Gaara vs. Lee
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Before the third test begins, there's a round of premliminary battles. Although they're told that it'll be battles to the death... Gaara is eager to begin, as always. 
Kankuro wins his battle easily, as do Temari. Up next, Gaara vs. Lee. Before the match begins, Kankuro notes that all the blood on the arena has started making Gaara excited again... which isn't a good thing.
When the battle begins, Lee attacks boldly, before realising Gaara has an automatic sand shield that will prevent every blow. Although Lee is fast, Kankuro comments that up till now, 
no one has ever been even able to put a scratch on Gaara...how just stands still there on the areana, looking unimpressed with Lee. At this moment, Lee's trainer tells him it's ok to take off those limiting weights around his legs... 
Lee does, becomes super quick, and finally Gaara looks a little scared! As Lee backs off, we can see a cut and a bruise on Gaara's cheek. The audience is surprised, as is Kankuro. 
Lee lands a heavy blow on Gaara, who actually has quite a few bruises now... The audience is cheering. Of course, we all know it wouldn't be that 
easy for Lee to win, right? Considering now no one had managed to hurt Gaara before... Suddenly, something starts to drip off Gaara... 
At first it looks like blood, but considering Gaara's nearly hysterical grin, we can guess it isn't... Actually, it's sand, and as it falls off Gaara, 
we can tell that no one managed to put a scratch on him this time either. By now, Kankuro is worried that Gaara is losing control completely, as "the other Gaara" is completely awake now. 
He casually comments that Lee will be killed for the fun of it... As the sand once again covers Gaara, Kankuro explains the difference between the automatic sand shield, and the chakra controlled sand armour. 
Apparently, Gaara only uses the sand armour if he's in trouble... Lee realises he must use a different strategy, and Gaara actually takes some more beating, (although we know the sand armour protects him). 
The attack seems successful, and makes a huge hole in the floor, until we realise that the person laying there isn't Gaara, but a sand copy of him... Poor Lee keeps using up his chakra to beat up Gaara's sand instead of Gaara. 
As Lee surveys what he thought was Gaara, Gaara shows up behind him, obviously uninjured. Since Lee has pretty much no power left, he can't even dodge Gaara's attack. As we're starting to think Lee's done for, Gai suddenly explains that he has a last card up his arm -
a special and forbidden technique... that could kill Lee if he uses it. Lee prepares and launches his technique, and now even Gaara is suffering from the attacks as his sand armour is being ripped off! Unfortunately for Lee... it isn't enough to defeat Gaara. As Gaara lies on the arena floor, he launches his Desert Coffin technique, and Lee can't escape. 
Before Gaara can kill Lee, though, Gai intervenes and protects him from the sand. You can tell that Gaara is confused by this... In a little flashback, we get to see pictures of Gaara's family, and Gaara as young. Clutching his head in agony, Gaara asks Gai why he protected Lee. 
Gai explains that Lee is his beloved comrade, and Gaara's trainer comments that Gaara probably won't understand those words... As the battle ends, Gaara is declared the winner, and Lee is taken to the hospita, unconscious and with with a crushed leg and a broken arm. We later find out that Lee will never be able to be a ninja again with his injuries....<< previous | index | next >>
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