Gaara Sakura: Leaf & Sand's Alliance

Chapter 24: Between the Lines

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"What's it going to be, little tards?" The white Zetsu's arms were floating in the air with a wide sadistic grin on his face.

Lee started to take a few steps forward, puzzling Sakura in surprise. He was standing in front, facing his back on her and said. "Go."

"Huh?! What are you-?" The pink-haired kunoichi furrowed her eyebrows bewildered without ever finishing her sentence.

"Just go," the green leaf ninja ordered firmly, much to Sakura's eyes widening in shock. He continued on, saying. "This is your chance to go and find Katsumi and confront her."

"But your condition will-" the pink-haired kunoichi protested.

"It doesn't matter. I will be fine on my own. Like you and the rest of us have said. This is our fight. We cannot lose. At that time in the forest of death during our second chunin exam, I wasn't able to protect you from those sound ninjas and how I wish I could have. But I've learned something from it when I was helpless and weak. It gave me more motivation to keep training, to keep growing stronger. All of my life. I've been wanting to save the people I care about, despite the struggles and hardships I've endured. You and I agree on this plan, so there's no backing out now," Lee stated after looking back at his dreadful moments, whereas the pink-haired kunoichi looked at him with a gloomy smile. "Leave him to me."

She stood in silence, then nodded in agreement. "Hmm. Right. But promise me, you will come back alive, right?"

"Of course. Now... go!" Lee said, smiling determinedly as he peeked over his left shoulder. He gave her a wink and sparkled a grin on his face.

The pink-haired kunoichi nodded with her teary eyes and began to hit the run away from them as possible.

"Take care, Lee. Please, be safe," she prayed in her mind and continued on to dash to her next destination without stopping on her tracks.

The wind was breezing across Lee's calmed face as he was gazing towards the white Zetsu's face.

"This will not take long. I'm sure this battle is like a snap of a finger," he reminded himself optimistically in thought.

"Hahahaha! You certainly think that you will win? Maybe in your next life, kid," the white Zetsu laughed out loud hysterically, waving his arms up in the air drunkenly.

"I didn't come here to win. I came here to live for my friends and Guy-sensei. I could care less about you," the green leaf ninja remarked calmly.

"Guy-sensei? That low-life bastard? Hah. The last time I saw him, he was always attempting to use ninjutsu when he will never ever be able to," the white Zetsu chuckled, then started to attack him with his long arms crashing to the ground.

Lee dodged it and used kunai knives and shurikens to throw at his direction. A few seconds later, he quickly unwrapped his bandages and made a fast circular running motion around the enemy. He went closer to his body and swung his leg, exclaiming. "Primary Lotus!!"

The white Zetsu groaned in pain after the kick, then regenerated the side of his body. He clawed his hands towards Lee's back, but missed the attack.

Meanwhile, the rest of the leaf squad had been walking together silently, whereas Neji and Shino kept their heads straight.

"Man, this sucks. I don't even want to go back to my own," Choji said sulkingly.

"Why? They wouldn't scold you that harshly," Tenten noted.

"I'm pretty sure we all are. Like what Gaara said, we need to face the consequences," Ino sighed tiredly.

"Consequences? My ass. I don't give a crap about what the Kazekage says. He is punishing us and just wants to suck up to his own title," Kiba sneered and rolled his eyes mockingly.

"Hey! Don't insult him like that!" Tenten defended, narrowing her eyes.

"Why not? He literally humiliated Sakura right in front of us. How is that fair for him to treat her like that? Yet, you're assuming that I'm a bad person when I'm defending one of our comrades?" Kiba shook his head in disappointment. "Get real."

Tenten didn't say anything, so she looked away with a frown.

"Guys, let's not argue right now. We got to keep moving," Neji advised.

"Do you think they're going to be okay?" Hinata asked in concern and continued on. "Lee went to go after Sakura and..."

"They are safe. They can handle the situation themselves," Neji reminded with reassurance.

"I hope so," Hinata nodded and breathed out slowly in relief.