Bab 54: Pushing the Sharingan's Limits
Gaara's sand came at me relentlessly to crush me. He was here to kill, and he was enjoying every second. I could feel his bloodlust, see it in how his eyes burned with that Hatred, and I almost started feeling pity for him.
I activated my Kura Release, feeling the energy pulse through my veins as my body took on the characteristic hue. I could move faster now, though not as fast as Lee but with the body flicker that gap wasn't there.
His next wave of sand attacks was faster, almost as if he'd gotten a rush from our fight. Well, there was no point in holding back any more time to go all out! I activated my Sharingan, feeling the shift as my vision changed, the world around me becoming sharper, clearer. The three tomoe swirling as I focused, each detail of Gaara's attacks now laid out in perfect clarity. His movements, the way his sand shifted, I could see it all.
Around the arena, a ripple of surprise moved through the crowd. Two people knew, I glanced up briefly, noting the shock on people's faces.
Sasuke, who'd been watching with his own Sharingan active was surprised his eyes narrowed. He knew I had Uchiha blood, but he'd never expected me to awaken the Sharingan. The look in his eyes was a mix of surprise and something else, maybe even a hint of competitiveness.
Anko, my teacher, seemed caught off guard too, her usual smirk replaced with a raised eyebrow. She hadn't seen me like this, and I could tell she hadn't expected it. Naruto's mouth was hanging open, clearly in shock, while Hinata looked intrigued, her gaze intense as she focused on me. Sakura, though, her face was twisted with surprise and something that looked like anger. I could probably think of what she was thinking something like *How dare she have eyes similar to Sasuke-kun." something stupid like that. I couldn't help but feel smug about this all.
My attention went back to Gaara, who was watching me with that unblinking, almost predatory gaze. He didn't care what techniques I used, he only wanted to kill me.
He launched another attack, sand surging forward like a tidal wave. My Sharingan tracked the movement, As I body flickered up into the air just in time, the sand barely grazing past me. I moved again, avoiding his attempts to trap me, watching and waiting for his next moves. Each time he tried to corner me, I was already a step ahead, weaving through his attacks. As I threw fireballs at him, Hell I even tried to disrupt his sand with water balls as well but it didn't seem to work.
For a fleeting moment, his expression shifted, revealing a brief but unmistakable flash of frustration in his eyes as he grasped that his sand defenses wasn't working against me. The grains of sand that should have formed an impenetrable barrier seemed to dance away, failing to connect as I maneuvered swiftly.
I seized the opportunity without hesitation, unleashing my Gale Strike Jutsu, The powerful gusts of wind surged around me, relentlessly battering against his crumbling defenses as my fist connected against his body. Each strike sent plumes of sand scattering. My heart raced as I kept him on the back foot, ensuring his frustration only deepened with each failed attempt to trap me.
But Gaara wasn't about to let up. His sand attacks became more vicious, the tendrils shooting out like spears and grabs, each one faster than before as I was forced back. I moved with everything I had though I ended up needing to rely on body flicker more.
"You can't run forever," Gaara growled, his voice low and filled with that unhinged excitement, Rage and Hatred. His sand shifted again, this time forming into a massive wave that threatened to engulf the entire field.
"Watch me," I muttered, focusing every bit of my energy to create an airpalm and break out of his trap, weaving through his attacks. Gaara's frustration was building, as More of his sand was forced to protect him from my many Fireballs.
The crowd was on edge, some watching in awe, others with a growing sense of fear. This wasn't a typical match anymore. Gaara's intentions were clear.
As I dodged another sand spear, I heard Moonhydra's voice echo in my mind, urging me on. *"Take his chakra, Ayumi… break him down. You have the power to match him. Do not hold back."* But Gaara's next attack came faster, stronger, his sand forming into a massive claw as it reached for me. Gaara's sand twisted, forming that monstrous claw as he continued to press me as I quickly backstepped. I dodged as best I could, but I knew I needed to change the course of this fight before things got out of hand. And I knew just the technique.
I drew on the power I'd been honing with Moonhydra, feeling her presence in the depths of my mind as I gathered my chakra, As I quickly went through many Hand signs.
"Kakashi- sensei what justsu is she using," Sasuke asked turning his head to see Kakashi Sharingan spinning as he watched but didn't reply. I extended my hand as I shouted, "*Storm Style: Ryū ga waga teki o kurau!*"
A Large dragon of storm energy surged from my hand, crackling with electricity. The storm dragon tore through the air, roaring as it bore down on Gaara, a beast of pure power aimed directly at him. The lightning flashed, illuminating the twisted smile on Gaara's face as the dragon closed in, and he barely had time to react before it struck.
The force of the attack collided with him, tearing through his sand defenses and hitting him hard as much of his hand armor was cracking and breaking off. But instead of knocking him down, it triggered something far more intense. I watched as Gaara's body shuddered, his face twisted. The sand around him began to shift and bulge, a dark, ominous aura rising as he began to transform.
As his chakra flared, I knew I had a chance and lunged forward, sinking my teeth into his neck. I felt the rush of his chakra pouring into me, a strange, intense sensation, like drinking from a well of raw power. Moonhydra's voice echoed in my mind, urging me to take more, to drain him further. But as I did, his monstrous hand swung back, connecting with my side and sending me flying across the arena. Pain flared through my body as I crashed into the wall, the impact making the whole stadium shake.
I hit the ground, fighting the urge to groan in pain. My head spun, my side throbbing where his monstrous fist had connected, but I forced myself to remain still, letting my body go limp as I lay there, pretending to be down. The spectators, those who hadn't already succumbed to whatever sleep technique was affecting the stands, gasped, some of them panicking as they realized the extent of Gaara's transformation.
From what I could sense the chaos was beginning in the village as enemy ninja began their attack. Explosions sounded in the distance the village was finally under attack. Gaara's transformation had drawn attention.
I wasn't planning to get involved. This was the moment I'd been waiting for Orochimaru's strike. But my part in this was done, and now it was up to the others.
Naruto and Sasuke were the first to react, leaping into the arena. I could feel Naruto's gaze lingering on me for a moment, but he quickly shifted his focus back to Gaara, who had fully transformed into his tailed-beast form.
Hinata and Neji soon joined them, stepping into the arena as well. They all surrounded Gaara, pushing him out of the arena and further into the woods. Once they were gone, I pushed myself up, wincing slightly from the impact of Gaara's earlier attack.
Forming quick hand signs, I created 50 shadow clones, sending them off to assist around the village. They'd help where they could, dealing with the invading enemy ninja. Meanwhile, I headed toward the rooftops where I knew the real battle was about to begin.
Reaching the top of a nearby building, I spotted the Third Hokage facing off against Orochimaru. But it wasn't just the two of them. Orochimaru had summoned the First, Second, and to my surprise the Fourth Hokage.
I stayed back, keeping a safe distance as I activated my Sharingan. The strain was immediate. Their movements were almost too fast for me to track. They were already deep into their battle by the time I arrived. The Third Hokage was holding his own, but it was clear he was being pushed to his limits. I focused on the First Hokage, watching intently as he moved. His hand signs were a blur, but with my Sharingan, I managed to catch most of it.
"Come on," I muttered under my breath, my eyes darting to follow his movements. The pain behind my eyes was growing as blood was beginning to leak from the side of my eyes, I was pushing it, but I ignored it. If I could just learn one or two of his jutsu, it could make all the difference.
He moved swiftly, summoning wood constructs that sprang from the very buildings around us. Since I also had Wood Release, seeing his techniques was invaluable. I tried to memorize the sequence of his hand signs, feeling a flicker of excitement despite the dire situation.
The Second Hokage was equally as scary, his water-based attacks slicing through the air and cutting the tree's the first setup to try and hit the third as a surprise attack. But it was the Fourth Hokage who truly left me in awe. His speed was beyond anything I'd ever witnessed. Even with my Sharingan, I couldn't see him, he just appeared and disappeared in flashes.
"Damn it," I whispered, frustration gnawing at me. The gap between their abilities and mine was vast, and to be expected but that was only for now.
The battle intensified. Explosions echoed throughout the village, and smoke rose in plumes as buildings crumbled. I could hear the distant sounds of fighting. But I stayed focused on the rooftop.
The Third Hokage was struggling. Orochimaru taunted him, his voice carrying over the chaos. "Is this all you have left, old man?" he sneered, a wicked smile twisting his features.
I felt a pang of something, pity? But then I remembered what he did to me, what he made my grandfather do, let him die he deserved no less.
The First Hokage began another series of hand signs, and I zeroed in, my Sharingan spinning as I tried to keep up. My head throbbed, but I caught it.
"Got it," I murmured, committing it to memory.
Suddenly, a surge of killing intent washed over me. I snapped my head up to see Orochimaru glancing in my direction, a sly grin on his face. "Well, well, what do we have here?" he called out. "An uninvited guest?"
I tensed. I hadn't expected to be noticed, but of course, someone like Orochimaru would be aware of his surroundings.
The Third Hokage took the opportunity to strike, forcing Orochimaru to dodge and refocus on the battle at hand. I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.
But my relief was short-lived. The Fourth Hokage vanished from sight, and before I could react, he reappeared a short distance away from me.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone