"They speak of good ninja, strong ninja, deadly ninja. Those words are meaningless. There are fast ninja and there are dead ninja, and that is all."
– Minato Namikaze, Fourth Hokage of Konohagakure, to his ANBU guard
-O-
Watching Naruto pull out some food during the Hokage's speech brought a tear to Kakashi's eye. He wanted to hug the little munchkin, or maybe dress him up with a mask and an angled headband. None of his kids were injured; they had a bare handful of scratches between them, and they seemed in high spirits.
Pride was an unfamiliar feeling, but a welcome one. All his students were Chunin within six months of his superior instruction; at least that's how he would describe it to Guy. Even seeing Asuma's team pass didn't spoil his good mood.
But now Naruto faced Guy's student in one-on-one combat, which was a whole other kettle of fish. Guy had spent most of a year complaining about 'that damn Hyuga on my team who's got a screw loose', only taking breaks to talk about how talented all three of his genin were. Neji was perhaps the most gifted Hyuga in twenty years. He was older and taller than Naruto. And he had a huge experience advantage.
"So how are we scoring this?" Kakashi asked Guy. "One point for each time my student beats yours or vice versa, and an extra point for whoever's student wins the whole tournament?"
Guy was leant over the railing, shouting encouragement. "Go on Neji! Prove that your youth is a stoked furnace!" By the looks of things, Neji found it almost as discomforting as Kakashi did.
Kakashi tutted. "Focus, Guy, focus. We're rivals, remember?"
"Of course! I agree to your terms – and I look forward to collecting my first point immediately," Guy said, grinning hugely.
Sakura and Sasuke joined him at the side of the room. "This lunatic here," Kakashi explained for their benefit, "likes to challenge me to random crap. So you'd better not disappoint your frail old teacher, or I'll lose points. And normally that only happens when I let him win."
Guy sputtered behind him, as Kakashi had known he would. After so many years hanging out in the same circles, the two of them had settled into a comfortable routine. Neither of them liked honest conversation, so theater like this was a nice alternative. Actually, that reminded him–
Kakashi turned around, making sure to look disinterested. "Sorry, did you say something? The most delightful butterfly just came flying past and distracted me. You must have missed it."
Hayate finished explaining the rules to the two fighters. "If you win, I'll buy you ramen," Kakashi called down. Watching the grin on Naruto's face was worth the shrewd look he received from Guy.
"If I win, do I get food as well?" Sasuke asked, deadpan.
Kakashi pretended to think about it. "Well, I really want to win this, so I have to motivate Naruto. I guess it depends whether food will make you try harder."
Sasuke grunted, disappointed. He was too proud to joke about sandbagging a fight for food, Kakashi knew. Now all he had to do was distract Sakura before she asked the same question. He stared into the middle distance and interrupted her just as she started talking.
"They say that on days like these, you can hear the ghosts of the fallen in the distance."
Sasuke ignored him, but Sakura cocked her head to the side, listening intently.
Kakashi waited for the perfect moment then sneezed as loud as he could. She flinched away like she'd been poked in the eye.
"Of course, they say a lot of things. I've never been superstitious, personally."
Guy giggled behind him, and Kakashi sighed.
"Look!" Guy's student called. It was the one who put Kakashi's title of 'Copy Ninja' to shame – the boy had even bought the same brand of hair cream as Guy, going by the smell. One of these days, Kakashi would bother remembering his name. "They're starting!"
Naruto and Neji both bowed rather frostily. The other chunin wouldn't be able to hear over this distance, but Kakashi caught a few hostile whispers. It seemed like Naruto's knack for making friends had failed him for once.
"Let us introduce our beautiful students to each other, that there may be no hostility in the air!" Guy shouted. Kakashi figured maybe he had a point. It already looked like one rivalry was brewing between their teams; there was no sense in letting any more take root.
"That's Sasuke, that's Sakura," he said, pointing at the wrong student each time. They both scowled, but didn't bother arguing. Now that was good team cohesion.
"This is Lee, and this is Tenten," Guy said, gesturing at his two students. "And down there is Neji."
"That's right," Kakashi said, feigning surprise. "There's a third person in my team. Naruto's the one who's about to fight, I guess."
That comment earned him a glare from Sasuke and Sakura both. Kakashi smiled under his mask. They were so very protective of their teammate, and they hadn't even realised it yet.
The talking down below was over, apparently. Naruto called Neji a handful of very unkind names and conjured up a dozen clones. The wave of orange rushed over the Hyuga boy, who brushed aside every attack with light taps that dispelled the shadow clones instantly. The wholesale slaughter hadn't taken more than thirty seconds.
Naruto scowled and created another dozen clones before Neji could go on the attack.
"Here's your chance to see the Hyuga clan's famous Gentle Fist in action," Guy told Sasuke and Sakura. He sounded proud, although Kakashi had no idea why. Clan taijutsu was about the only fighting style Guy couldn't teach – Neji's skill was no reflection of Guy's abilities as a mentor.
Naruto's second wave of clones were taken down as easily as the first. As Neji finished mopping up the last handful, Sakura piped up. "What's the Gentle Fist? Is that how Neji can defeat the clones so easily?"
"Neji is releasing a sliver of chakra with each strike, which disrupts chakra constructs such as clones with very little effort. But Gentle Fist is a bit of a crap name," Lee explained. "It only tells half the story. Neji can break ribs with a clean blow, and that's without using any chakra. The Hyuga clan have the second-most-powerful taijutsu style in all of Leaf."
"What's the most powerful style?" Sasuke asked, still riveted by the fight. He looked torn between concern and jealousy. Watching Naruto bog down a superior opponent through sheer weight of numbers was impressive, Kakashi had to admit.
Guy coughed, a little embarrassed. "The most powerful taijutsu style? That would be mine, I believe."
Kakashi nodded confirmation as Sakura cast him a disbelieving look. "He's right." And then, because he couldn't just give Guy of all people a compliment, he continued. "Of course, the strongest taijutsu can still be beaten by a ninja who has mastered more than one technique. And I dare say the Hokage could spank Guy up and down the length of this hall, with that staff of his."
Naruto's last clone dispersed, leaving Neji standing twenty feet away from the original, not even out of breath. Kakashi wondered what his student would try next. Naruto had been studying the way Neji fought, the way he moved, and now…
As Neji took a single threatening step forward, another wave of clones appeared. This one was even bigger than the last. Neji shrugged and settled into his stance again.
But this time, the clones didn't charge. Naruto had them spread out in a wide circle, all around his foe. Bit by bit they closed in, then the original gave a sharp whistle. Six clones moved at once, darting forward the last few steps and lashing out with a fist or foot. One leapt through the air with an overhead kick.
Kakashi almost missed what happened next, with his Sharingan still covered and his attention split. Neji moved like lightning, channeling huge amounts of chakra to his feet and legs. He tore through a couple of clones and broke out of the circle, taking only a glancing strike to the shoulder in exchange. No, that was wrong – he'd also been hit in the hip somewhere in the confusion. And based on how he was ever so slightly favouring his left side, it hadn't been gentle.
Now Neji was free and hunting for Naruto, who had slipped into the swarm of clones. Pairs and trios of them made suicide charges at Neji, trying to slow him down, but none managed to land another strike.
It was a battle of attrition, and Kakashi didn't think Naruto could win. The crowd of clones was already thinning, too few remaining to pull off another encirclement now Neji was prepared for it. Once the real Naruto tried to make another batch, Neji would target him and strike him down.
"Is there nothing Naruto can do?" Sakura asked, coming to the same conclusion.
Kakashi didn't let his worries show. "Don't forget that Naruto's strength comes from being unpredictable. I'm sure he'll pull out something clever." He wasn't sure of that at all, but there was no reason to let Guy know.
The situation was getting desperate now for Naruto. Only four copies were left; three of them moved forward, making a protective screen for the last one. He brought his hands together for the shadow clone technique's seal, but Neji was too fast, slipping past the protective ring and landing a hard strike to the face.
Naruto disappeared in a puff of smoke and Neji scowled, spinning back around. He pushed more chakra to his feet to speed himself up again and get out of the dangerous spot he found himself in. It was too late, though, much too late.
Two of the clones threw themselves at Neji's legs, tripping him and bringing him down. The last, the original Naruto, made another four clones, who piled on, flailing away. Kakashi missed some of the action as the first shadow clone exploded into a cloud of chakra smoke, but when things cleared, Naruto and his last clone were facing a bruised and battered Neji. Kakashi spotted the beginnings of a black eye on the proud Hyuga.
"Naruto likes to use his head," Kakashi said to Guy. "He's rather good with it, in fact."
Guy nodded, looking pensive. "That was an inspired strategy. Unfortunately, I think I will still be collecting the win from this fight."
"Do I need to kick your ass some more, you uptight bastard?" Naruto shouted at Neji.
Neji charged him. Kakashi supposed that was an answer.
The last clone died near-instantly, and what followed was very one-sided taijutsu. Neji was simply too fast for Naruto to match in hand-to-hand combat.
Fists flew but Neji dodged or brushed aside every one of Naruto's strikes. Naruto wasn't quite so evasive and Kakashi winced as Neji landed a pair of blows to Naruto's stomach. He knew from experience what a Gentle Fist strike to the belly felt like, and watched as Naruto struggled to keep from throwing up. Naruto was still upright, and so Neji took the opportunity to land another hit, this time to the leg.
"Why won't you go down?" Neji asked and Naruto bared his teeth. He hauled back for a punch that Neji easily dodged, then lashed out with a stomp to the foot that surprised the Hyuga. It looked like he'd broken at least one toe.
Neji slipped past Naruto's guard again, hair whipping behind him. He struck Naruto in the chest once, twice, thrice. When Kakashi heard one of Naruto's ribs crack, he knew it was over.
And yet Naruto still stood, wobbling slightly and with a tiny bubble of blood at the corner of his lips.
Kakashi fought the urge to look away from the painful scene.
"Surrender yet?" Naruto slurred. "I can do this all day, you know."
Neji lashed out again but Naruto stepped close, robbing the blow of its force. Reeling, he spat a wad of blood at Neji's face.
Neji swayed to the side but it gave Naruto enough of an opening to grab Neji's shoulders. He didn't have the leverage for anything fancy, like a throw or a lock – Kakashi was impressed that Naruto was standing at all, after the beating he'd suffered – but he smashed his forehead forward into Neji's face.
For a second they both wavered, still standing but only just, then Naruto pulled back and whipped his head forward again. Neji's nose broke with an audible crack and blood sprayed everywhere. They fell to the ground in a tumble of limbs, and Naruto clambered on top, pinning Neji's arms with his weight for a few brief seconds. He unloaded punch after punch onto Neji's face, splitting his lip and spreading blood and spit all over his head and chest.
If Naruto weren't injured, that would have ended the fight.
As it was, Neji managed to throw him off and strike him in both shoulders. Naruto's arms dropped to his sides and hung there, limp. With a kick to the face, Neji put him on his back. He disabled Naruto's legs with the same cold efficiency and then struggled to his feet.
Naruto tried to roll over, but his limbs weren't responding, and all he did was press his face into the floor. Kakashi realised he might have over-motivated his kids, if Naruto was taking losing this hard.
"It's over. Proctor, please call the fight." Neji stared down at his foe – Kakashi's student – with cold eyes.
Hayate shrugged. "Fair enough. The winner is Neji Hyuga."
Kakashi and Guy both leapt to their respective students. Kakashi knew Naruto wouldn't have a serious injury, but it had been agonising to stand by, helpless, while his student was hurt like that. "You should see the other guy," Naruto slurred out. Half his face was covered in blood, although Kakashi wasn't sure whether it was his or Neji's.
Neji staggered out of the room, refusing Guy's offer of an arm to lean on. Naruto lay struggling on the stone floor as a pair of medics rushed over.
"Next up is," Hayate rolled the dice again, "you and you."
Choji and Kankuro walked into the centre of the room. One of the proctors set to cleaning up the ring, scattering sand over the blood and then sweeping it away with a broom.
"Kakashi," Naruto mumbled through broken lips. Kakashi bent over to hear him more clearly. "Stay here. Sasuke and Sakura need it, need you, if they're fighting." And then, quieter, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry," Kakashi said, his heart breaking. "You did great. I'll buy you that ramen tomorrow, alright?"
Naruto nodded as he was lifted by gentle hands and set on a stretcher. He looked so much smaller against the white hospital sheets flecked with red.
As he was carried out, it took all of Kakashi's self-control not to run after him. Instead, he ambled back over to his remaining two students. "Naruto will be fine," he said, by way of reply to their worried faces. "He just needs some bed rest and perhaps ten minutes with a healer."
Guy nodded. "Neji would not inflict dangerous wounds on a fellow ninja of the Leaf."
Kakashi caught Tenten and Lee's skeptical stares. He'd have to consider their team dynamic later, though – for now, he had a chance to glean some information about another combatant. Either Choji or Kankuro could end up fighting one of his students in the tournament.
The two chunin started the fight off well. Kankuro was slower than expected, but Kakashi scratched his face as an excuse to slip his Sharingan out for a split second. He took in the whole array of competitors, but Kankuro especially caught his attention. The boy was hiding in a big roll of cloth on the back of a wooden puppet, of all things. Kakashi had heard of the Sand's puppeteer corps, but he'd been under the impression that only jounin and skilled chunin could fight with them.
Kankuro was someone to keep an eye on. If he didn't wind up as an important Sand jounin in ten years, Kakashi would eat his own mask.
Choji, on the other hand, was more of an unknown. Swinging the heavy fists the Akimichi were known for, he looked dangerous enough, and he'd made chunin at an impressive age. But given who his teammates were, it was possible he'd been carried on their shoulders. So to speak, anyway – Kakashi wouldn't envy anyone trying to lift the boy.
Kankuro was being crowded towards the corner of the room as Choji showed off some deft footwork. The fat boy rarely lashed out, instead using his bulk and the threat of his punches to herd his foe. Kankuro gave way rather than risking any damage to his puppet– if it was seriously harmed, he was out of the running for the tournament, and then the preliminaries didn't matter. But he still needed to pass, somehow, and without crippling his main fighting tool.
As Choji forced Kankuro up against the wall, Kakashi saw Kankuro's plan a few seconds before it was executed. Choji was searching for an opening to land a knockout hit, which meant he'd moved in very close. Kankuro's face crumbled to dust, revealing the puppet within. It opened its mouth and spat a spray of poison needles.
To his credit, Choji dodged most of them.
As soon as the puppet's face fell away, he was twisting and stepping aside, his scarf flaring out with the motion and entangling some of the tiny needles. More went wide, but two caught on the soft flesh of his cheek.
"It's over," Kakashi told his students. Kankuro slipped out from the corner he'd been pushed into, taking advantage of the distraction. Choji had ripped both needles out as fast as possible and was washing the wound with water from his canteen.
Kankuro's puppet circled one way and the puppeteer circled the other, but Choji kept a wary distance from both as he tended to his injury.
"What do you mean?" Sakura asked. "Choji looks like he can still fight."
Kakashi shrugged. "Choji is weakened, and he's lost confidence. His former strategy won't work now that he has two opponents to handle at once. He doesn't look like he has a backup plan."
The puppet fired another wave of poison needles and Kankuro leapt forward. Choji dodged all the needles this time, but Kankuro kicked him in the back, and he stumbled. That moment of weakness was enough for the puppet to get a hold of him.
The puppet contorted to reveal a dozen different blades, keen edges glinting as they moved towards his vitals. "I give up!" Choji called quickly, eyes wild. Kankuro pulled the puppet off him and started wrapping it again, ignoring his foe as soon as he'd surrendered.
"That's one cool cucumber," Guy said. "Take note, Lee, Tenten – there are lessons here. It is always good to have a back-up plan. Never assume, under any circumstances, that your enemy is alone. And breaking a foe's morale is a fast path to victory."
"Also, never trust a Sand ninja. They're sneaky," Kakashi added as an afterthought.
Sasuke quirked an eyebrow. "Aren't all ninja meant to be sneaky?"
"Come to think of it, you shouldn't trust non-Sand ninja either."
Hayate was rolling again and consulting a list. "Sasuke Uchiha and Rock Lee, you're up next. This will be the final qualifying fight – if your name hasn't been called, you are through to the tournament."
Lee grinned. "It will be an honour to fight you, Sasuke Uchiha. I have heard great things, and I look forward to measuring my skill against you!"
"Thank you." Sasuke tried out a small smile; it was a little forced, but Kakashi supposed it was the thought that counted. "Let's have an honourable contest. I will enjoy fighting you."
"Then let us burn ever-brighter, for ourselves and for our teachers as well!" Lee clenched a fist, trembling with emotion. "And I congratulate you, Tenten and Sakura, for reaching the tournament stage. I look forward to meeting you in noble battle, for this is–" He cut off as Tenten flicked him on the nose.
Sasuke flicked a quick glance back at Kakashi, who smiled through his mask. "Go on, then. The faster you finish, the earlier we can go home." Shikamaru and Choji were already leaving, but Asuma was staying behind with Ino to watch the last fight. Kakashi expected all the competitors to gather information. Sasuke knew that, and would try to win without revealing too much.
Kakashi was unsure which way the fight would go. Guy's protege must be talented, and raw taijutsu was a good counter to the Sharingan. On the other hand…
"Lee is overcompensating for an injury to his left ankle," Kakashi murmured as he watched the new chunin walk to the centre of the room.
Guy replied in an equally low voice. "He was bitten by a snake in the forest. There hasn't been a chance for proper medical care yet. It will slow him a little."
"He's also put a lot of strain on his body recently."
"There was an incident in the forest, and Lee was forced to open the first two gates to deal with it," Guy said, pride clear in his posture.
Kakashi was pretty sure he kept the shock off his face. Opening even a single Heavenly Gate at that age was hard and very risky. Two gates, or – he looked at Guy's satisfied face. "How many can he open at most?"
"Five."
Kakashi's eye widened as Guy smirked.
"What's a Heavenly Gate?" Sakura asked.
Tenten pulled her away from the two jounin. "I know the theory, but I've never managed the practical side myself. I'll explain and we can watch the fight from over here. Guy gets loud when he spectates Lee."
"Isn't it nice that they're making friends?" Kakashi said, then once they were out of earshot he continued, "what were you thinking, Guy? How on earth he's not half-dead right now is beyond me."
"Watch, and be impressed."
Sasuke and Lee bowed and began.
Lee was a monster. His speed and his strength set him apart already, but his form was perfect and every punch and kick had clearly been practiced thousands of times. Sasuke tried his best to keep up with the punishing pace, but Lee landed a glancing blow to his chest as soon as the fight started, followed by a kick to the hip. Kakashi was reminded of a young Guy.
"Go on, Lee! Show your pride as a ninja of the Leaf!" Guy shouted from beside him.
Kakashi pulled out a set of earplugs and popped them in. He'd been carrying them around for months, waiting for the perfect opportunity to use them as a prop. Looking at Guy's face, it had been worth it.
After frantically backpedalling for a good fifteen seconds, Sasuke was starting to see the pattern in Lee's attacks. It let him avoid some of the blows Lee was sending his way, but Sasuke was simply too slow to keep up with every move. Lee punched right-left-right and Sasuke slapped the first one aside, dodged the second and blocked the third, but by then Lee was already moving to the side and lashing out with a high kick. Sasuke ducked just in time to be hit in the shoulder by Lee's other leg.
"That's going to hurt," Sakura said from her vantage point. "Kakashi, is he going to be alright?"
"You should have more faith in your teammate," Kakashi said, not wanting to give a straight answer. It was harsh to think, but if Lee were healthy, Sasuke would already have lost. He was clinging on by the skin of his teeth, and even if he got lucky and didn't let a knockout blow through his guard, the fight was only ending one way. In a battle of attrition, Lee would outlast Sasuke several times over.
At least Kakashi wouldn't have to worry about motivating any of his students anytime soon. Between Naruto's loss and Sasuke having some humility beaten into him, and Sakura watching it all happen, none of them were going to be complacent any time soon.
"No ninjutsu," he remarked, keeping a close eye on the fight.
Guy frowned. "Lee has no talent for ninjutsu or genjutsu. I suspect it may be congenital, but there is no way to be sure. His aptitude for taijutsu is, in truth, mediocre, but through hard work and perseverance he has turned it into his greatest strength. I find myself surprised that Sasuke has not used any ninjutsu, however."
"I should really get around to teaching him some of those one day," Kakashi said. "Right now his only real option is to set Lee on fire. We don't normally let him do that to allies, though."
He didn't mention that Sasuke was too proud to back down from a taijutsu challenge, at least at first. Then again, Sasuke looked a little desperate. Perhaps he was regretting his pride now.
"Sakura," Kakashi called. "Here's a test for you. See if you can find the answer faster than Sasuke. You are engaged in taijutsu against a superior foe. There isn't enough distance to make hand seals for ninjutsu or genjutsu. Your assets are: a standard set of ninja equipment, clear space to manoeuvre, and no other allies or enemies to worry about. What do you do?"
Guy smiled and clapped Kakashi on the back. "It is good to see you teach your students to use their heads. Let us make this interesting; Tenten, I want you to answer this question as well. Make your teacher proud!"
Sakura watched the fight in silence for a few seconds, thinking. "Escalating to weaponry is a bad idea; I'm already outmatched, so if my opponent draws a knife as well I'll get hurt worse. I need to break contact, which means breaking line-of-sight, but there's nothing in the environment to use. No allies and no enemies means I could use area-of-effect techniques, if I had enough time."
"Perhaps caltrops?" Tenten chimed in. "They'd slow Lee down as he navigated around them, if only by a little."
"If Sasuke has standard gear, he won't carry caltrops," Guy disagreed. "They're technically specialist gear."
Sakura shook her head. "Caltrops work best when paired with smoke bombs, anyway. Of course! Sasuke should use a smoke bomb, then disengage under cover! It's not guaranteed to work, but it gives him a better chance to win."
Kakashi nodded, having come to the same conclusion. "Well done." Sakura beamed at the praise, then her stress lines returned as she remembered why they were having the discussion.
All four watched the taijutsu battle continue. Sasuke ate another nasty kick to the thigh and Sakura winced. He was falling back to the outer wall of the hall, step by step.
Once he was a mere two paces from having his back against the wall, he spun and leapt, clinging to the rough stone. The odd angle put Lee off for a few seconds, and then they were both back to swinging punches at each other, faces tight with concentration.
"I think Sasuke's found a different route," Guy said. "It is true that moving the fight to less familiar ground will benefit the less-experienced ninja, on net. However, I think he still underestimates my student."
It was true. Despite the oddity of fighting someone who only had their head within reach, Lee was giving as good as he got. As Kakashi watched, Lee pushed in closer and stepped onto the wall as well.
"This is something we don't see often during these exams," Kakashi said.
Sasuke and Lee danced back and forth on the wall, trading blows back and forth, climbing ever higher. Sasuke was more confident, gliding here and there on light feet, but Lee was still faster in dishing out blows.
Sasuke stepped away and formed a pair of hand seals, producing two clones. They circled the now-wary Lee, trying to bait him into attacking.
"Very impressive fundamentals. Two perfect clones, while wall-walking. And look at the way their hair moves; he's compensated for the changed angle of gravity."
"You're admiring him a little too hard there, Guy. I'm still your rival, remember?"
"Maybe you could learn from your student, then," Guy said, smirking.
All three copies of Sasuke stepped in close at the same time. Lee's spinning kick tore through two of them, but the real Sasuke caught the leg. With a grunt, he flung Lee off the wall and hurled himself after his foe. The journey to the floor was short, but Sasuke lashed out and slammed a fist into Lee's gut on the way down. As they crashed into the hard stone, he kicked at the older boy's head, but Lee barely got his arms in place to parry.
They were up again in a flash, Sasuke conjuring another pair of clones. Kakashi was impressed. Moment by moment, Sasuke was adapting. He'd found a weakness to exploit and was abusing it as hard as possible.
"Lee! Take them off!" Guy called. Sasuke hesitated, unsure what was happening.
Lee straightened up and shook his head, resolute. "This is a friendly spar between allies. Sasuke has behaved honourably and not used his bloodline. I will only use my trump card against a foe who is going all-out, or when there are innocents in the most desperate need!"
That was interesting. Lee assumed that Sasuke had the Sharingan, but chose to keep it hidden. And now, so would everyone watching. Kakashi filed away that little fact for later.
"You have become so wise, my beautiful student! I became so caught up in my wager with my rival that I lost sight of what really matters!" Guy had unshed tears glistening in his eyes. One day Kakashi was going to figure out how to cry on command like that.
"It is only a reflection of your own wisdom, learned by your faithful student!"
"They're always like this," Tenten said to Sakura, mournful. "All day, every day. The reason Neji and I are so happy we made chunin is so we can get away from it."
"Now, Sasuke, let us finish this youthful display of skill," Lee said, settling back into a taijutsu stance. Despite his fresh bruises he looked to be enjoying himself.
In answer, Sasuke flicked a smoke bomb at his feet. As Lee backed out of the rapidly-expanding cloud, Sasuke raced through a set of hand seals that Kakashi recognised. But where had he learned them from? Kakashi sensed the build-up of chakra from a good thirty metres away.
That was dangerous. If Sasuke missed now, he'd be too exhausted to keep fighting. If he landed his technique, though, the battle was over. Risking everything on a single attack was a sign of desperation.
Lee crept back into the cloud of smoke, eyes closed and ears pricked. He was using the smoke as cover to get in close. Sasuke had left some space between him and the cloud, but was it enough? Lee was fast, with the reflexes of a mongoose.
"This will be a close fight," Guy said suddenly.
"What happened to all that confidence from earlier?"
Guy shrugged. "Sasuke's smart and tenacious, and Lee's hurt worse than I thought. One way or another this ends soon. I wasn't expecting Naruto to lay a finger on Neji, and look what happened there. But a half-finished technique like that puts enormous strain on a ninja, and Lee knows that. He'll stall for time and if Sasuke falters before the cover is gone, Lee will take him down."
Lee was still hidden in the cloud, but it was thinning now. Sasuke held his technique ready, body trembling with the strain, eyes straining for a glimpse of green or the outline of a body through the smoke.
A green blur flew forward and Sasuke stepped back and away, letting the empty green jumpsuit sail by. A second later, Lee tore out of the cloud, stripped down to shorts and a vest-top. As he saw that his gambit had failed, and Sasuke was ready for him, he snapped his arms up across his face, trying to guard against whatever came next.
Sasuke breathed out and released the final hand seal. As an arc of pressurised air flew outwards, it carried all his strength away with it. He sunk to his knees, face grey with exhaustion.
The wind technique picked Lee up and threw him the length of the room, slamming him into the wall. Dust was shaken loose by the impact and Kakashi heard Lee's bones creak from the blow. He collapsed to the ground, face down.
Hayate stepped forward. "This fight is…"
He trailed off as Lee planted a hand on the ground and pushed himself to his feet.
Blood was trickling from his ears and his eyes couldn't focus, but he put one foot in front of the other as he marched over to Sasuke's kneeling form.
With the jumpsuit gone, Kakashi saw the thick cords of muscle all over Lee's lean figure. He also noticed the bruising – from old green-yellow spots that had almost healed to fresh purple patches – that mottled more than half of Lee's exposed skin. "Guy. What have you done to this boy?" Kakashi was half horrified, half impressed.
Guy blew a long breath out through his nose. "He does it to himself. I can't make him rest, I can't make him stop. All I can do is channel that inner fire so he hurts himself less. Look at him, Kakashi, and tell me whether he's a reasonable man." Guy sounded tired, so terribly tired. Kakashi was too afraid to look at him and find out what kind of person his friend was, under all those layers of cynicism and denial.
Lee dragged himself another couple of steps forward. One hand curled into a fist; on the other, his fingers wouldn't move properly.
Sasuke struggled to his feet as well, steadying himself with his hands on his knees, sucking in huge breaths of air. His fingers shook and he tried to form a hand seal, once and again until he finally gave up. "You really are a worthy match," he said, voice thin with exhaustion.
Knees bent, Sasuke launched himself at Lee, taking him down.
They fought like cats in a sack, no technique or skill left, twisting and rolling and hissing and cursing. Neither of them was in any shape to deliver a knockout blow. At last, with a tortured scream, Sasuke pulled Lee into a chokehold.
Over the course of a painful minute he forced the older boy to the edge of consciousness. Once Lee finally stopped struggling, Sasuke collapsed onto his back and stared at the ceiling.
Hayate watched for another few seconds to make sure Lee wasn't still fighting. Kakashi didn't blame him. "The winner is Sasuke Uchiha, I suppose. That's all for now – the tournament bracket will be finalised and distributed this evening." Hayate waved half-heartedly and left.
"Well done Sasuke!" Sakura cheered, rushing over to him and checking his injuries. "Let's get you to the medics."
Sasuke shook his head, eyes half-closed and mind half-elsewhere. "I'd rather not go to the infirmary. It smells of blood and fear."
"You're hurt bad. A medic is having a look at you, even if I have to beat you the rest of the way unconscious and carry you there." Sakura's eyes darted over to Kakashi as she made another threat. "I'll make Kakashi withdraw you from the tournament."
"I'm allowed to do that," Kakashi added.
After mulling it over, Sasuke nodded. "Fine. I'll go."
The rest of the spectators were clearing the room. No doubt they wanted to get cleaned up and find something to eat. A pair of medics loaded Lee onto a stretcher; he was already stirring again.
"Can you walk?" Sakura asked. Rather than answering, Sasuke pushed himself to his feet, accepting her offered arm.
Ino and Asuma wandered over, and Kakashi smothered the emotions splayed across his face. This was no time to be showing weakness.
"That was a real impressive show by all four of your students who fought," Asuma congratulated Kakashi and Guy, an easy smile on his face. Kakashi itched with the need to grind that smug look into the dirt. "I'm looking forward to showing what Ino can do."
Guy forced a brittle grin as he stood beside Lee's stretcher. "Thank you for your kind words."
"I got my hands on an early copy of the tournament bracket. Just spotted it floating around, you know? They hadn't filled in the last name, but I guess that's gonna be Sasuke now. I figure you'll be interested." Asuma tossed a scrap of paper and Kakashi caught it a split-second before Guy. They shared a wordless look and then scanned the paper together.
? vs Neji
Ino vs Tenten
Sakura vs Temari
Gaara vs Kankuro
"Thanks," Kakashi said. "Well, I don't want to keep you from training." The dismissal was a little rude, but he couldn't bring himself to care.
Asuma just smiled like they were old friends. "I'll see both of you around."
"We'll need to keep these two under observation for a few hours at least," a doctor told Kakashi and Guy. Sasuke frowned but didn't protest. Two medics lifted Lee's stretcher and followed a slow and cautious route deeper into the castle.
Sasuke followed the medics to the infirmary, Kakashi hovering over him the whole way. He didn't relax until Sasuke was tucked into a hospital bed, monitors hooked up and checking his vitals. Naruto had been dozing in the corner of the infirmary, no doubt helped along by some anesthetics, but he struggled awake again.
Kakashi tried to keep Naruto calm, but it was no use. He had something to say, and he'd move heaven and earth to get the words out. "Listen to me. Listen! I warned that blank-eyed bastard about Gaara, and he told me it was a pity that someone had saved Hinata. Sasuke, you've gotta break that pretty nose of his. Promise me!"
"You did a pretty good job of rearranging his nose already," Kakashi reminded him.
"Neji is going down, in front of a crowded stadium, and I'm going to embarrass him when it happens," Sasuke said from his own bed. "For what he said about Hinata, of course. But also, more importantly, for what he did to you."
It wasn't quite the warm team bond that Kakashi had been hoping for, but it was something.
