Chapter 45: Gaara vs Rock Lee

Everyone was looking at him, they didn't know what to say, they were speechless.

Toru suddenly appeared in front of Neji. Maybe he said something in his ear, as the Hyuga clan boy froze, as if his life depended on it.

They say that the body of a herbivore will always react to the danger of a predator, well with Neji the same thing happened. It was as if he was trapped in the same place he was, fearful of what might happen if he were to move, all the while staring into the eyes of death in front of him.

"How did he get there so fast?"

Like everyone else, Naruto was curious about what his eyes had seen. However, Rock Lee looked at this with a shocked expression, as, from one moment to the next, Toru went from being in the middle of the fighting arena, to standing in front of Neji.

Since Rock Lee uses speed and strength as his only ninja weapon, seeing someone with a speed similar to his surprised him.

(He is dangerous... Blood... I need blood...)

From the bottom of the arena, Gaara touched his head while smiling in a strange way. Kankuro watched this with an uncomfortable expression on his face, after all he knew that smile from Gaara. So he preferred to walk away a little, after a few seconds he arrived at Naruto's side.

(I can't move...)

His body did not respond, the motor skills of his brain stopped working for a moment, giving way to a strange sensation that Neji had not felt for a long time. Was he afraid? Panic maybe? No, it was simply a natural reaction to danger, as if he were a mere wild animal.

"Toru-kun..."

Hinata was unconscious, blood pouring from her mouth. But still, she had the strength to say something before she was carried by the medical ninja to the infirmary.

Yamato looked at this with a grim expression on his face. Neji is ruthless, he didn't even have mercy on Hinata, this attitude irritated Yamato a little. But with a long sigh, he prayed that his student will be fine and won't suffer because of this fight.

(I could feel it... at that moment, when Hinata fell, the expression on Toru's face...).

Putting her hand on her chest, Ino was worried about her two teammates. Hinata had been seriously injured and Toru seeing this simply 'exploded' going so far as to threaten Neji.

"Cof... cof... we mustn't waste time. Let's continue with the next fight."

Even after everything that happened, Hayate kept his composure and sighed. He had already seen too many fights today, he needed a break after this, he even thought about going to eat a bowl of ramen.

On the other hand, listening to the judge of these preliminary fights, Toru closed his eyes and returned to Ino's side.

"Will Hinata be okay?"

Without looking away from the entrance of the place, Ino asked Toru. The boy held his silence for a few seconds before answering.

"I don't know..."

Ino was surprised, she had never seen Toru act like that. Somehow, it was sad to see him like that, at least for Ino, who sighed as she rested her arms on the metal bars.

"Let's get this over with quickly so we can leave."

Without a hint of embarrassment, Hayate touched his head while looking at the screen. The Hokage watched this with an amused smile, apparently Hayate was tired. Well, he's always tired.

"They are going to choose the next participants. There are four people left, so Chouji may get to be chosen against Rock Lee or Gaara."

Speaking with a tired tone of voice, Shikamaru looked at the screen. He had already won his fight, so he didn't care about anything now. Even if Chouji gets to fight Gaara.

"Don't say that Shikamaru. At least give me some encouragement. If I get to fight either of those two...just thinking about it makes me hungry."

"I don't care about that, it's a bummer for me. Besides, we have to get this over with quickly so we can go get Hakuto from the infirmary."

"That's right, I almost forgot. Enko showed no mercy..."

Reminiscing about his teammate's fight, Chouji sighed. At the same time, as names began to appear and disappear on the screen. Rock Lee sighed.

"Well, I must be the last one. I'm definitely going to be, so my name shouldn't appear on that screen."

Lee's words didn't match his actions at all, as he had his fingers crossed as he closed his eyes. Guy looked at this with a smile, however, he looked again at the fighting arena, as a cloud of sand appeared in the center.

"The time has come..."

Gaara appeared in the center of the arena, at the same time, the screen had already chosen the next participants.

Gaara vs Rock Lee.

"Oh yeah, it's my turn! I knew that if I chose to be last I would eventually be chosen to fight. I've gotten better with my reverse psychology."

Throwing a few kicks in the air, Rock Lee was proud of himself, after all he had used reverse psychology with a lifeless screen.

"Well done, Lee. Way to go, now go! Show everyone your strength!"

"Yes, sensei."

Arriving at the battle arena in one leap, Rock Lee was excited. At last his turn had come. It was the same with Guy, he was waiting for everyone to see that this boy was strong, that he had managed to overcome everyone with pure effort.

(The time has come, I will prove that I am stronger than you, Neji).

Clenching his fists, Rock Lee looked at Neji, who looked back at him. The two looked into each other's eyes, until Lee felt something approaching his face, so, using his hand, he stopped what seemed to be the cork of a bottle.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" said Lee as he looked at the boy with the pumpkin bottle.

Gaara didn't answer, he remained silent as he looked at Rock Lee. Meanwhile, at the top of the battle arena, Ino sighed before asking Toru.

"Have you calmed down yet?"

"I don't know what you're talking about..."

Without looking away from Rock Lee, Toru replied. Ino had been watching him these past five minutes. Apparently, that bloodlust her teammate had had disappeared, this made Ino feel relieved, after all she knows what Toru is capable of. So, remembering a few things, a shiver ran down her back.

(Hinata...)

Even after the she was hurt, Hinata stood up and looked at Neji seriously. Ino was surprised, this was a new side of Hinata she had never seen before.

(I promise I'll come to see you when all this is over).

Closing her eyes, Ino rested her arms on the metal bars, giving one last look at Toru's face before turning her gaze back to the battle arena, where Lee and Gaara were currently standing.

"The twelfth fight of the preliminaries... It begins!"

Raising his hand high in the air, Hayate kicked off this fight. Without wasting any time, Rock Lee ran in Gaara's direction.

"Here I come!"

In response, Gaara folded his arms and waited for the attack. At the same time, sand began to pour out of the gourd bottle, scattering underfoot his feet. Lee noticed this, but took no notice.

So, using his right leg, he threw a kick straight at his enemy's face, but everyone's eyes widened at that moment. The blow never reached the target, as the sand rose from the ground, creating a small wall that protected Gaara.

"That's all you got?"

Obviously disappointed, Gaara sighed. Rock Lee on the other hand, leapt backwards, taking a little distance.

(A sand shield, huh...)

The sand shield is something Gaara uses when fighting. The sand rises up and moves as if it had a life of its own, all to protect him. Gaara didn't have to do anything to make the sand move, he just stood there looking at Rock Lee with a neutral facial expression.

*Bam!

Trying to break through Gaara's defense, Rock Lee tried to use brute force to break through the arena to hit his enemy. However, every attempt was useless, he achieved nothing by throwing punches and kicks if the shield will protect him every time he approaches.

The situation became complicated, but Rock Lee had some tricks under his eyebrows. He was just waiting for the moment to use them.

"Are you done yet? Because if so, then it's my turn to attack."

Lifting his palm, the sand obeyed Gaara's will, moving, writhing and crawling on the ground. The sand took the shape of a hand.

(This is dangerous)

Seeing the giant hand of sand rising from the ground, Rock Lee felt a little overwhelmed. However, his quick movements could easily dodge it.

Multiple times, the sand hand tried to hit and crush Lee, however, this guy's agility was very good.

"If such a big target tries to hit me, it will be easier to dodge, don't you think so?"

Taking some distance, Lee pointed his index finger at Gaara while smiling, obviously these words and his body movements were stolen from Guy. Despite this, Guy smirked at the sight of his student acting this way.

"Woah! That was close!"

Again dodging the sand hand's attacks, Lee gave five fatal backwards, but the sand on the ground caused him to slip, falling to the ground without being able to defend himself.

"No way, Lee!"

Tenten, as well as Naruto and Sakura, opened their mouths in shock. After all, the sand hand was about to crush him.

*Boom!

A large cloud of sand rose into the air, covering half of the fighting arena.

"Hm...?"

Looking up, Gaara saw Lee, who was suspended in mid-air, a second later landing softly on the stone hands located at the bottom of the arena.

Guy smiled at this, but this wasn't over yet. So, giving a thumbs up with a smile, Guy said:

"Lee, you can take 'it' off."

Listening to his sensei, Rock Lee was confused. So, raising his hand and making a military salute, Guy said:

"Ah? But sensei, you said I shouldn't, unless my life or that of a person important to me is in danger."

"Lee, forget about it, you have my permission."

Hearing Guy's approval, a big smile formed on Lee's mouth.

"Yes! You're the best, sensei!"

After that, Rock Lee sat on his stone hands as he removed some sort of metal plates he had hidden under his leg guards.

"Those are..."

"Weights, basic training equipment."

Opening his eye, Kakashi looked at Guy with a confused expression. After all he didn't understand how a few small weights could change the situation Lee was in.

Gaara's team thought the same. But it was different with Naruto, who had stars in his eyes seeing this training method.

"Wow, that's super cool!"

"I say it's super stupid!"

Unlike Naruto, Kankuro already had his opinion thought out.

*booom!*

A loud boom was heard. After all, Rock Lee let go of the weights, causing them to fall against the ground, demonstrating the true load on his ankles.

(You overdid it, Guy)

Kakashi was dumbfounded, he also thought that was ridiculous, but coming from someone like Might Guy, the word 'ridiculous' wasn't in his dictionary.

(Where did he get something so heavy?)

Even Toru was a little surprised. He was also a bit interested in that ninja training tool. Although most of his thoughts so far were related to Hinata, the weights took a small place in his thoughts.

"Get ready, Gaara!"

As if his body had turned into air, Rock Lee disappeared from everyone's field of vision. This made Toru's eyes widen in surprise, after all this speed is similar to the one he has.

"What?"

Gaara couldn't believe it. Appearing and disappearing, as if his existence was the evolution of the wind, Rock Lee struck again and again. Gaara's defense was beginning to look vulnerable, as each blow came closer and closer to his face.

Likewise, everyone in the place including the Hokage, had their jaw on the ground. This speed, it was frightening. Ino could barely follow Rock Lee's movements with her eyes. Toru on the other hand, was concentrating on Lee's movements, every millisecond, every little detail, nothing escaped his eyes, this was Toru's maximum concentration, after all, when something interests him, he investigates it and acquires knowledge about it.

"He's so fast, I can hardly see him move" Sakura said.

"Yes! You can, little eyebrows!"

Raising his fist high in the air, Naruto was excited. This fight, it was just beginning.

_________

Author's note: Phew... yet another chapter.

What do I do now?

I know. If they get to 65 power stones I'll post the next chapter right away. Well, that is if they get there.

Good luck to everyone and have a good day/night. For the time being, this author is going to keep writing.