Lee's body spun at high speed as he smashed Gaara headfirst into the ground, kicking up a massive cloud of dust.
Almost everyone present—aside from the Kage and the jonin—stared in shock at the scene.
Lee flipped backward and landed heavily on one knee, gasping for breath.
Meanwhile, Gaara's body lay stiffly on the shattered floor.
The Konoha genin instantly erupted with excitement.
Naruto even shouted toward Wen Lan:
"Big Brother Wen! Hurry up and announce the result!"
Wen Lan glanced at him calmly.
"It's not over yet."
"What? But that guy's already lying there and can't even mov—"
Naruto froze mid-sentence.
Gaara's body suddenly cracked apart like an empty shell.
The "skin" crumbled away, revealing flowing sand inside.
At the same time, another mass of sand slowly gathered behind Lee—
forming Gaara's unharmed body.
A cold smile appeared on his face.
Sand Body Flicker.
Lee sensed something behind him.
The moment he turned and saw the perfectly unharmed Gaara—
his eyes widened in disbelief.
"How is that possible?!"
The sand exploded outward violently and slammed into Lee's body.
He was blasted flying across the arena.
Because he had already used the Front Lotus, his body was completely overloaded.
And since the Front Lotus was a mutually damaging technique, even standing back up now was incredibly difficult.
Wen Lan crossed his arms and looked at Lee calmly.
"Lee, use the Eight Gates."
"If you only rely on the Gate of Opening… you're definitely going to lose."
Lee clenched his teeth as cold sweat poured down his forehead.
Supporting himself with both hands, he struggled to stand.
He understood clearly—
if he hesitated now, defeat was certain.
He turned to look at Guy.
Guy's expression was solemn.
But the moment he met Lee's gaze, he immediately broke into a huge grin and gave a thumbs-up.
"Go for it! Carry out your ninja way!"
Lee took a deep breath.
Determination exploded in his eyes.
Slowly standing upright, he crossed both fists before his forehead.
Gaara made no move to stop him.
Instead, he seemed to enjoy this cruel anticipation.
Quietly waiting.
Suddenly—
the surrounding air seemed to freeze.
Green chakra erupted around Lee like blazing flames.
His muscles tightened inch by inch.
Veins bulged across his body like writhing serpents.
Crack!
Inside his mind, Lee roared:
Gai-sensei… now is the time… to uphold my ninja way!
His arms slammed downward.
The chakra around him exploded outward like a tangible shockwave, shattering the ground beneath his feet.
"Third Gate… Gate of Life! OPEN!"
A thunderous roar erupted as Lee's aura surged far beyond before.
"And next—"
Lee bent low into a stance, fists clenched tightly.
"Fourth Gate… Gate of Pain! OPEN!"
Another explosion erupted.
Chakra burst forth like a volcanic eruption sweeping through the entire arena.
Lee's skin turned red.
Veins bulged violently.
His eyes burned white.
Before the crowd could even react—
Lee vanished.
The floor beneath him exploded apart instantly.
A green blur streaked across the arena like lightning.
In the next instant—
he appeared directly before Gaara.
A kick launched Gaara violently into the air!
The sheer force created a shockwave that sent wind and sand flying everywhere.
Lee shot upward after him.
Another kick.
Then another.
Then another.
The relentless attacks came so quickly that all anyone could see were afterimages.
Heavy impacts echoed continuously through the air.
Gaara's body looked like a rag doll being battered helplessly across the sky.
Lee's eyes had turned completely white.
His entire network of muscles and tendons felt as though they were burning alive.
Bones cracked under unbearable strain.
Muscles had already begun tearing apart.
Yet he gritted his teeth and endured the agony of his body ripping itself apart.
Then—
he dove downward from above Gaara.
Both fists clenched tightly.
Gathering every remaining ounce of strength into a single strike—
"Fifth Gate… Gate of Limit! OPEN!"
BOOM!!
A devastating punch slammed into Gaara's abdomen, sending him plummeting downward.
But in the next instant—
Lee grabbed Gaara's belt and yanked him upward again.
Then his right hand and right leg smashed into Gaara simultaneously.
"Hidden Lotus!!"
At the exact moment the attack landed—
the muscles and tendons in Lee's right arm and right leg snapped apart instantly.
As Gaara fell—
the gourd on his back shattered into sand, cushioning the impact against the ground.
Because of that buffer, although heavily injured, Gaara remained conscious.
Lee, meanwhile, crashed violently onto the ground himself.
Yet even then—
he still struggled to rise.
Gasping desperately.
Gaara could barely move his body now.
But he still slowly raised one hand.
The sand surged forward toward Lee.
Lee clenched his teeth and tried to dodge—
but he could only shift slightly.
The sand wrapped around his left leg and left arm like venomous snakes.
Then tightened.
"Sand Coffin."
Gaara clenched his hand.
CRACK.
Lee's bones groaned under the crushing force.
His left arm and left leg twisted horribly beneath the pressure of the sand.
Then his body collapsed to the ground unconscious.
"Die."
A trace of bloodlust flashed through Gaara's eyes as massive waves of sand rushed toward Lee.
Seeing this, Wen Lan shook his head inwardly.
Still just like the original story…
Well, having someone who only knows taijutsu fight a jinchūriki really is too much.
Just as the sand was about to engulf Lee completely—
Wen Lan instantly appeared before him.
Raising one hand, he spoke coldly:
"Shinra Tensei."
A terrifying repulsive force erupted outward from his body.
The incoming sand exploded apart instantly, scattering into dust across the air.
Gaara's pupils contracted violently.
His body flew backward uncontrollably, smashing into a distant wall as blood sprayed from his mouth.
Wen Lan stood calmly where he was.
His robes fluttered violently in the aftermath.
His eyes were calm—
yet carried an unquestionable authority.
"The opponent has lost consciousness. The match is over."
His raised right hand slowly settled onto the hilt of the Kusanagi Sword.
"If you still want to fight… I can accompany you."
His voice was utterly cold.
Without a trace of emotion.
Gaara leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.
Rage and fear intertwined within his eyes—
but ultimately, he did not stand back up.
Rasa originally wanted to say something.
But seeing that Wen Lan had no intention of taking things further, he restrained himself.
"The match is over."
"Sunagakure's Gaara wins."
As Wen Lan announced the result, Konoha's medical ninja immediately rushed forward, placing Lee onto a stretcher before hurrying him away.
Wen Lan glanced at the devastated battlefield and spoke calmly:
"Everyone rest for ten minutes."
"Ground personnel, restore the arena."
Several Earth Release users quickly stepped forward.
The shattered stone rapidly reformed into smooth ground, while the scattered sand was cleaned away.
During the brief silence, spectators whispered among themselves.
Their eyes repeatedly drifted toward Gaara, still leaning against the wall—
and toward the unfathomable referee, Wen Lan.
The lingering aftershocks of chakra still hung in the air—
a reminder of the fierce battle that had just taken place.
—------------------------------
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