Master of Genjutsu

CH-23 FINALS

The audience waited, tension in the air as the two genin stared each other down. One had a bored look while another almost seemed to have flames in his eyes. The tension was broken as Lee dashed forward, intent on re-engaging Gaara, despite how ineffectual his previous attacks had been. Gaara retaliated by raising his hand, pointing his palm at the oncoming Lee, causing his sand to burst forth and attempt to engulf Lee.

Lee jumped to the side and continued forward while evading the sand. His approach to Gaara was impeded by many attempts of the sand to hurt him but Lee managed to evade them all until a particularly fast stream of sand made its way towards his face. Lee quickly pulled a kunai from his pouch and slashed at the sand, which parted and fell to the floor in two puddles as Lee jumped back to avoid yet another attack from the devastating sand.

When Lee landed yet again, Gaara's hand folded back against his chest as he looked dispassionately at his opponent. Lee grimaced as his eyes flickered into the crowd. Once his eyes returned to Gaara he smirked as he kneeled down, reaching to take off the weights everyone remembered. When Lee was finished, he tossed the weights into the arena sides and the audience gasped at the cracks that it left in there as they slid to the ground. Lee took his taijutsu stance once again as he looked at Gaara.

All of a sudden, Lee disappeared. The crowd blinked and Lee appeared behind Gaara, Gaara turning with a shocked look on his face as his sand shield shot up, barely blocking the punch Lee sent to Gaara's face. The shinobi in the crowd easily saw how much closer to Gaara Lee had gotten, almost being capable of landing a hit where previously he had been at least a foot from Gaara. Lee smirked as he disappeared again, this time appearing on the other side of Gaara and sending a roundhouse kick which broke through the sand shield but was ultimately stopped before hitting Gaara.

Gaara turned again, his eyes wide as he looked at Lee, whom smirked yet again as he disappeared and appeared behind Gaara, his sand already shooting up to defend against his attack, unfortunately for Gaara, Lee disappeared again and reappeared in front of Gaara, "Over here!" he said as he sent a punch at Gaara. This time, Lee's efforts were rewarded as he felt Gaara's face meet with his skin and he smiled as he jumped back from the sand that then shot at him, delighted in his success at landing a hit.

Lee set himself again, looking at Gaara as sand fell from his cheek which had just been hit, an almost insane expression on his face as his mouth was spread wide in a demented smile and his eyes were bloodshot as he looked down at his hands. Lee's eyes grew wide as Gaara's sand reformed around his body, covering it in a thin layer of sand, "Suna no Yoroi(1)." Gaara whispered to himself as he then locked eyes with Lee. "Finally!" Gaara said in a slightly gravelly tone, "Someone's blood whom is worthy of Mother!" he said as he clutched his hand to his head, where his tattoo is. All was silent for a few moments until Gaara looked up again, "You will prove my existence!" Gaara shouted as his sand shot forward, intent upon capturing Lee.

Lee's face was set into a grim determination as he disappeared yet again, appearing in front of Gaara faster than most could see. He set his hand on the ground and kicked up, hitting Gaara in the chin and causing him to float upwards a few feet, apparently much heavier than Lee thought. Lee grunted, "Not Yet!" he yelled to himself and quickly unleashed a few furious kicks rising with Gaara as he pushed him higher and higher into the air, Gaara's sand shield quickly trying to return to its charge.

When Lee reached the apex of his flight, he suddenly unleashed the bandages surrounding his hands, they loosened then wrapped themselves around Gaara's body, capturing him as Lee then turned both of them in the air so he was behind Gaara and gripped Gaara. Lee pointed their bodies, headfirst towards the ground and both started to fall, steadily increasing in speed as they fell. To add to the fall damage, Lee quickly started to spin his body along with Gaara's making them seem as if they were a drill heading towards the unforgiving ground, into which they quickly crashed. "Initial Lotus!" Lee cried out as they crashed down.