"Lightning Style:..."
The Taijutsu expert appeared behind the kenjutsu maniac and delivered a kick—not to cause damage, but to boost his speed, propelling him toward Gaara.
So that's how he got so high, Gaara thought, realizing that the height the kenjutsu maniac had reached was thanks to the Taijutsu expert's earlier boost—and now, once again.
But why is he coming in so close? That's futile...
Wait, if he's coming in close, that means his next jutsu requires him to be at close range... Gaara quickly reasoned. He's still gathering chakra, so if I just create some distance and block...
Before Gaara could implement his plan, the maniac had already closed the gap, not giving him a chance to separate their distance.
"... Lightning Blade."
Gaara's eyes widened in horror as he realized his mistake.
Boom!
A massive explosion of sand and dust erupted, and the audience collectively held their breath.
The Taijutsu expert walked forward, standing near the kneeling, panting kenjutsu maniac.
"Did you finish it?" the Taijutsu expert asked calmly.
"Not yet. At the last second, he dodged death..." the kenjutsu maniac replied between heavy breaths.
"...but I'm sure he's fatally injured."
"No normal six-year-old would survive that," the Taijutsu expert said, his voice cold.
"But he's not normal," the kenjutsu maniac finished, still panting heavily.
Meanwhile, Gaara, at the moment of impact, knew it was futile to dodge the lightning attack. In a split second, he threw himself at the blade that was aimed directly at his heart.
The kenjutsu maniac's timing was thrown off, and instead of piercing Gaara's heart, the blade struck his sand armor, grazing the right side of his torso.
It was still a fatal blow. Gaara felt his body seize, a wave of paralysis sweeping over him, and he knew his heart had stopped. His chest tightened as his body went limp.
But Gaara wasn't unconscious. His eyes remained cold, unblinking, even as he lay on the ground, paralyzed. Inside his mind, Shukaku stirred, restless.
"I thought you said he wasn't a threat?" Gaara thought, his voice quiet but firm.
"Yes, for me," Shukaku replied, a trace of annoyance in his voice.
The arena was completely silent. Rasa, Baki, and several other shinobi stood by, waiting for Gaara to react—or more accurately, waiting for Shukaku to emerge.
Minutes passed, but still nothing happened. The silence stretched longer, and the stillness seemed unnerving, as though nothing had just occurred.
When the dust finally began to settle, Gaara's figure emerged, still lying on the sand. His chest had a faint trail of blood, but surprisingly, there wasn't the expected flood of blood from such an injury. Gaara was still conscious, his control over the sand halting the blood flow, though it was a crude method and not very efficient. It was the best he could do in his condition.
This should be enough for Rasa, right? I passed his test... Gaara thought, the coldness never leaving his expression. They're still cautious, huh? Take your time, Rasa.
From where Rasa stood, a glint of coldness flashed in his eyes, the reason behind it unclear. But what followed was a faint, almost imperceptible smile.