NOVEL WEB Chapter 67: CHAPTER 67
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Sure enough, I still can't talk people down. My spiritual pressure is still too shallow—I've come this far and still haven't managed to change Gaara's heart.
Sasuke scratched his head, feeling a little helpless.
Once again, Gaara manipulated the sand to try to crush Sasuke. Shiranui Genma looked visibly concerned. He turned to Maki from the Hidden Sand and asked sharply, "Does Sunagakure forfeit this match?"
Maki snorted coldly without responding. The match continued.
Normally, those outside the ring are forbidden from interfering. Maki's silence was a violation in itself. Genma considered stepping in—not out of sympathy for Sasuke, but because Gaara might lose control. His rampage could spark political tension between Konoha and Sunagakure.
A massive hand of sand smashed toward Sasuke, who narrowly dodged. The defensive form of Karura—Gaara's deceased mother whose chakra resided within the sand—briefly manifested, then faded back into the sand.
"Tch, what a pain."
With nothing left to say, Sasuke used Shunpo, an advanced movement technique from his system, to evade the crushing blow.
"Bakudō #63: Sajō Sabaku!"
Sasuke raised his hand. Chains of light manifested and tightly bound Gaara from a distance. The spiritual binding spell, borrowed through his system from the Bleach universe, shackled Gaara's limbs. The boy thrashed violently, but unless he released Shukaku, escape was impossible.
But Sasuke didn't give him the chance. He had shown nearly all his strength. The match should be ending now—but regrettably, he had failed to change Gaara's heart.
Their relationship was never close, after all. Sasuke had done all he could. Nothing more could be said. Ultimately, this was all the result of Rasa's twisted treatment—forcing a child into a weapon. If Gaara died, perhaps it would be a release from his suffering.
Sasuke moved behind Gaara, drew his Zanpakutō, and struck the back of Gaara's head with the hilt.
At that moment, someone unexpected intervened.
The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, suddenly appeared in the arena and pulled Gaara away in an instant. Simultaneously, another shadowy figure arrived, faster than the eye could track. But seeing that Rasa was not attacking, the figure stood down.
The leaders of the other three great villages watched the conflict unfold with interest. Nothing pleased them more than seeing internal friction between allied villages.
"What is the meaning of this, Kazekage?" Namikaze Minato asked calmly, eyes narrowing.
"Let go. I'm going to kill him!" Gaara's voice twisted with rage as he flailed. His pupils began flickering—his sclera turned dark and his irises golden—on the verge of full transformation.
"Gaara lost this match. But if he's rendered unconscious, Shukaku will be released. You don't want that, do you?"
Rasa's explanation was cold. Since Gaara's status as a jinchūriki was now widely known, Rasa had no reason to hide it.
Minato paused, realization dawning. He had witnessed Gaara's unstable transformation during the match and now fully understood who—what—Gaara was.
As someone who once loved and supported a Nine-Tails jinchūriki like Kushina—and was now one himself—Minato felt a flicker of empathy for Gaara.
"I hope Kazekage-dono will follow the rules of the Chūnin Exams from now on," Minato replied evenly.
Rasa gave no reply. He handed Gaara off to Maki and returned to his seat in the stands.
Minato also returned to his own seat. Sasuke recalled something he had overlooked—Shukaku would rampage if Gaara fell unconscious or asleep. He'd thought of this before the battle, but subconsciously dismissed it in the heat of combat.
"Hokage-dono has quite the forgiving nature," Ōnoki muttered with dry sarcasm once Minato sat down.
"There was a reason. I'm sure no one here wants the Chūnin Exams to collapse halfway through," Minato answered mildly, keeping his gaze on the arena.
"The first official match of the final round—the winner: Uchiha Sasuke!" Genma declared loudly.
The Konoha audience erupted in cheers. Most were simply here to enjoy the spectacle, but seeing their own village's genin defeat a foreign opponent stoked their pride.
After his victory, Sasuke walked down the aisle and returned to the waiting area. The power he displayed had clearly surpassed that of an average jōnin—he was confident that Minato had taken note.
"Sasuke-kun, that was amazing!" Karin cheered, throwing herself against his arm.
After two weeks of traveling and training together, Karin had become much more relaxed around Sasuke. She never passed up an opportunity for physical closeness.
Although Sasuke occasionally enjoyed the attention, it could get in the way—especially when he was trying to practice sword-drawing speed or chakra control.
"It was a normal performance," Sasuke replied flatly. He hadn't even drawn his blade.
Even though his match had ended, many eyes remained fixed on him—some with awe, others with envy, and a few with killing intent. Regardless, Sasuke had successfully drawn attention.
"Excuse me—may I sit here?" A bespectacled young man with a ponytail approached and spoke with a courteous tone.
Sasuke looked up, recognizing the face instantly. He was inwardly on guard.
"…Go ahead," Sasuke said.
The man adjusted his round-rimmed glasses and sat beside him.
"Hello, Sasuke-kun. My name is Kabuto Yakushi. I'm a genin like you, participating in the Chūnin Exams."
Kabuto spoke with a respectful air, but Sasuke noticed the faint admiration behind his gaze.
Of course, Sasuke had long been aware of Kabuto. He had been unusually quiet during the Forest of Death. Sasuke initially suspected Kabuto had withdrawn from the exam, but now he was clearly here for another reason.
"Compared to you, Sasuke-kun, my skills are far weaker," Kabuto continued, with a sheepish chuckle. "I barely escaped the Forest of Death and didn't participate in the prelims—I withdrew. This is my eighth time entering the Chūnin Exams. Not once have I passed."
Sasuke inwardly scoffed. Oscar-level acting. Kabuto's expression was convincing, but Sasuke didn't believe a word.
The fact that Kabuto sought him out now likely meant Orochimaru had issued new orders.
"Well… keep trying," Sasuke replied indifferently.
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Currently at CHAPTER 111 on Patreon.
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ENJOY THE BENEFITS.