Chapter 38

The match soon started with the signalling of Hayate. Gaara who was irritated with how slow the fights were going on took the initiative to attack in order to release his frustration.

The gourd shaped container behind Gaara's back started releasing sand filled with Gaara's chakra. Seeing this Neji increased his vigilance as he waited for his enemy to make th first move.

"Sand Shuriken" Gaara murmured to himself.

The chakra infused sand changed into the shape of tens of Shurikens as they zapped towards  Neji without any delay.

"Rotation"

Seeing the follow scene Neji kept his calm and performed 8 Trigrams palm rotation repelling all the sand Shurikens.

Not waiting for his opponent to launch another attack Neji moved towards Gaara and while at it he throwed three of his kunais to test his defense.

The attacks were blocked by Gaara's Chakra infused sand making Neji change his plans on how to attack.

As soon as Neji approached Gaara he used the eight trigrams sixty four palms. Neji was aware that it was gonna be a trouble to initiate the technique but with this type of defense he knew that he has only this option left.

The two attacks initiating the start of the of the technique were blocked by the sand but that didn't made the subsequent attacks any slower.

The more his palm attacks were getting blocked the faster they were getting. Neji was using the force with which his palm attacks were getting repelled to increase the speed of his next attacks and finally after a few attacks his palm penetrated Gaara's defense.

Gaara was not expecting his defense to get penetrated by his opponent and couldn't help but raise his eyes. Before he could do anything his body faced the brunt of two palm strikes which were followed by four...eight... sixteen.....ending with the sixty-four strikes.

Neji felt that there was an obstruction between his opponents chakra points and his palm when he first striked Gaara's body and in order to counter it he released more chakra than normal in each off his attacks to close down his opponent's chakra points.

The now bruised Gaara whose body was lying on the ground slowly stood up as the sand covering his body as a shield soon lost control. Blood seeped out from the corners of his mouth which was followed by a vomit.

Seeing his own blood on the ground Gaara who was already close to losing his mind finally lost it. His mind was filled with killing his opponent and the most brutal way possible. He commanded his sand to attack Neji but to no avail.

He was unable to command chakra in his body. Neji seeing that his opponent was still moving showed no hesitation and attacked him with another bout of sixty four palms.

During the attack Neji saw his opponent lost consciousness but he didn't slowed down his attacks. From his byakugan he observed that all the chakra signatures in his opponent was slowly diminishing.

Sixteen palms....thirty two palms...sixty-

Neji was close to ending his technique when the almost lifeless body of his opponent who should show no signs of chakra started bursting with chakra of a different colour.

'What is happening?! He should show no signs of of chakra by now.' Neji thought in his mind but didn't slowed down in his attacks but the moment he was about to complete the technique with his sixty four palms attack his body was blown away towards the back hitting the concrete wall.

Gaara's body emitted a burst of evil chakra making Neji blow black which was followed by Gaara now standing on the ground staring at Neji with his pupiless eyes as his hand started transforming into that of a beast.

Hiruzen and others were shocked by this development. The sand shinobi was about to take action but was soon countered by the Anbu operatives.

"So this is the jinchurki of the sand." Hiruzen murmured.

Before anyone could take action Gaara zapped towards Neji and thrusted an attack with his demonic hand straight towards Neji.

Neji who was about to regain his senses was alarmed by this and wanted to repel it but it was too late. He was again smashed into the concrete wall but this time with even greater force.

Neji gazed at his opponent one last time before coughing out blood as he lost his consciousness.

The Jounin's present finally took control of the situation before it was too late. Two ninjas subdued Gaara from the back as Hiruzen placed a seal on him to get him under control.

After everything was done Hiruzen took a sigh of relief and then told the participants of the exam with his commanding voice. "Due to the current unexpected events we'll be needing to postpone this preliminary match. I hope for your understandings."

Anko had already informed Hiruzen about the Orochimaru's appearance in the forest of death. Followed by the sand village sending their jinchurki in the chunin examination, Hiruzen felt that something fishy was going on.