Book 1: Broken (Kiba Inuzuka Love Story)

Chapter 23

I say to Sakura, "Way to make it obvious to the enemy! How much more obvious could you make it for them?!"

"I-I'm sorry, okay?! I was under stress!" Sakura exclaims, turning to me.

Hunchback stands up as Zaku scoffs, "Heh! You're just a joke! You threw your kunai knife so that squirrel wouldn't spring the trap you set, huh?"

"Now we kill them," Says hunchback before they launch themselves at us.

I notice the green eyed girl smirking as she cuts a rope next to her. A log tied to a rope swings down from the trees to the Sound ninja.

"A log?!" Zaku exclaims. No, shit!

Hunchback says in shock, "She also laid a trap above?! Watch out! Nice try, little girl!" He puts his right hand on the log and it explodes from a blast of sound waves. Sakura and I gasp, seeing the three Sound nin falling towards us. "Because clearly you have no talent as a ninja. Someone like you needs to make a little more of an effort, don't you think?!"

Sensing a new but familiar chakra, I tell Sakura, "Don't worry. Backup has arrived." She looks at me in confusion as the Sound nin do.

"Huh?! What's she talking about?" The woman asks.

"Leaf Hurricane!" There's a green and black blur in front of us and the Sound nin were kicked a punched to the ground, right before Rock Lee lands before us. With the same squirrel from before on his shoulder.

I say, smirking, "Didn't I tell you?"

"Wh... What's he doing?" Sakura stammers in surprise.

"It looks like you also need to make more of an effort," Lee retorts

"Who are you?" Hunchback wants to know.

"I am the Handsome Devil of the Leaf Village, and my name is Rock Lee," Lee answers.

As I sit beside her, I ask, "What are you doing here, Lee?"

"I will always appear, anytime and anywhere that you need me, Kimi-chan. I told you that the first day we met, remember," Says Lee. He then sets the squirrel down and it steps off his hand. "This was really all thanks to you, little one. But now, it is time for you to run along."

The squirrel trots off as I tell him, "But, right now, in this test, we're your enemies."

"Kimi-chan, I already told you: I will protect you until I die!"

It all comes back to me now.

I murmur so no one else could hear, stunned, "Yes. Thank you, Rock Lee."

"It looks like I have no choice," Hunchback says, holding up a Heaven Scroll and chucking it back to his male teammate. "Zaku, I'll let you have Sasuke. I'll take care of these three." Sakura reaches back for her weapons pouch as Hunchback pulls up the sleeve of his right arm. "That guy with the bushy eyebrows is pretty good at Taijutsu. It looks like I get to have some fun!"

As the Hunchback runs at us, Sakura throws her kunai it he dodges. Lee punches the ground and rips out a giant tree root. It smashes apart when Hunchback punches it.

Lee says, "I am positive that there is some kind of trick to your attack. Therefore, I will not waste my time trying to dodge it. After all, I have seen your Jutsu before."

Lee starts unwrapping the bandages before looking up at Hunchback and saying through gritted teeth, doing a hand sign, "To protect the life of someone precious!"

Then, Lee uses his incredible speed to vanish. "He disappeared...?!" Hunchback gasps, right before Lee reappears before him and slams a powerful kick in his chin, sending the Sound nin flying upward. Lee immediately follows, appearing right behind Hunchback.