As the names "Hōzuki Suigetsu vs Gaara of the Desert" appeared on the screen, a palpable tension filled the arena. Suigetsu's face split into a wide, shark-toothed grin, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

  "Finally!" he exclaimed, cracking his knuckles. "Someone worth cutting!"

  Hotaru, standing nearby, shot him a concerned look. "Suigetsu, remember what Mei-sama said. No killing in the exams, especially not the Kazekage's son."

  Suigetsu's enthusiasm deflated visibly, his shoulders slumping. "Aw, come on! What's the point of having these awesome swords if I can't use them properly?"

  "To win without killing," Haku interjected calmly. "True strength isn't always about taking a life."

  Before Suigetsu could retort, a low, gravelly voice cut through their conversation. "If you manage to kill me," Gaara said, his eyes fixed on Suigetsu, "my father would probably award you a bounty."

  The Mist genin's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Oh?"

  Gaara's expression remained impassive as he continued, "He's already tried to have me assassinated more than once."

  This revelation sent a ripple of shock through the observing genin. Naruto's team turned to look at the Sand siblings, their faces a mix of confusion and concern.

  "What the hell?" Naruto blurted out. "Is that true? What's going on with your family?"

  Temari and Kankuro shifted uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact. Their sensei, Baki, stepped forward, his voice stern. "That is not Leaf business. Focus on your own exam."

  Meanwhile, Suigetsu's grin had returned full force. "You know what, Gaara? You're alright. I think I like you." He gave his swords an experimental swing. "Tell you what, since you're being so cool about this, I'll make sure the cut is clean and painless. It's the least I can do."

  "Suigetsu!" Hotaru hissed, but he ignored her, jumping down into the arena with a splash.

  As Suigetsu took his position, he pulled out his twin blades. The swords hummed with a faint electrical charge, their edges gleaming wickedly in the arena's lights.

  Naruto leaned over the railing, squinting at the weapons. "Hey, wait a minute. He called those Kiba, right? But there are two of them. And isn't that already Kiba's name?" He jerked a thumb towards the Inuzuka boy.

  Kiba bristled. "Yeah! They're totally ripping me off!"

  Hotaru couldn't help but giggle at their confusion. Haku, ever patient, took it upon himself to explain. "The Kiba blades are indeed a paired set," he said. "Despite being two separate swords, they're considered a single entity among the Seven Swords of the Mist. They're actually much older than your friend Kiba."

  "Huh," Naruto mused. "So how big a deal are these swords anyway?"

  Utakata, who had been quietly observing until now, spoke up. "The previous generation of Seven Swordsmen were greatly revered," he said, his voice tinged with a hint of pride. "Their reputation was almost on par with that of the Sannin."

  "Almost?" Sakura asked, her curiosity piqued.

  Utakata's expression darkened slightly. "Well, until a particular... incident." He cast a half-hearted glare towards Might Guy, who responded with a blindingly bright smile.

  Sakura, ever the inquisitive one, pressed for more information. "What incident? What happened?"

  Utakata shook his head. "I think I'll leave that tale to the man in the green spandex," he said, nodding towards Guy. "He was actually there for it. Let's just say it was considered a major embarrassment for the Hidden Mist."

  Guy struck a dramatic pose, his teeth gleaming. "Ah, yes! The tale of my father's greatest moment! I shall regale you with the story of youth triumphing over—"

  "Later, Guy-sensei," Tenten interrupted, though she couldn't hide her own curiosity. "Let's focus on the match for now."

  Lee, however, looked ready to burst with excitement. "But Tenten! To hear of such a youthful exploit—"

  "Later, Lee," Neji said firmly, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice.

  Down in the arena, Suigetsu and Gaara faced each other, the atmosphere electric with anticipation. Suigetsu twirled his blades, electricity crackling along their edges. Gaara stood motionless, his arms crossed, the gourd on his back seeming to shift slightly of its own accord.

  Hayate looked between the two combatants, then raised his hand. "Third match: Hōzuki Suigetsu vs Gaara of the Desert. Begin!"

  As the proctor's voice faded, Suigetsu wasted no time. With a feral grin, he lunged forward, his twin blades singing through the air as he aimed a straightforward slice right at Gaara's neck. The crowd held their breath, but at the last moment, a wall of sand erupted between the two combatants, blocking the attack with a dull thud.

  Undeterred, Suigetsu pressed his assault. His muscles bulged as he pumped more strength into each strike, the Kiba blades flashing in rapid succession. Yet no matter how fast or hard he swung, the sand shield rose to meet each blow, leaving Gaara untouched and unmoved.

  After several fruitless minutes of this, Gaara's monotone voice cut through the sound of clashing sand and steel. "I'm getting bored."

  Without warning, a wave of sand surged forward, engulfing Suigetsu before he could react. The Mist nin struggled against the grainy prison, but found himself unable to break free.

  "Desert Coffin," Gaara intoned, raising his hand.

  With a sickening crunch, the sand compressed. Most of the watching genin recoiled in horror as Suigetsu's body seemed to explode, splattering across the arena floor. Yet strangely, the Mist team looked unconcerned.

  Gaara's eyes narrowed as he stared at his sand. "Where's the blood?"

  As if in answer, the scattered liquid began to coalesce, reforming into a human shape. Within moments, Suigetsu stood before them once more, whole and grinning.

  Amazed gasps and murmurs rippled through the younger spectators. Naruto's jaw dropped. "Did you see that? He just... put himself back together!"

  Sakura, however, was frowning. "Wait a second... doesn't he look a little smaller than before?"

  Kakashi nodded approvingly at his student's observation. "Good eye, Sakura. It seems Gaara's sand absorbed some of the water Suigetsu turned into. Still, the ability to escape such a technique is very impressive."

  Hotaru puffed up with pride. "The Hōzuki clan is descended from the Second Mizukage," she declared. "You shouldn't underestimate them!"

  Back in the arena, the battle raged on. Gaara, now wary of Suigetsu's unique ability, unleashed a barrage of sand attacks. Suigetsu dodged and weaved, occasionally limb would be caught and crushed only to reform it instantly. Yet with each reformation, Sakura noticed he shrank just a little more.

  After Gaara managed to crush Suigetsu's entire upper body for the second time, the Mist nin's frustration was palpable. He reformed, now noticeably smaller than when the match began, glaring at his opponent.

  "Damn it," Suigetsu growled. "I hate doing this, but you're not leaving me much choice."

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  The Kiba blades began to crackle with electricity, causing Suigetsu to wince. His body seemed to slim down, becoming more streamlined. In a burst of speed, he executed another slice at Gaara.

  This time, to everyone's shock, Gaara was forced to physically dodge. The electrified blades cut through his sand shield like it wasn't even there.

  "Impossible!" Kankuro exclaimed. "Nothing's ever gotten through Gaara's defense before!"

  Temari's eyes were wide. "How is he doing that?"

  Utakata, calm as ever, provided an explanation. "The special ability of the Kiba blades is their power to channel lightning, greatly increasing their cutting power. However," he added, noting Suigetsu's pained expression, "the blades are a poor fit for Suigetsu. His water-based chakra nature clashes with the lightning, causing him feedback."

  "Then why use them at all?" Sakura asked.

  A hint of sadness crossed Utakata's face. "Suigetsu wants to live up to his brother's legacy. Mangetsu mastered all seven of the legendary swords."

  Kakashi hummed thoughtfully. "I doubt Mist has been able to recover all the blades yet, though."

  Utakata's slight nod was all the confirmation needed.

  In the arena, Gaara found himself on the defensive for the first time. He raised walls of sand to block Suigetsu's vision, but the Mist nin cut through them with ease. Their deadly dance continued, neither able to land a decisive blow.

  Finally, Suigetsu saw an opening. With a triumphant yell, he plunged one of the Kiba blades straight through Gaara's chest.

  For a moment, everything went silent. Then, to Suigetsu's horror, the "Gaara" he had stabbed crumbled away into sand.

  "A clone?" Suigetsu whirled around, suddenly realizing Gaara's strategy. The real Gaara emerged from the sand behind him, arms crossed.

  "You fell for it," Gaara said flatly. "I've been leading you in a circle this whole time, scattering my sand to cage you in."

  Before Suigetsu could react, he found himself completely enveloped in sand once more. This time, Gaara made sure to restrain him in a way that prevented him from using his swords for leverage.

  Gaara clenched his fist repeatedly, each time causing the sand to compact a little more. Yet to his growing frustration, Suigetsu remained stubbornly whole within the sandy prison.

  From the sidelines, Utakata called out to the proctor. "I'm withdrawing my student. Call the match."

  Gaara's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I'm not satisfied yet."

  "Water can't be easily compressed," Utakata explained calmly. "This fight is over."

  The proctor nodded, raising his hand. "Winner: Gaara of the Desert!"

  Reluctantly, Gaara released his sand prison. Suigetsu reformed, looking exhausted and significantly smaller than when the match began. He opened his mouth to protest, but Utakata's stern look silenced him.

  "You lost, Suigetsu," his sensei said firmly. "Accept it with grace."

  Grumbling, Suigetsu made his way back to his team. Gaara returned to the Sand siblings, his mood dark enough to make them inch away nervously.

  As the arena was cleared for the next match, the proctor's voice rang out once more. "Next match: Uchiha Sasuke vs Kamikiri!"

  Sasuke stepped into the arena, a vicious grin spreading across his face as he faced the older Sound ninja. Kamikiri, his opponent, glared back with undisguised hatred. The cursed seal on Sasuke's neck pulsed ominously, but he pushed down the dark power, keeping it under control.

  "I owe you some payback, Uchiha," Kamikiri snarled, flexing his fingers around the handle of his odd weapon.

  Sasuke's grin only widened. "I told you to leave the exam," he said coldly. "Or did you forget my promise to kill you if we faced each other again?"

  Kamikiri's face flushed with anger. "Big talk from a little leaf brat," he spat. "My blade is greater than even the legendary swords of the Mist!"

  From the sidelines, mocking laughter erupted from the Mist ninja. Suigetsu's cackle was particularly loud and derisive. Kamikiri's scowl deepened as he glared at the spectators.

  "Enough talk," Sasuke said, dropping into a ready stance. "I'm going to enjoy this."

  In the stands, Orochimaru watched eagerly, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. This would be the true test of his future vessel's abilities.

  "Begin!" the proctor called, jumping back to give the combatants space.

  Kamikiri wasted no time, charging forward with his blades raised high. "I'll cut you to ribbons!" he roared.

  Sasuke didn't move, his Sharingan activating as he tracked every twitch of his opponent's muscles. At the last possible second, he leaned to the side, letting the blade whistle past his ear.

  "Too slow," Sasuke taunted, driving his knee into Kamikiri's stomach.

  The Sound ninja doubled over, gasping for air. Sasuke followed up with a vicious elbow to the back of his head, sending him sprawling to the ground.

  "Is that all?" Sasuke asked, circling his downed opponent. "I thought you were going to pay me back."

  Kamikiri struggled to his feet, wiping blood from his split lip. "Don't get cocky, you little shit," he growled. He formed a series of hand signs, his sword beginning to vibrate. "Sound Release: Sonic Blade!"

  He swung the weapon, unleashing a visible wave of sound that tore through the air towards Sasuke. The Uchiha's eyes widened slightly, recognizing the danger. He leapt high, flipping over the attack as it sliced deep gouges into the arena wall behind him.

  "Not bad," Sasuke admitted, landing gracefully. "But predictable."

  His hands blurred through signs of his own. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

  A barrage of small fireballs erupted from Sasuke's mouth, forcing Kamikiri on the defensive. The Sound ninja frantically swung his weapon, using the sonic waves to disperse the flames. But Sasuke was already moving, using the attack as cover to close the distance.

  Kamikiri barely managed to bring his pincers up in time to block Sasuke's kunai. The two locked blades, struggling for dominance.

  "What's wrong?" Sasuke taunted. "I thought your blade was supposed to be so great."

  With a burst of strength, he shoved Kamikiri back, following up with a flurry of taijutsu strikes. The older boy managed to deflect or dodge most of them, but Sasuke's speed was overwhelming. A particularly vicious kick sent Kamikiri skidding across the arena floor.

  In the stands, Orochimaru's smile widened. Sasuke was living up to all his expectations.

  Kamikiri climbed to his feet once more, his breathing ragged. "Damn you," he snarled. "I won't lose to some Uchiha brat!"

  He raised his sword high, channeling a massive amount of chakra into the blade. "Sound Release: Sonic Tsunami!"

  The weapon began to vibrate so intensely that the air around it seemed to warp. With a mighty swing, Kamikiri unleashed a massive wave of sound that filled the entire arena. The spectators covered their ears, wincing at the painful frequency.

  Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he assessed the oncoming attack. There was no dodging this one. Instead, he planted his feet firmly and began weaving signs at lightning speed.

  "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"

  The massive fireball met the wave of sound head-on. For a moment, the two techniques struggled against each other, creating a deafening roar. Then, to Kamikiri's shock, the fireball began to push through.

  "Impossible!" he cried, watching as his ultimate technique was overcome.

  The fireball, enhanced by the sonic waves, exploded with terrifying force. Kamikiri was sent flying, his body smoking as he crashed into the far wall of the arena.

  Sasuke didn't let up. Before the smoke had even cleared, he was there, raining down punches and kicks on his stunned opponent. Kamikiri's sword clattered to the ground, forgotten.

  "Had enough yet?" Sasuke asked, grabbing Kamikiri by the throat and lifting him off his feet.

  The Sound ninja's eyes were wide with fear now. "I... I su-," he choked out.

  Sasuke's grip tightened. "I told you," he said coldly. "I only offer mercy once."

  With a sickening crack, Sasuke snapped Kamikiri's neck. The body went limp in his grasp.

  A horrified gasp went through the crowd. The proctor stepped forward, a neutral expression on his face. "The winner is Sasuke Uchiha," he announced, his voice bland.

  Sasuke let the corpse fall to the ground, turning to face the other Sound ninja in the stands. His eyes were cold, devoid of any remorse.

  "I hope you were paying attention," he called out. "I only offer mercy once. Remember that when we meet again."

  In the Sound team's section, Kotohime let out an enraged scream. She lunged forward, only to be caught and restrained by her hulking Jonin sensei, Kagerō.

  "Let me go!" she shrieked. "I'll kill him! I'll kill that Uchiha bastard!"

  Kagerō held her firmly. "Control yourself," he growled. "This isn't the time or place."

  The other Sound ninja remained impassive, showing no reaction to their comrade's death. They had been trained well by Orochimaru to suppress such emotions.

  Speaking of the Sannin, Orochimaru could barely contain his glee. Sasuke had exceeded even his wildest expectations. The boy's ruthlessness, his raw talent, and his willingness to embrace the darker aspects of being a shinobi... it was all perfect.

  "Well done, Sasuke-kun," he murmured to himself. "You truly are the perfect vessel."

  As Sasuke made his way back to the Leaf section, the atmosphere in the arena was tense. The other Genin, even those from his own village, regarded him with a mixture of awe and fear. Killing an opponent who was beaten was not something taken lightly.

  Kakashi stepped forward to meet his student, his visible eye narrowed. "Sasuke," he began, his tone stern.

  But Sasuke cut him off. "Save the lecture, Kakashi," he said coldly. "I did what was necessary."

  Without another word, he pushed past his sensei and rejoined his teammates. Naruto and Sakura exchanged worried glances, unsure of how to react to this new, darker side of their friend.

  As the arena was cleared for the next match, whispers and murmurs filled the air. The Chunin Exams had taken a deadly turn, and everyone knew that the stakes had just been raised significantly.

  The proctor looked at the board as it settled on the next match. Yamanaka Ino vs Kotohime.