Brutal

"Where is he?"

In the stands, everyone could only see Naruto's clones constantly exploding and vanishing, while Lee's green figure had become completely impossible to track with the naked eye.

Like a flickering phantom, he flashed into view at different points in the air.

Accompanied by piercing whistles through the air, every appearance shattered and erased a large number of Naruto's clones.

"W-wait!"

Naruto's mind went blank. His opponent's sudden surge in strength had completely thrown his previous battle plan into disarray.

"Got you!"

When Rock Lee failed to break through with one strike, he immediately realized that the Naruto before him was the real body.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!!

Rock Lee kicked him into the air with Leaf Rising Wind, then stomped through the air and darted back and forth.

Faster than lightning, swift as thunder racing through clouds, he hammered Naruto again and again with fists and feet.

Curled up in midair, Naruto could only desperately shield his vital points. Faced with such superhuman speed, he had no way to fight back.

"You really are tough! In that case..."

Lee knew perfectly well that he had to win the match in one go. Once the backlash came, he would find it difficult to move again.

"This... is the final blow!

"Fifth Gate, Gate of Limit, open!!"

The muscles in Lee's right arm rapidly swelled. Even at high speed, he pressed the sprint button once more.

Uchiha Sasuke, I have to stand before you and defeat that so-called genius in the name of hard work!

"Ahhh—!"

Within inches of Naruto, Rock Lee flickered again and smashed into Naruto's abdomen with the force of thunder.

"It's not over!"

The bandages around Rock Lee's arm shot downward, wrapping around Naruto's waist before violently yanking him upward.

The two rushed toward each other. Rock Lee raised his knee and drove it down, throwing back his head in a wild roar:

"Reverse Lotus!!!"

The stands fell silent, everyone gripped by terror.

Amid the dust, Rock Lee rolled off to one side, his face twisted in pain.

During that final strike, bone-deep pain had shot through his limbs like lightning, leaving him unable to stand again.

And on the other side, Naruto surely could not continue fighting either.

The match was over?

Just as Shiranui Genma was about to announce it, the dust on the other side began to clear.

Naruto lay on the ground, gasping heavily. In that instant, the few dozen Shadow Clones he had left had desperately piled beneath him to form a cushion, barely allowing him to escape disaster.

"How could I... fall here..."

Naruto panted and raised his trembling hands, trying to form another seal, but not a single trace of Chakra could be generated within his body.

"Hey, Nine-Tails. You stinking fox.

"Lend me your power. Even just a little... a little bit is enough..."

Suddenly, faint red Chakra swept over Naruto. He formed hand seals and used the Shadow Clone Technique once more.

However, the original body's weakness meant that the Shadow Clones that appeared were all misshapen and battered, unable to even stand straight.

On the other side, Rock Lee gritted his teeth and shakily rose to his feet as well.

"Go."

Naruto pointed at Lee, barely able to breathe as he gave the command.

The group of Shadow Clones surged toward Lee like zombies, making for an utterly gruesome sight.

Lee swung his arms, smashing his fists into the clones' heads one after another.

But the Shadow Clones tightly clung to Lee's arms, thighs, and waist.

With the only thing they had any strength left in—their teeth—they viciously bit down on Lee's body.

Some people in the stands could no longer bear to watch and turned their faces away.

Everyone was shaken by the two boys' persistence, yet they could not understand it from the bottom of their hearts.

Why go this far?

Lee weakly swung his fist and slowly destroyed the last Shadow Clone.

His clothes were in tatters, his arms split open, his muscles already torn beyond recognition, with specks of blood seeping from wounds all over his body.

Yet he still swayed in place, one hand behind his back and the other extended forward, trying to assume an opening attack stance.

"Enough!"

Naruto had already climbed back to his feet as well. He pulled out a kunai, tears filling his eyes as he cried out in agony.

"You've already lost! Haven't you?!"

Rock Lee turned a deaf ear and staggered forward.

Naruto hardened his heart, squeezed his eyes shut, and thrust out the kunai.

A spray of blood splashed onto Naruto's face.

He opened his eyes and saw Might Guy's back before him.

"Lee, enough. Your body can no longer support you standing."

Might Guy spoke gently.

Lee did not reply.

"Lee? Y-you...

"Even after losing consciousness, you still want to prove your ninja way?"

Tears suddenly fell from Might Guy's eyes.

Lee had already lost consciousness. He was simply relying on instinct and will to keep fighting.

"You are already an outstanding ninja."

Might Guy tightly embraced his proudest student.

"The winner is Naruto!"

Shiranui Genma announced the end of the match.

As though waking from a dream, the crowd erupted into cheers and applause.

Listening to the audience's cries of approval and looking upon the sight he had dreamed of seeing, Naruto did not know why, but an unshakable sorrow lingered in his heart.

In the waiting room, Naruto had bandages wrapped around his head.

His mind still replayed the battle he had just fought against that thick-browed boy.

Creak—

The door opened.

Half of Gaara's gloomy face was hidden in the shadows behind it.

"What do you want?"

Naruto asked.

Gaara said nothing. He slowly stepped into the room, extending five fingers toward Naruto's hospital bed.

"What are you trying to do?!"

Naruto's breathing quickened. For the moment, he could not tell what was happening.

Gaara's emotions were suppressed, his expression twisted as though he were struggling against something within himself.

"Heh... Why? Why did you fight that hard?"

Gaara's voice was hoarse.

"Obviously... obviously, you have something like that inside you too. Why can you clearly know what you exist for?"

"Something like that too? Don't tell me...?"

Ignoring his instinctive sense of danger, Naruto still asked curiously.

"Kill... kill you! As long as I kill you! Your meaning will become my meaning! As long as I do that, I can confirm my existence!"

"As an existence that destroys everything!!"

Gaara manipulated the sand, clearly about to attack Naruto on the hospital bed.

"Gaara!!"

The door to the waiting room was violently thrown open, and Kankuro rushed in.

"So you were here. Come with me quickly, Temari's match is about to begin—"

"Get lost! Don't get in my way!"

Gaara's movements stalled.

"N-no, not now..." Kankuro showed a fearful expression, but he still steeled himself and said, "Have you forgotten our real mission? If we mess it up, Lord Kazekage will be furious."

"Don't mention that person in front of me!!"

Gaara clutched his head in agony. The sand in the air also lost control, exploding outward and swirling everywhere.

"R-right, sorry, Gaara," Kankuro said in a panic.

"R-right! Uchiha! Your match against Uchiha Sasuke is about to begin. His strength will definitely satisfy you."

Gaara's expression eased slightly, and his entire body seemed to lose its strength.

After hesitating again and again, Kankuro finally hoisted Gaara over his shoulder and quickly left.