"I didn't expect to fight you so soon. I'm really happy."
Rock Lee rushed toward Gaara and extended a hand, his eyes burning with pure fighting spirit.
Among all the candidates, Gaara was the one who stirred Lee's blood the most.
That strange, unpredictable sand defense.
That overwhelming Sand Release offense.
Dangerous. Powerful.
Irresistible.
It made Lee want to test himself.
More than that, Gaara had become the center of attention. Even now, more than half the crowd was cheering for him.
Lee was jealous.
So jealous it made his mouth water.
He wanted that spotlight too.
Gaara's expression didn't change.
He didn't understand Lee's emotions.
Though the killing intent around him had faded a lot, Gaara still carried out his battles without hesitation.
He intended to win.
"Match… begin!"
At Shiranui Genma's signal, Lee exploded forward at incredible speed.
"Leaf Hurricane!"
Boom!
The sand shattered—but the attack was blocked.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Lee became a blur, attacking from every angle. To the audience, it looked like five or six Lees were striking Gaara at the same time.
The sand around Gaara moved on its own. No matter where Lee attacked from, it instantly formed a shield.
Gaara stood still, arms folded.
More sand poured endlessly from the gourd on his back, like living serpents lunging toward Lee in waves.
Lee had to keep dodging while attacking. He couldn't stop moving for even a moment. Faster. Faster.
"It's useless," Kankuro said smugly from the stands.
"Physical attacks don't work on Gaara. The sand protects him automatically. So far, no one—"
He froze mid-sentence.
One name flashed in his mind.
Uzumaki Naruto.
That boy had broken through Gaara's defense effortlessly.
"Ahem… no Genin has ever broken Gaara's defense," Kankuro corrected himself quickly.
"Is that all?" Gaara asked calmly.
"Get more serious."
"Then I will!"
Lee grinned, excitement blazing.
"I'm starting now!"
His speed jumped again.
Boom!
The sand shield burst apart.
Gaara's expression changed.
A fist brushed past his face.
Not much—but enough.
Lee's attack had broken through the sand shield. Just barely.
"Ohhh! Blood! Youth!"
Lee's fists grew heavier. His kicks faster.
The sand shield began to lag behind.
"My eyes can't keep up! He's leaving a dozen afterimages!"
"Why doesn't that green kid back off and use ninjutsu?"
"You don't get it. That's Rock Lee—Might Guy's student. He doesn't use ninjutsu or genjutsu. Only taijutsu. He used to be dead last.
"Hey, weren't you cheering for Gaara earlier?"
"This is different! This is Konoha's pride now. I want our kid to win!"
Faster. Heavier.
Gaara tried to track Lee with his eyes—and failed.
For the first time, his absolute defense felt slow.
Half a beat too late.
"This feeling…"
Gaara's eyes lit up.
Fear. Excitement. Curiosity.
New.
For the first time, sand alone didn't feel enough.
His chakra stirred violently.
"Kid… your chakra's never moved like this before," Shukaku muttered in the sealed space.
Boom!
Lee broke through completely.
A kick slammed into Gaara's face, sending him flying across the arena.
"Not good—Gaara's getting angry," Temari and Kankuro tensed.
Gaara stood up.
Chunks of hardened sand armor cracked and fell from his face, shattering into grains.
"That was his face? That's terrifying."
"Gaara has two layers of defense," Kankuro explained nervously.
"An outer sand shield—and a full-body sand armor. Even if the shield breaks, the armor remains. That's his absolute defense."
Sand surged again, restoring Gaara's form.
He looked at Lee—emotion in his voice for the first time.
Impatience.
"Is that all? Hurry up. Attack again."
"I can't beat you like this," Lee said, eyes shining.
"I'll have to use that."
He untied the bandages wrapped around his hands. They fluttered in the wind.
Whoosh!
Lee vanished.
A green whirlwind formed around Gaara, spinning faster and faster.
The sand tried to react—but couldn't keep up.
Boom!
Lee appeared beneath Gaara and struck upward, launching him into the air.
The sand couldn't respond.
Too fast.
Lee twisted midair and kicked Gaara's stomach again.
Boom!
Higher.
Again and again, Lee kicked Gaara upward, carrying him into the sky.
The entire audience tilted their heads upward in shock.
"Drop—Primary Lotus!"
Lee appeared behind Gaara. His bandages shot out, wrapping Gaara tightly like a mummy.
Lee grabbed him and began to spin.
Faster. Faster.
A violent vortex formed in the air.
Then—
Boom!
They crashed into the arena.
The ground caved in, forming a massive crater. The shockwave shook the stands.
At the center, Gaara lay cracked like broken porcelain.
Lee landed beside the crater, breathing hard.
That move still pushed him to the limit.
"…Did I win?"
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