Chapter 9: Shadows in the Flames of War
The sun loomed high above the arena, casting long shadows across the stadium floor as the proctor stepped forward once again.
"The winner of the previous match, due to forfeit, is Temari of the Sand!"
Gasps echoed through the arena, but those who knew Shikamaru weren't entirely surprised. After executing such a meticulous and chakra-draining plan, the lazy genius had simply muttered, "I'm out of chakra… too troublesome to keep going," before surrendering. Temari had been shocked—but also visibly impressed by his strategy.
Now, the atmosphere turned tense once more as the next match was announced.
"Next match: Sabaku no Gaara versus Uchiha Sasuke!"
Gasps rippled through the stadium again—this was the match many had been waiting for. The prodigy of the Uchiha Clan versus the mysterious and deadly redhead from the Village Hidden in the Sand. Anticipation crackled in the air like lightning before a storm.
As Gaara descended slowly into the arena, his sand gourd resting heavily on his back, his pale green eyes held that same eerie emptiness, that strange thirst for blood. Across from him, Sasuke arrived moments later in a blur of speed and confidence, Sharingan already activated.
High in the stands, Kakashi finally made his first appearance, watching his student with a sharp, unreadable gaze.
The proctor gave the signal.
"Begin!"
Instantly, Gaara's sand surged forward in a menacing wave, seeking to crush Sasuke in one swift movement. But Sasuke blurred out of sight with his new high-speed movement—Shunshin—and reappeared to Gaara's side, launching a fierce taijutsu combo. For the first time, Gaara's sand armor cracked. The crowd gasped.
From the stands, Guy narrowed his eyes. "So… Kakashi taught him high-speed movement combined with taijutsu. Interesting."
Back on the field, Sasuke continued pressing his advantage, weaving in and out of Gaara's defenses, aiming precise strikes at his opponent's weak points. The sand kept up, barely, but Sasuke's speed and training were shining through.
Then, Sasuke leapt back, hands weaving familiar seals. Lightning crackled across his body. "Chidori!"
He sprinted forward with the howl of a thousand birds, arm glowing with lethal chakra. Gaara's sand surged to meet it, but with a deafening crack, Sasuke pierced straight through the sand defense—straight into Gaara's shoulder. Blood spilled.
Everyone in the arena froze.
Gaara let out a monstrous scream—not of pain, but rage. The sand around him exploded in all directions, hurling Sasuke back. Suddenly, an unnatural chakra poured from him, wild and corrupt.
From the trees and shadows, movement began.
A genjutsu descended on the crowd. Spectators collapsed unconscious in waves as black-cloaked shinobi leapt from hidden corners, and Sand and Sound-nin launched their assault. The Chūnin Exams were no longer a test—they were a battlefield.
The invasion had begun.
Gaara's siblings, Kankuro and Temari, dropped into the arena in a swirl of sand and wind. Without waiting, they grabbed Gaara and began retreating into the forest. Sasuke, ignoring his injuries, took off after them, eyes burning with determination.
All around the village, Konoha shinobi clashed with invading forces. Shouts, explosions, and the sharp clanging of metal filled the air. Chaos reigned.
In the spectator box, the remaining Genin were under siege. A squad of Sand and Sound-nin charged at the young ninja, bloodlust in their eyes.
Kiba and Akamaru fought back ferociously, spinning and tearing through enemies with teeth and claws. Shino unleashed his insects, swarming over enemy chakra points and draining them dry.
But Sakura and Ino stood frozen in fear, clutching their kunai uselessly. Hinata, still recovering from her injuries in the prelims, tried to rise to defend her friends—but collapsed to her knees, her breathing shaky.
Above them, Kakashi watched, preparing to step in—
But someone beat him to it.
Naruto Uzumaki appeared in a burst of movement, his body tense like a coiled predator.
His eyes gleamed with a feral, unnatural green light. Chakra strings flickered from his fingers like the web of a spider, snagging weapons midair and redirecting attacks. He moved low and fast, every motion fluid and dangerous.
A Sand-nin lunged forward—but Naruto ducked, twisted, and slammed his fist into their gut, sending them flying into the wall. Without missing a beat, he roared:
"First Fang!"
The air around him shimmered with raw chakra as his killing intent exploded outward, making even seasoned shinobi hesitate.
He became a blur—clones bursting into action, fists and feet cracking bones, chakra strings wrapping around limbs and hurling enemies into each other. He tore through the enemy with brutal efficiency, completely transformed from the reckless boy who once charged without thinking.
Kakashi's one visible eye widened. "That's… that's not the way Lee uses the Gates. That's something else…"
From the crowd, Guy leapt to his feet. "That's the Eight Gates technique! But… that's not my way of teaching it!"
Kiba blinked. "Wait… what do you mean, sensei?"
Guy's eyes sparkled with intrigue. "There are many ways to activate the Eight Gates. Lee learned it through the power of youth and discipline. But young Naruto here… he's using it through a different path. A different fighting style. A different… philosophy." He glanced toward the rooftops, where Anko stood proudly.
"Now I wonder… who taught him?"
As Naruto stood in the center of the carnage, surrounded by unconscious enemies, the Genin looked at him in stunned silence. Sakura and Ino could barely recognize him. Hinata's heart fluttered. Kiba grinned in awe.
Naruto turned toward them, slightly panting. "You guys okay?"
They all nodded, speechless.
Here's the corrected and connected ending of Chapter 8, including the part where Naruto creates 100 shadow clones before heading into the forest:
As Naruto stood in the center of the carnage, surrounded by unconscious enemies, the Genin looked at him in stunned silence. Sakura and Ino could barely recognize him. Hinata's heart fluttered. Kiba grinned in awe.
Naruto turned toward them, slightly panting. "You guys okay?"
They all nodded, speechless.
Then Naruto's expression turned serious. He looked toward the forest—where Gaara and Sasuke had vanished. The pull of battle, the sense of something wrong, gnawed at him.
But before he left—he raised a making hand sign for
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
With a massive puff of smoke, a hundred clones burst into existence across the rooftops, each one immediately darting off in different directions.
"Help defend the village!" Naruto ordered. "Protect the civilians and support our shinobi!"
The clones roared in response and vanished into the chaos.
Satisfied, Naruto turned back to the forest. His eyes narrowed, wild green tint glowing faintly under his brow. The instinct was calling.
Without another word, he disappeared into the trees, following the scent of blood and sand.