~Scroll 5~
"Let's go, Lee." Called Lee's female teammate, "What are you doing?"
"You guys…" Rock answered over his shoulder as he began to follow his pink-haired Goddess, "go on ahead. There's something I want to check first."
/
Rock Lee followed the members of Team 7 for a bit until he knew for certain that there would be no distractions or interference from the other chuunin-applicants.
"Hey, you with the scowl…" Lee called out from the fourth floor terrace. "Wait up!"
"Eep!" Sakura gasped when she saw the weird teen up on the terrace.
Naruto frowned at the odd youth while Sasuke looked on with utter boredom.
"What is it?" The Uchiha demanded.
"You and me, here and now… want to fight?"
"You want to fight me… here and now?" Sasuke repeated in complete surprise.
"Yes." Rock said as he leapt over the terrace railing and landed in front of the trio.
"My name is Rock Lee." Lee introduced himself, "Among sticklers, etiquette requires one to introduce oneself before asking for the name of another…
"… Uchiha Sasuke."
"Huh…" Sasuke grunted, "So you knew who I was all along."
"I'm calling you out!" Lee declared as he lowered himself into a fighting stance, "I want to test the effectiveness of my techniques against the last surviving member of your legendary clan.
"Besides…" Lee trailed off as he turned his attention to his pink-haired Goddess.
"Hunh..?"
Lee then gave a flirtatious wink.
"NO WAY!" Sakura shrieked as she began to tremble at the thought of the creepy-eyed teen attempting to court her.
Naruto began growling in response to his oneechan's trembles.
"You're an angel!" Lee gushed then blew a kiss at his Goddess' direction.
Naruto stepped in front of his littermate and bared his fangs more visibly.
"Aw… don't be like that…" Lee addressed the growling blonde but was confused as to why the petite girl would be so protective of the pink-haired Goddess.
"So you're challenging me, even knowing my lineage?" Sasuke asked, "In other words, you're a fool.
"So, Dog-brow…" Sasuke glowered, "do you really want to learn what it means to be an Uchiha?"
"Absolutely!" Lee cheerfully replied. I can hardly wait! I'm going toe-to-toe with the cream of the rookie crop, first time out! Now you'll get your proof you require, Master Gai!
"Hold it." Naruto called, startling his teammates since the blonde rarely joined in a grudge match. "Let me handle Dog-brow."
Sasuke smirked when he heard his blonde take up the Uchiha's nickname for the leotard-wearing Nin.
"He upset 'neechan." Naruto hissed like a peeved kitten.
"I have no interest in fighting you, little miss." Lee frowned, "Only Uchiha."
"I'M A BOY!" Naruto growled.
Immediately the after-image of Naruto disappeared while the real Naruto was upon the offending Nin.
Naruto closed in for a punch.
Lee casually brushed the punch aside.
Naruto effortlessly grounded himself, bringing his left leg around for a devastating downward kick.
Moving as fluidly as water, Lee ducked beneath Naruto's descending kick, using his leg and arm to knock Naruto down.
"Gale Force Technique!"
The combined momentum of Naruto's attack and Lee's counterattack caused Naruto's lithe body to fly through the air and crash right into the wall.
~Naruto-dono!~
"NARUTO!" Sakura cried as she immediately rushed to her otouto's side.
"Mark my words…" Lee proclaimed to Sasuke, "None of you will beat me."
~Naruto-dono!~ Ka'a called as he wrapped his many tails around his Host.
~S'rry…~ Naruto's consciousness slipped into a healing darkness, causing the ancient demon to sigh in relief.
I'll need to teach you not to be so sensitive about being mistaken for a girl. Ka'a said to himself. He knew his young kit could have countered the older teen's passive moves with a few of his own; however, Naruto's mind was clouded with annoyance and anger at being called a girl that the blonde could not see the other teen's moves. Ka'a sighed at the prospect of that particular lecture.
"I…" Lee declared, "am the greatest fighter among all the junior ninja in Konohagakure!"
Sasuke smirked dangerously with a glare. He stopped my kick with his arm. No human alive can do that. I don't know what techniques he's using… but I want to find out! After I punish him for hurting my Naruto!
"I accept your challenge." Sasuke growled out.
"Oh!" Sakura gasped then noticed the clock on the far wall. "Don't do it, Sasuke! We have less than half an hour to submit our application! And Naruto needs to see a medic!"
Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the reminder of his dobe's injuries.
"This will only take five minutes." Sasuke promised as he charged.
"SASUKE!" Sakura screamed, but her teammate ignored her.
Here goes! Lee thought, I'm sorry, Master Gai… I may have to break the big rule! I might need… that move!
Lee twisted his body for an aerial assault.
"Konoha Hurricane!"
Above me! Sasuke instinctively ducked.
Lee dropped, bringing his right leg around for a kick.
No time to duck. Gotta block! Sasuke brought his arms up for a block, protecting his head.
WHAT? Sasuke gasped as he realized Lee's kick had slipped pass the Uchiha's block.
POW
"Sasuke!" Sakura gasped as Sasuke body flew across the corridor.
Sasuke landed on the ground with a resounding thud. What the …? Sasuke shook out of his daze.
I thought Sasuke blocked that!
How'd he get under my guard? Sasuke glared at the other teen. Is this martial arts… or magic? An illusion?
Lee grinned as he noticed the Uchiha heir was getting up for more.
Fine. Sasuke snorted, This may be my chance to get in a little practice using … IT.
Sakura watched worriedly as Sasuke relaxed his body and closed his eyes. Then she gasped in surprise as her one-time crush's onyx-black eyes bleed out to reveal his three-tomoe Sharingan. Lee scowled at the sight of the famous ruby-red eyes, but he did not let their intimating gaze deter him from his goal. Sakura then cheered at her teammate as he charged the other teen. Oh, Sasuke! He's the best! If this is the same kind of genetic kekkei genkai skill that Kakashi-sensei has, Sasuke can penetrate the secrets of Dog-brow's techniques!
Whether it's genjutsu illusion or ninjutsu fighting technique… Concentrating his gaze on the other boy, there's some kind of magic at work here!
BAMMM
Sasuke felt his head jerk back at the powerful kick he received from Lee.
"Hunh?" Sakura gasped in horror, But he used the Sharingan!
As Sasuke's lithe form flew straight up in the air, the raven-haired teen tried to understand how his Sharingan had failed to see through Lee's technique. Then his eyes widened as he realized that the only possible way for his eyes to fail him was if Lee was using neither martial arts nor illusions.
"Hunh…" Naruto then grunted as he slowly came to.
"Naruto!" Sakura cried in relief that her otouto was fine.
"Kagebuyo…" Lee's voice carried down to Sakura and Naruto, causing them to look up and call out to their teammate. "Shadow of the Dancing Leaf…"
"That's right." Lee correctly interpreted Sasuke's shocked expression as he reappeared beneath the Sharingan-wielder much like a shadow. "No ninjutsu. No trickery. My moves are strictly physical.
"Hard as you may find it to accept… if your Sharingan Eye can see to the heart of every ninja art well enough to duplicate it, as it is said to, then you know what I say is true. I'm sure your Sharingan is invaluable against arts like ninjutsu and genjutsu, with their formalized rules, sign-casting, and chakras…
"But physical Taijutsu arts in their pure form are a very different story."
"But … how?" Sasuke demanded, not truly believing that his Sharingan Eyes were useless against Lee's Taijutsu techniques. He was Uchiha! Nothing and no one could or would defeat him and his Sharingan!
"Even if you can perfectly perceive and understand my movements, you lack the speed and strength to counter them. You haven't had the physical training necessary to keep up with me! It doesn't matter what your eye can see if your body's too weak!" Lee stated as the linen wrappings around his wrists slowly came undone. "There are two kinds of strength. The kind you're born with… and the kind you only get from backbreaking work.
"Your Sharingan is natural-born genius. I hear it runs in your family. What I have, I got through blood, sweat, and tears! In other words, your subtle arts and my physical prowess makes us a complete mismatch! Let me prove it to you.
"This particular move of mine exceeds your genius… completely!" Lee honestly said.
Sasuke could feel a swell of panic raise as he tried to figure out what his opponent was planning to do.
As Naruto and Sakura watched helplessly, Naruto suddenly tensed when he scent an odd musky and moist odor and felt a strange aura tickle his senses. It was also then that he saw a pinwheel whistling through the air and pinning Lee's bandage to the wall.
"HALT!" An ancient voice commanded from a puff of smoke. Slowly the grey smoke disappeared, revealing an oddly yellow-colored … turtle. "That's enough, Lee!"
A talking yellow turtle!
Suddenly Lee reached the end of his bandage, causing a bungee effect as he flipped, twirled back to the ground and landed on his feet while Sasuke was left to the whims of gravity.
"SASUKE!" Naruto called as he lunged forward to catch his falling friend.
Naruto then skidded beneath the Uchiha heir, using his own body to cushion Sasuke's fall.
"OOPF!"
"Naruto! Sasuke!" Sakura called as she rushed to her teammates' side, ignoring the fact that Lee was humbly bowing before the turtle. "Sasuke, are you all right?"
Sasuke ignored her as he glared angrily at the bowing teen. Sakura was nervous, seeing Sasuke visibly tremble, while Naruto looked at the turtle curiously.
~An envoy of Genbu? Here?~ Ka'a asked curiously.
~Genbu? Who's that?~ Naruto asked as he watched Lee and the turtle interact with another.
"You… you saw?" Lee whimpered miserably.
~Genbu the Black Tortoise is the Guardian of the North. He is neither mortal nor youkai. He's the Elemental of the Earth.~ Ka'a explained, also curious of the yellow turtle.
"You know the rules, Lee." The turtle reprimanded. "That move is strictly forbidden!"
"What's the deal with the turtle?" Sakura asked, but no one could answer her.
"P-please forgive me…" Lee stuttered, "I was only …"
However, whatever excuse Lee was about to utter died in his throat as he cringed underneath the turtle's glower.
"I… I wouldn't have used the reversal move… I never meant…"
Sasuke and Sakura looked at one another in complete disbelief.
"YOU FOOL!" The turtle roared, causing Lee to wince, "Do you think I care about your feeble excuses? Consider the repercussions of a shinobi warrior - any shinobi - boldly explaining all his secrets!"
"Y-yes, sir!"
Sasuke sneered in disgust at himself. He could not believe that he received a beating from that clown.
"Maa…" Naruto whispered, "His sensei must be pretty strong to be able to summon one of Genbu's Envoys."
"What?" Sasuke questioned, while Sakura's eyes widened in surprise.
"I hope you are properly prepared?' The turtle demanded, interrupting Sakura before she could explain about one of the Great Four Elementals.
"Y-yes, sir…"
"Well, then… he's all yours, Gai-sensei!"
Suddenly the corridor echoed with a loud explosion.
"Ah, the exuberance of youth." A loud voice boomed, and the smoke cleared to reveal an older carbon-copy of Rock Lee. The only difference between the bigger green-leotard shinobi and Rock was that the older Nin wore the traditional vest of a higher ranked shinobi. "All of you are full of it."
Completely startled by the man's dramatic appearance, Sakura and Naruto instinctively hid behind Sasuke, whose expression could not hide his utter horror and disgust.
"He's got the biggest eyebrows yet!" Sakura mumbled loudly.
"They're almost … alive …" Naruto shuddered.
"And that same dorky 'do…" The pinkette continued.
"They're… uberbrows!" Naruto remarked, "I've never seen anything like 'em!"
"H-Hey!" Lee yelled at the blonde Nin, "Don't try to make fun of Gai-sensei!"
"Oh, shut up!" Naruto yelled back, "You're the moron who can't tell the difference between a boy and a girl!"
"What -" Lee sputtered as he tried to come up with a proper response.
"Lee!" Gai-sensei's loud voice distracted his student.
"Hunh? Oh! Uh, yes, sir…"
"IDIOT!" Gai bellowed as he threw a right hook, causing Lee to crumple to the ground like a sack of bricks.
"Huh?" Team 7 gasped in absolute horror.
"You… you…" Gai murmured, despite trying to sound quiet, the eccentric Jounin's voice was naturally loud.
"Sensei… !"
Master and apprentice then looked upon one another, with rivers of tears cascading down their cheeks.
"Sensei…" Lee bemoaned, "I … I …"
Suddenly Gai enveloped his student in a rib-crushing hug.
"That's enough, Lee!" Gai declared, "Not one more word."
"Sensei!"
"Ewww…" Sakura gagged.
"I think I'm going to be sick…" Naruto mumbled.
"I understand." Gai cried, "It's because you're young!"
"Sensei!"
"It's all right, Lee!" Gai then patted Lee's shoulder, "Mistake and youth go hand in hand."
"You are too kind… Sensei!" Lee wailed.
"But I can't let your attempt to break the big rule go unpunished." Gai stated sternly, "Your penalty will be to sweat after the Chuunin Selection Exams."
"I understand!" Lee saluted.
"Five hundred laps around the practice arena!" Gai announced cheerfully.
"Yes, sir!"
"What a dip…" Sakura mumbled.
Gai then looked up, and for the first time since arriving, took notice of the three teens standing aside.
Instinctively Naruto tensed as he heard the subtle change in the Jounin's over the top Heart Song.
"Heads up." He quietly warned his teammates.
"By the way…" Gai casually called out, "how is Kakashi-sensei?"
However, none of the members from Team 7 answered.
"I'm asking you!"
"You know Kakashi-sensei?" Sasuke demanded.
"Do I know him?" Gai snickered, causing Sasuke to narrow his eyes.
Sasuke's eyes never wavered from the two eccentric Nin when suddenly Naruto gave a quiet yip of surprise. The blonde too saw the older odd Jounin disappear. From the corner of his eye, Sasuke saw his dobe turn around as if to make someone behind them.
"I should say so! We're archrivals!"
Sasuke immediately snapped around to see Gai standing behind them.
"The score stands at fifty to forty-nine." Gai casually bragged with a wink, "I'm stronger than he is."
He's so fast. His speed is much greater than Kakashi-sensei's and Naruto's! Sasuke scolded, Is he even human?
"As you can see, Gai-sensei is totally amazing!" Lee hero-worshipped his sensei.
Sasuke mentally sneered at Lee.
"I know Lee started this fight," Gai said, "But take pity on his old teacher. For the sake of my own self-respect, forgive him."
Sasuke just stared at Gai, trying to figure out who exactly was that man, and whether or not he was bluffing about being stronger than Kakashi.
With a casual flick of his left wrist, Gai's kunai flew across the air, dislodging the pin-wheel, keeping Lee's linen trapped against the wall. With the linen free, Lee automatically began re-wrapping his bandage. It was at that time that Naruto saw the other teen's hand. The blonde was stunned to see the layers of heavy calluses, bruises and scars.
~Be careful with that one.~ Ka'a hissed in agitation.
~Why?~ Naruto asked curiously but still watching the odd teen warily.
~I recognize that one's hands.~ Ka'a explained, ~It's called Klitschko Syndrome or more commonly known as the Iron Fist Syndrome.~
Naruto then winced as he understood… A simple, gentle jab from one with Iron Fist Syndrome would feel like one was slugged by a boulder.
"You and Lee should head up to the classroom now." Gai stated then disappeared, "Best of Luck, Lee! Later!"
"Yes, sir!" Lee saluted then turned his attention back to Sasuke, "By the way, Sasuke, I was blowing smoke before. I'm really here to prove my own strength in combat. And I don't think you're the strongest Konoha Genin. The strongest junior ninja is a member of my own team… and I intend to take him down. That's why I'm entering. And by the way… you're on my list, too."