Chapter 112
After the battle between Aburame Hatsuizumi and Hyuga Chinano, the field was left in chaos. Blood and discarded cicada shells were scattered everywhere, and deep craters from powerful attacks pockmarked the ground. Compared to the previous matches, this one was far more intense, leaving the arena in dire need of repairs.
Neji and Gaara, who were set to compete next, joined in the cleanup. Gaara's ability to control sand made him perfect for the job, and Neji had already grabbed a bucket and bolted.
Zixu watched Gaara with a pleased expression. This kid is getting more responsible. You'd never guess he used to be such a rebellious brat. A teachable child, indeed. He made a mental note to assign Gaara more tasks in the future. Wouldn't want his newfound work ethic to go to waste.
After cleaning up, Gaara suddenly felt a chill down his spine, as if something ominous was watching him.
"Alright, the third match begins!"
Zixu wasted no time and immediately announced the start of the battle.
Gaara's sand possessed an absolute defense, capable of automatically blocking incoming attacks. After the One-Tail (Shukaku) was sealed, Zixu had a friendly talk with the beast. Surprisingly, Shukaku agreed to lend its power to Gaara in moments of danger, ensuring his survival.
Meanwhile, Neji had mastered Hakkeshou Kaiten (Eight Trigrams Rotation)—a technique that unleashed Gentle Fist (Juken) chakra from every tenketsu in his body while spinning at high speed, forming a defensive dome. Thanks to Zixu's intervention, Neji had also broken free from the constraints of the Caged Bird Seal. Using the power of Silence, Zixu had permanently muted part of the seal, effectively eliminating the branch family's infamous 1-degree blind spot.
"Both of them have absolute defense... I wonder which one is stronger," Kankuro mused from the waiting area. He had seen battles of offense versus defense before, but this was different—shield versus shield.
His curiosity didn't last long, as the fight had already begun.
Gaara made the first move. Sand surged from the gourd on his back, flooding the battlefield like an unstoppable tide. In mere moments, the ground transformed into an endless sea of sand—Gaara's domain.