Saving a Warrior's Future

The battle between Rock Lee and Gaara had already begun in the arena.

"Go, bushy-brow!" Kiba shouted from where he leaned against the railing, while Akamaru barked twice beside him.

Sasuke stood with his arms crossed, his crimson Sharingan unblinking as it fixed on the arena. He was not merely watching the fight; he was analyzing it. In his eyes, Lee's taijutsu was full of explosive power, yet it lacked something. The savagery and efficiency unique to Naruto.

"His taijutsu is alive," Naruto suddenly said.

Kakashi turned his head to look at the student he found increasingly difficult to understand.

"It is filled with an unyielding will. That will is fuel," Naruto continued, as though assessing a weapon. "With enough fuel, it can unleash power far beyond its specifications. An outstanding soldier must not be wasted on meaningless attrition."

Kakashi said nothing. He merely watched Lee, completely suppressed by the sand below, with a growing sense of foreboding.

On the field, Lee had failed to land a decisive blow for a long time. Instead, Gaara's sand restricted him at every turn, leaving him in a sorry state.

"Take them off, Lee!" Might Guy suddenly shouted from the stands.

Lee nodded, then sat down with difficulty and untied the weights from his legs.

Thud! Thud!

The two weights smashed into the ground. The tremendous crash and billowing dust silenced the entire venue.

"You've got to be kidding..." Kankuro's expression froze.

The next second, Lee vanished.

Cracks instantly spread across Gaara's Sand Armor, and surprise flashed across his face. The spectators could see only a green afterimage darting wildly around Gaara, every flicker accompanied by a heavy impact.

"First Gate, Gate of Opening, open!"

"Front Lotus!"

With Lee's roar, he seized Gaara and shot into the sky. They spun rapidly through the air before Lee drove him headfirst into the ground.

Boom!

As the dust cleared, only a deep crater remained. Gaara's body had become an empty shell of sand and earth. The real Gaara stood unharmed nearby.

Lee lay on the ground, gasping for breath. The recoil from that strike had left his entire body in agony.

"Not enough," Naruto stated calmly.

The battle continued. Driven into a Zetsu predicament, Lee made his final choice.

"Second Gate, Gate of Healing, open!"

A powerful current of air erupted from Lee's body, veins bulging across his skin.

"Third Gate, Gate of Life, open!"

"Fourth Gate, Gate of Pain, open!"

Lee's speed and strength had surpassed anything an ordinary Genin could comprehend. He became a streak of red and green lightning, engaging Gaara's sand in a breathtaking exchange. Every punch and kick carried a sonic boom that tore through the air.

"Fifth Gate, Gate of Limit, open!"

Lee's body had reached its limit. He kicked Gaara high into the air, then followed like a shadow, unleashing a storm of relentless attacks in midair.

"Reverse Lotus!"

This was his final—and strongest—strike.

The massive impact made the entire arena tremble.

Yet when the dust dispersed, Gaara had still endured the attack with his armor of sand.

Rock Lee, meanwhile, fell from the air like a puppet with cut strings, crashing heavily to the ground in utter exhaustion. The muscle fibers throughout his body had torn apart inch by inch, leaving him unable to move.

The Quan venue fell silent.

"The victor has been decided!" Gekko Hayate was about to announce.

But Gaara raised a hand. The sand on the ground surged like a venomous snake toward the unconscious Lee, targeting his left arm and left leg.

"Stop!" Might Guy roared, preparing to rush into the arena.

But someone was faster than him.

Just as Guy vaulted the railing, before Gekko Hayate could activate his Body Flicker Technique, an orange figure vanished from the highest point of the stands.

In the next instant, Naruto appeared in front of Rock Lee.

He did not draw the Chainsword.

Facing the surging torrent of sand, he merely raised his right fist. Blue chakra, condensed almost into substance, enveloped it.

He threw one punch.

There were no unnecessary movements. Simple. Direct.

Boom—!

That was not the sound of sand being blown away, but a deep, explosive crash so heavy it seemed to stop everyone's hearts.

The oncoming torrent of sand seemed to crash into an invisible wall and was instantly blasted apart by overwhelming force.

Naruto then flashed forward, gathering Nine-Tails chakra in his leg before kicking Gaara's shell of sand.

Crack.

A crisp sound of breaking rang out.

A visible fracture appeared in Gaara's sand defense, the one he called "Absolute Defense."

Naruto did not even glance at the result behind him. He grabbed the unconscious Rock Lee by the collar with one hand, lifted him like a sack, and casually threw him toward Might Guy.

"Medical team, treat this valuable soldier."

There was not the slightest gentleness in his movements, only pure efficiency.

Only after doing all that did he turn around and face Gaara, who had fallen into a rage after his "Absolute Defense" had been broken.

A beastlike growl rose from Gaara's throat. Killing intent mixed with Shukaku's ominous will and surged madly toward Naruto.

There was neither fear nor fighting spirit in Naruto's ice-blue eyes, only the lofty, merciless coldness of one passing judgment upon a heretic.

"Put away your killing intent, vessel of chaos."

His voice was not loud, yet it reached every person's ears with perfect clarity, especially Gaara's.

"Otherwise, I will carry out your purification now."

Gaara's entire body stiffened.

Those familiar words plunged him into familiar terror. He felt that he could kill the seemingly defenseless person before him, yet he simply did not dare to make a move.

"The match is over! The winner is Gaara of Sunagakure!" Gekko Hayate finally reacted and hurriedly announced the result.

"Uzumaki Naruto!"

An angry shout came from the main stand.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, rose to his feet.

"Why did you violate the rules and interfere with the match?" Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was filled with fury.

His anger had another purpose. He had no objection to Naruto saving Lee, nor did he care about such minor squabbles. But he had long been dissatisfied with Naruto's headstrong attitude, and this was the perfect opportunity to suppress him.

And he intended to do so with something that appeared beyond reproach.

Every gaze focused on the lone orange figure standing in the arena.

Naruto neither looked up nor immediately defended himself. He simply stood there, facing the Hokage's questioning and the eyes of the Quan venue without the slightest fear.

He answered calmly, his voice not loud, yet clear enough for every ninja to hear.

"I did not interfere with the outcome of the match. Within the limits allowed by the rules, he lost his ability to fight. I acknowledge that result."

He paused, then finally raised his head and looked directly at the Hokage.

"However, allowing a valuable soldier to be slaughtered by an enemy after the battle has ended, while he is no longer in combat, would be an unwarranted weakening of Konoha's existing strength."

"My actions were not interference."

"I was merely saving the future of a warrior worthy of respect."