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Lee's POV (East Forest of Irminsul - Terra)
Lee tensed as the formerly friendly Okama slowly surrounded him. All the while, Suzumebachi laughed cruelly. Lee eyed the odds and realized he was surrounded by ten clan members and Suzumebachi, who even while laughing, pointed a finger at him. She clearly intended to let Okama take him on while she offered support. It would be dangerous; however, if she landed that sting again, the gates wouldn't save him. He couldn't reopen the Second Gate after all.
"I'll admit, I've never met a Genin as strong as you. Suppose the age program wasn't so worthless for a mere upstart like you to nearly beat me." Suzumebachi panted arrogantly. "Luckily, your foolish decision not to kill once you had the chance has now returned to haunt you. The very clan that protected you now will tear you apart, and if you so much as forget about me for even an instant, I'll make you join them…"
"I will not allow such; I intend to punish you for this wanton cruelty," Lee vowed.
"Let's see you smash your friends to prove it!" Suzumebachi roared. "Beat him near death, then bring him to me; worry not for your lives!"
The Okama wordlessly heeded her words. Three transformed into a bear, wolf, and snake, respectively. Four turned into bruiser forms, and the last three, oddly enough, put their palms to the ground and seemed to focus intently on it.
'This is problematic; with this many opponents of unknown ability and strength, it'll be difficult to defeat them, watch out for the Jounin, and do so without harming them long term.' Lee pondered as he lowered himself and prepared to rush Suzumebachi. 'Surely, if I take her out, they'll be freed!' "Youthful Wild Spear!" Lee called as he launched himself like the namesake of the technique. This surprised the oncoming wave of Okama, allowing Lee to fly past the bruisers and transform. He drew close to a shocked Suzumebachi, who stumbled back in shock.
However, just as Lee drew close to her, the ground in front of her bubbled before a wall of raw clay burst from beneath. Lee crashed into it and nearly broke through. Aiming a punch for Suzumebachi's face. However, arms formed in the clay grabbed Lee and pulled him from itself. *15* It then chucked Lee towards the transformed bear.
Lee adapted quickly, flipping around in the air and thrusting his palm into the large bear's chest. "Youthful Wild Wave!" Lee called as the bear suddenly stumbled back, losing his bear form, returning to his original one, and collapsing unconscious.
Lee flinched as he caught a snake; however, the creature merely hissed with joy, wrapping it around his arm. Lee cried out as a numb pain spread up from it but focused as he saw a bruiser draw close. Gritting his teeth through the pain, Lee slammed his own arm through the mess hall floor, driving the snake through it by proxy as he called out with effort. "Leaf Whirlwind!" Using his arm as leverage, Lee managed the spinning kick to clip the incoming bruiser's face, and another ribs knocking out two more instantly. However, trusting his instincts, Lee grunted as he pushed off the ground, using raw strength to fly into the air. This allowed him to narrowly avoid a landing with Suzumebachi, who growled as she glared at him.
Lee smiled back, enjoying her frustration, but was stopped as his legs were suddenly encompassed. He looked at his feet to see two strands of clay wrapped around his feet; before he could react, the strands pulled him onto the ground violently. Lee spits out the blood at the impact as his body was wracked with pain. Lee attempted to stand, but the wolf Okama bit his shoulder and tried to wrestle him to the ground; Lee resisted his efforts with raw strength but was overwhelmed as the three bruisers wrapped him up, and transformed Okama each grabbed a limb. Soon, the wolf and bruisers had Lee restrained, each holding a limb as the limping Suzumebachi approached.
Lee growled as he desperately attempted to wrestle free. However, Suzumebachi quickly closed the distance, punching Lee in the ribs with a painful crunch; Lee gasped aimlessly and momentarily stopped his resistance.
"Lee!" Muuni's voice called out, full of concern. She had crawled back up to the mess hall through a hole in the floor. She was bloodied and clearly injured and had significantly struggled to make it back here. "Remember what I taught you! Ninshu is the key!"
"Feel no shame, strange young man. You may have failed not only yourself and your village but also Okama." Suzumebachi said mockingly as she theatrically held up a finger. "But truthfully, you could've never been expected to defeat an Iwa Jounin of the Kamizuru clan. But fret not, soon all of that won't matter to you… Wasp Style: Domineering Sting!" She cried with joy as she lunged at Lee.
Lee was not despairing or panicking, however. Gai sensei had long taught him he would achieve nothing while working under fear or despair. So, as she monologued, Lee calmly pressed his palms to two of the bruisers, preparing his Ninshu to take them out.
But regardless of how he reacted, she would land her venomous blow. Lee couldn't counteract the effects again, and Ninshu would allow him to land his own blow, but it would not allow him to stop hers. She would hit him somewhere, and then the venom would spell his doom. But why had Muuni seemed so confident that the answer lay before him? What had she said about Ninshu?
"Ninshu is fundamentally different from jutsu, which you humans use. For one reason or another, your species is specially able to use chakra in that way. Your bodies have complex and large chakra pathways, allowing you to use and develop chakra within your body and use it in countless ways. However, other species like us raccoons could not feasibly use jutsu as humans do. Our pathways are much simpler and tiny, used purely to fuel our body but not substantial enough to use it as wastefully as humans. Instead, we use the chakra around us; we can manipulate it to a certain extent by using our meager reserves in a specific way. It is why we are such skilled clay manipulators. This is certainly more limited than Ninjutsu, but if used properly, it can be much more versatile; it is said the leader of the Okama is an utter master of Ninshu. So much so he can supposedly reflect chakra, though with how rarely it battles, it could be a mere rumor. Regardless, I doubt someone like you could achieve such a thing."
'Ninshu has similarities to Ninjutsu, but the base mechanics are different. Reflecting on the chakra would be ideal, but how do we go about it?' Lee wondered as he began his counter; there was no time for hesitation. Lee activated Youthful Wild Wave, instantly knocking the two guards holding his arms. Lee grasped his right arm with his left hand as he began using his chakra to manipulate the chakra in the air. 'I have to reject her venom completely, or else I lose! I can't waste time pondering how to do it! Merely have to do it; I'll use the chakra around me as a hammer and send her chakra back to the sender!' Lee decided as he thrust his fist at her finger.
"Too late! It doesn't matter where I sting you! YOUR MINE!" Suzumebachi roared triumphantly.
"Youth Hammer!" Lee called as the two techniques met. Neither was a powerful blow, so they tapped lightly for a mere instant. But there was a hiss of air as chakra clashed. Suddenly Suzumebachi froze. She stumbled back before falling to the ground stiffly. Seemingly unable to even stand now.
"What?! What have you done to me!" Suzumebachi screamed from the ground, now somehow paralyzed.
"I am not the most intelligent man, but if my opponent bluntly tells me their technique and how it works, even I'm capable of finding a counterplay," Lee answered frankly. "My Ninshu allowed me to send your venomous chakra back at you. I imagine you can't control yourself, and as such, it is merely paralyzing you as a backfire effect. I sincerely hope it is not permanent."
"That should be impossible. There is no way you managed to do that in the heat of battle?!" Suzumebachi roared.
"I do not believe in impossibilities," Lee countered. "Through the power of youth and effort, nearly anything can be achieved." Lee glanced around the room, noticing the Okama were now mumbling to themselves and reacting to shock at their surroundings. They all resumed their original forms, and the clay manipulators worked to remove it; all of them were glancing at the two but seemed aware enough of the situation to leave it to him. 'So they have been freed and remember everything, how fortunate.'
"It seems Mishiro was wise to send me." A female voice cut through the surprise. Lee warily looked up to see an odd redhead female in a crop top, and tights march into the mess hall with utter confidence. "Names Leifazu Uzumaki, normally by now, I'd be killing many of you. But Mishiro was clear about gathering the goons first. So I'll be taking that popsicle of a woman there. That said, rest assured I'm sure she'll order me to hunt you all down later. It'll be fun to upset the bitch a bit~!"
Lee frowned at her cavalier attitude and faced off against the woman. "You must be her comrade; I will not allow you or her to leave this place. You have, without a doubt, shown yourselves to be untrustworthy, and she has threatened the life of my friends. I would have her answer for that. Due to such I must reject your request."
"I wasn't asking," Leifazu said, shocking Lee as she stood beside him. Lee felt a weight of dread settle on him and reacted defensively, jumping back. 'She's much faster than the other woman!.'
"Shame too; a battle with a man like you would surely be somewhat fun, exciting at the very least; I enjoy killing the strong as much as laying with 'em." Leifazu then bent over to pick up the now unconscious Suzumebachi. She purposely swung her rear as she did, knowing Lee would be watching closely.
Lee felt surprise and embarrassment fill him all at once. Gai sensei had trained a gentleman, and to leer at even an enemy was shameful. He whipped his head to the side violently to give her modesty. Before it occurred to him how foolish taking his eyes off them was! However, as he looked back, both women were gone…