*Chapter 184: You All Come At Me Together!

*Chapter 184: You All Come At Me Together! 1*

*Whoosh!*

*Whoosh!*

*Whoosh!*

Sasuke's speed increased rapidly, almost like a streak of lightning cutting through the forest.

As time passed,

About twenty minutes later,

Sasuke rushed all the way to the tower's entrance.

“We’re here!”

As soon as Sasuke arrived, he immediately deactivated the Eight Gates Formation, returning to his normal state.

*Ding! Ding!*

*Ding! Ding!*

*...*

A series of chimes echoed, indicating the depletion of his stamina.

Opening the system panel,

Without even looking, Sasuke directly allocated points to his stamina attribute.

He added eight points in one go.

*Buzz!*

Immediately,

A shiver ran through Sasuke’s body. With waves of intense heat, his stamina fully recovered, and all the fatigue from the Eight Gates Formation dissipated.

Then,

Sasuke approached the tower's entrance.

It was a steel door.

He opened it!

When Sasuke entered, the place was completely empty—no one in sight.

With a flick of his wrist,

A Flying Thunder God Kunai appeared in his hand, which he immediately threw onto the ground.

*Swish!*

The kunai pierced the air with a sharp sound, embedding itself into the ground and marking the location.

*Whoosh!*

Right after,

Sasuke’s figure vanished.

---

*Forest of Death, Gate 12 Entrance*

The proctor ninja periodically glanced at his watch. The time was almost up—nearing 30 minutes.

“Your teammate didn’t just run off, did he?”

The proctor ninja smirked mockingly. He glanced at Naruto, then at Sakura, relishing the satisfaction of exposing what he thought was childish bravado.

Naruto and Sakura completely ignored him.

“Hmph!”

The proctor sneered, waiting. Only five minutes remained.

When the 30 minutes were up,

Let’s see what excuse they come up with!

The proctor's focus was entirely on his watch.

*Whoosh!*

Suddenly,

A figure in white appeared behind Naruto without warning.

The unexpected arrival immediately drew the proctor's attention away from the watch.

*+50 (25)*

The number floated before Sasuke’s eyes as he completed a stylish move.

“You’re back!”

The proctor ninja instantly perked up, a mocking smirk forming on his lips.

He had been waiting for this moment for a full thirty minutes!

“So, what’s your so-called quick-clear strategy?”

The proctor couldn’t resist asking. It wasn’t just a question—it was a challenge.

“Sasuke!”

Sakura jumped up, her face full of joy.

Now that Sasuke had returned,

It meant they could head straight to the goal.

Naruto also stood up, grinning. During the past half-hour, he had convinced himself that skipping the Forest of Death’s grueling trials wasn’t a bad idea.

“I’ll take you there first.”

Sasuke ignored the proctor completely. As he spoke, his wrist flicked again.

A Flying Thunder God Kunai appeared in his hand.

*Swish!*

Sasuke flung the kunai, sending it hurtling toward the proctor’s feet.

Accompanied by a sharp sound,

The kunai struck the ground in front of the proctor.

*+60 (30)*

The number floated again before Sasuke’s eyes.

The proctor stared at the kunai near his feet.

This kunai...

It had a unique design!

There were strange symbols carved into it, hinting at something more.

What is this kid up to?

The proctor’s mind was filled with questions.

At that moment,

Sasuke grabbed Sakura’s right elbow with his left hand and Naruto’s left elbow with his right hand.

*Buzz!*

Instantly,

A surge of powerful chakra enveloped the three of them.

*Whoosh!*

The next moment,

The three of them vanished from the proctor’s sight.

*+70 (35)*

The number jumped once again as Sasuke pulled off another stylish move.

In the blink of an eye,

Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura appeared inside the tower’s entrance room.

On the ground lay the Flying Thunder God Kunai.

“This is the finish line!”

Sasuke said, looking at Naruto and Sakura with an expression that showed no sign of exhaustion.

“Stay here and wait for me. No one else will arrive for a while.”

Sasuke instructed them.

Based on his knowledge,

The only team capable of reaching this place so early

Was Gaara’s team from the Hidden Sand Village!

Once he found them, that would be enough!

The Forest of Death was his hunting ground. No one else was going to steal the spotlight!

“Sasuke, are you planning to…”

Sakura looked at Sasuke with concern. She knew how strong he was, but she still thought his plan was risky.

“I’m going to have some fun!”

Sasuke’s lips curled into a devilish smile, his entire demeanor exuding a sinister charm.

*+80 (40)*

The number jumped again before Sasuke’s eyes.

“Sasuke, you’re not seriously going to leave us here to just wait, are you?”

Naruto complained, feeling that this test was becoming incredibly boring.

“No, I’ll be back soon. In the meantime, have a chat with your ‘pet.’”

After saying that, Sasuke vanished in a flash.

He hadn’t forgotten about the Nine-Tails.

Once he was done here,

He’d find time to have a little heart-to-heart with it.

That would surely rack up more points.

As long as it happened within the Forest of Death,

All of it counted as part of the Chūnin Exams.

Every stylish move earned bonus points!

Sasuke saw this as a golden opportunity to farm points. He needed to extend the second exam as much as possible.

In the next moment,

Sasuke returned to Gate 12’s entrance, grabbing the Flying Thunder God Kunai from the ground.

*+90 (45)*

The number jumped again before his eyes.

“You…”

This time, the proctor finally realized things weren’t as simple as they seemed.

This jutsu...

---

*Space-Time Ninjutsu!*

This isn’t a technique a genin should be able to use!

The proctor’s eyes widened as he stared at Sasuke, shock evident in his gaze.

“Your expression seems a bit off!”

Sasuke looked the proctor up and down before coldly stating, “Aren’t you supposed to mock me?”

*+100 (50)*

The numbers in front of Sasuke’s eyes jumped again.

“You... you... this jutsu...”

The proctor suddenly realized two things:

First.

This was a space-time ninjutsu.

Second.

The boy in front of him had the ability to reach the tower in under 30 minutes.

If that was the case...

Then he wasn’t just bluffing earlier!

He was genuinely strong!

“This jutsu is called the Flying Thunder God Technique,” Sasuke stated calmly, walking toward the proctor as he spoke.

“Flying Thunder God Technique.”

“S-Rank Space-Time Ninjutsu.”

“Created by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.”

“Perfected by the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.”

“Have you heard of it?”

Sasuke’s voice carried a hint of intimidation, and as he closed the distance, the proctor felt his breathing grow strained.

*+110 (55)*

The numbers in front of Sasuke’s eyes shifted again, increasing further.

“I... I’ve heard of it,” the proctor stammered, slowly nodding. His demeanor was a stark contrast to earlier—gone was the arrogance, replaced by genuine shock at the truth he had just learned.

However.

It was already too late!

At this moment, Sasuke stood directly in front of the proctor. Without warning, he shot out his hand, lightning-fast, gripping the proctor’s wrist.

*Whoosh!*

In the blink of an eye, the proctor felt the world around him blur. The scenery changed instantly.

Moments ago, they had been at the entrance of Gate 12.

Now, they were at the tower’s entrance.

*+120 (60)*

The numbers in front of Sasuke’s eyes jumped once more as he completed yet another impressive feat.

“This…”

The proctor gazed at the tower’s interior, his eyes filled with astonishment.

Unbelievable!

This is one of this year’s candidates? He’s absurdly strong!

“Proctors aren’t supposed to randomly wander the Forest of Death, are they?” Sasuke asked, locking eyes with the proctor. Then, he continued, “You should stay here to prevent the candidates who reach the tower from causing unnecessary trouble.”

*+130 (65)*

The numbers before Sasuke’s eyes leapt again.

He had already thought through what the proctor should do next. Essentially, he had moved everything from Gate 12 to the tower.

With Naruto and Sakura alone at the tower, the situation wasn’t entirely safe. Leaving a proctor here would solve that issue.

“You’re going to…?”

The proctor stared at Sasuke, overwhelmed by the pressure emanating from him.

“I’m going hunting.”

A faint smile appeared on Sasuke’s lips. With that, he disappeared in a flash, leaving the tower and heading back into the Forest of Death to search for more candidates.

*+140 (70)*

The numbers in front of Sasuke’s eyes surged upward once more.

The proctor watched Sasuke’s departing figure, fully realizing that this boy was about to make history in the Chūnin Exams.

The fastest to reach the tower.

And now, heading back into the forest to hunt for scrolls!

“This year’s candidates are in trouble,” the proctor muttered, sighing deeply. He couldn’t even guess how many genin would survive the Forest of Death.

---

*Elsewhere.*

Team 8—composed of Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, and Hinata Hyūga—was swiftly navigating the forest.

For a scouting-focused team like theirs, being in the forest was like a fish in water. They encountered no difficulties and adapted exceptionally well.

“This is awesome!”

Kiba shouted enthusiastically, his voice filled with excitement.

“To push survival to the limit, this is exactly the kind of place we need, right, Akamaru?”

Running at the front of Team 8’s formation was Kiba, accompanied by his small white dog, Akamaru.

“Woof! Woof!”

Akamaru barked happily in agreement.

“To think the group that fell into that trap was carrying exactly the Earth Scroll we needed. It’s like fate wants us to reach the goal!”

Kiba led Team 8 as they moved quickly toward the tower.

“Don’t get cocky. That kind of thinking is dangerous. We’ll only be safe if we proceed cautiously and avoid all enemies,” Shino said coolly.

“Don’t lecture me, bug-lover!” Kiba shot back, sparring with Shino verbally.

“Even the smallest bugs can be a real pain to deal with,” Shino retorted calmly.

“Fine!”

Kiba stopped abruptly on a branch.

“Got it.”

“Avoid enemies, right?”

“Hinata.”

“Can you see what’s happening a kilometer ahead in that direction?”

Kiba pointed forward, a hint of wild determination in his expression.

“I’ll try!”

Hinata quickly clasped her hands together. The veins around her temples bulged as her pale, white eyes sharpened.

*Byakugan!*

In an instant, Hinata’s vision expanded.

The scenery grew clearer and clearer.

Suddenly.

She spotted a figure.

Red hair.

A large gourd strapped to their back.

The kanji for “love” etched on their forehead!

“There’s a fight going on!” Hinata exclaimed, focusing intently on the scene.

Meanwhile.

Shino pressed his ear against the tree trunk, listening closely.

“Hm…”

“It sounds like…”

“Six people…”

Shino used his own methods to assess the situation.

There was no doubt about it.

Team 8’s scouting capabilities were among the best in Konoha’s genin teams.

“Alright!”

Kiba perked up, pointing ahead. “Let’s go check it out!”

“Huh?”

Hinata blinked in confusion.

“What are you doing?”

Shino was equally puzzled, finding Kiba’s logic questionable.

“The rules only require us to reach the tower with both the Heaven and Earth Scrolls.”

Kiba spread his arms, his eyes gleaming with a bold idea.

“But if we grab more scrolls, fewer teams will make it!”

“That way, our chances of passing the Chūnin Exams will skyrocket!”

Kiba’s reasoning mirrored Sasuke’s: reduce the number of scrolls available to limit the competition.

“But…”

Hinata hesitated, thinking the plan seemed reckless and might put the team in unnecessary danger.

“Let’s just go take a look!”

Kiba leapt forward, bounding toward the commotion.

“Honestly, I can’t deal with him!” Shino muttered, shaking his head.

---

*Chapter 184: You All Come At Me Together! 2*

---

Shino Aburame sighed helplessly. As a teammate, he had no choice but to follow.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Team 8 quickly closed in on their target.

Before long, they reached Gaara's location.

At that moment, Akamaru suddenly crouched down, trembling.

"Akamaru, what's wrong?"

Kiba Inuzuka had never seen Akamaru act like this before and was momentarily stunned.

"Akamaru seems off!"

Kiba picked up Akamaru and tucked him into his jacket, but the trembling wouldn't stop.

"Is there something going on?" Hinata landed nearby, concerned.

"Why did we stop so suddenly?" Shino asked as well.

"Akamaru has the ability to sense an opponent's strength and instinctively gauge their power. For him to be this frightened... it means whoever's ahead is incredibly powerful!"

Kiba explained his deduction.

"Let's observe for now," he added.

Immediately, Kiba, Hinata, and Shino hid in the bushes, peering through the gaps to see what was ahead.

Sure enough, they arrived just in time.

Up ahead stood six people—exactly the number they had anticipated.

At this moment, the two groups were facing off.

On one side were the ninja from the Sand Village: Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro.

On the other side were the ninja from the Rain Village, led by a tall man with a bandaged forehead and several bamboo tubes on his back. His two companions wore similar attire, with conical hats and bamboo tubes.

Whoosh!

Unnoticed, a figure appeared silently in a tree above.

It was Sasuke.

With his enhanced physique now at an SS rank, Sasuke's hearing had reached an astonishing level.

Everything Shino could hear, Sasuke heard even more clearly.

Standing on a tree branch, Sasuke observed the scene below.

Red hair.

A gourd on his back.

The "Love" kanji on his forehead.

It was Gaara—the most formidable Genin in this Chunin Exam.

Of course, he was also the Jinchuriki of the One-Tailed Shukaku.

Interesting.

Sasuke thought it might be fun to have a go at Gaara now.

But…

It was too early to act.

Sasuke shifted his gaze and immediately noticed Hinata and her team hiding in the bushes.

They hadn’t noticed his presence at all.

He decided to wait for these spectators to arrive on the scene.

Sasuke sat leisurely on the branch, ready to enjoy Gaara's performance.

"You Sand Village brats must be tired of living to come after us. Truly foolish," the tall Rain Village leader sneered at Gaara, showing complete disdain.

This wasn’t a battle of equals.

In the bushes, Kiba muttered, "Why would those shorties dare mess with them? Are they out of their minds?"

"Whine..." Akamaru let out a low whimper.

"Kiba, what is Akamaru saying?" Shino asked curiously.

"Akamaru says that tall guy is very dangerous," Kiba said, misinterpreting Akamaru’s signals.

"Looks like he’s not someone to mess with," Hinata murmured, eyeing the Rain ninja leader nervously. She was starting to regret coming here.

…

"Do you value your life at all?" the Rain leader asked Gaara, smirking slightly, unaware he was courting death.

"Enough talking. Let’s begin, old man," Gaara replied coldly, showing no interest in further conversation.

To him, these people were already dead.

There was no need to waste words.

"Gaara, shouldn’t we check if they have the scroll we need before starting a fight? Otherwise, this could all be for nothing," Kankuro said with exasperation, glancing at Gaara.

This guy was a complete maniac, showing no regard for anyone.

"Why fight needlessly?" Kankuro tried to reason with him.

In truth, he was trying to prevent Gaara's slaughter.

Across the Forest of Death, Kankuro believed Gaara was the most terrifying monster.

"What does it matter?" Gaara replied indifferently, his expression unchanged.

"Anyone I come across…"

"Dies."

Gaara wasn't here for scrolls.

He was here for carnage.

Only killing gave his life meaning.

Sasuke swung his legs on the branch, watching the scene below like a VIP spectator at a show.

Interesting.

Gaara really knew how to play the part of a boss.

"If you’re not afraid to die, then come at me!"

The Rain leader shouted, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"I'm going in!"

Whoosh!

The Rain ninja leader opened his umbrella, holding it horizontally in front of him. His companions followed suit, throwing their umbrellas into the air.

In an instant, umbrellas floated above like dandelions drifting in the wind.

"Die, brat!"

The Rain leader bellowed, and all three of them began weaving hand signs simultaneously.

"Ninja Art: Thousand Needles of Rain!"

In an instant, the umbrellas spun rapidly, releasing a barrage of steel needles from above.

It was like a torrential downpour, completely encasing Gaara in a deadly storm.

"Hehehe…"

"This is an attack with no blind spots."

"Under my control, those thousand needles will hit their target without fail!"

The Rain leader laughed confidently, fully assured of his technique.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Countless steel needles shot toward Gaara.

Sasuke, sitting on the branch, smirked.

"They're just handing him a victory."

He knew such an attack wouldn’t even scratch Gaara’s egg-like sand defense.

As expected, sand rose up around Gaara, forming a shell that blocked every needle.

"Is that all you’ve got?" Gaara said calmly, his piercing gaze unwavering.

He hadn’t moved an inch, and not a speck of dust touched him, exuding an air of invincibility.

"How is this possible?!"

The Rain leader's eyes widened in disbelief. Their attack had never failed before.

But this Genin…

Who was he?

"Is that all you’ve got?"

Gaara stood within his sand shield, arms crossed, unbothered by the attack.

It hadn't even grazed him.

---

*Whoa!*

Such a scene!

The three members of Team 8 hiding in the bushes were completely stunned.

"How is this possible?"

The leader of the Hidden Rain Village team was mentally falling apart.

"Not a single hit?"

"Completely unscathed?"

"This can’t be real!"

"Damn it!"

The Rain Village leader quickly formed hand signs, preparing to attack Gaara again.

But…

Gaara didn’t give him another chance.

"So this is what they call the Rain of Needles?"

Gaara’s gaze became terrifying, glowing with a bloodthirsty light.

"Let me show you what a real Blood Rain looks like!"

Whoosh… whoosh… whoosh…  

As Gaara spoke, the surrounding sand began to spread out, and the senbon embedded in the sand fell to the ground.

In the bushes—

"This..."

Kiba Inuzuka sniffed the air deeply, his nostrils twitching slightly.

"There's a strange smell in that sand!"

Kiba felt something was wrong, and his face turned pale, losing his usual cocky demeanor.

"What kind of smell?"

Shino Aburame frowned, sensing something ominous.

"It's a strong scent of blood!"

Kiba’s face grew even paler. He gulped nervously, his whole body becoming tense.

"The smell of blood?"

Shino paused, his pupils shrinking behind his dark sunglasses.

"That’s right!"

Kiba nodded, his breathing quickened as he stared at the sand surrounding Gaara.

"This sand has soaked up the lives of many people."

With Kiba's statement, all three members of Team 8 were filled with panic, thoughts of fleeing already forming in their minds.

---

"Damn it! A sand wall?!"

The leader of the Hidden Rain Village team was dumbfounded, staring blankly at Gaara. He had no backup plan to counterattack.

Every single senbon had been blocked!

Faced with such an impenetrable defense, a sense of helplessness crept in.

"Exactly!"

Kankuro squinted slightly, looking at the three Rain Village ninjas.

"This is the Absolute Defense formed by sand!"

"The sand from that gourd can be manipulated freely, hardening under his immense power to create a shield."

"This is Gaara’s signature technique."

"And what’s more—"

"It activates automatically. He doesn’t even have to consciously command it."

"To put it bluntly—"

"No matter what you do, it’s futile. You’re absolutely no match for Gaara!"

Kankuro silently observed everything unfold. From the beginning, he already knew the outcome.

As Gaara’s brother, he had watched him grow up. He understood Gaara’s personality and his past better than anyone.

In this Chunin Exam—

No one could defeat Gaara!

The earlier warnings were merely attempts to persuade Gaara to spare these people.

But now that they had already attacked—

The outcome was set in stone.

No one could escape Gaara’s grasp!

---

"Damn it!"

The Rain Village leader clenched his teeth, his eyes fixed on the sand around Gaara.

"You have no chance of defeating Gaara!" Kankuro declared his honest opinion.

As soon as Kankuro finished speaking, the sand around Gaara collapsed entirely.

Then Gaara reached out his right hand—

Swish! Swish! Swish!  

The sand on the ground moved instantly at Gaara’s command.

In the blink of an eye—

The sand coiled around the feet of the Rain Village leader.

"Sand Coffin!"

Gaara’s cold voice echoed.

At the same time—

The sand rapidly climbed up the Rain ninja’s body, binding him tightly.

In an instant—

Only the leader’s face was exposed, while the rest of his body was entirely encased in sand.

"Can’t… move…"

The Rain Village leader couldn’t budge at all, his whole body squeezed by the sand’s crushing force.

This scene—

From atop a tree, Sasuke’s lips curled into a slight smirk.

"That’s the classic move!"

Sasuke immediately recognized Gaara’s impending technique—Sand Burial.

This was the move he used to think was so amazing when watching anime.

Drip, drip, drip…  

Gaara slowly stepped forward, picking up a discarded umbrella from the ground.

"Actually," he said,

"I could’ve silenced you before killing you."

"But that would’ve been too cruel."

As he spoke, Gaara opened the umbrella and shielded himself with it. This small action revealed his obsession with cleanliness.

However—

To the others, his words sounded like a joke.

Gaara, cruel?

No one could even muster a laugh at this point.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Gaara raised his right hand slowly and clenched it tightly.

"Sand Burial!"

Gaara’s voice carried an eerie, almost supernatural resonance—like the voice of death itself.

Boom!  

The sand binding the Rain Village leader crushed together with immense force.

The terrifying pressure from the sand caused a spray of blood to erupt into the air.

Splatter, splatter!  

The blood rained down, but Gaara’s umbrella shielded him completely, leaving him untouched.

Dead.

The Rain ninja leader was dead, just like that!

Such brutality—

It shocked all the onlookers to their core.

The three members of Team 8—

And the remaining two Rain ninjas—

Each of them felt utterly speechless.

Gaara held the umbrella steady—

Shielding himself from the blood rain.

"Now he feels no pain."

"Because of my strength—"

"He no longer has to endure suffering."

"The blood and tears of the dead, infused into the sand, will grant the Shura even greater power."

Gaara muttered words that no one else could comprehend.

Yet—

This little maniac—

Instilled a deep fear in everyone around him.

"The scroll… we’ll leave it here."

The remaining two Rain ninjas placed the *Scroll of Heaven* on the ground.

"Please…"

"Spare us!"

The two dropped to their knees with a thud, their faces filled with terror.

Their captain was dead.

They had no chance of passing the Chunin Exam anymore.

Now, they just wanted to survive.

However—

Gaara said nothing.

Instead, he extended both hands.

Immediately—

The sand formed into two large hands, reaching for the remaining Rain ninjas.

"Sand Coffin."

With Gaara’s icy voice, the two were instantly engulfed in sand, leaving only their faces exposed.

"No! Please!"

"Aaaaah!"

The two felt the looming fear of death, their tears spilling uncontrollably. The bloodstained sand chilled them to the bone.

"Goodbye, little brats!"

---

Chapter 184: You All Come At Me Together! 3 

Temari smiled faintly and waved her hand at the two, signaling a farewell between two worlds—one of the living and one of the dead. 

Boom! 

In an instant, sand collided. 

Blood sprayed into the air, painting a gruesome scene. 

Droplets of blood splattered onto the ground, mingling with the sand, creating an overwhelming visual impact. 

Thus, 

The three ninja from the Hidden Rain Village were completely annihilated. 

Not even a complete corpse was left behind.  

In the bushes:  

"My god, we need to get out of here!"  

Kiba Inuzuka's face turned pale. His hands and feet were ice-cold, and he was utterly terrified.  

It felt as though the fate of those three had foretold their own imminent doom.  

"If we’re discovered, we’re dead!"  

Shino Aburame stood up, preparing to retreat. Even his typically calm and composed demeanor was cracking under the pressure.  

Hinata Hyuga was trembling so much that her lips quivered with fear.  

"The Heaven Scroll!"  

Kankuro picked up the scroll from the ground, smiled faintly, and said, "We’re so lucky. It’s exactly the scroll we were missing. Now we can head to the tower!"  

"Shut up!"  

Gaara’s voice was filled with killing intent. He abruptly raised his eyes, his terrifying pupils fixed on Kankuro.  

"I'm not done playing yet!"  

"Let’s just stop here!"  

Kankuro was already drenched in cold sweat. Being around Gaara was a constant challenge to his survival.  

If it weren’t for the plan, he wouldn’t dare to stay near Gaara at all.  

Every moment carried the risk of death.  

Who knew if he’d be the next to be crushed and killed by the sand?  

Kankuro swallowed hard. He despised the feeling of being with Gaara—it was like being near a wild beast that could devour him at any moment.  

"Gaara!"  

"You might not care about this situation."  

"But we think it’s dangerous."  

"We’ve already secured a complete set of scrolls!"  

"That’s enough!"  

Kankuro tried to persuade him.  

He genuinely didn’t want to see Gaara causing more trouble for others.  

Even more, he didn’t want to see more deaths here.  

"And you think you can tell me what to do?"  

Gaara raised his hand sharply, and the sand on the ground surged toward Kankuro.  

"Enough!"  

Kankuro, drenched in sweat, forced himself to respond, "I’m your brother! Can’t you listen to me just once?"  

"I’ve never considered any of you family. Whoever gets in my way dies."  

Gaara’s tone was ice-cold and domineering.  

And he had every right to speak so boldly.  

Suddenly, Gaara raised his hand toward Team 8's direction, and sand surged toward Hinata, Kiba, and Shino.  

At that moment,  

The three of them were horrified, their faces pale as they felt the approach of death.  

Clap! Clap! Clap! 

Suddenly, the sound of applause echoed.  

A figure in white landed gracefully on the ground, directly in front of Gaara, catching his attention.  

That person was Sasuke.  

+50 (25)  

Sasuke merely appeared, and the numbers on the counter jumped, marking an increase.  

"It’s you!"  

Gaara’s eyes locked onto Sasuke. He’d heard during the Chunin Exam preliminaries that Sasuke was one of the strongest competitors.  

He’d been eager to see him for himself.  

And now, here he was.  

Sasuke’s sudden arrival gave Team 8—Hinata, Kiba, and Shino—a moment to catch their breath. After what they’d just been through, their legs were weak with fear, but they now dared to keep watching.  

"Gaara." 

"Kankuro." 

"Temari."  

Sasuke’s gaze swept over the three, calling their names one by one with cold indifference.  

"I watched your battle just now."  

+60 (30)  

Just those words made the numbers on the counter jump again.  

Indeed, 

Standing there after witnessing that battle was seen by all as an act of sheer confidence—bordering on arrogance.  

"Hey, handsome boy, what’s your name? You’re so good-looking, but it’s a pity you’ve come here to die. You must be a little dumb, huh?"  

Temari’s eyes were fixed on Sasuke. She couldn’t deny that his appearance was stunningly impressive.  

Handsome! 

Incredibly handsome!  

No one in the Hidden Sand Village looked even half as good.  

But what a shame. 

No matter how handsome he was,  

He was going to die!  

"Where are your teammates?"  

Temari continued to question, curious. She sensed no one else nearby.  

"They’ve already reached the tower," Sasuke replied calmly. He saw no need to hide this fact.  

+70 (35)  

The numbers jumped again.  

In the bushes, Team 8’s eyes widened. They knew Sasuke was strong, but they didn’t realize just how capable he was.  

Hinata’s expression softened noticeably.  

It seemed Naruto had already reached the finish line.  

No need to worry anymore!  

"Little brother, you must be joking. The second exam hasn’t even been going on for an hour. How could you have already gotten the scrolls and reached the end? And if you did, why would you come back out here?"  

Temari smiled slyly, as if she had figured out Sasuke’s secret.  

With Gaara by her side, she had nothing to fear.  

"Exactly," Sasuke nodded, maintaining his icy demeanor.  

"It’s because I sent them to the tower first. Since I didn’t have a scroll in hand, I came back out to hunt for one."  

With that, he paused. 

Sasuke raised his hand, palm up, aiming at Kankuro with a demanding posture. 

"Hand over your Scroll of Heaven and Scroll of Earth!" 

+80 (40) 

The numbers in front of Sasuke's eyes suddenly began to flicker. 

"Ha!"  

Temari burst out laughing, winking at Sasuke as she spoke with a sly smile, "It’s been a long time since I’ve met someone this naive!" 

"If you’re not going to hand them over, then I have no choice!"  

Sasuke retracted his hand and spread his palms in a gesture of helplessness. His gaze instantly turned icy and arrogant. 

"I’ll just have to take them by force!" 

+90 (45) 

The numbers in front of Sasuke’s eyes jumped again, marking yet another increase in his stats. 

"How arrogant,"  

Gaara remarked coolly, his piercing eyes fixed on Sasuke. He couldn’t believe there was someone his age bold enough to act so brazenly in front of him. 

Swish—swish—swish! 

Sand poured furiously from the gourd on Gaara’s back as his battle aura began to surge. 

"I hope you’ll show me some real skill. It’s been a while since I’ve had to fight seriously." 

As Gaara spoke, he raised his hand in a peculiar gesture, sending a cascade of sand hurtling toward Sasuke. 

From beginning to end,  

Gaara didn’t even bother asking Sasuke’s name.  

To him, weaklings didn’t deserve names. 

"Don’t rush,"  

Sasuke said calmly, watching the oncoming wave of sand without moving an inch, showing neither panic nor the slightest intent to dodge. 

"Before I make my move, I’ll give you all one last chance."  

As he spoke, Sasuke waved his hand lightly, smacking the sand that surged toward him. 

His movement was so fluid that it resembled Guy brushing away Gaara’s sand during their encounter. 

Boom! 

With a sharp sound,  

The sand Gaara had sent flying toward Sasuke instantly scattered. 

The entire process seemed effortless. 

This created a stark contrast, as if the sand now was completely different from the sand just moments ago. 

From within the bushes,  

Even Akamaru, nestled in Kiba’s arms, stared wide-eyed at the scene. 

It was unbelievable! 

No one had expected Sasuke to so effortlessly dismantle Gaara’s attack. 

+100 (50) 

The numbers in front of Sasuke’s eyes flickered again, signaling yet another boost in his stats. 

Gaara’s sand was scattered.  

Not only were the members of Team 8 left in shock,  

But even Gaara’s gaze momentarily wavered. 

Temari and Kankuro, meanwhile, looked at Sasuke as if they had just witnessed the impossible, their attitudes toward him shifting dramatically. 

"You’re really impatient!"  

"You don’t even let people finish speaking!"  

Sasuke shook his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the three Sand shinobi with an air of indifference. 

"I’ll give you one more chance."  

"Come at me—all of you, together!" 

(End of Chapter)