With Naruto and Neji's battle concluded, it was now Sasuke's turn to fight Gaara.
In the original timeline, Sasuke's tardiness had bumped his match with Gaara from second to last. Now, not only was Sasuke punctual, but both he and Kakashi had arrived at the venue before the third exam even began.
Richard had initially planned to learn Chidori's chakra flow pattern from Sasuke after the boy mastered the technique. He'd changed his mind, instead secretly observing Kakashi's demonstrations while he taught Sasuke. Though different from his original plan, Richard ultimately acquired the jutsu—and while Sasuke still struggled with the basics, Richard had already begun developing derivatives: Chidori Current, Chidori Sharp Spear, Chidori Senbon, and Chidori Blade, mastering each variant with remarkable proficiency.
As Naruto and Neji left the arena, Uzuki Yugao took her position at the center as the examiner. Simultaneously, Gaara and Sasuke entered from opposite sides, stopping about twenty meters apart.
The crowd's energy surged when Sasuke and Gaara stepped onto the battlefield. If Naruto versus Neji symbolized the clash between dead-last and genius, then Sasuke versus Gaara represented a showdown between prodigies of their respective villages. Sasuke, heir to the Uchiha legacy, against Gaara, son of the Fourth Kazekage—both possessing illustrious lineage and extraordinary talent.
Though many spectators had traveled from other nations, including the Land of Wind, this remained Konoha's home turf. Most audience members were village residents who naturally favored Sasuke as Konoha's representative.
When Yugao officially commenced the match, Gaara and Sasuke attacked simultaneously—Gaara manipulating his sand while Sasuke evaded and countered with the signature shuriken techniques of the Uchiha clan.
Unlike the captivated spectators, Richard paid minimal attention to the battle, instead focusing on the "Fourth Kazekage"—actually Orochimaru in disguise. If events proceeded as expected, Orochimaru would soon initiate his assault on Konoha, trapping the Third Hokage within the Four Violet Flames Formation created by the Sound Four. Meanwhile, shinobi from Sand and Sound would wreak havoc throughout the village.
Within Orochimaru's plan, beyond occupying the Third Hokage himself, Gaara represented the most crucial element—or more precisely, the One-Tailed Shukaku sealed within him. Once Gaara performed his Feigning Sleep Technique, the Tailed Beast would fully awaken and become the primary destructive force against Konoha, assuming no one intervened.
In Orochimaru's calculations, Shukaku's awakening would guarantee his plan's success. What he hadn't accounted for was Naruto's protagonist aura. Though far weaker than he would become by the Fourth Great Ninja War, Naruto would not only wake Gaara from his induced sleep but help him recognize the value of his siblings' protective bond, transforming the troubled youth into the future Fifth Kazekage.
As Richard observed Orochimaru, he couldn't help but admire the Sannin's disguise. Without foreknowledge and enhanced perception, he would never have seen through the deception.
Whether by intuition or genuinely sensing Richard's gaze, Orochimaru—disguised as the Kazekage—instinctively glanced skyward. Fortunately, Richard hovered at sufficient altitude to remain undetected.
While Orochimaru questioned his paranoia, the Third Hokage remarked, "Gaara truly lives up to his lineage as your son, Lord Kazekage. His abilities far surpass ordinary genin standards."
"You flatter me, Lord Hokage," Orochimaru replied smoothly. "Your Sasuke Uchiha demonstrates exceptional skill as well."
Though coveting Sasuke's body, Orochimaru still doubted the young Uchiha could defeat Gaara.
On the battlefield, Sasuke now employed physical techniques copied from Lee, displaying speed far beyond his previous capabilities while attempting to penetrate Gaara's sand defenses. In the original timeline, he had succeeded, forcing Gaara to encase himself in his spherical Desert Coffin.
This time, however, Sasuke failed to land a clean hit initially. The past month had seen growth not only from Sasuke and Naruto but from Gaara as well. After Lee's speed had thoroughly outmatched him in the preliminaries, Gaara had gained valuable experience in countering swift opponents.
As the saying went: Every failure makes you wiser.
Though undeniably troubled, Gaara was no fool. As the Fourth Kazekage's son, having learned from Lee's lesson, he had improved considerably.
Nevertheless, under Sasuke's relentless assault—especially after another increase in speed—Gaara eventually took a hit. Fortunately for him, Sasuke hadn't yet drawn the Vibranium sword from his back, not from restraint but practicality. He was currently employing Lee's taijutsu techniques.
Given more time, Sasuke could have integrated these copied movements with his swordsmanship, but the past month had afforded no such luxury. Learning Chidori and improving his speed had consumed all his training hours.
Though unable to combine taijutsu with kenjutsu, Sasuke still forced Gaara to employ his Desert Coffin, retreating into an autistic state. As Sasuke prepared to press his advantage and breach the sand sphere just as he'd broken through Gaara's clone and shield earlier, he immediately faced consequences.
Before he could touch the sphere, sharp sand spikes erupted from its surface, grazing his cheek and thigh. Had he not halted instantly, he would have been impaled.
Recognizing that this Desert Coffin possessed both offensive and defensive capabilities unlike the previous sand shield, Sasuke finally drew his Vibranium sword.
Before entering the arena, Kakashi had solemnly instructed him to avoid using the weapon if possible. Though weapons were permitted in competition, the Vibranium katana was far from ordinary. If Sasuke accidentally killed Gaara, the Sand Village would likely accuse Konoha of deliberately eliminating their jinchūriki during the exam. Such an incident could transform allies into enemies.
With the Vibranium blade drawn, Sasuke abandoned Lee's techniques in favor of swordsmanship copied from Richard. This shift in fighting style finally captured Richard's interest, as it diverted from his memory of events.
In the original timeline, after Gaara sealed himself within his sand sphere, Sasuke had used Chidori to penetrate it and wound Gaara. This would trigger the Sound ninja's genjutsu, causing spectators to fall unconscious as the invasion began.
Through his enhanced vision, Richard had identified Otogakure ninja among the audience, including Kabuto, but saw no immediate need to intervene. Kakashi, Guy, and the ANBU could adequately protect unconscious civilians without his assistance.
The swordsmanship Sasuke had copied from Richard wasn't elaborate—merely basic slashing and chopping motions. Though lacking visual flair, these techniques were devastatingly efficient.
Watching Sasuke unsheathe the Vibranium sword, Kakashi sighed helplessly from the stands. While aware of Richard's special training, he disliked what Sasuke had learned.
What troubled Kakashi was that Richard had taught Sasuke essentially "killing techniques." Though shinobi couldn't avoid taking lives during missions, these methods seemed excessively brutal. When struck by such techniques, opponents would either sustain grievous injuries or die outright.
The issue wasn't with Richard's teaching but Sasuke's execution. Lacking Richard's precise control, Sasuke couldn't modulate the damage inflicted. Richard could deliver wounds as shallow as a millimeter if desired, a finesse Sasuke hadn't yet mastered. With continued kenjutsu study, Sasuke might eventually attain such control, but he remained distant from that level of proficiency.
Despite his limitations, with the Vibranium sword's assistance, Sasuke easily severed the sand spikes protruding from Gaara's sphere. After neutralizing this counterattack, he identified a suitable opening and thrust the blade into the sand cocoon.
The Vibranium sword's sharpness far exceeded Chidori's penetrative power. If Chidori could pierce the Desert Coffin, the Vibranium blade could do so with greater ease.
Feeling the sword connect with its target, Sasuke smiled triumphantly.
BOOM!
Before Sasuke could savor his success, the sand sphere detonated like a bomb, particles shooting outward like raindrops. As the dust settled, Gaara reappeared—drastically transformed. His right arm had morphed into a monstrous appendage, and a similarly bestial tail extended behind him.
Partial transformation!
After being pierced by the Vibranium sword, Gaara had instinctively begun transforming, adopting traits of the One-Tail.
Having retreated twenty meters to avoid the sand explosion, Sasuke frowned at Gaara's altered appearance. Unaware that Gaara was Shukaku's jinchūriki, he didn't recognize this as a partial transformation. Yet one thing was certain—seeing Gaara's mutated eye filled him with profound dread, as though facing not a human opponent but a terrifying monster.
As Sasuke contemplated his next move, Gaara's half-human face contorted with inner struggle.
At that moment, Kabuto Yakushi, concealed among the spectators, activated the Temple of Nirvana Technique. Countless white feathers descended from above. Audience members and shinobi alike who witnessed this phenomenon grew intensely drowsy and fell unconscious.
Only a select few—including Kakashi, Guy, Sakura, and others—remained awake as Kabuto and additional Sound ninja cast genjutsu throughout the arena.
As the illusion techniques spread, other participants mobilized. Temari, Kankuro, and Baki rushed to Gaara's side from the stands.
"Take Gaara away," Baki instructed Temari and Kankuro. "Let him summon the One-Tail after he stabilizes."
Though Baki served as Gaara's teacher, the boy clearly wouldn't comply in his current state. The moment Baki finished speaking, Gaara's struggling expression transformed into something monstrous as he fixed Sasuke with murderous intent.
"I won't leave," Gaara growled. "I want Mother to taste his blood!"
Hearing this, the Sand siblings and Baki exchanged troubled looks.
"None of you are leaving!" Uzuki Yugao declared before Baki could respond. She appeared before them, Vibranium sword drawn, regarding the Sand ninja with vigilant intensity.
Hovering thousands of meters above, Richard paid them little attention, focusing instead on Orochimaru and the Third Hokage. When Kabuto had deployed his genjutsu, Orochimaru had positioned himself behind the Third Hokage, held a kunai to his throat, and forced him to the rooftop.
As ANBU attempted to intervene, the Sound Four revealed themselves, eliminating the pursuing ninja before occupying the roof's four corners.
"Four Violet Flames Formation!"
Without hesitation, they created a rectangular barrier, establishing an isolated arena for Orochimaru and the Third Hokage to battle without interference. The formation simultaneously protected its casters, preventing the Hokage from dismantling the barrier by defeating them individually.
As the Sound Four completed their technique, Richard redirected his gaze and descended toward the arena at lightning speed.