"Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!"
Hinata thrust her right palm forward, releasing a powerful, high-density chakra shockwave through the air toward Kankurō.
Kankurō—who was disguised as a puppet—didn't even have time to react before the shockwave blasted him away. His real body, hidden within the puppet disguise, was instantly knocked out of the fight.
"Nani!?"
Temari was shocked. She hadn't expected this young girl from the Hyūga Clan to be so powerful—defeating Kankurō in a single strike.
Gaara narrowed his eyes slightly. He could tell the opponent before him was no ordinary shinobi.
"Sister," he said calmly, "take Kankurō somewhere farther away."
"I know."
If the girl could defeat Kankurō in one move, Temari knew she was no match for her either. She couldn't allow Gaara to be distracted protecting them.
Gaara manipulated the sand around him, sending it rushing toward Hinata.
"Sand Binding Coffin."
Watching the sand surge toward her, Hinata coated her palm with chakra and casually swung her arm.
With a single slap, the incoming sand scattered.
In the next instant, she used the Body Flicker Technique and appeared directly in front of Gaara.
Before he could react—
Smack!
Her palm struck his face, sending him flying.
Gaara rolled several times across the ground before stabilizing himself. The Armor of Sand covering his face had already crumbled away.
Temari's eyes widened.
"Nani!? She actually hit him!? Gaara's Absolute Defense didn't even react in time—and his Armor of Sand was shattered. Who exactly is this girl?"
"Sand Tsunami."
"Third Eye."
Gaara surrounded himself with sand, forming a spherical defensive wall. At the same time, he created a floating sand eye to observe Hinata's movements from within the barrier.
Seeing this, Hinata coated both palms with chakra and thrust them forward, releasing a violent stream of air.
"Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Palm!"
The powerful air current slammed into Gaara's sand barrier.
The result was immediate—the sand defense was shattered like rotten wood, and Gaara himself was blown away by the impact.
As he fell, the sand behind him rushed forward to catch him before he hit the ground.
Gaara stared at Hinata with a solemn expression.
It was the first time he had ever encountered someone his age who was this strong.
"…I have no choice. Shukaku."
A voice echoed from within him.
"Understood."
Moments later, red chakra began leaking from Gaara's body.
"Hmm?"
Noticing the change, Hinata immediately activated her Byakugan. Through it, she could clearly see the unusual chakra flooding through Gaara's chakra pathways.
"Interesting. This panda-eyed boy's chakra reserves are nowhere near Naruko's… but they're still far greater than those of an ordinary jōnin."
Gaara had entered Version 1 Tailed Beast Chakra Mode.
"Sand Hand!"
A massive sand hand formed and lunged toward Hinata.
Hinata remained completely calm. She even scoffed.
"Heh. Full of openings."
She coated her arm with chakra and grabbed toward the incoming sand hand.
The sand collided with her arm—but her arm simply pierced straight through it.
Hinata continued charging forward and grabbed with force.
She yanked Gaara straight out of the giant sand hand, then seized him by the neck with her left hand and lifted him into the air.
Gaara tried to draw more of Shukaku's chakra.
But Hinata had already raised her right hand, index and middle fingers together.
"Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Eight Palms!"
Holding Gaara in the air with her left hand, she struck eight chakra points across his body in rapid succession.
Instantly, the red chakra around Gaara vanished.
His spirit weakened as the chakra flow in his body was completely suppressed.
Hinata casually tossed him onto the ground in front of Temari.
Temari hurried forward to check on him.
Hinata said calmly,
"I sealed his chakra points. He won't be able to use chakra for a while. So—do you still want to fight?"
Temari shook her head.
She pulled out their scroll and handed it over.
Hinata checked it briefly and nodded.
"Good. You know when to quit. Now leave."
Temari nodded, hoisted Gaara onto her back, grabbed the unconscious Kankurō, and quickly retreated.
Once the enemy team was gone, Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru ran over.
"As expected of Hinata."
"Boss, that was awesome!"
"Woof! Woof!"
Hinata waved her hand dismissively.
"Alright, let's head to the central tower. I've completely lost interest in this forest. We might as well wait for Nagi there."
"Understood!" ×2
"Woof!"
Thus, Team Eight became the first team to pass the second stage of the Chūnin Exams.
Reactions
Hiashi Hyūga: "So powerful!"
Neji Hyūga: "Th-This… is that really Lady Hinata?"
Naruto Uzumaki: "Hinata from that world… she's incredible!"
Temari: "Gaara actually… lost!"
Kankurō: "That Hinata is terrifying! It wasn't even a fight—it was completely one-sided!"
Rasa: "Shukaku actually cooperated with Gaara… yet even after entering Tailed Beast Chakra Mode, he was still almost completely defeated?"
Hizashi Hyūga: "And she sealed Gaara's chakra with just Eight Palms… I can't even imagine how powerful that Hinata's chakra must be."
Kurenai Yūhi: "Impressive. Looks like I worried for nothing."
Hinata Hyūga: "..."
Seeing the version of herself on the screen, Hinata couldn't help but feel admiration.
If she possessed such strength, perhaps many of her worries would disappear.
The Screen Continues…
Somewhere in the Forest of Death.
Yurui and Karui were carrying the severely injured and unconscious Nurui while running desperately.
"Faster! We have to move faster!"
Behind them, flashes of lightning occasionally lit up the forest.
A girl with brown-red hair, a vertical braid, sharp teeth, and thick bandages wrapped around her neck chased after them with a wild grin.
"HAHAHA! Let's see how far you can run!"
"Damn it! She caught up already!"
"Why would a monster like this appear in the exam… Ringo Ameyuri!?"
"Lightning Release: Thunder Fang!"
Ameyuri crossed the twin blades Kiba, charging them with electricity.
Then she swung them apart—
A wide burst of lightning surged forward.
Yurui's group couldn't dodge in time. The lightning struck them directly, sending them crashing to the ground.
Ameyuri looked at them mockingly.
"Oh? Is that all? How boring. I guess I'll send you on your way."
She raised the Lightning Swords: Kiba and swung them down toward the fallen trio.
CLANG!
At the critical moment, Omoi appeared and blocked the attack with his sword.
Karui and Atsui quickly rushed forward and helped the injured three to their feet.
Reactions
Fourth Raikage (A): "Damn it. I didn't expect there to be such a strong genin."
Dodai: "That's… Ringo Ameyuri?"
Ringo Ameyuri: "Oh? The me from that world joined the exam too? Interesting."
(Note: Ringo Ameyuri is the second wielder of the Lightning Swords: Kiba. The previous owner, Raiga Kurosuki, dies around Konoha Year 61, so she is still alive at this point in the timeline.)
Ao: "Looks like our Hidden Mist prodigy isn't bad at all."
Raiga Kurosuki: "Oh? So she's my successor? She looks strong. But why would the Lightning Swords: Kiba already be in her hands at that point in time?"
Jūzō Biwa: "Maybe the version of you in that world died early."
Raiga Kurosuki: "…That actually makes sense."
Ranmaru: "Raiga…"
Raiga Kurosuki: "Hey, don't cry. That's just the me from another world. I'm still alive in this one, aren't I?"
Raiga hurriedly comforted Ranmaru beside him.
Ever since seeing the vision where he was defeated by Naruto and later committed suicide, he had become much more restrained.
After all, Ranmaru had cried terribly that day—and it almost broke his heart.
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