Chapter 21: Gaara vs. Sasuke - Prelude to Chaos

The tension in the arena was palpable as the final match of the preliminary round began — Gaara of the Sand versus Sasuke Uchiha. The crowd buzzed with excitement, eager to witness the highly anticipated fight. Sasuke had become a favorite after his impressive performance in previous exams, and Gaara… well, Gaara was a mystery wrapped in violence.

Rayne stood near Naruto in the spectator's area, watching the battlefield intently. His Sharingan was active, not to analyze, but to prepare for what he knew was coming. The invasion. Orochimaru's plan was about to unfold, and everything would descend into chaos soon.

The thought of stopping it crossed his mind for a moment, but Rayne knew better. Certain things had to happen, and interfering too early could disrupt the flow of events. "I'll intervene when the time is right," Rayne thought to himself, eyes locked on Gaara and Sasuke as they faced off.

Naruto, on the other hand, was completely absorbed in the fight. "Sasuke's gonna kick his ass!" he shouted with unwavering confidence, oblivious to the impending storm.

Rayne gave a half-hearted nod, but his mind was already calculating. He had copied numerous techniques so far, but one ability had eluded him: Gaara's sand manipulation. That would change today. While the village would soon be under attack, Rayne intended to use the chaos to his advantage and take a step further in his mastery of copying bloodline abilities.

As the proctor signaled the start of the match, Sasuke rushed forward with his signature speed, closing the distance between him and Gaara in an instant. His movements were fluid, precise — a testament to his Sharingan's abilities. He aimed a powerful punch at Gaara, but a wall of sand erupted from the ground, blocking the attack effortlessly.

Gaara remained calm, his face twisted in a chilling expression of indifference. "Come," he whispered, eyes glowing with a deadly intensity as the sand swirled around him protectively.

Sasuke smirked. "So that's your game, huh?"

With a swift hand sign, Sasuke activated the Chidori, lightning crackling around his hand as the audience gasped. The speed and ferocity of his movements were a result of Kakashi's intense training over the last month.

Rayne observed with interest. He knew exactly how this fight would unfold, but witnessing it up close was different. Gaara's defense was strong, but Sasuke's Chidori would pierce through — the question was whether Sasuke would be fast enough to avoid Gaara's counter.

The arena lit up with the glow of Sasuke's Chidori as he charged at Gaara again, this time aiming for a precise strike to breach the sand defense. The force of the attack was tremendous, and even Gaara's sand had difficulty keeping up. A massive explosion of chakra and sand erupted as Sasuke's hand pierced Gaara's protective shell.

For a moment, everything seemed still.

Then, blood.

The crowd gasped as Gaara let out an agonized scream, his usually calm demeanor breaking. A wave of malicious chakra erupted from him, and Rayne's Sharingan caught it all in vivid detail. Shukaku, the One-Tail, was stirring within Gaara.

"This is it," Rayne thought. The invasion was seconds away. He clenched his fists, ready to move as soon as things went south.

Sasuke leapt back, his eyes wide in shock as Gaara clutched his shoulder where the Chidori had made contact. The sand around Gaara began to move uncontrollably, his chakra flaring wildly.

Just then, as expected, explosions rocked the arena.

Rayne activated his Sharingan fully, prepared for the chaos that erupted as shinobi from the Sound and Sand villages began their attack. The invasion had begun, just as Orochimaru planned. He scanned the area, noticing the barrier forming around the Third Hokage. Orochimaru was making his move.

But his focus was still on Sasuke and Gaara. Sasuke, realizing the danger, had tried to pull back, but Gaara was far from done. His transformation into Shukaku had begun. Temari and Kankuro appeared, trying to get Gaara out of the arena before things escalated.

Sasuke, however, wasn't letting them leave. He gave chase, and Rayne knew this was the perfect opportunity. "Time to move."

Without wasting a second, Rayne leapt from the stands and followed them, his speed enhanced by his chakra control. He moved silently, keeping a low profile, not wanting to attract attention. As much as he wanted to intervene, he needed to prioritize gathering what he came for.

Naruto, who had been left in shock by the sudden attack, was nowhere to be seen. He was probably already going after Sasuke and Gaara as well.

Rayne reached the forest where Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro had fled, with Sasuke close behind. He stayed in the shadows, watching as Sasuke engaged Temari and Kankuro, pushing them aside with his superior skills. Gaara, now in his partially transformed state, was ready to unleash his full power.

"This is it," Rayne muttered, as he activated his Sharingan to its fullest extent.

He observed every movement, every surge of chakra, and every manipulation of sand that Gaara performed. Rayne's eyes glowed as he studied the mechanics behind Gaara's technique, his Copy Talent quietly absorbing the ability. The sand moved as if alive, protecting Gaara without needing much conscious effort. Rayne's eyes narrowed. "I can copy this."

As he locked in on the ability, something clicked inside him. The bloodline ability had been copied — quietly, without anyone noticing. No one would know the full extent of his powers, not yet.

Rayne smirked to himself. "Another one added to the collection."

Meanwhile, Sasuke was having difficulty handling Gaara in his partially transformed state. He activated his Chidori again, but this time, Gaara was faster, more ruthless. The power of Shukaku was starting to show, and Sasuke was beginning to struggle.

"Damn it," Rayne muttered. He couldn't stay hidden much longer. If things went too far, Sasuke could be in real danger.

Before Rayne could move, Naruto and Sakura arrived, shouting at Sasuke to stop. They, too, were now caught in the crossfire of Gaara's rage. The situation was spiraling out of control, just as Rayne had predicted.

With a deep breath, Rayne stepped out of the shadows, making his presence known. It was time to act.

But even as he moved, he kept his true abilities hidden. The sand manipulation he had copied from Gaara would remain his secret for now. There was no need to reveal all his cards yet — the invasion was just beginning, and Rayne had a feeling he'd need everything at his disposal before it was over.

"Let's end this quickly," Rayne muttered, stepping into the battlefield.