Chapter 2: Sand

A frontal wave of sand sent Rock Lee crashing to the ground. The young Genin grunted at the blow. He felt dizzy and struggled to get to his feet. Meanwhile, two meters away, he could hear the bloodthirsty breathing coming from the face of the sand thrower behind him.

"This is not good, not good at all..." Lee thought as he crossed his arms in front of him to protect himself from another wave of sediment.

He looked into the green eyes of his opponent. They were filled with sadism. Lee shuddered as he heard the faint, maniacal laughter of his enemy. Sabaku no Gaara. That was the name of the terrible ninja who had crossed his path and caused him to separate from his graduation team.

—What do you think this is going to do to you? —the redhead said softly and sarcastically as he placed his hands in the shape of the rat seal.

In the blink of an eye, Lee was thrown backwards through the air by a cascade of sand even bigger than the previous one. He fell face first and immediately felt the sand hit his lower body with great force. He screamed in pain.

The shinobi with the Sunagakure Ninja Protector stopped his attack. His body seethed with blood and his mind held only one thought: Satisfaction. The maniacal Sabaku no Gaara wanted to kill him slowly, piece by piece, feeling completely alive. Every piece of bone, muscle and skin that fell into his sand would be stripped away and completely devoured. The sand would be sated by the sacrifice of his blood. But no. He couldn't get impatient; he wanted to take every moment as if it were his last. Who knew when he would have a similar opportunity again?

Lee was back on his feet, free of the sand. He heard the cutting of metal and the rumble of chakra among the trees of the Southwestern Forest not far from him. He estimated that one was 200 meters north of his position, another 170 meters east, and the third barely 100 meters away.

"Neji... Tenten... Gai-sensei... what is happening to them?"

Lee was panting heavily. Their fight had dragged on too long. He had already used several powerful Taijutsu techniques to end it. He had even tried Omote Renge (Primary Lotus), one of his strongest techniques. Physically, he was on the verge of exhaustion with his basic strength.

"What else can I do? What can I do to him?" he asked himself desperately, trying to end the fight as quickly as possible.

He was scared. Very terrified. It wasn't the first time he'd felt it on a mission or in battle. But this was the first time in his life that he, as a shinobi, felt that he was on the brink of death. Suddenly, all his doubts and fears were gone when he heard a scream. It sounded like the voice of Gai-sensei. He was the one who was closest to him. His teacher was fighting with all his might and he imagined that Neji and Tenten wouldn't give up either, trying to get through this situation unscathed. His mind began to think of the worst case scenario if he lost this fight.

He couldn't allow a monster like that to finish him off and go after his teammates and his teacher. Never. He wouldn't let that happen. Rock Lee would not allow anyone else to die while he was still alive.

"Gai-sensei... thank you..." Lee thought, feeling tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.

The young taijutsu expert's demeanor changed to the slight confusion of the Sunagakure ninja. Lee's original fighting stance had been restored, and it didn't seem as if the wounds and damage from the arena had taken too much of a toll on his body. He had opened Kaimon, the first gate, the Gate of Opening.

"I will continue..." he confirmed, thinking with determination. "I will follow my path to the end and become the ninja I know I can be."

Lee closed his eyes, his arms in front of his face as he focused all the chakra he could on that point on his spinal cord near his neck. He felt his throat dry up and begin to burn. He saw his chakra colliding around him, creating a wall between him and the enemy.

—I don't know what you think you're playing at now... —the brutal Suna ninja muttered, making the tiger sign with his fingers. —But this encounter is over for you.

Lee laughed to himself as he looked at his enemy with great seriousness and a deeply furrowed brow one last time before closing his eyes completely.

—You're right... —Lee replied with terrible seriousness. —It's over one way or the other.

The black-haired young man continued to concentrate his chakra quickly and intensely. His skin heated up feverishly, and he began to feel a searing heat, which he took as a positive sign that the technique was working. He felt his face slowly turn into a grimace of pain, forcing him to maintain a pained smile.

"I'm not going to be the only one who loses here…" Lee thought vehemently. "Gai-sensei, please let this work... It's now or never!"

Various people flashed through his mind. His classmates and comrades, Neji and Tenten. His mentor, protector, and teacher, Gai-sensei. Also those he had just met not long before: Yamanaka Ino… Nara Shikamaru… Akimichi Chôji… Hyûga Hinata… Inuzuka Kiba… Aburame Shino… Uchiha Sasuke… Uzumaki Naruto… Haruno Sakura…

And… that gentle face he could barely recall due to the pain of its memory. This was the one that gave him the most strength.

—TO PROTECT AND MAINTAIN THE NINJA WAY! —he shouted loudly, his voice echoing throughout the forest expanse. —THE THIRD GATE: SEIMON! THE GATE OF LIFE! OPEN!

Hyûga Neji believed in the idea of fate as something that cannot be changed. No matter how much you struggled, no matter how much you tried, resist it. Your fate was sealed from the moment of your birth until the moment of your death.

Ever since he was four years old, from the day his father Hyuga Hizashi died in the Hyuga Incident, this belief had been his dogma, almost his faith. It was what kept him steadfast and focused in the face of the harsh reality of shinobi life. A reality that constantly reminded him of examples like the one he had faced just a week ago, when he had witnessed Lee opening the Hachimon Tônko (Eight Gates) to confront and stop a powerful enemy from Suna.

Two years ago, Neji was annoyed by the news that Rock Lee would be part of his graduation team. He hated how Lee enthusiastically bragged about wanting to become a great ninja despite his limitations. He hated how devoted he'd become to Gai-sensei's philosophy of life, "The Power of Youth," after watching that pseudo-rock-paper-scissors match between his teacher and the famous Hatake Kakashi. He hated that Lee believed that a failure could defeat a genius.

He had told his partner dozens of times during their training and interactions: Destiny can never be changed.

Now, Rock Lee, the same ninja who had so often championed the idea of self-improvement and change, had just predicted that his single match in the Chûnin Exams would be against Uzumaki Naruto. And even worse, he had just hinted that an assassination attempt, an invasion of Konoha, was imminent. That what was fated to happen, would happen. Without warning. Neji was deeply disturbed by these statements of Lee.

—The destruction of Konoha? Orochimaru? —The white-eyed boy said, trying to keep his voice from betraying his unease and trembling.

Tenten sat in a chair at the foot of Lee's bed, massaging the temples of her forehead. She breathed slowly, trying not to sound abrupt.

—Lee, listen to me. Everything you're saying is fucking crazy. —the girl began, not wanting to look at her companion. —With everything you're saying, you could be taken to a Shinobi military tribunal and you'd be in a lot of trouble.

—I... I feel like I'm already in trouble, Tenten… —Lee said calmly, but with a certain tone of concern in his voice. —I feel like I have information that could prevent the invasion of our village from happening again...

Tenten shook her head in the negative as she listened to Lee. Neji could tell that the girl was trying to control herself so as not to lash out at her injured companion.

—The invasion of Konoha caused the destruction of infrastructure, the weakening of several alliances, a significant lack of resources and services for four months and... —Lee paused with difficulty. —Numerous casualties among civilians and shinobi. Of those, less than half remain…

Neji frowned and closed his eyes. Had Lee really seen so many strange things in a simple Genjutsu? It was not possible. The phrase "Destiny can never be changed" echoed in his head again, louder and louder.

—If... if only I could... —Lee said very slowly, his voice getting lower and lower. —If only we could warn the Sandaime Hokage that it will happen again... we could... avoid the catastrophe and...

—Please, Lee, don't say any more. I can't handle so much confusion right now… —Tenten said, suddenly pleading for silence.

Lee tried to continue, but fell silent as he saw his teammates' faces so disturbed by his words. A wave of guilt and shame washed over him. The entire room fell silent.

Neji felt every thought running through his mind. It was racing at a rapid pace, thinking about everything Lee had said. Nothing seemed to indicate that Konoha could be invaded in an attack of the magnitude his teammate was talking about, let alone in the next few days.

Contacts with Suna were good. Dialogue and civil and military trade routes were maintained. The official reports and updates between the two Shinobi Villages were up to date and showed no obvious changes. There did seem to be a slight increase in the number of rogue ninjas from Suna who foolishly attacked Konoha on their own. But the most significant incident was the one involving the now-named Suna no Sankyōdai, the Three Brothers of Suna. The ambush they had fallen victim to.

—It's true that there's no indication that Suna and Konoha could get into a war of that magnitude anytime soon. Therefore, there's no point in alerting a superior, let alone the Hokage-sama. —Neji began firmly.

Lee lowered his head in embarrassment. His mind and emotions were intertwined and he felt a great deal of disbelief at the whole situation he was experiencing.

"This is all very confusing. Is it possible that I saw everything in this illusion? That nothing existed except in my mind, that it was just a product of what someone else wanted me to see?" Lee thought, trying to make sense of what he had seen and heard, both in the illusion and in reality.

Then he remembered the sharp pain in his head during the battle against that terrifying, evil being with ten enormous tails, and how he had come to the conclusion that he was in an illusion because of the changes and fluctuations of colors and sounds in his surroundings.

"Of course! How could it not be true? Besides, Neji, Tenten, the doctors and nurses... Everything and everyone confirms that I was in an illusion," he thought, defeated by the overwhelming evidence. "Maybe that was it... an illusion... just an illusion..."

Destiny can never be changed.

Unbeknownst to Lee, this thought returned to Neji's mind, and for the first time in a long time, the white-eyed boy remembered the terrible day his father lay dead in his bed at the hands of his uncle. His teeth clenched in anger.

—However, there is something that bothers me, a lot… —Neji said, his voice changing to alert his two teammates.

As he said these words, the white-eyed boy felt his stomach lighten, his mind begin to calm, and his jaw loosen. An annoyed Tenten and a curious Lee looked up at their teammate's words.

"Strange..." Neji thought, slightly surprised by his own reactions.

Was the thought of the fate he was defending tormenting him? How strange. It was the first time that he felt that a situation created by his teammate made him think about things that way.

—And no. It's not because of anything Lee said just now. —Neji said, turning to Tenten, who kept giving him a disapproving look.

—So, what are you talking about Neji? —Tenten asked in an annoyed tone, as if she didn't want Neji to agree with Lee about his delusional thoughts.

Neji took a deep breath before he began to speak quietly. Tenten had always tried to act like a different kind of kunoichi. She disliked the typical weakness that other kunoichi showed when defended by their male classmates and sometimes, she showed an overly harsh manner that made her seem too direct. But that was something Neji was used to, and for some reason, it didn't bother him too much.

—Lee, could you try to remember the mission from a week ago? Try to remember as much as possible.

At the words of her colleague Hyūga, Lee tried to remember the event. His mind felt foggy as he tried to remember. It was very difficult to concentrate and it seemed as if all his memories were merging again in that great spiral.

Had he met Team Kakashi before the first test of the Chûnin Exam or before they left for the mission in the Southwest Forest? Did they cross paths along the way, or did he save Sakura from Otogakure ninjas in the Forest of Death? Was his fight against Sabaku no Gaara in the Southwest Forest or in the Chûnin Preliminaries?

Which memories were illusions and which were real?

Little by little, his mind sorted and realized which memory was true and which was part of the illusion.

It was nine in the morning, and eight groups of three genin each had gathered at the top of the Hokage Mansion.

Rumors of a crisis in Sunagakure had put all of Konoha on alert. The illusory attack on Rock Lee had only served to further increase the latent nervousness that had reigned for a week. It was the hottest topic of conversation among Konoha's shinobi, and the assembled genin weren't far behind in discussing it.

While people chatted about the topic, a quiet Hyūga Hinata recalled how, after his training at dawn, she saw her cousin Neji heading toward the NMU to check on Rock Lee.

She wondered if her cousin was very worried about his fellow graduate. Hinata pulled a small, old bookmark out of her inner jacket pocket that had a white lily drawn on it and a phrase that read "United under the sun". It was an object she would take out whenever she felt desperate and out of place. Just touching it gave her the strength to go on with each day a little longer and to be better. Holding the bookmark in her hands, Hinata prayed that Rock Lee would recover from all the physical and emotional damage that had been done to him in such a short time.

—Attention, everyone! Sandaime Hokage! —a jōnin who appeared from behind a door and was the bodyguard of the Hokage shouted loudly.

The 24 genin formed into their respective graduation teams while Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Sandaime Hokage, stood in front of them, guarded by two of his personal bodyguards. The leader of Konoha had a very stern and serious expression on his face, something the genin were not used to seeing from him.

—Thank you all for coming so quickly. —Hiruzen began, removing the pipe he usually smoked from his lips. —We need your help as soon as possible.

Those present stood at attention, paying attention to the Sandaime Hokage, the leader and the strongest and most respected man in the village.

—Today at 5:00 a.m., we received a report from the guard post V01-03 in the mountains north of the Hokage Monument. They spotted a series of strange movements and went to investigate.

Hiruzen's serious face spread to the members of each team. A few whispers could be heard, but they were drowned out by the murmurs of other shinobi.

—They found five dead Chûnin. They were completely crushed and there were traces of sand around their bodies and the entire area. —The Hokage explained bluntly.

All the genin held their breath at this news. Without a doubt, this was a very serious announcement and they began to worry.

—Your mission is to locate this suspicious ninja. It is believed that he may still be in one of the militarized zones of the village. —the Sandaime said, ordering one of his bodyguards to show a captured photograph of the assailant.

When the Genin cleared their vision, they confirmed with great fear that it was a portrait of Sabaku no Gaara, the third son of the Yondaime Kazekage. When this news was delivered, Hinata grimaced slightly in pain as her hand went back to her chest. The aftereffects of the preliminaries against her cousin Neji were still fresh, but she had recovered enough to start performing missions. Hinata felt like she could feel the bookmark through the cloth and it made her feel calmer.

—Do you want us to fight him, Sandaime? —Akimichi Chôji, a rather overweight looking 13-year-old, suddenly spoke with fear in his voice.

—No. That would be impossible for you under the current circumstances. —Hiruzen shook his head.

The words of the Hokage made many Genin swallow loudly. One of the bodyguards, Namiashi Raidô, approached the first Genin in each row and handed them a sheet with the details of the ninja they wanted to capture. As they read, they began to murmur among themselves.

—As you may have guessed, the ninja in question is Sabaku no Gaara, the youngest son of the Yondaime Kazekage. He's been wandering aimlessly through the Land of Fire for the past week. It seems that he's finally decided to come here.

Hiruzen listened as Genin's voice began to sink as he spoke.

—Many of you, if not all, know that Genin Rock Lee of Team Gai nearly lost his life fighting him. He was only able to save himself due to his willpower, determination and the quick wit of his master, Maito Gai. —he said firmly, praising the young Taijutsu specialist. —Currently, the incident has rendered him medically unfit to continue as a shinobi. Therefore, if he couldn't do it, none of you would be able to defeat him.

One of the 13-year-old genin gripped his paper tightly when Sandaime mentioned the circumstances of Rock Lee's injuries. This Genin remembered his encounter with Rock Lee in the Konoha Forest after his graduation team had been attacked by three young but very strong Otogakure ninja. Although he and his teammate, Uchiha Sasuke, were unconscious, Lee defended his teammate, Haruno Sakura, despite suffering considerable physical damage, before leaving with the rest of his team for his own mission in the Southwest Forest. Uzumaki Naruto felt guilty because he thought Rock Lee had lost the strength to help them and save their lives.

Gejimayu... —the spiky-haired boy thought, a pang of anger and pain in his chest as he remembered Rock Lee. —This shouldn't have happened like this...

—So, what exactly should we do? —asked Yamanaka Ino, with long blond hair, who preferred not to be there at that moment.

The Sandaime Hokage looked at all the teams present before giving his final orders. Hinata clenched his hands nervously.

—Your task is to locate Sabaku no Gaara and return quickly to authorize the departure of a capture team. —the Hokage said with absolute certainty in his words. —This is a B-rank mission of the utmost urgency.

The other bodyguard of the Sandaime, Shiranui Genma, stepped forward with the additional details of the mission while the genin grumbled and muttered under their breath upon hearing the rank of the mission.

—From now on, regardless of your specialty as a group, you will assume the role of tracking and search teams. Your papers indicate where each team will search. —Genma stopped playing with the toothpick between his teeth as he spoke to Genin. —Given the danger of the enemy, avoid direct combat completely and return as soon as you have located the target. If you don't want to die, follow this advice and you will live another day.

All the genin nodded to their superior, who replied in the affirmative. The information had been clarified.

—Good. Now, march! —Sandaime shouted, waving his arm as all the teams dispersed throughout Konoha.

Rock Lee began to snort heavily as he remembered the mission from a week ago. It was a C-rank mission. A rescue mission.

A young man from the wealthy Kagetsu family of Motoyoshi-mura had been kidnapped by bandits, and they were demanding a substantial ransom. The kidnappers were a group of nameless small-time bandits who had hidden the boy in the southwestern forest. They weren't ninjas, and it was known from previous incidents that they didn't know any kind of ninjutsu. It was a simple mission, ideal for Team 03-79, or Team Gai as they were beginning to be called. A mission especially suited to the rescuer category of ninja, like Lee or his teacher Maito Gai.

—It was very easy, don't you think? —began a nervous Lee, while Neji and Tenten watched him attentively. —Just go, defeat the bandits and return to Konoha with the rescued young Kagetsu. Nothing more.

Neji nodded in agreement with the words of his companion. Tenten gave a slight, somewhat sarcastic smile as she looked out of the window. She remembered hearing a message today that they were gathering several Genin for an urgent mission that they hadn't been called for due to their recovery period. That bothered her.

—But... then everything went wrong, right? —Lee winced slightly and put her hand to her head.

Tenten turned her attention back to Lee and went to his side, running a hand down his back. The black-haired boy struggled to continue.

—We... were ambushed... by a team of four Suna ninjas... —he continued with difficulty. —We were separated. Gai-sensei went... after the most senior ninja. You, Tenten... with the kunoichi. The boy in the black suit... went after you, Neji...

The Byakugan boy continued to look at Lee, nodding to help him continue. He was getting closer and closer to the core of the situation.

And I... I... —He stopped dead in his tracks until his mind finally conjured up the fateful figure of that dark, menacing, bloodthirsty boy. The youngest son of the Yondaime Kazekage. Sabaku no Gaara.

Lee immediately put a hand to his mouth, trying to hold back the urge to vomit. A hurried Tenten brought him the glass of water from the table next to the bed and stroked his back again, trying to calm him down a bit. After taking a sip of water, Lee felt a little calmer.

—Ugh... I remember my fight against Sabaku no Gaara... he was very powerful... —he continued, speaking faster as the fragments of memory came together faster and faster. —I couldn't defeat him just like that... I had to... open the gates, right?

Neji nodded again, allowing Lee to finish releasing everything that was on his mind.

—Then... I attacked and everything went so fast... then came... the effects of the opening... I could barely move. —Lee bit his lip, adding the last sentence in a whisper. — I don't know... exactly how he survived, but... Sabaku no Gaara was... saved and... grabbed me by my left leg and arm with his sand... crushed them and... I fainted...

An exhausted Lee finally fell silent and looked at his left arm. It was completely bandaged in a sling. He also noticed that his aching leg was firmly in place. Curious. He hadn't noticed it since he woke up until now. It seemed like so much time had passed since he had felt it that he couldn't remember. Tenten began to speak after being silent for a long time, connecting Lee's conversation with her own.

—Later, Gai-sensei was able to arrive in time and get you out of there to Konoha. Neji was able to defeat the puppeteer. Afterwards, he came looking for me because I... was completely knocked out. Neji also... defeated the kunoichi... Temari... and helped me to recover...

Tenten's tone was filled with sadness and a hint of resentment. Neji quickly noticed.

—Then I used my sealing Fûinjutsu to bring our two enemies to Konoha, and... when we broke the seal here and showed them to the higher-ups, they told us that they were two of the three children of the current Kazekage. —Tenten finished quickly. —They took them away for questioning, and we came to the NMU. We haven't heard from them since.

Silence returned to the room. Tenten was puzzled by this story. The atmosphere seemed as if nothing had been resolved. What was her partner Neji trying to say?

—So what's the problem, Mr. Sharp-Eyed? —asked Tenten, who was beginning to get impatient with her partner Hyūga's slowness.

Neji ignored her comment and looked at her like someone who had asked a stupid question.

—Didn't it seem strange enough to you that the children of the Yondaime Kazekage attacked us directly?

Tenten made a face of indignation that she didn't hide from her partner after those words.

—Of course I thought it was strange, Neji! I still think everything that happened was strange! —Tenten said in an indignant tone. —But that doesn't explain what Lee saw or didn't see in that illusion!

—Maybe not, but there could be a connection between this strange movement of the Kazekage's children and the supposed imminent invasion Lee tells us about. —Neji replied to his companion's sharp comments.

Tenten frowned. She couldn't believe that Neji said what he said. Not the rational, logical Neji she knew.

—I thought you only relied on facts to take risks, Neji.

—And I do, Tenten. Besides, there's another fact that no one seems to have considered.

Lee watched the interaction between his two companions in complete silence, stunned. He had the feeling that if he said anything, they would turn on him for some unknown reason. Meanwhile, Tenten waited for Neji to continue.

—For the past two months, every two or three days, Konoha has suffered a series of skirmishes, sabotage and ambushes by rogue ninja from Suna. —Neji said firmly. —Small groups of three to five people have been captured for their misdeeds and brought to Konoha to be imprisoned. This information has been confirmed by Hiashi-sama himself.

—Uh-huh, what about that? —Tenten asked, not sure what her companion was getting at.

—If my calculations are correct, there are currently between fifty and seventy-five Suna ninjas awaiting their fate in our village's prison. —Neji mentally calculated. —And that's quite a large number, considering that our dungeons are filled with foreign ninjas.

Tenten raised her eyebrows for a moment. It seemed that her brain was connecting with what she thought Neji was suggesting.

—Are you saying that the fact that the village's dungeons are filled with Suna ninjas could be intentional? —the chocolate-haired girl asked in surprise.

—I can neither confirm nor deny that, Tenten. —Neji replied to his teammate's question.

Tenten rolled her eyes. With everything she said to her teammate, she could only expect a nitpicking reaction. Classic Neji. Almost immediately, however, she noticed a small, almost imperceptible smile appear at the corner of Neji's lips.

—What I can confirm is that there are some strange, small militia movements here in Suna. —the Hyūga boy continued, making sense of her words. —And I think it's an interesting clue to keep in mind that there are too many potentially dangerous individuals in our village, and they also come from Suna.

Tenten put her hand to her chin. She thought about each of the points they had discussed, especially the ones Neji had mentioned. Could Suna really be trying something strange behind Konoha's back? Or was it all just a coincidence?

What could a rogue ninja do? Yes, it was true that they could be a real pain in the ass, but most of the time, they were nothing more than pathetic, naive individuals who thought they could overcome the combined might of the Shinobi Villages. Someone of the caliber of the late Kirigakure Swordsman Momochi Zabuza wasn't currently behind bars in the Konoha dungeon. Surely, he would have escaped by now, right?

And the children of the Kazekage? Usually, those who had blood or marriage ties to the current or former Kages had to be very careful with their behavior for the sake of their villages. The girl with the coiled hair had pointed out earlier that they had risked causing diplomatic problems for no reason. For no apparent reason, even with all that it entailed?

In all of this, there was a lot of information that Tenten lacked, and many questions that needed answers. The girl's inquisitive nature began to tickle her insides. She knew it would be very difficult to stop her when that happened.

—You're getting closer to my conclusion, aren't you? —Tenten heard a silky voice that brought her out of her thoughts.

The girl looked up to find Neji's pearly eyes staring deep into hers. She felt like he was piercing her soul. Then she saw that they had agreed on their conclusions. Tenten decided to speak.

—Considering all the information we have, Sunagakure must be in some kind of crisis. —the girl with the tied back hair commented as she thought carefully. —Perhaps... it would be worthwhile to investigate what is happening in Suna.

Rock Lee, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly opened his eyes and his mouth fell open, completely stunned by Tenten's words.

Suddenly, silence fell over one of the wide expanses of the Forest of Death. Calm, a dead calm, filled the air. Three young Genin and a dog stopped at one side of the expanse, hidden among the undergrowth and trees.

Team 08-080, or Team Kurenai, had received direct orders from the Hokage a few hours earlier to search the Forest of Death. Hinata frowned slightly, worried about the behavior of Akamaru, Kiba's ninja dog. Rock Lee was still in her mind. The thought of the damage the boy had suffered made her uneasy and afraid of this mission.

—Why did you suddenly stop? —the girl said quietly to the small dog.

—What is it, Akamaru? —a young boy with sharp fangs stood near the animal.

His companion, Inuzuka Kiba, looked down at his chest where the small, very restless white dog had just curled up. It whimpered briefly but pitifully, confirming the suspicion of its young owner.

—Something frightened Akamaru… —Kiba said and tried to calm the animal by stroking it. —You know he has the ability to sense the chakra level of an enemy, but I've never seen him so scared...

—Whatever it is, it could be what we're looking for, right, Kiba?

The aforementioned looked up at his companion, Aburame Shino. Shino pressed his ear to the ground, listening for any sound in their vicinity.

—Yes. Akamaru said, the stench of blood permeating the entire northern region for a kilometer.

Akamaru groaned and Hinata looked at him with tenderness and sympathy. Despite everything that had happened, the girl breathed a sigh of relief. All they had to do was confirm that the subject was in the Forest of Death and report back so they could send a team to capture the enemy. No engagements, no direct risk to their lives. Just scouting and reporting. It was best for her because of her recovery.

—I think it would be best if we go back... —the young Hyūga began. —...so that the capture team can come as soon as possible and…

Suddenly, Shino gestured with his arm for everyone to be quiet. He had heard movement entering the esplanade where they were. Little by little, the footsteps became louder as they approached the center of the square.

Kiba slowly brought his right hand up to his nose. With a grimace of disgust, he could smell a very strong stench, a mixture of rotten and putrid. He could hardly stand it. For his part, Akamaru tried to hide even more in Kiba's jacket to avoid exposing himself to the foul smell as well. Shino had remained completely still and tried to keep his insects from moving. He didn't know what to expect from the enemy. For her part, Hinata pressed her lips together and held her breath as long as she could. She wanted to activate her Byakugan, but she was afraid that the enemy would notice the activation of her chakra. She didn't know if it could sense it.

—Still... it's not enough...

A hoarse, raw voice sounded, making everyone freeze. They had their backs to the esplanade behind some very leafy bushes, but they couldn't turn around to look. Not at this moment.

—I want... more... —the ninja slurred his words with difficulty, out of an insatiable desire for satisfaction. —More... blood...

Hinata swallowed as she tried to stop her breathing. Her urge to escape was very strong, but something told her that if she left now, she would die.

—There's something... isn't there?

A shiver ran down Hinata's spine as the ninja's grim words reached her ears. A moment later, the girl thought she saw sand swirling around her. She turned her eyes to her companions who also had a terrified look on their faces. Little by little, a small ball of floating sand seemed to form in front of them, resembling... an eye? It was completing its shape; it looked like a tracking and locating technique used by the Suna ninja.

Hinata pressed her lips together even tighter. What could she do? If she just activated her Byakugan, ran at full speed and attacked her opponent with her palm, with Shōtei (Palm Strike), to paralyze him, it would all be over at that moment. She could do it, but she was afraid. She was horrified at the thought of dying the same way all the victims had died: crushed and drowned in their own blood by that vile ninja's sand.

"Please... please..." she thought, her eyes filling with tears. "I swore that I would change... that I would become stronger... please… Naruto-kun…"

Then something happened that Hinata had never expected. Shino moved abruptly and came out of the undergrowth. Hinata heard him activate his Kikaichū insects against the Suna ninja.

—NOW! —the Aburame shouted at the top of his lungs and ordered his companions to attack.

Kiba jumped to the center of the promenade with Akamaru, who had transformed into the image of his master. They were in the air when they activated their Môdo, their awakening.

GIJÛ NINPÔ: SHIKYAKU NO JUTSU! (Beast Imitation Ninja Art: Four-Legged Technique) —the boy shouted, taking on a more feral and canine appearance as he landed on the ground.

He lunged at his opponent, biting his shoulder and knocking him to the ground. He held him down while Akamaru held the enemy from the left. Shino's insects, Kikaichû, buzzed around the Suna ninja's face and body, trying to keep him occupied. Meanwhile, he tried in vain to shake them off and drowned in a multitude of small invertebrates.

—HINATA, GET OUT! —Shino shouted and ran towards the undergrowth where the girl was. —COME ON, HINATA, DO IT NOW!

Hinata suddenly abandoned her intrusive thoughts at her companion's cry and activated her Byakugan. She jumped into the open air, leaping through the air with her chakra, and then she saw him. She saw this red-haired, green-eyed boy with a hideous look and smile.

"Sabaku no Gaara..." she thought as she directed her chakra into the palm of her hand as fast as she could while falling on the aforementioned. —SHŌTEI!

Hinata's chakra-filled palm slammed into the Suna ninja's chest. He let out a scream that echoed through the room and sent the birds in the trees flying. Hinata watched as the boy's chakra dropped to a trickle. By this time, Sabaku no Gaara was completely unconscious.

—Phew... We were so close, weren't we, Akamaru? —Kiba said, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the sleeve of his jacket.

The small dog gave his owner a reassuring bark to calm him down. Shino watched Sabaku no Gaara from a distance. The vessel of the Suna ninja had been thrown away, leaving only a pile of sand where he lay. Hinata breathed with some difficulty. The pain in her chest increased as she felt her breath running out. Before she knew it, she fell into the clearing.

—Hinata! —Kiba shouted, grabbing the girl before she fell to the ground. —Are you okay?! You look pretty pale...

The young Hyūga noticed that all the tension had weakened her body, causing her to lose her composure and feel pain. She felt ashamed.

—I'm sorry... Kiba-kun... Shino-kun... —the girl tried to say. —I thought it was all... over for us...

Kiba looked at Hinata with sympathetic eyes. He couldn't deny it. He also thought it was the end.

—Relax. The important thing is that you did what you had to do. Just take it easy. —he said with a smile as he helped her to her feet without much effort. —Besides, you look great.

Hinata smiled slightly at Kiba, whom she thanked for his words. Her gaze fell on Shino who was holding out a scroll to continue the sealing of Gaara. It seemed to her that his face was very dark.

—Is something wrong, Shino-kun? —the young kunoichi asked, slowly approaching the boy with a hand on his chest.

Shino had finished the capture Fûinjutsu and tied a tight rope around the coil to avoid any possible trouble with the son of the Kazekage. Typical caution of him.

—You did well, Hinata. Don't torture yourself. —Shino said gently without looking at the girl.

The words of her companion Aburame also calmed the white-eyed girl's heart, but she was more concerned about the lack of emotion he showed at that moment. Even for Shino himself.

—So why all the seriousness? —Kiba said after he had also noticed his companion's excessive stoicism. —I think we can pat ourselves on the back for not only finding this maggot, but also catching it. And that wasn't our main goal.

Shino's gaze fell on his companions after he had finished stuffing the scroll into his cloak. Something didn't add up and it worried him.

—This ninja is supposed to be Sabaku no Gaara, right? The youngest son of the Yondaime Kazekage, right?

Hinata and Kiba looked at Shino in surprise when he felt the area of his cloak where the scroll with the sealed ninja was.

—Isn't this guy supposed to have destroyed Maito Gai's disciple Rock Lee and left him in such a state that he can no longer be a shinobi? Not to mention that he's killed several ninjas since then...

—Uh, yeah... what about that? —Kiba wanted to try to understand what Shino meant.

—The thing is... how were we able to defeat him so easily? —Shino mentioned, pointing out her own weakness. —You heard the Sandaime: Rock Lee couldn't defeat him even though he almost gave his life to stop him. If he couldn't defeat him with a technique as brutal as Hachimon Tônko Môdo, how could we?

Hinata held his breath for a moment. Indeed, Hachimon Tônko was a terrible technique that forced the brain to remove its limitations. It made its user stronger, but it was a double-edged sword that sacrificed the health and physical safety of the ninja who used it. That's why it was classified as Kinjutsu, a forbidden technique. Hinata felt a pang of physical and emotional pain at her teammate's words, but she couldn't deny it. What Shino said made perfect sense. They were no match for Sabaku no Gaara.

—Think about it too. Back home, I heard from my father that Sabaku no Gaara was classified as an S-rank criminal ninja after the attack on Team Gai. —Shino continued, ignoring his own doubts. —His brutal techniques and tactics made him a terrible opponent for us. Death was our trump card.

Despite his usually calm demeanor, Shino made it clear to his teammates that the encounter with Gaara had shaken him. Kiba thought that maybe that was why he reacted differently to the Suna Shinobi and his teammates than he would have under other circumstances.

—Yes, I understand your point, but I don't think you should dwell on it too much. —Kiba explained, trying to make light of the matter. —That maggot Gaara has been wanted all over the Land of Fire for seven days, ever since he fought Rock Lee. Yes, it's true that the technique left him devastated, but Sabaku no Gaara must have been affected as well. Most likely, he's been stumbling around.

Hinata listened to Kiba's reasoning, which also made a lot of sense.

—He was probably at the end of his tether and that's why he was looking for a food source. —Kiba continued, trying to come to a conclusion. —That's why he said he wanted blood and other strange things.

Shino frowned. He wasn't completely convinced by Kiba's last statement, but he couldn't argue against it.

—Anyway, the important thing is that he's already captured and we don't have to lose any of our or anyone else's lives, right, Akamaru?

—Auff! —the white dog barked and looked at its owner who was smiling triumphantly.

Shino's face still showed dissatisfaction. Hinata noticed that. For her part, the girl with the dark glasses tried to calm her companion.

—I think it's true, Shino-kun... Hinata said, trying to sound nonchalant. —We managed to capture Sabaku no Gaara and everyone is safe... I think we should go back and let the higher-ups take care of things from here…

Shino looked into Hinata's eyes. They seemed very tired. Both he and Kiba knew that the young Hyūga was not in the best condition to continue the investigation. She was still recovering from losing to her cousin Neji and nearly dying in that fight. She had already done a lot. Even though he was not completely convinced about the matter of Sabaku no Gaara, the kunoichi's words made the boy's face calm down a bit. He decided to give it a try.

—Okay. Let's go back.

Hinata and Kiba nodded happily at the words of the Aburame boy and jumped towards the exit of the Forest of Death, heading towards the Hokage mansion. Shino followed a few steps behind them, while the sand that had formed the vessel that Sabaku no Gaara had tried to use against them remained on the esplanade.

—How is your pupil, Gai?

Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Sandaime Hokage, had received the scroll from Team 08-080 three hours earlier, which they had sealed to Sabaku no Gaara. He had just informed Maito Gai about it when he entered the room.

—It seems you had a small problem at the NMU this morning, Sandaime-sama. —Gai commented at the mention of his pupil.

It was four in the afternoon and the people of Konoha were preparing for the afternoon. In the small private room of the Hokage, austerity and decency reigned.

—Ah, yes, the small problem with the Genjutsu. Don't worry, Gai, I'm already having the ANBU look into it. —-Hiruzen took a puff of smoke from his pipe and blew it out. —We can't leave this matter unanswered.

Sandaime's words calmed Maito Gai. The Jônin had gone to the NMU after learning that Lee had suffered a psychosomatic attack with a violent reaction that ended in fainting. The first doctors he spoke to told him that it had been caused by the traumatic stress of his encounter with Sabaku no Gaara. Before he reached room 227, however, an ANBU appeared and informed him that his pupil Neji had observed chakra fluctuations in Lee's brain that could be confirmed as Genjutsu.

—Thank you for everything, Sandaime-sama. —Gai said as he bowed vehemently to the Master Hokage.

Hiruzen nodded. Rock Lee was a boy who had been on Sandaime's mind ever since the boy had applied for the Ninja Academy at the age of ten. He had an undeniable fighting spirit and a strong physical endurance. He reminded him a lot of Maito Gai in his early days as a Genin.

—What still worries me is the outcome your pupil had with Sabaku no Gaara. It pains me to think that Rock Lee's story as a shinobi ended here. Just when it was about to begin... —Sandaime said with a hint of pain in his voice.

Gai frowned, saddened by Sandaime's words. His beloved pupil had suffered greatly when the doctors told him that he could no longer be a shinobi. Just the memory of bringing him back to the village after the clash with Sabaku no Gaara filled him with sadness. He remembered how the boy's body was so damaged and unconscious that only his will could keep him standing.

The harsh words that his rival Kakashi had said to him in the past when he learned that he had taught the young Lee such anti-ninja Kinjutsu, still echoed in his mind.

I don't know what this boy means to you, Gai, but I should tell you that we never put our personal feelings on the line. I wouldn't have believed you were capable of that...

Truly, he regretted teaching Lee how to open Hachimon Tônko. It had been a complete mistake. But there was nothing he could do now. He could only wait for Lee's body to be strong enough for him to gradually recover, or to find a cure for the problem the doctors couldn't find at the moment.

—I have every confidence that he'll get over this sooner or later… —Gai said firmly to Sandaime. —Lee is a true shinobi. He is really strong.

Hiruzen looked at the Jônin like a grieving father, yet hopeful for his deceased son. Yes, without a doubt, Rock Lee was a boy who still had much to tell.

—It must certainly be said that your meeting with the son of the Kazekage has helped to provide information that would be difficult to obtain by other means. —the elder Hokage commented, turning the conversation to the Suna ninja. —He revealed a high level secret that Suna has been hiding for many years.

Gai nodded as he remembered the events. Six days earlier, the Sandaime and the Konoha Council had summoned all available jônin in the village to a confidential meeting, while those on missions had been urgently informed through various top-secret means of communication depending on their location.

After returning from the Southwest Forest, Team Gai had provided all possible information about the clash with the Suna ninja. After Konoha's intelligence Division had examined the information, they had come to the conclusion that Sabaku no Gaara might be the current Jinchûriki of the Ichibi, the One-tailed Monster.

Konoha had taken an immediate emergency measure: to place an S-rank ninja badge on Sabaku no Gaara, who was immediately wanted for further interrogation and negotiation with Sunagakure at the meeting in the following days. His two older brother and sister, who were currently in the dungeons of Konoha, were also included in the future negotiations.

Any Jônin or team led by such a jônin who noticed the presence of Sabaku no Gaara in their area of operation should try to inform and/or capture the aforementioned ninja as soon as possible.

—It is good to know that the boy is finally in custody and cannot do any more damage. —Gai commented, a little sweat dripping down his forehead. —Suna must have a problem with him if he acts like this all the time.

Hiruzen brought the wooden pipe back to his lips. The soft aroma of tobacco from the crops of Kusagakure was his favorite.

—That's one of the things that bothers me the most right now, Gai. —Hiruzen said as he exhaled a puff of smoke.

Maito Gai remained silent at the Hokage's words. He knew that if Sandaime spoke like that, it was because he wanted to ask him for something. A mission, most likely.

—As you know, there has been an increase in attacks by alleged rogue ninjas from Suna. —the leader of Konoha explained with concrete details. —Currently, we have sixty-eight shinobi in the dungeons of the Intelligence Division.

Maito Gai did the math and added in the three children of the Kazekage who led them, the total number of Suna ninja imprisoned within the walls of Konoha was seventy-one.

—That's a lot of numbers, Gai, especially for an allied village. —Hiruzen continued, his expression calm but firm. —On top of that, the children of the Kazekage attacked your current Genin team without warning and exposed themselves to us, confirming that one of them is their only Jinchuriki. It's all very strange.

Gai began to connect the dots where he had gaps thanks to the Hokage. If he could do something to get an answer to what happened to his disciples, he wouldn't hesitate to act.

—Tell me what you need, Sandaime-sama, and I will do it. —the Taijutsu-trained Jōnin said without hesitation.

Hiruzen placed his pipe on a small, special metal ashtray while he placed a wooden-looking portfolio on the floor with a sheet of paper that appeared to be finished and sealed.

—Suna is almost diplomatically inaccessible at the moment. For the past two months, the Kazekage seems to have fallen ill and there is little information about routine events there. —the Hokage reported while Gai listened attentively. —Of course, they don't tell us anything about these alleged rogue ninjas. Neither good nor bad. Everything is silent.

The Jônin nodded, understanding that the situation was delicate to say the least. Gai learned more about the kind of work Sandaime wanted him to do. It wasn't his specialty, but it was in the categories that bordered his area of expertise.

—I want you to infiltrate Sunagakure and try to gather as much information as possible about this matter or whatever might be causing this strange situation. Obviously, it's an S-rank mission that requires an excellent performance, Gai.

Despite his high level of expertise, Gai found it strange that the Sandaime would entrust him with a spy mission. And only him.

—In view of the isolated circumstances in Suna, I cannot send anyone else, Gai. — Sandaime said as if he had read the jonin's thoughts. —However, it's a good situation that you're going since this mission was requested.

Gai looked at the briefcase that Sandaime had left on the floor next to him. He picked it up and started to read the paper on it. As he started to read, the eyes of the shinobi widened and he was surprised to see how the world was full of coincidences. Even though he had questions in his mind and wanted to say many things, the calm face of the sandaime prevented him from such thoughts.

—All right. No problem, Sandaime-sama. —Gai said simply, confirming his performance on the Suna spy mission.

—Good. Of course, you don't have to tell them anything. —-the Sandaime Hokage concluded as a farewell. —You will leave tomorrow morning.

Maito Gai nodded silently. He dropped the briefcase on the floor and went to the door to leave for his house. Sarutobi Hiruzen picked up the briefcase and read the mission request again. A C-rank escort mission to Sunagakure has been requested by Rock Lee, along with the express request of Neji and Tenten as his escorts.

OFFICIAL NINJA PROFILE

Ninja Registration Number: 012587

Last Name: Hyûga

First name: Neji

Nickname: Hyûga no Tensai (The Hyûga Genius)

Date of birth: July 3, Year 067 Modern Age

Sex: Male

Status: Active

Blood Type: 0

Affiliation: Konohagakure no Sato, Land of Fire

Clan/Family: Bunke (Secondary Branch) of the Hyuga Clan (Military Ninja Clan)

Team: Graduated Genin of Team 03 - 079

Ninja rank: Genin (Year 079 Modern Age)

Ninja category: Tracker

Chakra natures: Water (natural affinity)

Kekkei Genkai: Byakugan

Occupation: Unknown

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