𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 | 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐨 [HEAVY EDITING]

𝟐𝟗 | 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐬: 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐞

If you remember being around when this fight was first written... No, you don't. You are a veteran.
It's changed!! Finally!

I'm wincing by the end of the tenth one-on-one battle – Rock Lee and Gaara.

The full fight itself had lasted just over fourty minutes, the longest of matches so far. The arena has almost completely been totaled, excluding the giant stone hands and the area where the Lord Hokage and the other Jōnin Sensei and Chūnin stand.

So far and ever since Makara-sensei revealed her true abilities in front of me, I'd only experienced more and more uniqueness to everyone around me. Every person I've met all have different Jutsu they all use, and it has been amazing. But between Lee, his lack of chakra, and his absolutely incredible Taijutsu techniques, and Gaara, his gourd of sand, and his terrifying strength, I realize I've had another reaction on reserve for the world of Shinobi.

I had to slap my hands over my mouth when the crack echoes. Lee lets out a wail, and suddenly, Guy-sensei, the man with the tortoise from the first day, has stepped in, stopping Gaara from quite obviously wanting to kill him. And even then, Lee... still tried to fight. Bloodied and battered, Lee is finally removed from the arena on a stretcher, and... there's word that his injuries may be severe enough that he won't be able to be a Shinobi anymore.

I've never prayed much before, but for Lee, I put my hands together and pray until he disappears from my sight.

Sasuke. Shino. Kankurō. Temari. Shikamaru. Iori. Naruto. Neji. And now, Gaara. These are who have won their rounds. With Sakura's fight with Ino ending in a draw, so far half of Team Seven has managed to pass on for the finals. And now, there's only four of us left. Chōji. Garasu. A man named Dosu from the Hidden Sound. And me.

For my sake and personal sanity, I hope that I get to battle Chōji. Heck, even this Dosu guy I'd happily win or lose against. But Garasu? She gives me such a cold, bitter feeling, just from hearing her speak that one time. That exchange with her the day she arrived hadn't even been all that terrible, so I'm thinking I just have some kind of hidden animosity toward anything reminding me of Makara-sensei, and since Garasu comes from the Land of Snow, well... She's one big reminder.