Chapter 44
Title: Part 4
...
"What. Was. That!?" Not only Karin, the entire Gen in seating behind me had that question in mind.
"Reality Manipulation, an advanced form of Genjutsu." I said with pride.
"Yakumo is extremely talented in Genjutsu, however, she doesn't possess the capability of manipulating Chakra. Like Lee, she could only focus on spiritual strength,"
"Spiritual strength?" Ino asked and I nodded
"As you know, chakra is the combination of physical and spiritual strength. Lee is dedicated to mastering his Physical aspect while I decided to make Yakumo master her spiritual aspect."
Looking at Ino, I said. "You too possess the potential but alas..."
"Anyways, that girl has an enormous amount of spiritual energy that it manifested a consciousness."
"What?" Ino exclaimed, which was understandable. As a Yamanaka, even if she wasn't serious about her inheritance, she should know a thing or two about the conscious and subconscious mind.
"That consciousness is so strong that it enables her to take your normal Genjutsu to the next level. Even Kurenai isn't a match for her in this field." I concluded.
"The next level?"
"Hmm," I nodded to Karin's question. "What you all just saw her do was just that. Normally, Genjutsu is only as strong as the mind of the caster, and since she has two minds that are so strong, she can make anything she thinks a reality."
"Which means, she can imagine a lot of food and there'll be a lot of food?" Choji asked and I nodded.
"Exactly."
"Wow... that's so Overpowered."
"You have no idea." I muttered.
It was no wonder she wasn't mentioned after her little arc in the original timeline.
If she was brought up, she'd probably put an end to the story before it even began.
This was someone who could erase someone from existence as witnessed when she nearly did to Kurenai.
With my training, she already is capable of fighting any battle, be it Ninjutsu, Genjutsu or Taijutsu.
As I had said, if she can imagine something, she can make that thing.
...
Minutes after Yakumo left the arena, the audience as well as proctor finally regained their wit before they began clamoring in awe and shock at the battle they had just witnessed.
"Is this really something a Genin can do?"
"What an impressive kid. And she did all that without even moving."
"And that final move. It was so beautiful, yet deadly. I wouldn't want to be at the receiving end of that."
Numerous comments rang out from the audience which I conveniently tuned out as I spread out my senses in search of Gaara.
'Oh? He's finally here...and is that a Genjutsu? On a Jinchuriki at that...what an impressive kabuto.' I thought, impressed by his ability.
One had to know that putting a Genjutsu on a Jinchuriki was one of the hardest things to do.
Only unique individuals, The Uchiha not included, can achieve such a feat
After all, as a Jinchuriki, one's chakra is always active. Any foreign chakra would immediately be consumed as soon as it is deemed a threat.
And Gaara, with his closeness to Shukaku, could already be considered Half Jinchuriki.
The fact that Kabuto was able to put them both under a Genjutsu spell was nothing other than impressive.
...
A few minutes later, both Gaara and Sasuke were on the field as they sized each other up.
"That kid, he's dangerous and evil." Karin muttered as she shivered.
I guess the sight of any Bijuu's chakra would elicit that reaction.
"Is that so? How about me? What do I look like?" I asked
"Yours?" She asked and looked at me before frowning. "I dunno how to describe it...It's just...grey? Or more like colourless, similar to that Yakumo girl from earlier, but yours is...how do I put this...."
"Alright, alright, I understand."I said and ruffled her hair. It was already amazing she was able to get a read on my chakra.
One's chakra, in a sense, is a manifestation of one's character and personality. Orochimaru's has a purple tint to his while also feeling murky or slimy.
Naruto's was sunny despite Kurama's chakra in him.
This went to show that Orochimaru has a twisted personality, is manipulative and without any Divine intervention, would find it hard to actually do good.
Interesting, I guess this girl has the potential of being my third disciple.
...
The proctor's voice echoed through the arena, signaling the start of the match. The intensity in the air was palpable as the spectators held their breaths.
Gaara expressionlessly looked at Sasuke and said, "Sasuke Uchiha, let's see if you're worth my time."
'Oh? He can still talk?' I mused as I imagined he'd be under some form of suppressed state.
Sasuke had his focus on Gaara without any form of arrogance whatsoever. However, an excited light could be seen in the depth of his eyes.
"I've been waiting for this, Gaara. Let's see how fast your sand is, as compared to my speed."
The moment the signal resonated, Gaara didn't waste a second. His gourd trembled as sand spiraled around him, forming a protective shield.
Sasuke, however, wasn't one to be intimidated. He swiftly activated his Sharingan, the red hues reflecting his heightened perception.
From Gaara's sand shield, sand bullets grew and shot towards Sasuke,force pushing him on the defensive. The swirling sands aimed to envelop Sasuke, restricting his movements.
Sasuke, with the help of his Sharingan, evaded the initial assault with acrobatic flips and agile maneuvers. The crowd marveled at his agility, but Gaara's relentless onslaught continued.
With a somewhat experienced movement, Sasuke spurn mid-air as he unleashed a barrage of shuriken, aiming to disrupt Gaara's control over the sand.
Gaara, unfazed, manipulated the sand to intercept the shuriken effortlessly. The arena echoed with the clash of metal against sand.
'He's controlling the sand with pinpoint precision. You can't afford to underestimate him, Sasuke.' I thought with a small smile tugging at my lips.
The tide of battle shifted as Gaara's gourd expelled a massive wave of sand, aiming to engulf Sasuke entirely. The audience gasped, witnessing the overwhelming power of Gaara's sand manipulation.
Sasuke, however, activated his Sharingan to its full potential. Time seemed to slow as he analyzed the trajectory of the sand, identifying weak points in Gaara's defense.
With a burst of speed fueled by his enhanced perception, Sasuke weaved through the sand, narrowly avoiding the enveloping waves. His movements were a dance of precision, a testament to his growing prowess.
At speeds faster than the normal naked eyes could follow, he weaved a couple of hand signs before a crackle of lightning rang out from his hands.
"Let's see how your sand handles this." Sasuke said as he stabbed at Gaara.
Gaara was shocked at the quick turn of events and immediately responded with a controlled manipulation of his sand. The grains fused together, creating a molten barrier that absorbed the incoming bolts of lightning, trapping Sasuke's hand within.
In a quick attempt to counter, several spikes shot out from the dome of sand in an attempt to skewer the Uchiha, but the slight movement of chakra didn't escape his eyes.
With quick reflexes, he detached his hands from the dome and jumped back in mild fright.
'Hmm, now that I think about it...why is Gaara's Sand able to handle the heat of lightning...?' I thought. Normally, lightning was hotter than normal flames, so shouldn't Gaara's sand turn to glass as it made contact?
What an interesting development. Perhaps this is the effect of plot armour?
…
Sasuke, now maintaining a cautious distance, studied Gaara's sand manipulation with renewed focus. The audience, on the edge of their seats, witnessed the clash between the two.
Gaara propelled the sand forward once again. This time, the grains formed into razor-sharp blades, creating a lethal storm aimed at Sasuke.
Sasuke's Sharingan spun into action, predicting the trajectory of each blade.
With swift movements, he dodged and deflected the incoming onslaught. The arena resonated with the metallic clash of kunai and sand blades.
As the battle unfolded, I observed Sasuke's growth since our last encounter.
The intensity in his eyes, the strategic calculations, and the seamless integration of his Sharingan hinted at the maturation of his skills.
On the other side, Gaara remained hidden, his face shrouded by the gourd as he manipulated the sand with a detached precision. The crowd, captivated by the spectacle, watched as two prodigies clashed in a display of power.
Sasuke, seizing an opening, executed a swift hand seal. Chidori, a manifestation of lightning chakra, surged around his hand, creating an aura of crackling energy.
"Chidori!" Sasuke exclaimed as he lunged toward Gaara with electrifying speed.
'This is the second time…' I thought as I observed. 'So he already has enough Chakra to use this Jutsu twice.'
Gaara, aware of the impending danger, fortified his sand dome with precision. The clash between Chidori and the sand sent shockwaves through the arena, but this time, there was a notable difference.
As Sasuke's Chidori made contact, a burst of sparks erupted, and the audible sound of crackling electricity filled the air. Gaara's sand defense, while formidable, couldn't completely neutralize the intensity of Sasuke's lightning-infused attack.
To the surprise of many, myself not included, Sasuke's Chidori managed to break through Gaara's defense, drawing blood.
Sasuke, momentarily stunned by the success of his attack, withdrew a few steps, his hand still crackling with residual lightning.
I peered into the dome and saw Gaara, now with a gash on his shoulder, standing there, his expression as savage as that of a cornered beast.
The atmosphere in the arena suddenly shifted as an invisible pressure covered the entire arena.
'I guess this is it… The trigger to breaking the illusion on both Gaara and Shukaku, thereby unleashing it on the village…'
"BLOOD!! BLOOD!! MY BLOOD!!" Gaara's animalistic shriek rang out as everyone, myself included felt a chill down the spine
"Damn…" I said in shock before looking at the Uzumaki who was scared out of her wits and clinging to my arm.
Looking at her, I suddenly felt conflicted on whether to allow the coming Genjutsu to affect her, or help her dispel it.
She wasn't strong yet. That was a good and a bad thing. Good since no one would pay attention to her, bad since should anyone pay attention to her, she'd be defenseless.
'Sigh, whatever, I'll just cover the entire Konoha with my domain.' I concluded before looking up as white feathers rained down the stadium.
"I guess it's begun."
I muttered as I picked everyone chakra come to a still with my sensory perception, all except one from behind me.
Sakura. 'Impressive chakra control and awareness l kid.' I thought and stood up slowly.
"Shun…" I Heard Kakashi's voice and turned, only to see him looking at me warily, with his hand ready to swing into action at the slightest movement from my side.
"Hey, what's with the hostilities?" I raised my hand in surrender as I glanced between him and Guy. "I'm not the enemy here, I believe you already know who."
As soon as I said that, the booth the Hokage and 'Kazekage' were in was covered with a purple barrier.
'Hmm, four Jounins could only Summon a purple barrier? And it's not even perfect. Back then, I alone could use a perfect cube that was deep black.' I thought.
The various degrees of barrier in this world were divided into Blue, Purple, Red and Black.
Blue was the common type, anyone skilled enough could use it. The purple can only be used by people with Jounin level chakra, however, a skilled enough Jounin could Summon one alone.
The Red can only be used with people with a high enough chakra level, namely Kages, however, someone ridiculously strong could use it alone as evidenced when Jubito single handedly used it.
And finally, the black one was something only I could do. Why? Because it needs Mastery over all chakra natures to Summon.
In simple terms, it was one formed with The Chakra Rod that can only be summoned when one reached a certain level of power.
"I'm not the one attacking the village, but as of now, I would advise you to send your precious kids after Sasuke and the Jinchuriki."
"What!?" Kakashi cried out before looking at the arena, only to notice that Gaara and Sasuke were missing.
"As he is now, he can't hope to stand against a Bijuu," I finished and sat back down. "As a token of sincerity, I'll only sit here and support you lot."
"I don't think that makes a difference, does it?"
"It doesn't, I can still affect this entire place with my domain, but I am not after that. Trust me, and go ahead with your duties. Also, alert those Anbu up there not to touch that barrier. They'll die."
Kakashi looked at me seriously before nodding and Summoning his dogs and began relaying information to them and the now awakened Genins.
I turned my attention to Orochimaru and Hiruzen inside the barrier and couldn't help but be amazed by what I saw.
From the outside, only the roof and area around them was sealed away, however, inside, the space was actually bigger.
'Seems like Orochimaru did learn a thing or two from his stay in Hana back then…'
"Interesting. Very interesting."
Now I really look forward to how much he has learnt the Reanimation technique.
From the original, he could only Summon Hashirama and Tobirama with a measly 25 percent of their respective abilities, and that was enough to handle the already overpowered Hiruzen.
This time however…Kukukuk