Naruto: Reborn as Neji Hyuga After Dying in One Piece-Chapter 73. Rock Lee vs Gaara -1

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The arena had gone quiet.

Across from him stood Gaara, forehead etched with the kanji for "Love," a towering gourd strapped to his back, eyes blank and cruel.

And facing him, with a bright green jumpsuit, perfect bowl-cut, and gleaming white teeth, was Lee.

To most spectators, it looked like a joke.

To Kankuro, it felt like a guaranteed win.

"That guy's a total clown. No way he stands a chance against Gaara..."

After all, that was Gaara, the boy who never bled, never lost, and never needed to move to win.

Even Neji, usually unreadable, sat a little straighter. Hinata shrank against him instinctively.

---

The match began.

In a single heartbeat, Lee vanished from view.

WHOOSH!

He reappeared beside Gaara, leg already arcing.

[Leaf Hurricane!]

Sand exploded to block him, pouring from Gaara's gourd like a living beast.

Lee flipped backward, landing lightly.

His kick hadn't even touched skin.

'So it's sand... and it protects him automatically?'

Lee frowned. He looked to the stands.

'Neji... did you already know this?'

His fists clenched.

The sand was fast, but he could be faster.

He charged again. Blindingly fast. But Gaara stood perfectly still, his shield intercepting every strike.

From above, Guy finally shouted,

"Lee! Take them off!"

Everyone blinked.

"Take what off?"

Lee hesitated.

"But, Sensei... You said only if I had to protect someone truly precious to me..."

Guy gave a thumbs up, his teeth shining like the sun.

"I believe in you, Lee!"

Lee smiled.

It was time.

He reached down to his ankles and unstrapped the training weights.

They hit the ground with two thunderous CRASHES.

Dust exploded from the impact.

The floor cracked.

People gasped.

These weren't ankle weights.

They were anchors.

Even the shinobi from the Sand Village stared, stunned.

"He's... been moving like that with those on?"

Guy looked at Kakashi and grinned.

Kakashi sighed.

"You're insane, Guy..."

"LEE!" Guy roared. "GO!"

"YES, SIR!"

And then Lee was gone again, vanished into a streak of green lightning.

Gaara blinked.

A fist appeared next to his face. Too close.

BAM!

Lee had gotten through the sand.

And then another strike.

And another.

The attacks came faster than the eye could track.

Gaara staggered his sand, failing to keep up.

Then—

Lee leapt into the air, spun, and hammered a vertical kick toward Gaara's skull. The sand tried to catch up, too late.

Slice.

A thin red line appeared on Gaara's cheek.

The arena fell silent.

Even the Sand Ninjas turned pale.

"He... he drew blood?"

Lee stood tall.

No gloating.

No arrogance.

Just burning determination in his eyes.

"Sensei... I'm going further."

Guy clenched a fist.

"Go, Lee."

Below, Gaara's face twisted into something inhuman. The sand around him cracked like a broken shell.

Kankuro swallowed hard.

Temari went pale.

"Oh no... he's losing control."

The monster within Gaara stirred. Not the calm executioner, but the other one.

Lee saw it too. He exhaled. Calm. Focused.

"I guess I'll need... that technique."

He reached for the wrappings on his arms. The ones Neji and Guy had warned him not to remove, but now, he had to.

Gaara grinned, sand whirling around him like a tornado.

"Come on... Show me something beautiful."

Lee vanished. Then, it appeared right under Gaara.

CRACK!

A perfect uppercut to the jaw.

The audience's heads all tilted upward.

Gaara flew skyward, spinning.

And Lee was already following, Bandages unraveled in the wind. The final technique had begun.

[Front Lotus!]

The two spiraled, wrapping, binding, whirling faster and faster—

And then—

BOOM!

The ground erupted as they crashed.

A crater. A shockwave.

Lee rolled away, breathing hard, blood dripping from his lip. His body was already failing.

"Did I...?"

Everyone looked into the dust, but what lay there...

Was sand.

Just sand.

A husk. A decoy.

"No..." Naruto gasped.

A laugh echoed behind Lee.

"You thought that would kill me?"

The real Gaara emerged. His sand lashed out like a serpent, slamming Lee into the wall.

From above, Guy clenched the rail. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

Neji's face tightened.

"It's starting," he whispered.

Hinata blinked.

"What's starting?"

But Neji didn't answer.

Blood trickled from Lee's mouth.

But he smiled.

"No matter what happens..."

"This next move... is my last."

He closed his eyes.

Gathered everything.

From the balcony, Guy smiled.

"It's your time."

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