The Path A Ninja Walks...
Chapter Forty-one
To Protect The Life Of Someone Precious: Primary Lotus!
A/N: WARNING-The character known as Sage Amesawa uses a lot of profanity and colorful language as part of his "colorful" personality. Be prepared if you are sensitive to that. Please note it is not because I condone such manner of speech, and also the character does not mean to use it as a way to be harmful, it is just his personality.
"Say...isn't that the weird guy on the hot guy's team?" asked Hana. It seemed she was still a little bit dizzy.
"Yeah...the one on Neji's team." said Sage, "But I would hold off on calling him weird-since he quite literally just saved our asses."
"What are you doing here, Lee?"
"I will always appear, any time and anywhere that you are in trouble, Sakura." he responded to her question and she felt a small flutter in her heart.
"...Hopeless romantic..." Saseme mumbled.
Still this was rather odd.
It wasn't all too long ago that she had just run into Neji...and now...she had a run in with Lee...
As far as Saseme could tell, he didn't know about the quiet moment the two shared in the moonlight...
Let's hope it stays that way...
She thought to herself blushing.
The last thing she needed was anyone thinking she's soft...
"But right now on this test, I'm your enemy." the pinkette said softly.
"Sakura, I already told you..." Lee said softly, "I will protect you until I die."
"Yes...Thank you, Rock Lee."
Guess I'm chopped liver over here...
Saseme scoffed.
Hana...Sage...I hope you'll be okay soon...
Her eyes scanned over the area.
I think things are about to get heavy...
"Zaku..."
"Yeah, Dosu?"
"I'll leave Sasuke and the twin girl to you..." he grumbled, "I'll take care of these two..."
"Got it." Zaku grinned.
Dammit and it's about to get heavy fast...
Saseme hissed as she took a protective stance over her brother.
Unlike Sakura here...I don't think I have anyone rushing to MY rescue...
Dosu readied his arm as he took in the new enemy that stood before him, "The guy with the bushy eyebrows is pretty good at Taijutsu." he said with a slight smirk in his tone, "Looks like I get to have some fun~"
He began charging in right for Lee who readied himself. A taped hand plunged straight into the dirt beneath his feet and he uprooted the submerged tree root beneath it.
"I am positive that there is some sort of trick to your attack-" said Lee, "So I am not going to waste my time trying to dodge it...after all...I have seen your technique before..."
Sakura's eyes went wide as she watched, awe-stricken by the goofy looking strong man before her eyes...
"He's pretty strong, isn't he?" Saseme said to her softly with an almost boastful tone to her voice, drawing the pinkette's attention-
"...Rock Lee was my class mate in the upper class I was in..." she said softly, "I used to watch him all the time..." she blinked, "He had no talent in Ninjutsu or Genjutsu...which I aditedly thought was a little strange myself." se stated softly, "But even so...despite our vast differences...he helped me then...and I came to admire him...because he boasted a different kind of strength..." she smiled, "He was my first friend...and first rival." she smiled.
"Wow..." Sakura said softly before returning her gaze to Rock Lee.
He's tough...
She thought to herself.
"Okay...I take back every bad thing I said about him..." Hana whispered, "Maybe I would let that guy date me."
The boy watched carefully from behind the defense of the pulled up tree root as he tried to assess the situation.
Of course...having said that...the odds are still against me as it is three against one...
he thought to himself.
Saseme is behind me at barely half strength and her team mates are still down for the count at the moment from their earlier attack...
I have to take a chance!
xxxxx
"He's late..." Ten Ten stated, "...And Lee's never late." she paused, "Lee is- well...fanatical about being on time!" she paused once more and shifted her eyes over to Neji, "Maybe he ran into the enemy...you don't think...?"
Neji smirked.
"No...I'm sure he's all right...still though..." he paused a moment, "...We better go find him..."
"Right!"
xxxxx
Lee stood silently...being watched by the enemy as he slowly began to unravel his tape.
"Lee...?" Saseme blinked.
...What is he doing?
Guy Sensei, I am sorry..
Lee thought to hiself as he loosened his bandages.
But I must use the Lotus now...the condition has been met-
He paused to give a glance back to an exhausted Saseme...and to Sakura...
...To Protect The Life Of Someone Precious!
In a flash of speed Lee was gone- startling the man who was charging for him.
Where did he go!?
Dosu wondered-
Did he disappear!?
He tried to re-treat...but Lee had already fallen into his flyinf Shadow.
"Not yet!" Lee declared, wrapping his target bindingly tight in the loosened tape, and clutched his arms around him.
"Take this!" said Lee as he and Dosu began to take a spinning fall- plummeting to the earth beneath them-
"PRIMARY LOTUS!"
To Be Continued