Shingen Takeda 1521: I know, I know. Things haven't been clicking for me lately so I decide to take a little break to just collect myself and regain that spark. I think I've recaptured it (I hope so).

Thanks to Rose Tiger and Dreamers of Darkness for the support!


The Roar of the Tiger! Lee's Back! [1]


Jirobo threw smoke bombs down to conceal his movements while Lee quickly dropped into a defensive stance. 'Where did he go?' thought the Genin as he tried to listen for his opponent's footsteps.

The ground began to rumble and shake, and a massive, dumpling-shaped chunk of earth rose out of the ground. Jirobo was holding it and shouted, "Doton: Doryo Dango (Earth Release: Earth Mausoleum Dumpling)!"

With a loud grunt, he flung the massive rock at Lee. The Green Beast roared and leapt into the air. He kicked it with as much force as he could muster and shattered the rock. Jirobo smirked and rushed Lee, using his prone position to strike first. He kneed the boy in the chest, knocking him into the air, and then followed after him, smacking him back into the earth. Just before he hit the ground, Jirobo brought his fist to Lee's face, smashing him into the earth even harder.

"That scrawny looking kid with the blonde hair," began Jirobo as he smacked Lee in the face. "He was the team leader, no? He seems pretty stupid. How does it feel to work for some dumb demon?"

"Naruto-senpai is a most honorable man!" shouted Lee. "Demon or not, he is a better person than most humans can claim to be!"

Jirobo scoffed and replied, "He left you here to die. What does that say about—"

Lee punched the ogre-nin in his balls, forcing him to roll off of his body. He then placed his hands on the ground and channeled his chakra into his arms. "Konoha Shofu (Leaf Rising Wind)!"

Lee kicked the now rising Jirobo square in the face, knocking him high into the air. He then proceeded to get behind him, but Jirobo recovered faster than Lee expected. He spun around and punch Lee in the stomach, knocking him into a nearby tree and toppling it. Before Jirobo could rest easy, Lee grabbed the tree and threw it at the ogre-nin, who easily leapt over it. He failed to defend himself from Lee's right hook, which sent him sprawling back to earth.

The Green Beast kicked off of the airborne tree and sped down to Jirobo, ready to smash his foot into the ogre-nin's face. He was met by the man's meaty fist and the ground cracked from the sheer force of the blows. Lee quickly moved his foot, and he used the momentum of his kick to power up his right hook, which not only knocked Jirobo over, but knocked a couple teeth out as well. Lee quickly lashed out at Jirobo with his right leg, knocking him several yards away.

Lee growled in pain and thought to himself, 'He's a lot stronger than me! If this gets too rough, I might have to use my chakra gates.'


The Konoha-nin leapt through the trees, hoping to catch up to Sasuke and the Sound Four. "I'm worried about him too, Shikamaru-senpai," said Satsu suddenly. "I can tell that that guy is ridiculously powerful."

"How powerful are we talking?" asked Naruto.

Satsu's face darkened as he answered, "I couldn't read his mind or his friends for that matter. In order to block the Gangjouomoi, you have to have a strong will, and a strong will translates to a strong ninja."

"You all doubt Lee-kun's power," spoke Neji. "Lee is definitely the strongest of us physically, and his will is second to none. He will win, and he will catch up to us. Have some fucking faith!"

"Neji-kun is right," replied Shikamaru. "If there's anyone I trust more to kill that monster, it's Lee. Now shut up and keep moving!"


"Konoha Senpuu (Leaf Whirlwind)!" shouted Lee as he leapt at jirobo once more, hoping to finish him. The ogre-nin dug his hands in the ground and tore up a chunk of the earth, using it as a shield to defend against Lee's kick, which promptly shattered the rock. Lee suddenly vanished and appeared to the right of Jirobo. He kicked him in the face, then materialized in front of the ogre-nin and rapidly punched him in his stomach. Over and over, Lee's fists connected with Jirobo's stomach, each blow stronger than the last. The ogre-nin grabbed Lee's arms, stopping the assault

"Don't start getting cocky, kid!" Jirobo shouted as triangles began poppng up all over his body. "This fight is only just beginning!"

Jirobo released Lee, then quickly struck him in the chest, sending the boy flying into several trees. "No longer so cocky, now are ya? I'll tell you that in every group , there is a dead-last! He's the one thrown away to die first! He's a useless piece of shit that no one needs, and no one will miss when he's gone! I should know because I was once that dead last! When I was a Chuunin in Iwagakure no Sato, I was left by my squad mates to die because I was fatter and slower and dumber than the rest! But I was saved by Orochimaru-sama! He gave me a new life in Otogakure, and he made me stronger! There is still hope for you yet! Join us, and we will give you the strength to bring you from your dead-last status!"

Lee stood up and pulled a small wooden bottle out of his pouch. "I too was the dead-last un Konoha, but I would never sacrifice my integrity to become powerful! I shall do it on my own merit, and one day, I will be respected as the greatest Taijutsu master alive!"

Lee quickly drank the contents of his bottle, and shuddered as his skin turned red. His hands and feet burst into flames, and Lee roared, ready for battle. "I shall now show you the power of Katon Suiken: Sanshouuoshita (Drunken Fist Fire Art: Salamander's Tongue)[2]"

Lee inhaled, then spat out a massive fireball at Jirobo, who promptly leapt over the projectile. The Green Beast met him halfway and backhanded him, leaving a hand-sized burn mark on his face. Jirobo grabbed Lee's arm and yanked him close, then proceded to headbutt him. He watched with glee as the Genin's head cracked open and blood sprayed from the wound onto the ogre-nin's face.

Jirobo screamed in pain as the blood began to burn his skin. He foolishly began to wipe the blood off, but merely spread it more, burning him further. Lee rushed the ogre-nin again, but was met with a powerful uppercut to the jaw, knocking him high into the air.

"Die, trash!" shouted Jirobo as he leapt into the air after Lee. However, the boy regained his composure and channeled his chakra evenly throughout his body. "Tora Tobikomi (Jumping Tiger)[3]!"

Lee propelled himself even higher into the air, then brought his right leg down to bear on Jirobo. The Oto-nin barely managed to move his head, but Lee's attack still connected, shattering the bones from his shoulder down to his fingertips. Jirobo screeched in pain as he went flying down to the earth at full force. Lee then channeled all of his chakra into his fist and shouted, "Tora no Tsume (Claw of the Tiger)[4]!"

It happened so fast that Lee didn't even have time to register what was going on. He just felt the force of his punch connect, then the resulting explosion that engulfed the clearing they had been fighting in. Suddenly, he screamed in pain as his the bones in his hands broke.

"It's a pity I have to go demon for trash like you," Jirobo said as the smoke cleared. A red hand struck Lee in the chest as the ogre shouted, "Shougekishou (Rising Impact Palm)!"

Lee felt his chest cave in as he was sent flying several meters through many trees, each falling, but none of them slowing his trajectory speed even a little bit. The Genin finally came to a stop after crashing into the side of cliff. Jirobo materialized in a heartbeat and grabbed Lee's face. It took everything in his body not to vomit in disgust at what he saw.

Jirobo's hair had grown significantly longer; his skin had turned a reddish-orange and had become covered in warts; and his eyes were now black with yellow pupils. "This is the power that Orochimaru-sama could bestow upon you. He can make you a demon to serve under him when he takes on the position of Kami [5]! "

Lee shakily pried himself from the cliff and thought to himself, 'There's no other option. I have to go all out against this monster!' He began to channel his chakra, ready to open his Chakra Gates.

Jirobo roared angrily, "No way in hell, kid!"

He smashed his hands into Lee's head, then grabbed him by his neck and slammed him into the wall. He then slammed Lee into the ground, causing a decent sized crater to form. Lee screamed in pain as Jirobo began to suck out what little chakra remained in his system.

"This isn't even enough to fill me up!" grumbled Jirobo. "I got really hungry fighting you." Lee shakily tried to grab a rock to throw at Jirobo, but the ogre-nin smashed his leg into the boy's arm, breaking it. "Time to die kid!"

Jirobo cocked his free hand into a fist and then back, ready to end the Green Beast's Life. Before he could do it, a massive red and black tiger leapt onto the ogre-nin knocking him off and freeing Lee.

'Th-Th-That's a Chishiotora (Blood Tiger)[6/7]!' thought Lee as Jirobo futilely tried to knock the tiger hanyou away. He stood up and began channeling his chakra. 'Gate one, open! Gate two, open! Gate three, open! Gate four, open! Gate five, open!'

Lee became surrounded in golden chakra and took off running toward Jirobo. The Chishiotora leapt out of the way as Lee knocked him into the air and made hand seals. "Mandarin Dance!" screamed Lee as he took off after him.


The Konoha-nin leapt into a clearing to stop for a second to drink some water. Neji turned back to look in the direction where Lee had been fighting. A massive explosion had gone off where Lee was, jarring the Konoha-nin to there feet.

"He did it," said Neji with a proud smirk on his face.


Lee was sprawled out on the ravaged remains of his battlefield, his body broken and battered. The Chishiotora walked up to Lee with a scroll in hand and placed it gently on his chest. The Green Beast smiled and said, "I knew father left you behind to watch over me after he died. Thank you my friend." He then slept into the wonderful bliss of darkness.


Next Time: We're one step closer to getting to Sasuke, but these damn mutant freaks keep holding us up. With Lee down and now Neji left behind, how the hell are we gonna save Sasuke?

Collaboration! The Broken Bond Mended!


1- I changed the title because I thought this fight seemed too much like Lee's fight with Kimimaro in the canon. So I rewrote the whole chapter. -__-

2- Katon Suiken: Sanshouuoshita (Drunken Fist Fire Art: Salamander's Tongue): The user drinks a special type of Sake designed to turn their chakra into Katon-aligned chakra. The user is granted the ability to produce fire from anywhere on their body. Practitioners of the drunken fist use this to augment their Taijutsu. The usage of this sake leaves areas of the body severely burnt.

3- Tora Tobikomi (Jumping Tiger): The user leaps up and then brings their foot down with explosive force.

4- Tora no Tsume (Claw of the Tiger): The user merely punches with enhanced force due to chakra.

5- And if you hadn't picked it up by now, Orochimaru is trying to become a god. Go figure.

6- Chishiotora (Blood Tiger): These Hanyou tigers are the descendents of ancient Tora Yokai. They are expert hunters and are twice the size of regular hunters. Very few still roam freely in the forests of Hi no Kuni.

7- I thought that it would be appropriate that a tiger saves Lee's butt since he's always associated with them.