures" were locked in constant conflict with one another, their power nowhere near Tatsuya's level. With that in mind, they resolved to cautiously probe the other nations while steering clear of Konoha.

At the same time, they would continue their search for the Gedo Statue, which had been summoned and hidden somewhere during the chaos.

Meanwhile, in Konoha, the long-awaited final day of the Chūnin Exams had arrived.

The village was bustling with activity as prominent merchants and tycoons, escorted by Konoha shinobi, poured into the village the day before. Much like the earlier stages of the exam, these wealthy patrons—little more than walking moneybags in Tatsuya's eyes—were given the best seats in the arena, eager to witness the culmination of the event.

Since Bai's match had already concluded, Terumi Mei chose to watch from the audience this time. Despite her status as Mizukage, she opted for a casual approach that would normally be considered improper. Yet, no one found her actions strange. Even the other Kage in attendance, the Fifth Hokage and the other Fifth Generation leaders, didn't raise an eyebrow.

Perhaps it was because, without Terumi Mei by their side, the VIP table was much quieter—a reprieve they all appreciated. Besides, the prospect of observing a battle between these promising young shinobi was far more engaging than engaging in idle chatter with the fiery Mizukage.

Surprisingly, Terumi Mei didn't head to the VIP section at all. Instead, she made her way to the general audience, squeezing herself into the seat beside Tatsuya.

To Tatsuya's other side sat Kurenai and Nohara Rin, completing the peculiar gathering.

In the other sections of the seating area, the clan heads had claimed their positions.

The matches hadn't even started, yet the atmosphere around them was already chaotic.

The relentless bickering between Terumi Mei and Kurenai created a cacophony that gave everyone seated nearby a collective headache. The onlookers finally understood why the other Kage hadn't objected to Terumi Mei's unconventional seating choice.

If given the option, most would have gladly moved to another section of the arena. However, the prospect of hearing Tatsuya's insights on the up-and-coming shinobi kept them rooted in place, enduring the noise.

No wonder Kakashi had chosen the farthest seat possible in the opposite corner of the arena. He'd clearly foreseen the storm of chatter and tension that would gather around Tatsuya.

Suddenly, the voice of Shiranui Genma rang out, cutting through the din like a blade.

"In the third round, Uchiha Sasuke versus Gaara!"

The audience hushed as anticipation filled the air.

This particular battle had never reached completion in the original timeline. That fact alone made Tatsuya, an observer with an eye for detail, especially interested in the outcome. Both combatants were exceptionally strong, and their unfinished fight had left lingering questions in the hearts of many.

At Genma's call, Sasuke and Gaara leapt down from the high platform, landing smoothly in the arena.

Gaara, however, was markedly different from his former self. His once-unstable temperament had softened significantly, a transformation that hadn't gone unnoticed. The turmoil caused by the Tailed Beast sealed within him had led Gaara to reevaluate his existence, granting him a newfound sense of purpose.

This time, Gaara had no intention of trying to kill Sasuke as he had done with Rock Lee.

Yet, as the battle began, Tatsuya's sharp eyes caught something surprising. Gaara's sand armor had formed around his body at a speed almost imperceptible to the average observer.

Tatsuya, who had once sparred against Gaara, found himself impressed. This level of mastery over the sand armor was rare, especially for someone of Gaara's age. His progression was remarkable—far beyond what even seasoned shinobi might expect.

The fight promised to be nothing short of extraordinary.

Though Tatsuya knew about Gaara's future growth and accomplishments from the original story, this world was different. He was genuinely curious to see how far this boy with dark, shadowed eyes could rise here.

The match began with Sasuke throwing shuriken, testing Gaara's defenses. As expected, the projectiles were effortlessly blocked by Gaara's sand shield.

At the same moment, the sand shifted and molded itself into a clone. Sasuke, undeterred, dashed forward, bypassing the sand clone to attack Gaara directly. However, the sand clone intercepted him again, forcing a brief skirmish.

Sasuke's agility proved superior. With a decisive strike, he obliterated the sand clone and lunged toward Gaara. Yet another sand shield rose to protect Gaara, but Sasuke had learned from Rock Lee's earlier bout. Utilizing his enhanced speed, Sasuke teleported behind Gaara and landed a fierce blow.

The impact was enough to cause cracks in Gaara's sand armor, revealing a small opening. The audience gasped as they watched the fissures form, but the damage was fleeting—Gaara's sand armor began repairing itself almost immediately.

Sasuke wasn't about to relent. Pressing the attack, he aimed to strip away Gaara's defenses entirely. But before he could capitalize on his advantage, Gaara activated his Absolute Defense, encasing himself in an impenetrable dome of sand.

From within the safety of his barrier, Gaara created a third eye made of sand, floating in the air to give him a complete view of the battlefield. Sasuke's attacks on the Absolute Defense were futile; the sand stabbed out with sharp spikes, forcing him to back off.

It was clear Sasuke was reaching his limit. Frustration boiled beneath his calm exterior. He couldn't stop thinking about Itachi—Itachi, who had come to Konoha, and Sasuke, stuck here, still proving himself in a tournament.

He clenched his fists, a determined glint in his eye. He wasn't just fighting for victory in this match. He wanted to show Kakashi-sensei, his mother, and everyone else that he was strong enough to confront his brother.

Sasuke began channeling chakra into his left hand. Sparks flew as his power gathered, building into the iconic technique that had become his signature move.

This time, he would end it. He would shatter Gaara's Absolute Defense with Chidori.

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