Chapter 25: Tenacity
Sasuke could feel the eyes of every single spectator on him as he walked towards the centre of the battlefield. He was the Last Uchiha and many people would expect for him to follow in the footsteps of his illustrious clan. So if he fell here, his own reputation wouldn't be the only thing in jeopardy. The entire future of his clan would be determined by how he performed.
So when he looked at Rock Lee, a shinobi without a clan, who was incapable of using Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, the outcome of the match should have been set in stone - according to anyone who knew about the Uchiha and their legendary Sharingan. Sasuke knew better than to underestimate somebody that had everything to gain and nothing to lose.
He wasn't sure he could win against someone like that. Even though his face was expressionless and his gaze intense, his heart was pounding frantically and there was a deep pit in his stomach that just wouldn't go away. He was afraid that he would tarnish his clan's reputation, but at the same time, if he won, maybe he could create a reputation of his own.
But then again, I am the Uchiha Clan. Its heir, its leader, its legacy.
After a wait that felt agonizingly long, the proctor told them to begin. Immediately, Sasuke flashed through hand seals, not wanting to waste time on what would be the hardest and most important fight of his shinobi career.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" Several fireballs erupted from Sasuke's mouth, all of them racing towards their target. Lee dropped to his knees and charged at full speed towards Sasuke, aiming an aerial thrust kick at Sasuke's midsection while avoiding the fireballs. Sasuke replaced himself with one of the shuriken inside the fireballs, which resulted in Lee missing his target completely as the shuriken hit the ground with a clattering jingle.
Once Sasuke touched the ground, he rushed towards Lee, chakra increasing his speed beyond his natural limits. Lee turned around and immediately lowered his gaze, avoiding staring into the Sharingan and falling victim to an unbreakable illusion. Lee was about to counter Sasuke's punch, but Sasuke disappeared from his vision, reappearing almost a moment after. Lee ignored the pain of being kicked in the ribs by Sasuke and punched in the face a split moment later, retreating to a safe distance.
What type of speed is that? Lee thought. Sasuke's breathing was slightly heavier from executing the Double Body Flicker, which caused members of the audience to look at the young Uchiha with increased interest. However, Sasuke decided against using that technique until he got used to the strain the technique caused – he was, essentially, in two places at once.
Sasuke used a single Body Flicker to appear in front of Lee and continued the fight. Without his weights on, Lee was able to counter Sasuke's brutal, yet fluid onslaught with startling ease. Jabs were parried; kicks were blocked and uppercuts were dodged, but when Lee exploited a temporary opening in Sasuke's guard after sidestepping a right cross, Sasuke gave Lee a knife-hand strike under the ribs, sending a jolt of electricity coursing through Lee's body.
Lee clenched his teeth, ignoring the increasing numbness around the area he was hit and struck Sasuke's sternum and diaphragm simultaneously. Sasuke hit the ground forcefully, bounding back on his feet nearly immediately; despite the nearly bone-crushing pain he was feeling. Ignoring the aching of his torso, Sasuke formed a Water Clone to distract Lee while he prepared a Genjutsu that would debilitate the green-clad Taijutsu expert.
Just after Lee destroyed the clone, Sasuke introduced his chakra into Lee's chakra network, with the intention of inducing a minor feeling of drunkenness. Once Lee was drunk, Sasuke could slowly whittle down Lee's defense by stacking illusions on top of one another.
Unfortunately for Sasuke, no plan survives first contact with the enemy. Lee's eyes glazed over and he began to sway as he walked towards Sasuke. Sasuke paid no mind to this change in Lee's fighting style and approached him, but grunted in surprise when Lee avoided his backfist with unnatural flexibility.
What's going on? Sasuke thought. His attempt to strike Lee with two jabs followed by a haymaker was met with Lee dodging the attempted strikes with that same unnatural flexibility. Then Lee pounced, slapping Sasuke hard in the face.
"Do you think you can match me, Uchiha? You won't beat a Genius of Hard Work!" Lee slurred. As if a switch flipped on in Lee's brain, he dashed forward, striking Sasuke with a series of blows. Even with his Sharingan, Sasuke was put on the defensive. Unlike before, Lee's fighting style was wild, unorthodox. It was exciting to fight against, yet incredibly dangerous.
Lee continued his drunken onslaught, giving Sasuke a wild backhand, only to catch Sasuke unawares with a backfist to the sternum. My chokutō would have been useful fighting against Lee, but... Sasuke didn't get enough practice with his new weapon, forcing him to go without it for his match.
"Are you proud of me now, Guy-sensei? The Uchiha can't beat me!" Lee drawled loudly. Sasuke's pained groan went unheard by the intoxicated Taijutsu expert, who leaned backwards to avoid a thrust kick. Lee placed his hands on the ground and battered Sasuke's chest with a series of kicks. Lee sprang back to his feet and immediately bent backwards, dodging Sasuke's punch and contorting around Sasuke's arm, giving him a knife-hand stab to the throat. Sasuke caught his hand and before Lee could follow up with another attack, Sasuke sent chakra into Lee's chakra network, dispelling the illusion Lee was trapped in.
I'll stick with normal Lee. Drunk Lee is impossible to fight against! Sasuke thought, glaring at his opponent.
Lee's eyes flickered repeatedly. He was dazed and suffering from a terrible headache, making him unable to avoid being hit in the gut by Sasuke's knee. Sasuke moved his knee upwards, catching Lee in the chin and sending him into the air.
"Shadow of the Dancing Leaf!" Sasuke shouted. Appearing under Lee, he forced Lee to arch around his knee. Sasuke circled around Lee, driving a forearm onto Lee's sternum, then an elbow to the diaphragm. Sasuke spun and gave Lee an axe kick to the stomach, driving him to the ground.
"That was the Lion Combo. Now, to put this fight beyond doubt," Sasuke growled, still in the air. He weaved through hand seals at a frighteningly fast rate and aimed downwards. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" The chakra-sustained flamethrower raced towards Lee. Just before Lee could make contact with the ground, he focused and placed his hands on the ground, pushing off it and spinning three times before landing on his feet. He wasn't able to fully escape the Fireball, with his leg warmers being burnt in places.
"This is the most exciting match that I've ever been in!" Lee declared. After Sasuke returned to the ground, he was surprised to see that Lee showed no signs of ever being drunk, although he was panting from exertion. "Unfortunately for you, Sasuke, once I tap into the infinite power of the Eight Gates, the match will be over! First Gate: Gate of Opening. Open!"
Lee's chakra spiked and quickly became visible. "I will defend my ninja way and show the entire world how splendid a ninja I can be! Second Gate: Gate of Rest. Open! Third Gate: Gate of Life. Open! Fourth Gate: Gate of Pain. Open!" As a result of opening four of the Eight Gates, Lee's skin became blood-red, his eyes became pupil-less and a green aura enveloped him.
So much chakra! Sasuke thought, shielding his face from dust and debris caused by Lee's opening of the Gates. He formed four Water Clones and burrowed underground, barely avoiding Lee's chakra-enhanced punch, which ploughed through the clone right in front of him. A moment later, Sasuke appeared behind Lee and enveloped both of his hands in lightning chakra, sending jolts of electricity rippling through Lee's body.
Sasuke continued to send lightning chakra into Lee, before Lee pulled his leg away, creating a minor shockwave. Once Lee pulled away his other leg, Sasuke burrowed underground again, surprised that Lee wasn't feeling anything from the attack. I'm almost out of chakra... Sasuke thought, his brow furrowing in worry. Sasuke covered his torso and head in Earth chakra – a technique he copied from his teammate.
It's a good thing that this didn't require me to master Earth manipulation, but it's tearing through my chakra reserves! Sasuke pondered.
Sasuke dug out of the ground, striking Lee's chin with a fist encased in lightning chakra. Lee reeled back, but returned Sasuke's strike with a punch to the midsection, which sent Sasuke hurtling to the arena wall. Just before he could strike the wall, Lee appeared behind him, launching him upwards. Before Lee could finish Sasuke off with a mighty axe kick, Sasuke replaced himself with one of his remaining clones, who was destroyed on impact.
Lee dived headfirst to the ground, turning 180 degrees and planting his feet onto the ground. In a barely visible burst of speed, Lee appeared in front of Sasuke and gave him an incredible punch to the face, only to find that his bandage-covered hand was soaking. The water on Lee evaporated soon after it made contact.
"Dynamic Entry!" Lee exclaimed, striking a wide-eyed Sasuke in the midsection, sending him flying. A wide crack formed where Sasuke struck the wall and Sasuke crumpled to the ground, barely in a sitting position. The chakra that signified Lee's use of the Eight Gates disappeared as Lee collapsed, due to a combination of numbness, severe fatigue and the Sharingan-conjured illusion he was unable to avoid.
Hayate looked to the winner, whose eyes just closed after the loser's did. He was surrounded by debris and a cloud of dust. "The winner of this match is Sasuke Uchiha!" The crowd broke into a deafening applause as both Sasuke and Lee were tended to by medics, before being taken to the hospital ward post-haste.
"The Uchiha is quite a talented boy, don't you think, Lord Hokage?" the Kazekage asked over at the Kage section.
The Hokage chuckled. "Yes, Lord Kazekage. Lee has shown such remarkable progress as well."
The Kazekage remained silent, pondering Sasuke's victory. What a talented child. He's... perfect.
Kurama was shaking in excitement. Both Sakura and Sasuke did quite well, even if their matches were incredibly close. Now, all the proctor has to do is call out my name...
"Naruto Uzumaki, Gaara, please come to the arena." Hayate ordered. Kurama grinned demonically, but before he could use the Body Flicker, his wrist was grabbed by Hinata.
"Good luck, Naruto," Hinata said with a hint of concern in her voice. "Do your best. I believe in you, but please don't take this too far, ok?"
Kurama's grin softened. "Thanks for the support, but I'll have to give this fight everything I have. I'll stay safe, so don't worry." Hinata let go of Kurama's wrist and watched him disappear in a puff of smoke.
Naruto... don't die, please. Hinata thought.
Over at the Kage section, the Hokage was considering the ramifications of this match. Naruto, if I can call him that, will eventually unleash his demonic chakra against the child. As long as he doesn't overdo it, there won't be a cause for unrest amongst the villagers.
While the audience was waiting for Gaara to enter the arena, the six remaining members of the Rookie Nine were looking at Kurama and considering his chances.
"Naruto might have gotten stronger, but he's going to get killed by Gaara!" Kiba barked. "He should quit now while he still has a chance."
"Unless Naruto has acquired a move or skill that will help him to defeat Gaara, his chances of winning are very slim," Shino added.
Ino snorted. "No way!" Shikamaru just smirked at Ino's outburst while Chōji gave Ino a nod, before continuing to eat from a bag of barbeque chips, keeping quiet.
"I never knew you supported Naruto, Ino," Sakura said teasingly.
That boy is the Nine-Tailed Fox. He'll probably pull off some monstrous technique and swat Gaara away like he's an insect. Ino thought in disgust. She didn't let that disgust seep into her voice. "It's not that. It's just that Naruto always has some sort of trick up his sleeve."
"Fair enough," Sakura replied. Naruto... don't overdo it, alright?
Gaara finally arrived at the arena, arms crossed and his sand gourd uncorked. His face was blank, but internally, he was shaking with barely-restrained excitement. Kurama's grin was almost face-splitting as he opened and closed his fists in pure enthusiasm.
"Naruto Uzumaki vs. Gaara. Begin!" Hayate declared. Gaara immediately thrust his hand in front of him and sent a towering wave of sand towards Kurama, who took out a kunai and sent a crescent-shaped blade of wind towards the sand, bisecting it vertically. Kurama took the kunai and placed it a reverse grip, extending its length with Wind chakra.
Using Wind chakra to enhance his movements and time in the air – something he discovered he could do during his spar against Tenten the week before – Kurama jumped above the approaching sand and focused his Wind chakra into his right fist.
"Wind Style: Cyclone Fist!" A burst of chakra shaped like a cyclone twisted and spun towards Gaara. Gaara raised a wall of sand, but it was broken down by the gale-force winds created by the technique. In response, Gaara surrounded himself with a dome made of sand, protecting him from the Cyclone Fist. What appeared to be a spear of sand erupted from the dome, aimed at Kurama.
Kurama twirled his kunai and held it vertically, which forced the spear to split around the wind-enhanced kunai. Once his feet touched the ground, he dashed away from the quickly approaching sand, shooting concentrated bursts of wind chakra at the dome surrounding Gaara. The dome began to crack from withstanding the intense amount of pressure created by Kurama's technique, before dissolving.
The sand used to create the dome rose up and swirled around Gaara. Kurama cut up the quickly approaching sand with the speed of a master swordsman, before blowing it away with the Gale Palm technique. Kurama smirked smugly and went through hand seals.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Kurama roared. The flamethrower was blocked by a wall of sand, which formed shards of glass that dropped harmlessly to the ground. Another wave of sand rushed towards Kurama, who blocked it by forming a wind shield.
Kurama released five vertical discs of Wind chakra from the shield. The discs cut through the sand wave and continued their course towards Gaara, who formed a tornado of sand around him and disappeared. Kurama dispersed the shield and turned around, creating three Shadow Clones and having them chase after Gaara.
The clones swerved around pillars of sand, cut through sharp spikes that formed just below them and punched holes through crashing waves of sand with the Cyclone Fist. Once the clones reached Gaara, they punched him, aiming at three different points.
Gaara blocked their attacks with sand, but was rocketed backwards when they exploded. Kurama didn't hesitate to follow up, slamming Gaara with gale-force winds created by the Great Breakthrough technique. Before Gaara could make contact with the arena wall, sand cushioned the wall and caught him, making him slide down the wall harmlessly.
When Gaara returned to a standing position, Kurama could see sand peeling off of his face, chipping away and breaking down. Like a mask, the sand around Gaara's face disappeared, showing a monstrous visage – Gaara's eyes were bulging out of their sockets and a maniacal grin was plastered on his face.
"Naruto Uzumaki! Make me feel alive!" Gaara screamed. The sand around Kurama began to move much, much faster than before, making it far more difficult for Kurama to avoid the sand from crushing him. Clones he replaced himself were immediately crushed – an unpleasant, brutal experience – and the sand Gaara used had far more density, making it harder to cut.
I'm not even going to try and dig underground. Kurama thought. After avoiding multiple sand bullets, Kurama summoned multiple clones to distract Gaara. Kurama attached an explosive tag to his wind-laced kunai and threw it at Gaara, using the Great Breakthrough to speed up its travel through the air. The kunai was stopped a centimetre away from Gaara's chest and exploded massively.
After most of the smoke cleared, a large claw made of sand erupted from the remaining wisps of smoke, catching Kurama in its grip and slamming him against the wall. The claw returned to Gaara, who had half of his body covered in sand. His sand covered arm was much larger than his normal arm and was similar to a claw, complete with complicated tattoos. His clothing was singed and covered in soot. His face was far more menacing – half-tanuki, half-human. Kurama got up and shook off the incredible pain he was feeling. An orange chakra cloak roared into life, forming around Kurama.
It's starting. Soon enough, Shukaku will take over Gaara's body and be fully unleashed. Kurama thought. He heard an explosion of smoke come from the Kage section and noticed two shinobi – Kankurō and a Hidden Sand Jōnin with a veil covering half of his face – appear next to Gaara, who returned to normal, grasping his forehead.
"Get out of the way, Kankurō!" Kurama growled. "I'm going to beat Gaara!"
"Kankurō," the Jōnin said, ignoring Kurama. "Get Gaara out of here. Stick to the plan."
"Yes, Baki-sensei," Kankurō replied. He put Gaara's arm over his shoulder and disappeared, using the Body Flicker to escape. Kurama was about to follow, but was stopped by Baki, who appeared in front of him.
"You're not getting near Gaara, kid," Baki said coldly. He was met by Hayate, whose katana was unsheathed, its tip pointed at Baki's throat.
"Naruto," Hayate said seriously. "Go after Gaara and beat him – you've shown everyone that you can. Leave this guy to me."
Kurama grinned. "Sure, but before I go, I think you'll need a bit of a boost." Kurama pumped chakra into Hayate, causing a chakra cloak identical to his own to form around him.
Hayate smiled; his eyes glinting in the light to show their change in colour from black to a dark red. "This may be just enough to ensure my victory – this time."
Kurama formed a Shadow Clone, which headed towards the Kage area in order to assist the Hokage – or at least give him extra chakra. The Hokage's proven to be quite the ally. I'll make sure that he isn't killed by whoever's responsible for this. A single tail burst from the base of Kurama's spine, before he disappeared in a swirl of leaves, chasing after Kankurō and Gaara.
I won't let you escape, Shukaku...
Jutsu List:
Wind Style: Cyclone Fist - B-Rank, Ninjutsu, offensive. The user punches the air, forming a concentrated burst of Wind elemental chakra that travels towards its target, inflicting serious blunt damage. Gathering chakra into the fist will result in a much larger burst of chakra being released, which takes the shape of a cyclone, which also inflicts blunt damage with far more intensity.
Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has supported my story. Even if you're only reading this, as long as you enjoy it, that's good enough for me.