Shadow of Nara [95]

Standing beside Gaara, Temari felt a sudden gust of wind rise around her—and before she could react, Gaara had vanished. He'd used the Body Flicker Technique and now stood in the center of the arena, arms crossed, staring not at his opponent, but at someone else: Shikamaru Nara, up in the spectator stands. After a moment, Gaara shifted his gaze to Rock Lee, who was currently giddily chatting with his sensei, Might Guy.

Might Guy, looking as proud and secretive as ever, was animatedly pointing out Gaara's massive gourd, as if no one else had noticed it. Lee, ever the enthusiastic student, pulled out his notebook to take notes, only for Guy to stop him. Then, noticing Gaara had entered the arena, Lee—impatient and excited—readied himself to leap down from the stands.

"Rock Lee?"

Shikamaru, standing nearby, hesitated for a second before offering a rare word of advice. "That Sand ninja… he's not going to be easy. Be careful."

Lee paused, one foot already on the railing, surprised by the unexpected concern. The two had barely interacted before, and Lee had always viewed Shikamaru as a major rival in this exam.

"Shikamaru Nara…"

The silence was broken by Guy, who gave Shikamaru a beaming thumbs-up and flashed his dazzling teeth. "Don't underestimate Lee. He's very strong!"

"Thanks, Shikamaru," Lee said sincerely. "But don't worry… I won't lose here. I'm ready to face you when the time comes!"

Lee's confidence wasn't without merit.

Once he removed his ankle weights and used his Primary Lotus, there were few genin in the Chūnin Exams who could stand against him. He also had the Eight Gates technique in reserve, with the Hidden Lotus as his trump card. When unleashed, his speed far exceeded that of most jōnin. Among all the competitors here, only Gaara, with his sand and the power of Shukaku, had the kind of passive defense that could withstand such overwhelming speed and force. Without a defense like that, even prodigies like Shikamaru or Neji Hyuga had no counter.

Shikamaru understood exactly what Lee and Guy were thinking. They knew the finals wouldn't happen for another month, giving Lee time to recover even if he used the Hidden Lotus. Confident in Lee's unmatchable speed and strength, they assumed he was unstoppable among genin.

But they hadn't accounted for the monster they were up against.

Gaara, a true Jinchūriki, was no ordinary genin. His defense and raw power were beyond what most even elite ninja could handle. Shikamaru knew this and chose not to say more. After all, he wasn't the kind of person to offer advice without a reason, and Lee wasn't a close friend.

Still, he focused in. Whether it was Gaara's Absolute Defense or Lee's Lotus, this battle was one Shikamaru wanted to witness up close.

With Rock Lee now standing in the arena, Hayate Gekkō began his usual formalities.

"Any objections to this match-up?"

Both genin shook their heads.

"Then... begin!"

Even before Hayate's words finished echoing, Gaara had already launched his attack. The massive gourd on his back cracked open, unleashing a wave of sand that swirled around him protectively. A thin tendril of sand surged toward Rock Lee.

"Sand?"

Kakashi, watching from the stands, tilted his head. "A rare ability…"

Lee saw the sand coming and immediately leapt aside, evading with agility. Then, with lightning speed, he zigzagged toward Gaara, twisting mid-run, and lashed out with a spinning high kick aimed at Gaara's neck.

Wham!

The moment before the strike could land, Gaara didn't move. His arms stayed folded, his face indifferent. The sand intercepted Lee's kick just in time, stopping it cold.

Lee's eyes widened as he realized his attack hadn't even made Gaara flinch. Worse, the sand that had blocked him began to shift, attempting to engulf him.

He flipped backward, retreating—but instantly shifted direction and attacked again, this time from the side.

Whap! Whap! Whap!

Strike after strike followed—whirlwind kicks, powerful sweeps, feints and jabs—yet every single one was blocked. No matter what angle or speed Lee used, Gaara's sand responded perfectly, creating an impenetrable barrier.

From the stands, Tenten gasped.

"That's impossible!"

She had trained with Lee for years. His speed, strength, and precision were unmatched among their peers. He hadn't even gone all out yet, and already he was being completely nullified.

Tenten didn't know what the others couldn't see: Gaara's sand defense moved on its own. It wasn't being actively controlled—it reacted automatically to protect him. She assumed Gaara was simply reading Lee's moves and manipulating the sand consciously, but the truth was even more terrifying.

"Pfft. So much for the big talk."

Choji Akimichi, arms folded, frowned. "He said he was unbeatable, but that speed isn't anything special."

In the arena, Gaara finally spoke, his voice flat and cold.

"Is that all? How disappointing…"

A smirk crept across his face.

"Now… it's my turn."