Gaara was dragged out of the lake mud by force.
In an instant, Sen withdrew the chakra from the Wood Release vines wrapped tightly around him.
Thud.
Sloppy mud and crumbled sand splattered everywhere.
Gaara slammed into the ground, his entire body convulsing violently.
The Sand Armor covering him had shattered completely.
It revealed the gray trousers underneath, soaked with sweat and coated in dust.
"Cough... cough, cough..."
He gasped for breath. The sickly madness in his eyes had vanished completely.
All that remained was raw, instinctive terror.
His fingers clawed at the hard stone slabs, black mud and sand packed beneath his nails.
"Gaara!"
Temari and Kankuro rushed down from the stands in a panic.
Temari's palms were slick with clammy sweat. She could barely keep hold of the Three-Star Fan on her back.
She crouched down and tried to help Gaara up, only for him to shove her away with all his remaining strength.
"Don't... don't touch me..."
Gaara's voice sounded as though it had been scraped across sandpaper.
His body was still trembling uncontrollably.
When the wood had enclosed him, he had felt the Shukaku chakra inside him get sucked dry by that kid in an instant, like a basin of water.
That emptiness had made him feel as though he could die at any moment.
In the stands, Might Guy held Rock Lee, who was covered in blood and unable to move so much as a finger.
Guy was crying his eyes out, tears and snot streaming down his face. A glistening trail of mucus hung above his upper lip.
"Lee! You did wonderfully!"
"You stayed true to your youth!"
Rock Lee lay in Guy's arms, his eyelids swollen like two enormous peaches.
He sniffled, forced his eyes open a sliver, and gave a goofy little