75: Exceeding the Limit, Sasuke's Decision
To start the episode, Sasuke jumps from behind the tree to attack Gaara. Gaara counters, but Sasuke used substitution. He came from above and threw six kunai at Gaara. Gaara absobed these kunai and launched them back to Sasuke.
The Sasuke that Gaara launched the kunai at was only a clone. Having Sasuke run away from him causes Gaara to have a flashback. We see him sitting on a swing watching other kids play kickball. The kids kick the ball on to the roof of a nearby building. The kids contemplate the loss of their ball, but then, just as they were going to give up, sand surronds the ball and carries it to the ground. The kids apprently fear Gaara; they run away after saying that he is creepy. Gaara is tramatized by people running away; he does not want to be alone anymore. Acting on his desire to keep the other children near him, the sand grabs two of the children. Just as the children are about to be covered in sand, Yashamaru steps in and is hit by the sand.
Back to the present, Gaara screams that we will not let Sasuke get away. He destroys several trees in one blow to find Sasuke. Sasuke begins to recognize that he can never match Gaara in terms of physical strength. With that, Gaara contiues to scream out about Sasuke fearing him.
Now we flashback to Gaara inturupting Sasuke's training. Gaara is leaving when he calls out for sasuke to remember that he is Gaara's prey. Sasuke tells him to wait and then asks him why he is so fixated on Sasuke. Gaara replies that they have the same eyes, eyes full of hate. He can see that Sasuke, like him, knows that the most painful suffering is to be alone. He can see that Sasuke seeks power to destroy those who caused his loneliness. Sasuke is greatly angered by all of this and seems as if he is about to attack, but Kakashi inturupted by telling Gaara to spit out what he has to say and then leave. Gaara then issues his challenge of a match to the death to Sasuke.
Back to the forest in the present, Gaara contiues to taunt Sasuke. He asks if Sasuke's hatred has turned to fear and if Sasuke has become a coward. Gaara challenges Sasuke to prove that his existence is stronger. He screams for Sasuke to attack.
Sasuke's resolve has become stronger. He flashs back to Itachi's crimes, he sees back to being left as the only one alive to avenge his clan, and he remembers Itachi choose him to be the one to kill him. During his memories, Sasuke prepared chidori. Now he steps back from behind the tree and declares that he will finish the battle in one blow.
Back to Sarutobi and Orochimaru, we see the reaper holding on to Orochimaru's sould and the Grass Longsword in Sarutobi. Orochimaru contiues to say that Sarutobi cannot do it, but Sarutobi remains strong; he will not give in. Orocimaru watches the reaper continue to prepare and realizes that he does not have much time.
In the forest, we see Sasuke and Gaar jump. They hit and Sasuke's chidori is seen tearing threw Gaara's sand arm. Seeing Gaara down, Sasuke thinks that he may have won. Unfortunately, Gaara stands up in happiness. Feeling so much pain for the first time has convinced him that his victory will show him what it truely means to be alive.
Temari exams the battle. She calls Sasuke a freak of nature for being able to harm Gaara twice; however, she remembers that Gaara is only partially transformed. She is seen in great fear, most likely imagining the danger if he continues to transform.
Gaara launches at Sasuke with even greater speed. His Sharingan is barely enough to allow him to dodge the attacks; without it, he would have already died. He uses a fire jutsu on him, but it has not effect on Gaara. Sasuke realizes that it is chidori or nothing before he is slammed in to a tree. He then flashs back to his training with Kakashi. Kakashi explains how chakra intensive chidori and sharingan are. He then warns Sasuke of the danger of using it more than twice, his limit.
Sasuke is against the tree listening to Gaara. Gaara goes on about the weakness of Sasuke's hate and then says that it means that Sasuke cannot win. Sasuke remembers that there is a reazon that Itachi allowed him to live; he is an avenger. With this Sasuke stands up and uses chidori once more. His chidori stopped before he reached Gaara, but it regained its strength as he hit Gaara. After a pause, we see Gaara's sand arm fall off. We pull back to see Sasuke with chidori fully activated; he is seen to be mostly covered in the curse mark symbols.
Gaara's arm regrows, and Sasuke collapses from the pain caused by the curse mark. With Sasuke's collapse, Gaara leaps toward him. Sasuke is unable to move, but just before Gaara reaches Sasuke, we see an orange leg appear. Naruto kicks Gaara back from Sasuke.
Pakkun and Sakura arive at Sasuke. Naruto and Gaara are now facing off from opposing tree branches.
Previous Episode: Astonishing Truth, Gaara's Identity Emerges
Next Episode: Assassin of the Moonlit Night
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