KP: here we go the roller coaster is just getting started
IPF: You can say that again
KP: due to popular demand once we finish No Guts No Glory we shall begin the story "Love and War" and then probably "Konhoa's Finest" or "The Apprentice"
IPF: Yeah but for this chapter we used the song "Blaze of Glory" By Bon Jovi in the backround of this fight
Kuwabara: Chapter 17
KP: Let's have some fun
Chapter 17 No Guts No Glory
The crowd watched with anticipation as the two great fighters stood in front of one another in their respective stances. Lee was standing in his trademark leaf style stance whereas Ryu was in his "Steel Bear" Stance. "I respect you Lee" Ryu said "But let's see who the real Taijutsu master is"
I wake up in the morning
And I raise my weary head
I got an old coat for a pillow
And the earth was last night's bed
"Yes I promise to everyone here I will not lose to you" Lee said deadly serous. It was the first thing he had ever said that was so serous that Lee would rather die than lose right now "Enough talk lets fight"
Ryu made the first move by charging at Lee. Ryu threw several fast punches each of which Lee blocked. Then Ryu placed his right hand on the ground and he lifted the rest of his body and kicked Lee twice in the side with his feet. Lee brushed off the attack and backed up still in his stance. Lee motioned his fingers for Ryu to continue.
Ryu rushed again but this time Lee ducked the first punch then uppercut Ryu in the chin. Ryu recovered and landed on his feet then he tried to kick Lee in the shin but Lee countered by kicking Ryu's ankle to the ground then locking his foot around. They both had their left foot locked. The two pushed and pulled with their feet trying to get the advantage. Lee yanked Ryu toward him and aimed a right hook but Ryu leaned away falling onto his back and at the same time attempting soccer like kick with his right foot. Lee raised his arms to block the attack. The blow sent Lee skidding a few feet back still grinding his feet in the ground trying to not loose any ground.
Ryu filled his hands with chakra and ran at his opponent. Ryu pulled his hands back and struck Lee with them together in an openhanded strike "WASHI BATSU!" (Eagle Strike) Ryu screamed. The attack hit Lee's arms and disabled them. Lee's arms slouched at his sides lifeless.
I don't know where I'm going
Only God knows where I've been
I'm a devil on the run A six gun lover
A candle in the wind
The two of them didn't say a thing. Lee just grinned at Ryu and Ryu nodded in acknowledgment. Ryu had the advantage and Lee knew it but Lee positioned his feet for another attack.
"Lee's in trouble" Naruto said from the shadows "he can't use his arms"
"Yeah this should get pretty good" Neji responded
"What are you talking about Neji?" Naruto asked "He's got a serious disadvantage"
"DO you know why they call him the 'Beast of the Leaf'?" Neji asked "When he meets a true opponent there's no holding back especially in Taijutsu"
"I don't get it" Sakura said from the stands "Lee usually talks a lot when he's fighting or not but right now he's deathly silent"
"But he is talking Sakura you just don't see it" Gaara said who was sitting behind all of the girls except for Hinata who wasn't there at the moment. Sakura was still a bit off guard with Gaara talking so freely. Aki had more of an impact then even Gaara realized. "Lee communicates far better with his fighting that with his speech. I learned that when I fought him all those years ago. With Lee fighting isn't something he does, it's his life. It's who he is"
'Damn he took out my arms' Lee thought 'but then again I learned a long time ago that my fists aren't my only natural weapons'. Ryu charged again but this time Lee leaped three feet into the air and spun his entire body around and hit the heel of his right foot on the back of Ryu's head. Ryu went flying foreword and smashed into one of the area walls. 'He's gonna feel that in the morning' Lee thought.
When you're brought into this world
They say you're born in sin
Well at least they gave me something
I didn't have to steal or have to win
"YES!" Tenten exclaimed throwing her fist into the air
"Don't get too worked up" Gaara said "This fight is far from over"
"You know ever since you started talking normally you've been a bit of a downer you know" Sakura said
"Oh I am not the only one who noticed" Aki said punching Gaara playfully
Back in the arena Ryu was getting up. He rubbed the back of his head then smirked. "So you haven't lost your will to fight" Ryu said
Lee said nothing he merely nodded and smiled cockily. 'Damn I still can't use my arms what the hell am I gonna do? I can't even take off my weights' Lee thought 'I probably only have one shot to take him out and it's gonna take all of my chakra. Of course I don't have that much chakra to begin with but still'.
Well they tell me that I'm wanted
Yeah I'm a wanted man
I'm colt in your stable
I'm what cain was to abel
Mister catch me if you can
Ryu charged foreword instead of attacking Lee leaned away from the attack. He continued dodging all of his opponent's blows. Lee waited for the right moment then leaned back and touched the ground with his slumped shoulder and kicked Ryu under the chin with his left foot sending Ryu flying into the air. Lee shoved himself into the air with only his right leg.
"He's going for the lotus!" Tenten said
"That's not possible" Sakura stated "He can't use his arms!"
"He doesn't need to" Gaara mused "He's going to lock his legs then he's going to sling his arms around and force them to stay together by manipulating chakra in his hands."
"Is that even possible?" Ino asked
"Oh it's possible" Gaara responded "Unlikely maybe but never impossible"
Lee wrapped his legs around Ryu and tried to sling his arms around but his arms were blocked by Ryu. "Did you think I would let you do the lotus to me? Fool!" Ryu mocked and switched around and punched Lee in the face several times then kicked him in the temple. Lee's nerves were jumbled and he temporarily lost control of his body. Lee plummeted to the ground smashing into the ground creating a small crater.
Ryu did a flip and landed gracefully on his feet. "Not bad Lee but I must say for being four years older I am very disappointed." Ryu said turning to see Lee beaten. Ryu's jaw dropped to see Lee standing up with his arms still limp at his sides and his face cracking into a big smile. "What are you so happy about?" Lee said nothing just continued to grin. "I"LL WIPE THAT SMIRK RIGHT OFF YOUR FACE" Ryu shouted and charged Lee. Ryu got within striking distance then suddenly Lee disappeared. "What the-oof!" Ryu was struck with a fist right in the jaw.
I'm going down in a blaze of glory
Take me now but know the truth
I'm going down in a blaze of glory
Lord I never drew first
But I drew first blood
I'm no one's son
Call me young gun
"Unbelievable" Neji said
"Neji what the hell just happened" Naruto asked
"That last shot to Lee's temple knocked his nerves so hard it brought the use of his arms" Neji said shocked
"Yeah but what about the super speed we saw a second ago" Naruto asked
"While Ryu was basking in his early victory celebration Lee used his arms to remove the weights on his legs."
Ryu stood back up but Lee knocked him right back down with a side kick that was so fast everyone just saw a shadow-like image strike Ryu to the ground. Ryu stood up again trying to regain his composure and the second he reached his feet he was struck down by a punch from above smacking him to the ground yet again. 'It doesn't seem like I have a choice' Ryu thought this time he rose and he took something out of his pocket. It was small and black.
You ask about my conscience
And I offer you my soul
You ask if I'll grow to be a wise man
Well I ask if I'll grow old
'Soldier pill?' Lee thought 'usually that wouldn't make that big a difference but I have never seen a black one before'.
"Never seen a black one before have you" Ryu asked "That's because I made this one myself. Why don't you judge the results for yourself?"
Ryu put the pill in his mouth and clenched his fists. Ryu shut his eyes tightly and began to focus. Lee could actually see his muscles bulging with power. Ryu grew to a massive seven feet and his arms got as big as four feet around the bicep. His fists were two feet wide. His legs got as big as the logs that Lee practiced hitting. 'Damn this is not good' Lee thought 'I promised Tenten that I wouldn't use the 8 gates in this tournament'.
FLASHBACK
Lee was doing vertical push-ups in Tenten's living room. "This is what you call quality time?" Tenten asked as Lee continued to do push-ups.
"Well I can't waste a second" Lee said pushing himself harder
"Lee can you please take a moment for me?" Tenten asked in a sad voice and Lee jumped to his feet.
"Whatever you ask of me Tenten I shall do without a second thought" Lee said doing his 'nice guy pose'
"I'm worried about the tournament" Tenten said "I mean at the 1st chuunin exam you almost killed yourself trying to beat one person I don't want you to do that again"
"Do what Tenten?" Lee asked
Tenten looked into his eyes with tears forming "I want you o promise me that you wont use the eight celestial gates" Tenten pleaded sobbing on his shoulder.
Lee placed a hand on her head and stroked her hair gently. "I promise Tenten I won't do anything that bothers you in any way" Lee said "You have my word that I will watch out for my own well-being more than my will to win"
END FLASHBACK
Lee charged foreword and jumped into the air. "KONOHA WHIRLWIND!" Ryu ducked the giant kick but Lee placed one hand back on the ground and swung his legs around as a counter smashing it into Ryu's cheek. Ryu didn't budge an inch. Instead Ryu kicked Lee in the side while he was upside down. Lee went flying and hit a far wall leaving an indent on it.
You ask me if I known love
And what it's like to sing songs in the rain
Well, I've seen love come
And I've seen it shot down
I've seen it die in vain
Lee tried to pull himself out of the wall but suddenly Ryu reappeared in front of him and punched lee several times in the sides rapidly. Lee fell foreword to his hands and knees and began to cough up blood. 'He's fast' Lee thought 'and strong. How can I use that to my advantage? Wait a second what if I use that speed and strength against him? That will definitely turn the tables'.
Lee charged again this time hitting Ryu several times rapidly in the chest. Ryu pulled back his massive right fist and swung it at Lee but Lee ducked it and moved in to uppercut Ryu with his right fist. Once the fist hit Ryu's chin Lee twisted his body around and hit him with his left foot in the chest knocking Ryu back a few feet holding a hand to his chest. Ryu fell to his right knee panting. Lee stood up in his usual stance with one arm behind the back and the other open handed.
Ryu charged again swinging his gigantic right fist, but Lee jumped over Ryu and he hit the ground having clods of dirt fly everywhere. Lee spun in the air rotating his body around then once on the ground he swung out his leg tripping Ryu. Ryu slammed his back onto the ground shaking the entire arena.
Tenten was shocked at Lee's performance. "I don't get it Ryu's stronger than Lee. But Lee is winning. How is that possible?" Tenten asked
"Simple" Gaara replied "Lee is using that head of his"
"What do you mean Gaara?" Sakura asked
"Well Lee is not nearly as strong as Ryu but Lee knows that Ryu is a man just like everyone else and he is breakable. He knows that with his weights off Ryu can't match him in speed. So he lets Ryu make the first move leaving his massive open and vulnerable to his attacks." Gaara responded
Ryu reached his feet panting while Lee stood looking at Ryu without a sign of fatigue. 'Why can't I hit him?!' Ryu thought 'he isn't that fast!' Lee still stood without any words being spoken. Just a cocky smile on his lips. Ryu stood holding his hands out with his hands flowing with chakra. They began to glow dark red. Sparks erupted around them and dust around Ryu began to kick up. "TORA TSUME!" (Tiger Claw) Ryu screamed at the top of his lungs while his hands were filling with chakra.
Ryu charged Lee with his hands charged with chakra. He ran at Lee but surprisingly Lee didn't budge an inch. 'What the hell is he doing he's gonna get killed by my move'. Ryu swung his right chakra filled fist but Lee disappeared again with his lightning speed. He was suddenly above Ryu and spinning around. Lee let out his signature battle-cry as he swung his leg around "LEAF SPINNING WIND!" The kick connected with Ryu's face breaking his nose and sending him back smashing into another arena wall. Ryu came out from the wall panting even harder.
Shot down in a blaze of glory
Take me now but know the truth
'cause I'm going down in a blaze of glory
Lord I never drew first
But I drew first blood
I'm the devil's son
Call me young gun
'I don't understand he should have been incapacitated by now' Lee thought 'that soldier pill must be stronger than I gave him credit for'. Ryu's hands automatically erupted with the same chakra again. 'His chakra isn't diminishing ether' Lee thought 'if anything he's growing in power'. Lee stood again as Ryu charged once more swinging his fists around. Lee leaned away from the right-handed blow feeling the huge breeze pass by from the blow of the punch. Ryu swung the other fist but this time Lee jumped over it and placed a hand on Ryu's shoulder to lift him up and then he kicked Ryu under the chin. Ryu leaned back but didn't fall over. While still in midair Lee unleashed several aerial kicks to Ryu's chest. Ryu fell over yet again but this time Lee landed on his chest as he went down.
Lee jumped off of Ryu's chest and landed several feet away gracefully. Ryu rose yet again. A white aura surrounded him going crazy with power. 'What the hell is going on?' Lee thought 'damn him and his mental toughness I guess I don't have a choice but to use the lotus. Lee began to unwrap his medical tape from around his hands and looked at Ryu with a deathlike stare.
Ryu Tried to power his hands with chakra again but Lee ran foreword and suddenly disappeared only to reappear right in front of Ryu unleashing that hellish kick right under Ryu's chin. Ryu flew up into the air and Lee placed both his hands and feet on the ground "LEAF SHADOW DANCE!" Lee shouted and reappeared behind Ryu. Lee began to wrap Ryu with his tape and then locked his hands around Ryu's waist. "YOU'RE FINISHED! IN INITIAL LOTUS" Lee shouted.
"I think not" Ryu said. But Lee just gritted his teeth and began their downward decent. Suddenly they both collided with the ground creating a gigantic crater. But what everyone saw was not what they expected. Lee was laying on his back with a huge gash on his forehead while Ryu was the one standing.
"Kawamarii no jutsu!" Gaara said shocked
Each night I go to bed
I pray the lord my soul to keep
No I ain't looking for forgiveness
But before I'm six foot deep
"Theres no way he used that jutsu his hands weren't free!" Sakura said
"There are other ways of using chakra instead of forming seals. In case you haven't noticed Ryu hasn't made a single seal yet" Gaara said "He forms chakra another way"
"Another way?" Aki asked puzzled
"Yes" Gaara said looking at his wife to be "he forms the seals in his mind giving him an advantage. it's a very advanced way to do things and usually only able to be done by those at an ANBU or Kage level."
"So I guess lee lost" Ino said sadly
"So you think" Tenten replied pointing down at the arena "check it out"
Lee had reached his feet. He was bleeding from the forehead and his vision was slightly blurry. Lee raised his hand in position and his other arm behind his back. 'DAMN HIM' Ryu thought 'WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BEAT HIM!' Ryu rushed foreword with his hands erupted in chakra again this time he hit Lee once in the gut with his left arm sending him into the air about four feet then hammering him with his other volleyball sized fist. Lee fell to all fours and began to hack up blood. While he was on all fours Ryu kicked Lee in the face sending him flying several feet into the air before plummeting back down.
Lee rose to his feet again but before he could do anything Ryu was already behind him. Ryu punched Lee in the back the head sending him foreword several feet. 'I can't see a damn thing' Lee thought 'how the hell am I gonna fight him?' To Lee, Ryu could be attacking from anywhere. He was probably at the worst stage in a fight of his entire life. He had never been at this big of a disadvantage. He always had a trump card of some sort he could use. But at this point it looked as if Rock Lee's luck had finally run out.
Lord,i got to ask a favor
And I'll hope you'll understand
'cause I've lived life to the fullest
Let the boy die like a man
Staring down the bullet
Let me make my final stand
'Wait a second' Lee thought 'he's such a brute with all that power I can feel his movements in the wind'. Ryu aimed a hammerlock punch that was about to hit Lee on top of the head that would definitely knock him out but Lee disappeared again. "What the-" Ryu began but was struck to the ground b a flying kick by Lee to the face. "But how- how can you even see?"
"Ingenious" Neji said
"How in the hell did he do that Neji?" Naruto asked
"He used the breeze of the air around d him to figure out exactly where Ryu was" Neji said "And in his bulky body he can't use ultimate stealth to avoid detection".
"So Lee can hit him now!" Naruto shouted
"That isn't even the half of it" Neji responded "Now that Lee knows about Ryu's little trick there's no way he'll reverse the Initial Lotus this time"
"I can't" Lee responded and Ryu gasped. Ryu decided to charge Lee in a futile attempt to finish this fight once and for all. Lee waited until Ryu was almost upon him then leaned back away giving the same exact kick to Ryu's chin again. "I'M NOT FINISHED WITH YOU YET!" Lee shouted and kicked Ryu up in the air the entire way. Lee wrapped Ryu up once again in the bindings and locked his arms tightly around Ryu. Lee yanked Ryu towards the direction of the earth and began to rotate them both in the air.
Shot down in a blaze of glory
Take me now but know the truth
I'm going out in a blaze of glory
"YOU MUST HAVE FORGOTTEN THE ONE RULE ABOUT TAIJUTSU MY FRIEND" Lee shouted as they continued their downward decent "ITS VERY SIMPLE IF YOU PUT A TRUE FIGHTER IN THE POSITION OF DEATH OR LOSS WE WILL CHOOSE DEATH EVERY TIME! BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE NO GUTS THEN YOU WILL HAVE NO GLORY! I AM ALWAYS PREPARED TO GO DOWN IN A BLAZE OF GLORY! SO LETS FIND OUT WHICH ONE OF US CAN TAKE A BIGGER BEATING! SECONDARY LOTUS!!!!"
Lord I never drew first
But I drew first blood
And I'm no one's son
Call me young gun
I'm a young gun
The two Taijutsu specialists crashed into the ground forming an even larger crater. Lee rose to his feet panting and bleeding from his mouth due to internal injury but all in all he was okay. Kakashi raised his right hand and spoke "Sousa Rock Lee!" The crowd erupted in cheers and hoots and hollers.
Ryu rose to his feet even though injured "Your right Lee. I forgot about the law of a true fighter and their way of life" Ryu held out his hand in congratulations. "I hope to one day be as powerful and headstrong as you"
Rock Lee accepted his handshake and smiled "Ryu you don't leave any doubt that you will one day be a fine ninja. But always remember a fighter be willing to go down in a blaze of glory."
-End of chapter 17
KP: Wow that was an awesome chapter
IPF: I thought so too
Kuwabara: I liked the fact you guys chose the song Blaze of Glory by Bon Jovi it fit the chapter very well
KP: Yep I thought so too anyways look out for chapter 18 and Tykiei Ken vs. Uchiha Sasuke in the next fight.
