Chapter 29: Winner

She could feel the power in her eyes. She was lucky it appeared simultaneously with the explosion or else she would have kissed her ass goodbye.

Tenten could sense Lee had opened his gates once more. She had to get rid of her eyes if she wanted to finish off her plan smoothly.

"What's with her? Why is she closing her eyes?" Kiba asked irritated.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. Something was up.

Lee fisted his hands. "Whatever it is you're planning, I won't let you succeed."

Lee disappeared from where he stood only to reappear in front of Tenten in the blink of an eye. Aiming a fist right on her face, Lee watched in surprise as Tenten clasped both her hands together, a thin layer of chakra enveloped her body.

Lee watched in awe as a huge water column appeared between them, sending him flying a few meters back.

Neji's standoffish demeanor was finally broken. He too was shocked. When the hell did Tenten have such a huge chakra reserve?

"She was summoning a water column!" Kiba felt his mouth fall open.

"It's huge." Shino said in disbelief.

Sasuke's eyes were wide in astonishment. Just how much chakra did this girl have?

The once muddy arena was now turned into a lake in less than five seconds.

Kakashi and Gai were in shock.

"How in the world can she have such an enormous amount of chakra?" Kakashi whispered in disbelief.

"Suiton! Suishouha! (Water Release: Water Wave)" Tenten yelled as she opened her eyes to reveal determined hazel orbs.

"It's gone." Yue whispered in mixed relief and disbelief.

All four of them let out a breath they had no idea they were holding.

"I have to hand it to her. She managed to make it look like she was summoning a water column." Lucas breathlessly complimented Tenten.

"That just took away ten years off my life." Griselda added as she sank further in her chair with her hands covering her face.

Lee struggled desperately against the rising level of water and its current. Releasing a strong wave of chakra from his body, he managed to clear a way for him out of the water. He planted himself on the safety of the cement divider. His eyes were still wide as he met Tenten's determines ones.

Tenten breathed in and out to steady herself. She only had a few more minutes left. If she was going down, she would do it gracefully. Tenten began to form more hand seals. As she did, Lee charged towards her. In a split second, she sensed him behind her.

Lee twisted his body to deliver a roundhouse kick on the back of Tenten's head but was cut short by a water wall.

"Suiton. Suijinheki. (Water Release: Water Wall)" Tenten stated almost monotonously.

Lee made a clicking sound with his mouth at the huge water wall that appeared in a split second. "Let's just see if you can keep up with me."

Lee disappeared once more only to reappear on Tenten's right to give her a punch. Once more, a water wall prevented him from doing so. The same thing happened when Lee tried to punch her jaw.

"Is it just me, or is the water imitating the movements of Gaara's sand defense?" Kiba stated.

"True. Though, if I have to say so myself, Tenten's water barriers are much faster." Shino added.

"She can read Lee's movements." Sasuke answered. "She raises the water barrier a few milliseconds before Lee charges his attack."

"But how is she able to do that?" Kiba pushed on.

"By knowing the opponent." Shino answered in Sasuke's place. "They've been on the same team almost half their lives. She's bound to know exactly how Lee fights his battles."

Kiba glanced at Lee. He was still desperately trying to land a blow to no avail.

"Not only that. The fact that Lee only uses taijutsu makes it even easier for Tenten to read his moves." Shino added.

"But didn't Lee open his gates? How can she stop his attacks with just a simple water barrier?" Kiba asked some more.

"That's not just water." Sasuke answered once again. "Look closely. The water she summoned has her chakra mixed in it. The water is simply a medium. Her chakra does all the blocking."

Kiba sniffed a bit and sensed that Sasuke was right. "But that's unheard of! Shouldn't her chakra reserve be drained by now?" Kiba stated incredulously.

"That's what I thought of as well." Shino agreed. "She created her own water source when she made the mud patch earlier. She used up most of her chakra controlling it and performing various weapon jutsus as well. Add up the strain of fighting Lee, a taijutsu expert, with his gates open, she should not even be able to stand anymore."

Kiba looked from Shino to Tenten. "Damn. And here I was thinking that fighting girl would be as easy as wining by default."

Neji narrowed her eyes at Tenten. He never expected her to have such a huge chakra reserve. Three years ago, her chakra wouldn't even reach one tenth of what she had now. Just how was it that she managed to increase her chakra that much in just a time frame of three years?

Kakashi was silent. He and Gai still weren't able to get over the shock.

"Ne, Kakashi." Gai began. "Those two techniques…"

"They were the Nidaime's (Second Hokage)." Kakashi finished.

"But how could she have…" Gai still couldn't believe it.

"Suiton Suishouha and Suijinheki are both rank B jutsus." Kakashi began. "Maybe she really is of Jounin level already."

Kakashi watched as Tenten performed several hand seals. His eyes grew big once more when he realized what technique she was planning to do.

"That's-"

Gai snapped his head at Kakashi. "What is it?"

"There's no mistaking it. The order of those hand seals…" Kakashi began. "She's planning to do an A rank technique."

Tenten closed her eyes once more. She was finished performing the necessary hand seals and building up what was left of her chakra. This was it. Her final move.

Lee continued to find a loop hole in Tenten's defense. He knew he was close to breaking through. Just a little bit faster and he's sure to break it. But just as he was about to get through, Tenten performed yet another technique.

"Suiton! Daibakufu no Jutsu (Water Release: Grand Waterfall Technique)!"

"I knew it." Kakashi whispered in disbelief.

Suddenly, a thick, huge ring of water appeared in front of Tenten. In a split second, a strong water current was shot out of it continuously.

Spectators were at their feet. They watched as Lee was gobbled up by the furious water current.

Gai was on his feet. "Lee!"

"Daibakufu no Jutsu…" Kakashi began. "…is the ability to create a giant waterfall that is capable of drowning the opponent. Due to its power and high rate of speed, the opponent remains trapped under water until the attack is over."

"Will Lee be alright?!" Gai demanded an answer.

"I used this attack once on a very skilled ninja and ended our match." Kakashi paused. "It didn't kill him, but it did render him unconscious." Kakashi assured.

Gai released a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"He was an S rank criminal." Kakashi paused to glance at Gai. "His name was Momochi Zabuza."

Gai gave Kakashi a surprised look. "Zabuza?!"

Kakashi glanced from Gai to the arena.

"I don't know how much difference it would be if you did Daibakufu no Jutsu to an S rank criminal and to a Chuunin but…" Kakahsi paused and almost laughed at Gai's extremely worried expression. "Since he's your student, he's sure to survive."

With that statement, Kakashi jumped off into the water to see if he finally had to make a decision for the match.

Gai simply watched the back of his eternal rival with tears flowing from his eyes.

"Since he's your student, he's sure to survive."

"You've finally accepted my awesomeness Kakashi!" Gai said in between sniffs. "After all, great masters do create great students!" With that, Gai gave the spectators around him an eye-blinding grin with a 'thumbs up' to match.

Kakashi slowly walked on the water in search of Lee when all of a sudden, he sensed a strong presence beneath him. Jumping backwards, he watched as the water where he once stood exploded.

There, in the midst of the water was Lee. He had his back bent forward with his arms dangling freely from his shoulders. His head was hung low and his knees were his only form of support. He still had his gates open and his chakra cleared the water away from his body, creating a small crater.

"Lee!" Gai yelled as tears flowed from his eyes.

"N-No way!" Kiba whispered. "He's not human!"

Shino simply fixed his sunglasses. These people simply had no limits.

Sasuke, on the other hand, sighed in irritation before heading to the back of the waiting room.

"Hey, aren't you gonna watch?" Kiba asked confused but he was given no answer.

He glanced over to Shino who only shrugged his shoulders.

Lee raised his head in the air and jumped out of the crater. His muscles were gradually being torn by the massive amounts of chakra coursing through his body. He flinched in pain. He had to finish this fight soon.

"Here I come!"

Lee disappeared in the blink of an eye and reappeared in front of Tenten, an arm out aimed right on her face. Just as he was about to make contact, he immediately stopped himself.

"Tenten?" Lee glanced at her form.

Tenten was standing in the middle of the water but she wasn't moving. Her hands were on her sides and didn't make any form of movement as Lee charged towards her. Her bands covered her eyes and her head was slightly hung low.

Suddenly, an intense pain shot through Lee's outstretched arm. He flinched and before anyone knew it, he was on his knees and his gates were closed once more. His breathing was labored and his eyes were closed.

Kakashi immediately made his way towards the two. "Are you alright?"

Lee could only nod his answer.

Kakashi directed his attention from Lee to Tenten. He slowly stood up and inspected the immobile weapons mistress.

"She's unconscious." Kakashi stated in slight bewilderment.

"I thought so too." Lee said in between pants. He glanced up at Kakashi. "I'm glad I was able to stop my punch."

Kakashi nodded. "I guess we finally have a winner." Kakashi glanced from Lee's exhausted form to the rest of the arena. "Match between Rock Lee and Tenten. The winner, Rock Lee!"

A mixture of cheers and disappointments were heard from the crowd.

"She lost?" Kiba and Shino chorused. They couldn't believe it. They glanced at each other then they both glanced at Sasuke. He was sitting on a chair with his eyes closed and his arms folded. His eye brows were furrowed in obvious annoyance.

"He knew?" Kiba asked in disbelief as he glanced at Shino.

Kakashi glanced at Tenten. "Well, we better get her to the hospital as soon-"

Kakashi's sentence was cut short when he glanced at Lee only to see him unconscious.

Medics began to rush towards to the aid of both fighters.

Kakashi chuckled to himself. "If I had come a few seconds later, this match would have been a draw."

Naruto walked back and forth outside the operating room. He couldn't take it anymore. "Why the heck is it taking so long?!"

He checked the clocked once more just like what he did eight seconds ago. "They've been in there for two hours already!"

Suddenly, a nurse came out of the emergency room.

"O-Oi! Excuse me!" Naruto called.

"Oh, are you Miss Haruno's friend?" The nurse politely asked.

"Yes! Yes I am. How is she?"

The nurse smiled at Naruto's panicking form. "She's fine. The operation was minor. It was a success. No complications whatsoever."

Naruto released a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Can I go see her?"

The nurse shook her head. "I'm afraid the Godaime ordered that no visitors be allowed to see her yet."

Naruto frowned a bit but then smiled at the nurse as he scratched the back of his head. "Is that so? Well, then, it's alright. Thank you so much for your hard work!"

The nurse smiled at Naruto and gave him a curt nod before she left.

Naruto immediately snapped his head back when the doors of the emergency room opened once more. This time, it was Shizune who stepped out. "Oh, Naruto. You waited here the whole time?"

Naruto simply nodded.

"Well, Sakura's doing fine now. It was nothing too serious."

Naruto gave her a smile. "I know. I'm glad."

"The things people do for love huh?" Shizune stated as she elbowed Naruto.

Naruto's face turned beat red as he stuttered his reply. "I-I don't know what you're saying!"

Shizune gave him a sheepish smile. "Yeah. Yeah."

"EMERGENCY!"

All three directed their attention towards the rushing medics carrying two unconscious patients on stretchers.

"Fuzzy Brows?! Tenten-chan!?" Naruto yelled in shock. "What happened?!

"Save the details for later!" Shizune ordered. "Bring them in quickly!"

Before Naruto could say another word, Shizune directed the medics into the operating room.

Naruto could only stand in silence.