Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Chapter Twenty
Neji and Kankuro stood across from each other, Kankuro stood normally, facing Neji calmly.
Neji had his Byakugan activated as he fell into his stance.
The two opponents analyze each other, Kankuro's eyes narrow as he watches the Hyuuga, 'Is there any real point in me fighting this guy? He already see's the Crow, and his hidden weapons,' Kankuro glances at his teammates in the balcony, 'Temari and Gaara won't like this for sure...but Baki should understand.'"Is there any objections to this match?" Hayate asks.
Neji smirks, "No objections here."
"I forfeit," Kankuro says.
Neji glares at the Sand Shinobi, 'I don't blame him for forfeiting, he must realize I will be able to see through his attacks then.'"Kankuro forfeits..Neji Hyuuga wins," Hayate announces.
Neji walks back to his team as Kankuro returns to his own.
"What was that Kankuro!" Temari snaps.
Kankuro rolls his eyes, "That guy has the Byakugan, he could see Crow, his hidden weapons, and would've beaten me had I fought him...this was my best choice."
Temari looks at Baki, the Sand Team's Sensei, who only nods in agreement with Kankuro's words.
The blond looks at Gaara who now looked at Neji, 'At least he isn't threatening Kankuro,' Temari thinks.
"Oh man, there's only three people left and all three of them are tough," Choji whines, "I don't think I can do this."
"C'mon Choji cheer up! If you win I'll take you to get some barbeque," Asuma says as he crouches next to his student.
"Really?" Choji asks.
Asuma nods, "Yep, and if it gets to bad we intercept the fight just like we did with Hinata."
'Preying on his weak spot? Really?' Ino thinks.
'I didn't see you help intercept the fight,' Shikamaru thinks.
Choji lets out a battle cry, "NOW YOU'RE TALKING! ALL YOU CAN EAT BRING IT ON!!"
Hinata looks over at them with a smile, 'Team Ten is just as energetic as ever,' she thinks.
"Hey you!" Hinata looks over at the Sand Ninja approaching her, he was the one who just forfeited his match, "Your a Hyuuga right?"
"She is, didn't you hear Hayate announce her name?" Shino asks, turning to look at him.
Kankuro's eyes narrow, "Yeah, must've slipped my mind with all these battles going on. So what's Neji's story? I already know he would've beaten me but how strong is he really?" He asks.
Hinata looks him over with suspicion, 'That's a dig for information...is he trying to do recon?' Hinata thinks, "Ask him yourself," she replies, "I'm sure he might answer a few of your questions."
Kankuro frowns slightly, "The purpose of coming over here was to ask you, I'm sure I can get a better idea of his strength directly from a family member."
Hinata catches Neji's eyes as her cousin raises a brow seeing the Sand Ninja standing with them. Hinata glances back to Kankuro, "I'm sorry but you'll get no information from me."
The Sand Ninja shivers slightly as Shino continues to stare at him as he returns to his teammates side.
"How did your little recon mission go?" Temari asks.
Kankuro rolls his eyes, "It didn't go anywhere, that little Hyuuga girl is tight lipped and her creepy teammate isn't any better."
Hayate coughs, catching everyone's attention, "Alright it's time to begin the next match."
"Alright! This time you'll be picked for sure! Are you ready Lee?" Gai asks.
"No!" Lee states looking away, "I've been waiting for so long that I do not care! I might as well go last."
Hinata looks over at Team Gai and Team Seven as she hears the conversation, 'Is Lee sulking?'
The panel flips through the names as the four remaining Genin watch it, when it finally stops Gaara immediately transports to the middle of the arena using his sand, "Hurry up and get down here."
Choji let's out a roar, "Safe again!"
"Would you stop that!" Ino yells smacking his head.
"Do you want everyone to know your a chicken?" Shikamaru adds.
"Lee!" Sakura says as she looks over at her friend.
"It worked! I knew if I said I would be last I would be next!" Lee says victoriously as he kicks his leg into the air, "I simply applied the principle that says sometimes the surest way to hit something is to stop trying to hit it! It is a form of reverse psychology!"
"Right! That's my student!" Gai yells, "A word advice before you go!"
Lee and Gai lean forward, "You see that gourd on his back?" Gai asks, "Watch out there's something weird about it!"
"Right sir!" Lee yells as he starts to write down his advice.
"What are you writing that down for? It's not like you'll have time to read your notes during the match!"
"More good advice sir!"
"Rock and Roll!" Gai yells as he points to the stadium.
"Yeah!" Lee yells as he jumps over the balcony and lands in front of Gaara, "I knew sooner or later we will have to meet and I am glad it is sooner!" He says to the red head who doesn't respond,
"I don't know what kinda moves that guy with the weird hair cut has but he won't defeat Gaara. Not in this life time," Kankuro states.
'He's fast on his feet alright but his kick isn't that great,' Temari thinks.
Lee blinks as he catches the cork that's thrown at him, "Why are you in such a hurry?" He asks as he drops it, Gaara glares in response.
"Alright then! If you are both ready! Begin!" Hayate says.
Lee runs forward and attacks Gaara with his Leaf Hurricane, but Gaara's sand protects him and Lee looks up with a gasp as the sand towers above him, before he jumps back and lands.
'That...that nightmare. Not again,' Shino thinks, he glances to Hinata who watches the fight tensely.
She gripped the bars of the balcony so tightly her hands turned white, her eyes were solely focused on the two ninja in the arena below her.
Lee attacks Gaara relentlessly, but no matter how fast he is, he can never get close enough to the red head.
Lee jumps back and creates space between them again, and Gaara finally speaks.
"Is that all you've got? I hope you haven't finished entertaining me. We haven't had enough...blood," Gaara says looking up as his sand runs forward and grabs Lee and swings him into the wall.
Lee rolls over and dodges the sands next attack and runs forward, once again attacking Gaara relentlessly but only meeting walls of sand.
"I don't get it. He's only using Taijutsu! Can't he see that's never gonna work? Why doesn't he get some distance and use Ninjutsu!" Sakura asks.
"That might be a good idea if he had any," Gai says, "You see, Lee doesn't have any Ninjutsu or Genjutsu skills at all."
"Your kidding!" Sakura says.
"Oh you should've seen him when I first got him. No talent whatsoever," Gai states.
"Really? I can't believe it!"
Lee flips back in order to avoid the sand, but slips on it and falls backwards, his eyes widen as he sees the sand tower over him again and attacks him.
The sand attempts to cover him but Lee back flips into the air and lands on top of the statue.
"Some may say that not having any Genjutsu or Ninjutsu is a disadvantage. But with Lee...it's what makes him a winner! Take em off Lee!" Gai states.
Lee looks over at him, "But Gai-Sensei you said that's only as a last resort and if people's lives were at stake!" Lee says.
"That's right I did, but this is an exception!"
"Really? Really!" Lee reaches down and takes off his leg warmers and reveals weights on his legs, he picks them up and stands tall, "Ah! That is much better, now I will be able to move freely!"
Lee drops the weights and craters form and dust rises where they land, "Alright! Now go!" Gai yells.
Lee attacks faster than before, his speed even shocking Gaara who looks around as the green clad boy continues to kick through his defense.
Lee flips up into the air and sends a kick down on Gaara's head, landing his first hit.
Lee skids back as Gaara looks up and glares at him, a mark on his face where Lee struck.
"That's right Lee! Let the POWER OF YOUTH EXPLODE!" Gai yells.
"Right!" Lee runs forward again as Gaara raises his arm and directs the shield to send a wave at Lee, but Lee dodges his attacks and lands a punch on the red head's face and knocks him back several feet.
Gaara lands on the ground, more sand falling from his gourd as he slowly gets up, "Uh oh," Kankuro mutters as he watches his younger brother.
Sand falls from Gaara's hunched form as Lee gasps, "What!" The sand shell falls from Gaara's face, not a mark on his there.
The sand slowly comes back and forms his sand armor once more.
"Well..is that all?" Gaara asks.
'Ahh! My speed is not enough, not with all those sand defenses..but maybe if I can get him up off the ground and away from that sand then hit him hard from above with the lotus,' Lee thinks as he watches his opponent.
Hinata looks down at the battle, her eyes wide, 'Gaara is even more formidable than I thought...even Lee's speed can't beat him,' she thinks.
Lee smirks as he runs around the red head, Gaara's arms remain crossed, "What are you waiting for?" He asks.
"You asked for it!" Lee uses a series of attacks and kicks Gaara into the air and wraps his bandages around him, at one point he closes his eyes from the pain, "Primary Lotus!" He yells as he lands on the ground, away from Gaara who laid on the ground which was cracked beneath him, Gaara's armor cracked.
Hayate walks forward and inspects him, but Gaara's body cracks apart and reveals a sand clone.
Lee looks on in shock, "What!"
"An empty shell!" Sakura yells out in shock.
A column of sand appears behind Lee and reveals Gaara, a crazy look on his face as he forms a hand sign and grins widely.
Tendrils of sand appear in the air and attack Lee again, knocking him aside, a giant sand wave appears behind Gaara and knocks Lee against the wall.
The wall behind Lee cracks but he appears gasping heavily, having used his hands to block the attack, he runs forward and avoids another attack, forming another stance as Gaara forms another hand sign.
"It's painful to watch, why doesn't he just give up?" Temari asks, a smirk on her face as she watches Lee avoid Gaara's attacks.
Lee is blown back again by another wave of sand from Gaara, who has a murderous look on his face as he looks at him, "What good do you think that'll do?" He asks.
Lee is once again blown away, he cries out in pain when Gaara's sand attacks him again, crushing him into the ground.
Lee stands up, his eyes half lidded from pain and exhaustion as he keeps up his defensive stance.
Lee smiles as he raises his hand into his offensive stance and he avoids Gaara's attacks with his speed again, standing tall once more as he avoids Gaara's attacks again.
Lee smiles, as he begins to unlock the third gate, he stands stall with his fists at his sides as his skin takes on a red shade, 'The Gate Of Life! Open!'
'The Fourth Gate! Gate of Pain! Open!' Lee thinks, yelling out in pain before attacking Gaara with a high kick to his face.
Gaara appears in the air, his armor cracking once more, his sand moves to reform the armor as Lee runs forward and appears in the air and begins to attack Gaara relentlessly.
'My armor, can't withstand this pounding,' Gaara thinks, 'It's crumbling away.'
Gaara falls to the ground as Lee fists his hand, 'The Fifth Gate! The Gate Of Closing Opened! Are you watching Neji? See what you have to look forward to?'
Lee disappears but reappears and punches Gaara in the stomach, sending him flying down. Lee wraps his bandages around him and stops Gaara mid air as he falls down with him.
'The Sand Shield can't keep up with him!' Temari thinks.
'Hidden Lotus!' Lee internally yells as he lands his final punch.
The gourd on Gaara's back begins to turn into sand as the red head lands on the ground, the smoke clears and it's revealed that Gaara's sand cushioned him from the fall.
Gaara sends his sand after Lee, the sand forms a hand as Hinata gasps and Shino's eyes narrow, 'I know what's coming now.'
The sand wraps around one of Lee's arms and one his legs, Lee cries out as he struggles to get away from it.
'Sand Coffin!' Gaara thinks, and Lee cries out in pain as his hand and leg is crushed.
Lee falls to the ground his eyes closed and Gaara attempts to finish him off but Gai saves him and stands protectively in front of Lee.
"Why'd you save him?" Gaara asks as he clutches his head.
"Because...because he is my student, and also because he is precious to me!" Gai states.
Gaara stands up as his gourd forms from the sand and walks away, "I quit."
"The winner is-!"
Lee stands up, one hand bleeding as the other comes to shakily form his stance, the same for his feet.
"No Lee, it's alright, it's all over now," Gai says, tears leak from his eyes when he see's Lee's eyes, "Not even conscious and still determined to show the world what you can do! Lee..you've already proven it. Your a splendid ninja!"
Hayate glances at them before looking to Gaara, "The winner is..Gaara."
Hinata's hands tighten around the bars of the balcony, 'Lee...no doubt those injuries are career ending..but in the end he proved himself..you did well Lee,' Hinata thinks.
Naruto jumps off the balcony and runs towards Lee, passing by Gaara and meeting his eyes with a glare, he stops in front of Lee's unconscious form, 'Bushy Brows.'
The head medic pulls Gai aside as the others place Lee on the carrier.
"The boys breathing is faint but steady..there are bone fractures and muscle tears throughout his body..he's facing a long and difficult rehabilitation," the medic explains, "But I'm afraid..that's not the worst of it. His left arm and leg in particular have suffered massive damage."
Naruto gasps as he remembers the fight.
"I'm sorry, I know how much this means to you both, but his Shinobi career is over," he bows to Gai before returning to the other medics.
Naruto looks at Lee as the medics pick Lee up, 'He's wrong! He has to be!'
Gai trembles as the medics take Lee away, "It's not true..it can't be true...it's easy for you to say that's it over! But what about Bushy Brows! What's he supposed to do now! Failure? I thought you said we can win! I thought you were gonna show how a failure can- it's a lie then?!"
"Naruto that's enough," Kakashi says.
"But it's not fair Kakashi-Sensei! He was going to beat Neji and Sasuke!"
"That's what his downfall was...your wrong about it just being Sasuke and Neji. It was you too, he wanted to defeat you in combat as well," Kakashi says, he places a hand on Naruto's head, "Be worthy of his sacrifice."
Gaara transformers and appears by Temari and Baki.
'So the worst didn't happen after all,' Baki thinks.
"Good to have you back Gaara," Temari says.
Hinata watches the sand nin, 'I think my theory was right...he has to be-'
"The last two competitors, step up," Hayate says.
'This is all or nothing for all you can eat barbecue!' Choji thinks as he steps forward.
'All I need to do is pass and fight Sasuke..right Lord Orochimaru,' Dosu thinks.
"Alright, the final match..will begin," Hayate says.
"You can do it!" Shikamaru says.
"Fatso!" Ino yells, 'Unleash your rage Choji!'
Choji grows angry hearing what she yelled, "Alright! This match is gonna end in two seconds! And then I'm coming after you Ino!"
"Fine fatso if you want this match to end quickly, then I'll just finish it quickly," Dosu says.
"Your going down hard you mummified weirdo!" Choji yells as a fire burns in his eyes, 'I know his moves all to well from my last fight battle with him. Those holes in his arms emit a pulsing sound but if I can't hear it he can't hurt me.'
"Ninja Art! Expansion Jutsu!" Choji yells, "Now the Hidden Leaf Style Jutsu! This will protect my ears from his attacks and crush him like a bug! Human Boulder! CHUBBIES RULE!"
Dosu dodges his attacks, and when Choji lodges himself in the wall, Dosu lands behind him and attacks him, knocking Choji out.
"The winner is Dosu," Hayate announces, "And with that match, the Third Exam preliminary round is over."
To be continued...
AN: I love my son Lee but unfornately he had to be defeated. I also love every interaction Lee and Gai are involved in because they just bring humor into everything and always make me smile and laugh! I hope you all like the end of this exam round and are lookin forward to the finals.
Hinata, Shino, Sasuke, Naruto, Temari, Shikamaru, Gaara, and Dosu will move on.
To cosmicblader12: You'll have to wait and see! Thank you for reviewing and I hope you enjoy this chapter!
A special thank you to PhoenixReborn424 for favoriting and following Altered! I hope you enjoy this chapter!
I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! If ya did leave your thoughts by reviewing and don't forget to Favorite and Follow!
See y'all next chapter! Bye!