I have been exited for this one, I really hope you all like it! I wish I had more time to focus on it so I'm sorry if it seems a bit off. I hope you all enjoy this one. Warning it's farely long.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, all rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto and whoever else.
"Talking"
"Thinking"
"Tailed beast, summons, second consciousness speaking"
"Tailed beast, summons, second consciousness thinking"
'Jutsus'
Naruto CH34: Chunin Preliminaries Final
"Aw man! Haku's up now!" said, nearly shouted, Naruto with balled up fists and a giddy as all hell smile on his face. He'd been looking forward to this ever since his own match, internally screaming to the sky that he would get to be the one to fight him: sadly it didn't happen. But now he has the chance to see him fight for the first time since wave.
Sasuke hummed in agreement beside him. "Yeah, I wonder how much he's improved, there does seem to be something different about him" commented the Uchiha as he leaned on the railing.
Naruto nodded "yeah there does, maybe his time in the Mist Village has lit a fire under him"
"Maybe" said Kakashi, briefly looking up from his book. "Being a part of a Village, being surrounded by people like himself can really motivate someone towards self-improvement".
"Very youthful words Kakashi!" said Guy, just across from Team Seven "but if that boy has a fire inside him THEN LEE HAS A BLAZING INFERNO!" roared the Sensei of Team Guy, chest puffed out and fire near literally burning in his eyes.
Kakashi awkwardly eye smiled at his long time friend and self-proclaimed rival. "R-right Guy, whatever you say".
The spandex wearing fella gave a sparklingly smile and a sharp thumbs up.
Ao watched as Haku walked towards the middle of the room. There was one thought on his mind, "you better not fail Haku we need you in the next round, you have the whole of the Mist Village riding on you to prove it's strength".
Haku walked quietly forward, his expression utterly cool, smooth, flawless like an ice ring betraying nothing of what he was feeling inside: nervous.
In all his life he had never been tasked with such heavy responsibility before. The Fifth was counting on him to make it to the next round, he was her embodiment of a stand-up prodigy. A diamond in the rough that still shined and beautifully reflected the light, that had qualities still yet untapped.
She needed him to show his incredible power to all those who would be attending the exam-proper. He was young with extraordinary talent, showing what he already has at this young age will attract interest from these nobles, bettering the Villages chances of an economic boost that's desperately needed.
A lot of pressure.
Yes, Junichi had made it, but Chojuro didn't and he was meant to be the Mist Villages example of the next generation of Hidden Mist Swordsmen: but he lost to the Hyuga girl. Now that only put more responsibility on him. This was new for him, in his entire life only one person was his responsibility and now he had an entire village counting on him, depending on him, trusting him.
It made him feel important, a man with purpose anew.
It's funny really, once upon a time he was nobody and now here he is, the center of attention of a Village he thought was the last place he'd ever call home. Why? Because he ran into one blonde who wouldn't stop trying to punch him, reason with him and shout at him. Funny how life works sometimes.
Haku's mask nearly cracked at the fresh memories.
Haku looked up at Team Seven's resident blonde, spotting the excitement written so outrageously clear on his face. It amazed Haku how he can just wear everything he feels so naturally, express it with without involuntarily holding back. The guy always seems so forthcoming and honest, though, Haku wonders in his life how many times has Naruto Uzumaki lied. He imagines few when compared to Ninja.
Haku received an encouraging smile from Naruto. It surprised him how he could offer support to him when he was about to face someone from his own Village. But he guesses that's just Naruto, always offering support to a friend no matter where they may come from.
Now that made his mask break.
The boy from Mist stepped before his interesting looking opponent, his smile gone before pausing. He could see the sheer unflinching focus in his wide open eyes, he could see the dirt gracing the wrappings of his bandaged hands and the callous skin of his toes. "Taijutsu expert, and works on it regularly". Other than that Haku could not guess anything else about the guy.
Lee was ready, last match, him and this girl, he won't go easy on her not when this was his chance to prove what a splendid ninja he has become through hard work and hard work only!
Hayate looked between them "okay last round, are you both ready?"
"Absolutely!" cheered Lee.
"Indeed" said Haku.
The proctor nodded "okay, begin!".
Lee took his stance, one arm behind his back and they other before him in a gesture that resembled the prerequisite to 'bring it on'. "Listen I want you to know that I will not hold back! So please Miss I request that you come at me with everything that you've got!".
Haku cocked his head but nodded "okay, but I think you should know that I'm a boy" he said, smiling.
The reaction he got was to be expected, hilarious. Lee froze like he had been waist deep in an icy lake for a week, his wide eyes somehow got wider, his jaw hung low like the gears to a drawbridge had broken and he choked on any words he was trying to form.
"LEE!" everyone turned to the owner of the booming voice, Might Guy, leaning over the railings with an expression full of a weird kind of anger. Lee was shivering as he looked up at his idol, despite the match having started Haku couldn't bring himself to attack. "How could you not tell that your opponent was male!?"
Lee cried rivers of tears at his mentors scolding "I'm sorry Guy-Sensei! His unbelievable beauty miss led me to they assumption that he belongs to the fairer sex, I am sorry to have fallen for this mistake twice!"
Guy seemed to accept this apology as he nodded with crossed arm "I understand, this boy and Neji do have very misleading feminine qualities"
"Wait! what!?" yelled Neji, head snapping to his Sensei.
Guy continued on, seeming to haven't at all heard his Hyuga students outburst. "But I demand that you strive to better your senses of identification and never be fooled again Lee!" order the Jonin with the utmost passion.
"Yes Guy-Sensei!" roared Lee, his eyes shining as he saluted.
"Now go and defeat this guy!" ordered Guy pointing towards Haku.
Lee turned and gazed at Haku with pure utter determination radiating from him like a tangible force. "Right!" he shouted before bending his knees and sprinting forward with no further announcement.
Haku readied himself and ducked beneath the first perfectly performed spinning kick, it zipped over his head as a green and orange blur. Haku then jumped back to avoid the following one aimed at his chest. Lee pressed on and unleashed a quick straight jab at Haku's face, he leaned out of the path of the wrapped fist and all that followed.
After a few dozen of these Lee predicted his next path, Haku dodged his next punch as predicted, a feint and the Konoha Genin sent out the real one.
Haku was briefly taken by the change as he watched the fist approach, he pulled back his head, turned and leaned out the way, millimeters from the knuckles impact. Haku didn't have long as in the next moment he was made to block one of Lee kicks, raising his arms Haku was sent skidding back as the full force of Lee's leg slammed into his crossed arms.
Haku resisted hissing at the strength his arms endured. Lee didn't pause and was already rushing at Haku. He jumped, flipping in they air, spinning like a pinwheel with one leg extended. Haku brought his hands together and flashed through some seals, his cheeks bulged out.
'Leaf Hurricane!'
'Water Style: Water Bullet!'
Taijutsu and Ninjutsu collided.
Lee was shocked as his kick was blocked by a jet stream of water, the kick sending liters and gallons into they air before he was swept up by the furious wave. "Woah hey!" he yelled as he tried to get control of himself as the gush kept pushing him back. He felt himself slam into the wall. A second later and the water ceased and he was free to fall to the ground.
Lee grunted at the soreness in his back and the cold water soaking him, but this was nothing to him and his harshly trained body.
"I will end this quickly" proclaimed Haku, his hands held together.
Lee pushed himself, his brow crossed insult "do not take me so lightly!" he yelled before sprinting back in at Haku.
Haku flickered through signs, startlingly fast and as he did the temperature in the room dropped like a tombstone. This was lost on the hot blooded Lee but not everyone else.
"This sensation" thought every member of Team Seven.
Water rose from the damp ground and wind was picked up from an unseen force. A sheet of thick smooth clear ice rose behind Haku. He stepped back into it just as Lee was about to throw a right hook at him, fist met ice with not a dent or crack being made in the flawless cool construct.
"What!" was all Lee could say, the thing before him having appeared in a mere moment.
"This is my 'Demonic Ice Mirrors'" explained Haku as all around the boy these mirrors began quickly sprouting up, and before Lee could react they were surrounding him in a dome. Images of Haku appeared in every single mirror, brown eye all staring down at Lee "with this Jutsu my speed is unrivalled".
Lee smiled at that "we will just have to see about that" he said, accepting the unofficial challenge.
"Hm, very well" said Haku before drawing some senbon. Each image drew their arms across over their shoulder, Lee frantically looked between them trying to see where the attack may come from.
Haku swung his arm. Lee managed to hear the sound of hissing air behind him and jumped away in time for the Senbon to hit the floor where he was at. But then he heard the same come from behind him again and moved, then again, then again, then again and again!.
The needles just kept coming!
Lee jumped away from another three senbon, he looked forward and became shocked when he saw himself running straight at some senbon "drat he tricked me, all those needles where decoys!".
He was moving too fast to avoid them, he hastly reached into his pouch and removed a kunai, he swiped at the senbon knocking them away but as he did that he noticed another set following just behind them. With a hasty swipe he managed to knock them too away. Lee noticed a glint out of the corner of his eye and saw more senbon, but these were already dangerously close. He gritted his teeth as he forced his body to react to the danger.
He knocked nearly all of them away bar one that slipped passed and stabbed him in his shoulder. "Ahh" he grunted, the pain sharp despite being small "it hit a pressure point" he noted, feeling his muscles bunch. He could tell this one was the one Haku was aiming to get through.
He didn't have long to focus on it as he sensed another onslaught coming from above. Lee leaped and rolled forward, clutching his aching shoulder, with the needle held between his fingers. He quickly plucked it out.
Lee clenched his teeth to keep from cursing, no matter how hard he was focusing he couldn't tell where the attacks were coming from until they happened, and that was always too late. He decided he needed to get out of this Jutsu, but right now there was no way that was gonna happen "this guy is just way too fast for me".
"Hmm" voiced Guy, he could feel his disciple's worry from here and could tell he was in serious trouble. He grinned "well I guess its time for Lee's gloves to come off" "Lee!" he roared.
Within the dome of ice Lee and the many reflections of his opponent inclined their heads in the direction of the booming voice. "Yes, Guy-Sensei!?"
"Take em off!" he ordered from behind the dome, they obstruction doing nothing to muffle his orders.
Lee was shocked to here his Sensei say that, but was soon shinning with unbelievable excitement at hearing this. "Really!?" he said with all the joy of a child saying he could get his most desired action figure. Despite not seeing him Lee felt the approving smile burn through they ice and into his soul.
Whereas Lee was glowing Haku was alarmed "take them off, take what off?" questioned the Yuki as he saw Lee remove his leg warmers, revealing something wrapped around his shins. "Weights? Has he been fighting with those on the whole time!?"
Lee unclipped them from around his shins and stood up, a huge sigh escaping him. "Ah that is much better! Now time to get out of this quite chilly dome you have created!".
"Just because you removed some weights does not mean you can escape me!" retorted Haku as he readied to throw more Senbon
"We will just have to see!" said Lee before he threw the pair of weights up at the top most Mirror.
They flew through they air like a pair of dark grey tiles, Haku watched them not expecting much. His mirrors where stronger than ever before, they could take a fireball head on and not so much as leak a single rivulet now, they could take a hit from Chojuro's Hiramekarei and receive only a crack: his Jutsu was stronger than even.
So it came as quiet a shock to the Yuki and his team when the mere weights smashed through his mirror like a pair of meteorites, throwing shards of ice and frosty dust into they air. The weights continued on in separate directions on course to land just outside the dome and when they did the impact shook the room. They crashed into the ground like a pair of cannonballs filled with explosives, breaking tiles like glass and throwing up dust like a pair of Narutos Heavy Duty Tags.
Everyone was bug-eyed at the sight, Anko dropped her pad, the Third Hokage lost his pipe like his son lost his cig, Kakashi closed his book, Naruto was silently screaming, Sasuke's Sharingan switched on, Hirofumi whistled, Kurama grinned in interest, Yugitos jaw dropped, Matabi leaned forward to get a better look. Genin all over the room were varying levels of thunder struck, trying to comprehend what just happened: it was impossible.
A green blur burst out of the top of the dome and landed without, Lee smiled at his successful escape.
Naruto and Sasuke couldn't believe it! This guy just broke out of something that they themselves together couldn't accomplish so quick!
"Man this guy" said Sasuke, his Sharingan glowing "he must be fast if he was able to get out of there by himself"
Naruto nodded "yeah, it took you and me forever to get out of that Jutsu and not nearly with as few injuries as Lee down there"
Sakura looked at them, a question on her mind "just what is Haku's Jutsu anyway?"
Sasuke saw fit to explain this. "It's a Jutsu that increases his speed, he creates those Ice mirror down there and forms a dome with them. Once your inside it's near impossible to avoid his attacks. He moves between the mirrors so quick it's impossible to see unless you have eyes like mine, mix that together with the fact that it also makes reflections of him and he's nigh impossible to pindown". He turned back to the dome "though it takes a lot of chakra, but" he said he tone shifted to something more along the lines of suspicious "somethings different about it"
"Yeah" said Naruto "now that you mention it, it did get really cold in here, it almost feels like he mixed some wind chakra into it" he turned back to Sasuke "maybe that's it, maybe he mastered Wind Release, I imagine that's something he wouldn't have learned under Zabuza"
Sasuke nodded "yeah, makes sense".
"Indeed" came the voice of Hiro "the Ice release is the union of water and wind chakras, coming together to create ice, if one of those elements is weaker than they other than that can affect the strength of his Kekkei Genkai, making his Jutsu's weaker than it could be"
"Huh is that so?" said Naruto
"Yes" said Hiro "it could also make the Jutsu very inefficient, with one element having to heavily make up for the slack of they other can be an immense drain on the user"
Sasuke internally rubbed his chin "so if he has removed this imbalance than maybe he has also greatly reduced the drain of his Jutsu as well as increased its strength"
"Aw man if he has done that then Haku's gonna be tougher to beat than ever!" came Naruto, sounding way too excited for Sasuke's liking.
"Will you quit sounding so thrilled about Haku's strength, this isn't a good thing you know!" rebuked Sasuke.
"And why not!?" said Naruto "where's the fun? Beside theirs nothing wrong with him getting stronger, it just means we will just have to keep getting stronger so we can surpass him"
Sasuke grunted at that.
Hiro smiled "yeah, now that's the spirit, use this as motivation to get stronger yourselves, don't let it deter you Sasuke"
The Uchiha mentally nodded, he was acting foolish, its not like him wishing and desiring for Haku to remain at the strength level he was ever gonna happen if he so wished to get stronger. It was childish to imagine anyone would do that "Itachi isn't probably doing that, it's unrealistic to imagine he is" now that was a sobering thought for him. "I must keep improving!" at this thought he felt his shoulder throb.
Haku looked up at the shattered mirror and gave notice to the dust that was seeping in from the gaps in his dome. "Hmm that was unexpected, so he's been fighting me this whole time with that sort of weight burdening him".
Lee was waiting outside the dome for any sign of Haku, the dust was beginning to dissipate, he was full of anticipation now that the game had stepped up since he removed his weights. He had been saving this speed for someone else but he supposed this one was an exception. He straightened up as Haku's image appeared on the outside of the dome, just one, the real one, staring right at him.
Haku smoothly slid out of the sheet of chakra born ice, his new Shinobi boots making contact with the ground, he didn't miss his clogs. He stared blankly at the odd looking boy for a second, reading him. "I'd honestly, never, not in my life expected someone to break out of this Jutsu as fast as you just did" a small tiny smile curved his lips "I am amazed, however did you do it?" he asked, with true earnest curiosity.
Lee smiled, his expression crossed thou, showing his answer was going to be a serious one. "Hard work!". Haku cocked his head at that, Lee could tell he was expecting something a little more. Lee's lip straightened out. "I am someone who was born with zero talent!" he declared, Haku gave him a very disbelieving look, a simple raised eyebrow "you do not believe me?"
Haku shook his head "please do explain".
Lee nodded "very well!" he straightened up, standing tall, shoulders squared. "I am Rock Lee! And I was born with no abilitie for Ninjutsu and Genjutsu!".
His words gouged many reactions from the people listening, some truly couldn't believe what they were hearing. Someone who couldn't do ninjutsu? It was obsude to hear. Those who had heard of this phenomenon were just surprised to see someone like that here, in the Chunin exams of all places.
"Oh" said Haku, quietly voicing his surprise "so you have that rare condition, the one where you chakra coils will not allow you to mold your chakra for Ninjutsu" it was more a statement than a question.
Haku's long time study of medicine had allowed him to come across this rare physical condition, a deformity as it is said to be in the chakra system, the coils that allow an individual to utilize their chakra for Ninjutsu are bent and twisted, making chakra molding nigh impossible. Near enough everyone with this condition never wind up becoming a ninja, seems Haku was facing off against one of those very rare exceptions to the rules.
Lee nodded "yes! I am unable to do Ninjutsu, no matter how hard I try" he raised one of his arms, his outstretched hand clenched together tight and formed a fist. "But even with my disadvantage I didn't give up! I vowed that I would become a splendid ninja through hard work and hard work alone! It did not matter to me if I was born with natural talent or not, I would prove to them that natural talent isn't what's important. That it's how much work you put into it that counts the most!" each word Lee said was filled with years of his passion and fire, no one could deny him, call him out, or mock him for what he was saying: because he was the example of his own words.
"Incredible" said Haku, his smile gone but there was true respect shining in his eyes for the boy before him. "All my life, from the day I picked up a kunai I was labeled a prodigy, I was born with talent and unique power, I didn't wish for it, it was just there. I never had to chase for what I have like you did, but my true strength came out when I had something I wanted to protect, it was always then that I worked my hardest". His eyes narrowed and he made a sign "and now I have a lot in my life that I want to shield, so lets see Rock Lee, between you and me, the hard worker and the very motivated prodigy..."
The dome behind him began to break apart and the mirrors began to space out, going in many different directions, some staying low, some raising high and not a single one in a mirroring direction.
Haku spread out his arms "which one of us is stronger".
Lee nodded, watching the new technique show itself. He lowered himself into his fighting stance "very well, and if I cannot beat you I will train twice as hard for the rest of my life!"
Haku nodded "and I will do the same".
Lee smiled before it disappeared and as did he for a moment from the eyes of people as he moved. Haku jumped back in time to avoid the green blur that was Lee, his leg outstretched in a missed attempt at his head. Lee spun in for a landing and Haku jumped back, Lee charged, a fist cocked back. Haku merged quickly into a mirror and Lee hit nothing but smooth ice. Lee pulled back his arm in time to avoid getting it cut by a Kunai in Haku's grip after his hand briefly reached out from the Ice.
When Lee next looked up he was gone from the mirror. Lee looked around and spotted him in another mirror up high with senbon already raining down towards him. Lee easily avoided them and positioned himself insight of the high mirror, but again Haku was already gone. Lee couldn't see him in any of the mirrors in front and turned around.
Lee was shocked when he saw a mirror in front of him, it wasn't there a second ago and even more so when he felt the air leave his lungs. He saw Haku reaching out of the Mirror with his fist buried in Lee's gut. Next Haku grabbed one of Lee's arms, before the leaf Genin could use his strength to pull the ice user out from the safety of the Mirror it clenched in pain as the boy stuck a needle in it. Then another in Lees left leg, then one in his right shoulder blade as he doubled over.
"This is it" said Haku, as he readied the last needle in between his fingers, the well-poslished metal shined before he brought it down in an arc for the side of Lee's neck. He was utterly flabbergasted when he hit air, Lee pulled his should be paralyzed body back with a physical grace that should be behind metaphorical bars. Lees' hands slammed on the ground behind him and before Hakus could pull back out of range Lee's right leg booted him in the chest.
Haku crashed back into his mirror, he gripped his aching chest, coughing up as the pain of the motion set in. He could taste blood in his mouth. He watched as Lee somersaulted back away from his mirror, wondering how he was even doing that right now. The points of his body he hit should be making such fluid motions impossible.
Lee removed the needles without even flinching.
"How?" was all Haku could say to himself.
Kakashi narrowed his eye as seeing Lee escape that situation. "Did he just" muttered Kakashi before turning over to look at Guy, who was looking quite serious for once "did he just do what I think he did?"
Guy was silent.
"How many?" he asked, his tone severe.
Guy continued his silence for a second "five".
For once in a long time, all of Team Seven saw Kakashi Hatake truly shocked "FIVE!? Guy! I can't believe you would teach a kid such a dangerous technique!".
"Quiet Kakashi!" yelled Guy, sounding angry, honestly angry "you don't understand what this means to that boy".
The Sensei of Team Seven fell silent. It became clear to Kakashi how personally invested Guy must be in this boy: after all the Sensei and the student have more than just their looks in common.
Lee felt the reinvigorating power course through him, filling him with new energy. He tensed up and snapped open the gate of healing, he clenched his teeth as the new power floored into his system along with a sting of pain, but nothing he couldn't handle. His muscles clenched beneath his skin as limits were pushed and power increased. Lee ground his teeth, dropped his hips, his knees and pulled his clenched fists back "here I come!" he said in a slightly strained voice before leaping forward: the ground cracking where he previously stood.
Haku was alarmed by the speed in which he crossed the distance, he couldn't move in time before Lee slammed into his mirror, spider web cracks spreading out over its previously flawless surface. Haku frowned in worry at the sight of his mirror breaking. Before the second punch could come he exited out of the back of his mirror and jumped high.
Lee was briefly confused by this until he saw Haku above him "your not getting away!" he yelled before he crossed his arms. Tendrils of green chakra began to emit of his form as his skin reddened, veins bulged from his head as sweat began to get pushed off his face.
'Third Gate! Gate of Life! OPEN!'
The hair of his bowl cut was pushed up, now standing on end in choppy ink black locks. His expression seemed like pure rage, his teeth all clenched and his brow tensely crossed, but that expression was there because his body was beginning to feel the strain of opening these gates. Like the feeling of pure fire burning every muscle in his body.
Lee jumped off the ground, it broke with the jump, he was quickly approaching they alarmed Yuki. Lee drew back a fist, the motion lacking the smooth practice as it jutted back before he sent it forward to collide with Haku's face. What he hit was instead hard, flat and cold as an Ice mirror intercepted him, the mirror cracked all over and fell into shards around Lees' fist. The Konoha Genin noticed Haku back in another mirror.
"You are truly amazing Lee, I guess I can't hold back against you then" said Haku before he pulled out a scroll as Lee was falling to the ground.
He unrolled the scroll showing a sealing formula inside, he slammed his hand on it. The seal unlocked and a geyser of water began pouring out, it slammed into the ground and Lee jumped high to avoid getting swept away and landed on the hand of the giant statute.
'Demonic Ice Mirrors: Level Two'
The room seemed to hit arctic levels of cold as Haku called out his Jutsu. New mirrors of ice began sprouting of the water one after another, forming like sheets of glass. A good twenty of them formed before Haku decided it was enough, they positioned themselves in various locations, there was not an area of the battlefield that didn't have a mirror somewhere now.
Lee seeing his new position and now the true heights of this Jutsu decided he himself too couldn't hold back and if he didn't go all out his body may become too tired for him to even go all out.
He crossed his arms, bent his knees, gritted his teeth.
Haku's image appeared all around, appearing and disappearing as he tossed senbon at the still boy from all directions.
Using his immense will he unclasped the fourth gate bringing with it a surge of new power, filling his muscles and body with painful searing strength.
'Fouth Gate: Gate of Pain OPEN!'.
His roar brought with it a surge of force that knocked the senbon away from him. A green aura of thick chakra brimmed around him as veins all over his body bulged and pulsed even more than before, his sweat began to pushed up off his face, and all the muscles of his body seemed to be in a state of constant taunt tension.
"He opened another one?" said Haku to himself.
Lee snapped in the direction of Haku, spotting the mirror he was in and disappeared from the Yuki's sight. Haku, feeling he only had a fraction of a moment to switch mirror's, did and just in time as the one he was previously at exploded into mist and shards.
Lee came out of the ice cloud and placed a foot on another mirror and instantly sprung off it towards Haku's, he fist crashed through, Haku was gone again. Lee spun around and landed on the narrow top of one of the mirrors, watching like a hawk with blank painstakingly narrowed eyes as Haku's image appeared and disappeared from mirrors: trying to think even through the indescribable pain on how to catch him.
An idea came to mind, a simple idea but he would have to work quick or his body may not last very long.
Lee jumped off the mirror and began leaping through they air, busting up as many mirrors as he could reach. A punch, a shattered mirror, a kick a shattered mirror, an elbow a shattered mirror. One by one they fell to pieces. But there was too many for him to destroy all at once but he thinks he did a good enough job to give him an opening.
Haku between leaps observed the damaged to his mirrors "he's destroyed most of the mirrors outside of the center field"
Lee stopped outside the area of mirrors that Haku was leaping between and jumped in after him. As Haku's image flickered away instead of attacking him Lee turned, he reached into his pouch and threw Kunai and Shuriken in whichever direction. With his increased power the projectiles moved like black shooting stars at the mirrors they were thrown at. Lee saw it, even through increasingly blinding pain, with his physically enhanced senses a green flicker.
And like a ghost it was gone.
When Haku next appeared in a mirror it was one with a kunai embedded in its surface, blood dripping from its edge. Some rivulets of blood began making there way down Haku's right hand out from under his flared sleeve and off the tips of his fingers. He lifted his arm and looked at the new wound, truly surprised he got hit. He had no time to wonder about that as Lee came back around a moment later after his first assault with his aura covered foot aimed for his mirror.
Haku began making his transfer in that cool blur of speed in which it happens.
He was forced to slow down as more black stars of ninjas weapons intercepted his path, he ducked beneath the Shuriken and soared over the following kunai.
It was in this moment Lee made his move.
Haku was looking down as the Shuriken passed beneath him and a red and green blur slammed on the ground, shattering and springed up at him from the dust it made and slammed into in his briefly slowed down form. He was pulled from his Jutsu's transfer and up with Lees fist in his abdomen, he felt his air leave as he continued up, he could taste blood in his mouth after the blow: it was like no Taijutus Haku had ever felt before.
In a blur of speed Lee was gone from sight but Haku felt him when he next hit from his left, Haku was sent forward through they air, then back when Lee briefly appeared to punch him again, then down, then back up, then right! Then left! Then up! Then right! Then down!.
Blow after blow was powered into Haku's vulnerable body, he had no time to acknowledge all the pain that he was sure his body had to be in.
The air around him was being filled with the deafening sound of Lee's strikes, each blow sounding like a jet breaking the sound barrier, creating aftershocks that distorted the air and made jaws drop along with eyes that widen impossibly wide.
The most damage Haku was allowed to assess was that he now had a broken arm, by the left bicep, received from the second impact: he couldn't say honestly on what else was broken or ruptured in his body but he was sure there was way more than just that.
And right now he had to ignore it, if he allowed himself to think or even know what else had been broke besides that he felt he would lose, be defeated by his own body deciding to quit. Haku felt that if he didn't do something! He wouldn't just lose here he would die here.
Lee was doing everything in his power to see this technique through, he had landed fourteen consecutive blows, his body was on fire with screaming agony, he could hear his rapid heartbeat in his ears, pumping blood with a temperature way above normal throughout his body: but he was nearly there.
"Just a little more!" Lee thought as he pushed off the balcony and came to a halt above the beaten, bruised and bleeding boy.
They hovered for a moment in the center of the hall, amongst the glistening mirrors that were still active despite their casters currently wrecked state. Everyone watched in awe as Lee got into position to finish this.
Lee cocked back his fist and just as Haku was craning his head and opening his eyes Lee punched him right in the stomach. His brown eyes shot open as he was sent crashing down but stopped halfway in they air, dragged to a halt by some of Lee's bandages, tightly fixed around his waist.
Haku couldn't believe there was more of this! He could see clearly despite his swirling vision that he was gonna lose, not just the match but his life if he didn't do something to escape!
Lee growled in pain as he yanked back the incredibly strong bandage and pulled his opponent through they air towards him with straining muscles: his equally strained expression seeming more like the face of a wrathful demon.
Haku's eyes widened.
Lee bent his knee, bringing his right foot underneath him and cocked back his free arm 'Fifth Gate: Gate of Limit! OPEN!'
Haku responded to the call of another gate with an even more so panicked look.
Lee attacked, they air roared and everything exploded at the words 'Reverse Lotus!'
Every mirror shattered into icy dust, bathing the floor in an obscuring mist: making the temperature of the hall drop a few notches with its introduction into they air.
Everyone looked down, awaiting the mist to clear.
Everything was silent for the few minutes it took before the mist began to pull back, breathes held as everyone Ninja in the room awaited the result.
The first sight to be seen was Lee, on his hands and knees, the power of they eight gates gone and now he was gasping for breath. The icy mist seeming to melt around him from the lingering heat generated by the power that was previously running through his body. His clothes long since dried by the limit breaking power.
He was looking at the ground with wider than normal eyes, teeth gritted as the burning pain of his technique finally settled into every part of his body, deep into every muscle and down into every bone. Irresistible tremors shaking his body as he fought for stinging breathes to fill a chest that felt both hollow and sore.
The mist began to fully disperse and when it did it revealed, nobody, Haku's body was nowhere in sight.
Lee's head snapped up, the motion like invisible hands trying to push him down, on his hand's and knees he looked all in front of him and behind. On his knees, with the support of one hand he circled his body around and then he saw it.
The lingering mist pulling away to reveal a single remaining mirror with Haku in it. His face marked with forming black and purple bruises, and eye swelling shut, fresh and thickening blood dripping from his mouth staining his chin in a crimson layer, his left arm hanging limp, his clothes dirty with prints left by Lees blows to his body.
Lee watched as he pulled out a single senbon and lifted it to his mouth, held straight between his teeth.
Lee gritted his teeth at seeing him still able to even stand.
"This will be over in a blink of an eye" Haku declared, words not sounding the least bit pained or numbed, the senbon barely moving with his words. Haku stepped forward in his mirror and was gone with the mirror as it exploded like a firework of ice.
Lee couldn't tell where he went, there was only that one mirror on the field before it was gone. Lee felt a chill behind and knew in that moment before he felt an arm wrap itself tightly around him, restraining him with a cool grip that Haku was behind him.
Not even a moment later, faster than anything Haku had done during their match.
Lee hadn't the strength to move out of his hold, or the speed left to avoid it in the first place. He turned his neck to look at him and found his panicked stare met by Haku's sharply focused one. The needle glinted between his teeth before he brought it down into his neck, like a snake injecting venom.
Lee felt his whole body lock before it completely unwound, he felt his awareness of the world slip away as if some forced signal told his body and mind to begin shutting down. His falling eyelids tried to stay open as he fell back, he could make out his opponent through the narrowing slits of vision, standing up, looking at him with tired but victorious eyes as he breathed raggedly.
He cursed his luck before his eyes closed.
Haku breathed hard as he looked down at the boy who nearly beat him, he was lucky, any later and he would've been the one on the ground defeated or worse yet dead: there was zero guarantee that move wouldn't have killed him with the power that boy was packing.
The fresh memory raced through his mind on how he got out of that.
He felt his body getting dragged up through they air, on fast approach for the red and green empowered Genin of Konoha. Time seemed to crawl to a snail's pace, thoughts not much gazed at in a while came to the forefront of his mind. He wanted a way to not just avoid death but also to win. He once had a similar desire, but it was different in the way he just wanted to avoid losing something: Zabuza, a failed attempt.
He remembered getting where he wanted to go in the blink of an eye. He didn't remember flying there like between his mirrors he just stepped through, like a window, or a door frame to another space and he was right between his master and the man in the white kimono jacket.
He remembered he used a single mirror and thought about where he wanted to be.
Right now Haku wanted to be away from this!
His body sailing through they air, Lee's awaiting palm and foot, Haku's one relatively functioning arm came up as fast as possible and made a single hand sign. He released his hold on his Domonic Ice Mirrors and willed a new one to appear: a single one.
The Mirror formed fast! He wanted it to and it did with a distance of a blade between him and the mirror. It chased after Haku as he was being pulled towards Lee, trying to swallow him in before he's hit. There was barely any room to escape before Lee had striked but by some miracle, he got away and now he stood the winner.
Hayate appeared, he looked around, studying the hall, like some sort of an expectation not being met gracing his eyes for a moment. "After that I was expecting some kind of serious damage, guess things don't always go how you'd assume". He turned to Haku and gestured towards him "the winner of the final round is Haku Yuki!" he announced.
Haku breathed a sign of relief "I won" he thought, the words bringing with it a sense of nauseating relaxation. Without ceremony, with zero change in his calm and collected expression Haku collapsed forward onto the ground: blacking out beside his former opponent before even meeting the stone tiled floor with a dull thud.
Everyone was silent at his collapse before the room was filled with the noise of the big double doors busting open, followed by the rushing feet of a doctor and nurse with the aid of ninja. Two stretchers each held by a pair of Chunin were filled with the unconscious bodies of Haku and Lee each. Before being carried away the doctor checked their pulses and pulled the senbon still lodged in Lees' neck: erecting an encouraging tortured groan from the boy.
The Chunin's lifted the stretches at the doctor's approval and ran off with the boys, closely followed by the medical professionals.
"I sure hope Haku will be okay" intoned Naruto, his voice heavy "he took one hell of beating from Lee, I didn't even know someone could move that fast or hit that hard!".
"That's the eight gates for you" said Kakashi, his hands in his pockets, seeming to have lost all interest in reading for now.
Sasuke turned to the Jonin, his Sharingan giving one final crimson shine before shutting off. "I heard Lee call the names of these Gates, Life, Pain and Limit"
Kakashi nodded, his white hair swaying slightly "indeed, those are the names of number three to five" he explained.
"What are they exactly?" asked Naruto, turning around and leaning back on the railing, his blue eyes full of curiosity.
Kakashi removed a hand from his pocket and rubbed his dressed chin "well they are six specific chakra points in a person's body" he removed his hand and placed it back into his pocket. "They act as limiters on a person's chakra, limiting what they can dish out: they are there so the body doesn't die from its own full potential"
The kids nodded.
"I hope you understand" started Kakashi, his voice sharp and full of warning that made his students direct full attention to him. "These gates are dangerous, people have died from just opening a few of them". Kakashi's warning was like an iron wall, his single exposed eye sharp and dark with a demand for them to follow his coming order. "I don't want you guys to learn them" he turned to the boys with extra force being driven into his stare "especially you two!".
"W-why?" asked Naruto, managing to push the question out.
Kakashi shrugged " it would take a long time to explain, just known that Ninjutsu users tend to die the most when opening them".
His answer made the whole of Team Seven both curious and scared, like wondering if a dragon could possibly be in a cave right in front of them.
Everyone's attention was grabbed when the double doors opened. Samui walked in, her hand now wrapped in bandages. She strode back to her team as if not noticing the attention she grabbed, as the door steadily swung closed behind her with the squeaky hum of the hinges.
Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, he stroked his goatee as Anko explained to him the issue that may come with the exam proper. "I see" he said, his grizzled voice hanging between just them. His aged eyes wandered around the room, taking in all the victors of the preliminaries who could be within his gaze, thinking on how best to deal with this little problem.
He turned to Anko, gestured for her to lean down and whispered his instruction to her. She smirked at the idea, it was perfect to do in this situation.
In a few minutes, everyone who won was made to come to the floor.
Standing before the statue that the Hokage stood before, arms folded behind his back like the wise old man he was, the hat of his position, his rank bathing his face in a slightly darkening shadow that did nothing to really obscure his face. His back slightly straightened and his shoulders squared up before he began speaking.
"Now that the preliminaries are concluded I ask that you all take a slip of paper from this box" he turned his head slightly. "Anko" the woman nodded and began walking around. Everyone took a slip of paper, three of the Genin cocked an eyebrow at how theirs were a different colour and further blank of any number.
Hiruzen glided his eyes through the lineup and smiled "I see you three picked out the black paper, that makes this easy then" he turned his head. "Ibiki" the scarred man nodded and began jotting down there names.
Shikamaru inclined his head at this and raised his free hand, the Hokage nodded for him to speak. "hey, what's so special about this paper?" he asked, lifting up the object in question.
A smile, an amused one at that, curved the wrinkled lips of the Fire-Shadow, as it did with the much younger lips of both members of the torture and interrogation division. "Ah those are special, as in the way that all members who draw those sheets will be competing in a three-way battle" he explained, his voice annoyingly light from Shikamaru's perspective at hearing the news.
Shikamaru groaned "well I forfeit then!" he proclaimed, very quickly and with much urgency.
The Hokage cocked his head slightly and a little more when a rock came out of nowhere and smacked the Nara in the back of the head. Everyone turned in the direction the stone came from and found the culprit to be a very angry looking blonde.
"Hey!" shouted Shikamaru angrily as he rubbed his head.
"Don't hey me!" bit back Ino, beating down her teammate's anger as if her words were a club "no way that you! The only one of our team to get through are gonna disgrace us by quitting now! Now your gonna go to that match if I have to drag you by your stupid ponytail!". Her threat was more like a promise that her whole being radiated she would see through if she had to.
He shivered, touched his hair, imagining the pain of every one of his hair follicles being used to drag his weight from his house to the stadium where the exam proper will likely be held. He turned around to the Hokage "I take back what I said" he groaned the next part "I'm in"
The Hokage smiled, his head falling a little "ladies sure are persuasive these days"
"And troublesome" muttered Shikamaru to himself.
"Okay" said the Third, lifting his head back up "from left to right all of you with numbers on your slips read them out".
"One" said Neji.
"Nine" said Sakura.
"Five" said Naruto, smiling.
"Six" said Sasuke. When those two looked at each other it was like a spark met fuel and an unseen fire burst between them: a clear message being sent to they other
I'm gonna win!
"Four!" ground out Zaku, the soreness in his arms causing the bite in his voice.
"Seven" said the stony voice of Dosu.
"Two" said the soft voice of Hinata. The two Hyuga briefly shared a glance at each other
"Eight" said Shino with his void tone.
"Ten" said Garra, his voice as dry as the desert he came from.
Ibiki wrote down the names of the people holding the numbers and when done turned to the white board that was brought out. "So that means Haku will be three" commented the tall man.
Hinata flinched at seeing hers.
Naruto and Sasuke glared challengingly at each other at seeing theirs.
Sakura felt herself nearly fall to her knees at seeing hers! "oh god no! Not him!" she thought, feeling like the road of her life just got cut dramatically short by an earthquake.
Shikamaru groaned at seeing his name with two others, Junich didn't express anything at it, neither did Samui.
Dosu hummed at seeing his opponent was the walking hive.
Zaku tisked at seeing his opponent will be that freakishly fast Ice kid "damn!". He was now hoping that the kid won't make a full recovery in time, or better yet die.
Shino hummed at seeing his opponent was the walking ear ache.
Garra groaned in disappointment at seeing that his opponent was not the blonde who shouted at him, the one that stirred mother like nothing had before. "Naruto!" he thought, that name like a spark that ran through his body, making him want to drown the world in sand and blood.
Neji smirked as seeing who his was, the failure, the disgrace, a purple fragment of his misery. "Hinata: you have no place being a Shinobi or ever being the leader of our clan".
"Well, now that the matchups have been decided we will adjourn for a month" people were surprised to hear this. "Use that time to train and practice and prepare yourselves" advised the elder of Konoha "good luck".
Everyone broke up and shuffled back to their Senseis' or began making their ways to go meet with members of their team that found themselves in medical care.
Team Seven found Kakashi waiting inside the lobby of the tall tower, leaning on a pillar, reading his book with what seemed like lazy attention but was still mildly surprised when his team now stood before him. "Oh, well I see the matches have been decided for the following month?" they nodded "well okay then, Sasuke you will be training with me" he said suddenly.
This surprised all the still Genin, wondering why it sounded like he will only be training one of them.
"Hey!" shouted Naruto, his brow creased "why are you suddenly playing favorites huh!?"
Kakashi raised a hand, silently asking that the boy let him explain "now, now Naruto it isn't like that" he dropped his hand and put his book away. "This request comes from someone else, for you" he said, making the Uzumaki cock an eyebrow at the 'for you' part.
"What?" he dumbly asked.
Kakashi let out a little chuckle "I don't know the details and I don't know why the Hokage approved that someone else train you for the month but he has asked that I let this person take over for me, he said for you to head to the bath houses and that you will most likely find your teacher there" he explained.
Naruto nodded and then grinned "well if they old man assigned whoever the hell this guy is to me personally then how can I say no, right!?" he said, scratching the back of his head. Naruto relaxed "besides I guess it's best that way" he gestured a thumb over to Sasuke "me and this guy have been pitted together and I guess training together won't help either of us win if we know all each other's moves" admitted Naruto.
Kakashi was a little surprised to hear this "oh you two are against one another" they nodded "I'm surprised"
"What about me?" cut in Sakura, her head down, looking kinda sad, feeling left out, almost frightened "who's gonna train me?" she asked. Her fists clenched as she began shaking, a tear broken from her eyes "I-I have to fight that monster, that Garra and he killed a man! I'm gonna die if I fight!" she yelled, confidence seemed like a wasteland in her voice, fear filling it like an ocean of despair. There was nothing she could do against a guy like that.
The Sensei, the Uchiha, and the Uzumaki all looked at each other, all realizing that she was right, mostly. She was gonna fight Garra, and yes she might die, but it wasn't set in stone.
"Your wrong!" asserted Naruto, making her lift her head at him, the movement slow, almost cautious.
Sasuke nodded "yeah, that guy isn't unbeatable and were gonna make sure you don't die"
Kakashi nodded "the Third said I couldn't train Naruto, I never said anything about you"
Naruto grinned at her "yeah, hell come train with me for they other half of the month, if this guy says no then I will just force him to train you" he shrugged "no sweat!".
A smile worked its way across Sakura's face as tears began to flow, emotional ones at seeing her team offering such encouragement and support for her sake: it made her feel warm all over. Sakura fought to wipe the tears away "t-thanks guys" she stammered out, her trembling smile hidden behind her arm and dipped head.
They all offered their own smiles, wide, small and hidden.
"Well we'll begin tomorrow," announced Kakashi, Sasuke and Sakura nodded.
"And then in half the month you can join me!" added Naruto, a thumb against his chest: the Haruno nodded.
"Yeah" said Sakura, a smile, small, bright and happy gracing her young face. No one was leaving her behind and that alone filled her with an indescribable warmth.
Chapter End
Hinata vs Neji 1
Haku vs Zaku 2
Naruto vs Sasuke 3
Samui vs Junichi vs Shikamaru 4
Shino vs Dosu 5
Garra vs Sakura 6
So this is the line up for the 3rd rounds, some generic some I hope not so generic.
If you liked this chapter please leave me a comment or review to let me know that you are all enjoying this fic so far or if you have any questions or helpful advice please feel free to message me.