— I'm sure I'm going to beat you today! — Zack said, a challenging spark in his eyes as he clenched his fists. — I finally managed to complete part of my training.
Lee chuckled, turning with a carefree expression, but his eyes sparkled with a mix of curiosity and challenge.
— You've never won a fight against me in all these months... What makes you think today will be any different? — he asked, adjusting the bandages on his fists as he spoke.
Zack frowned, pretending to be indignant, but the playful smile on his lips gave him away.
— Hey! You didn't have to throw that in my face... And besides, many times I let you win! — he retorted, crossing his arms as if trying to defend himself.
Lee raised an eyebrow, pausing for a moment before bursting into contagious laughter.
— Hahahaha! If that's true, you could have at least won once!
— Tsc! — Zack scratched his head, a bit embarrassed. — Okay, okay, let's drop that talk. The important thing is that now I'm more prepared. And I'm going to prove it to you!
Lee's eyes sparkled. He assumed his characteristic stance, with his right arm extended in front with an open palm and his left hand drawn back. The confident smile on his face made it clear that he was more than ready.
— Whenever you're ready, Zack — Lee said, with a calmness that made it seem like he already knew the outcome of the fight.
Zack took a deep breath, adjusting his feet on the ground and getting into a combat position. For a moment, the world around seemed to disappear. There was no sound of leaves in the wind or distant whispers from the village. It was just him and Lee, ready for another battle.
— Today will be different — Zack murmured to himself, with a smile on his face. — Let's go!
And then, he charged.
Zack sprinted toward Lee with speed and determination. When he was close enough, he jumped, twisting his hips in the air to deliver a spinning kick to Lee's face. The movement was swift and full of intent, but Lee, with his experience and sharp reflexes, raised his left arm to block it precisely. The impact was softened as Lee leaned slightly to the side, absorbing the force and redistributing it skillfully.
In the same motion, Lee grabbed Zack's right leg, holding him for a moment. However, Zack, anticipating the situation, already had his other leg in motion. He delivered a quick kick toward Lee's face, but the thick-browed ninja reacted swiftly. Using his right palm, he intercepted the strike, creating a moment of immobilization between the two.
That moment was exactly what Zack needed. With a well-executed somersault, he distanced himself from Lee, and in mid-air, his hands were already in his pouch, pulling out a kunai. He landed with the weapon firmly in hand, his eyes locked on his opponent.
Lee, on the other hand, wasted no time. Taking advantage of Zack's retreat, he surged forward with an explosion of speed. The sound of his footsteps on the ground echoed, and before Zack could fully position himself, Lee spun around and launched a powerful kick. Zack, still in mid-air, only had time to raise his left arm to block, but the impact sent him flying.
Zack crashed into a nearby tree, the sound of the impact echoing through the forest. Even so, he used the fall to spin his body and launch his kunai in a fast, precise motion, aiming directly at Lee.
Lee, still in mid-air after his kick, noticed the kunai coming his way. With no time to land and his balance compromised, he threw himself to the ground, skillfully dodging the blade. The kunai whizzed just past his shoulder, embedding itself in the trunk of a tree behind him with a sharp thud.
Still on the ground, Lee used his arm to propel himself upward. With a fluid and energetic movement, he leaned forward and jumped to stand in one motion.
Zack wasted no time after launching the kunai. Even with the impact of hitting the tree, he quickly got back up, bending his knees to stabilize his stance. His eyes were locked on Lee. He knew any hesitation would be punished.
Lee, now standing, flashed a brief smile before charging again, his body moving rapidly. He closed the distance in seconds, swaying his torso side to side in a zigzag to confuse his opponent. Approaching close to a nearby tree that obstructed visibility, he threw a straight punch aimed at Zack's chest.
Zack twisted his body at the last moment, escaping the strike and using the movement to swing his elbow toward Lee's face. The blow was quick, but Lee stepped back a pace, allowing the attack to pass just inches from his head.
Taking advantage of the imbalance that Zack's spin caused, Lee lowered his center of gravity and advanced with a sweeping kick. The strike aimed at Zack's legs, attempting to knock him down, but Zack jumped at the last moment, spinning in the air to deliver a double kick toward his opponent.
The first kick was blocked by Lee, who crossed his arms to protect his face. The impact made his feet slide slightly backward, but he remained firm. The second kick, however, came quickly afterward, lower and targeting Lee's abdomen. This time, Lee didn't have time for a full defense and was forced to jump back, retreating to regain his balance.
— Impressive! — Lee praised, adjusting his stance. — Your reaction time is improving.
— And you still remain impossible to hit for real! — Zack retorted, smiling despite the sweat dripping down his forehead.
Just as Zack had spun to deliver the two consecutive kicks, he had already grabbed a smoke bomb from his pouch. As Lee retreated, Zack seized the moment to throw the bomb to the ground between them. The dense smoke spread quickly, obscuring the view for both.
However, Zack had already planned his strategy. Before even throwing the bomb, he closed his eyes, mentally visualizing the area around him. He knew about the nearby tree, the same one he had crashed into earlier, where he had discreetly made a marking to locate himself. Trusting in his spatial memory and the marking, Zack dove back precisely.
"Now let's see if I can at least minimally use Bunshin no Jutsu," he thought as he executed the hand seals: Sheep, Snake, and Tiger. Even with his chakra control still imprecise and limited, Zack managed to create an imperfect illusion. The clone looked slightly distorted, with the edges of its body trembling irregularly, but it was still enough to deceive someone amidst the smoke.
On the other side, Lee remained alert. Even without visibility, his trained ears picked up the subtle sound of Zack's movement. He took a defensive stance, ready for any motion that could indicate an attack.
Suddenly, Zack's clone charged through the smoke, running directly toward Lee with an aggressive posture. Lee, without hesitation, prepared a counter-attack. He spun around quickly, delivering a powerful kick toward the clone, which vanished in a blur of smoke as soon as it was hit.
"A distraction," Lee realized at that instant. He shifted his attention to the surroundings, trying to locate Zack, but the smoke still hindered his perception.
In that moment, Zack, trusting his marking on the tree to move silently, began to throw small stones in different directions. The sounds of the stones bouncing against trunks and leaves confused Lee, who found himself surrounded by noises coming from various points.
Zack took advantage of the confusion to emerge from an unexpected angle, coming up alongside Lee. Using the distraction from the stones, the confusion generated by the clone, and the smoke screen, he delivered a low kick aimed at Lee's support leg. The strike was quick and precise, forcing Lee to pivot to avoid being knocked down, but it left him momentarily out of position.
Zack seized the opening and advanced with a direct punch aimed at Lee's chest. However, Lee, even while off-balance, managed to block the blow by crossing his arms in front of his body. The impact made both step back a few paces, their gazes locking through the last vestiges of smoke.
— Interesting strategy — Lee said, with an excited smile. — You're getting better at this.
— Good enough to beat you today! — Zack retorted, adjusting his stance for the next move.
Breathing more heavily, Zack knew his time was running out. The smoke was beginning to dissipate slowly, and both were now visible again, but the exchange of blows was already in full swing. Lee advanced with impressive speed, his punches and kicks landing with increasingly lethal precision.
Zack, with his quick reflexes, managed to evade and block most of the attacks, but each of Lee's moves seemed to bring more strength, more endurance. The physical difference in resistance between the two was becoming more and more evident. While Zack moved to evade one punch, Lee was already on top of him, delivering another attack without leaving space to breathe.
Zack's control over his chakra was still far from ideal, and he knew it. He tried once more to make a seal to perform another jutsu, but the feeling of exhaustion began to weigh heavily on his mind. The pressure of fighting Lee up close was intense, and he could barely maintain his focus long enough to execute an efficient move.
With each exchange of punches and kicks, Lee seemed to always be one step ahead. Zack could block one blow, but another would come immediately, stronger and more precise. He no longer had the speed to evade all of Lee's attacks, and in one of those exchanges, Lee found his opening.
With a quick motion, Lee delivered a precise kick to Zack's stomach. The force of the blow was so great that Zack had no time to react, and the impact sent him flying back against a rocky wall. The sound of the impact echoed through the area, and Zack, fallen to the ground, lay there momentarily unresponsive. His vision was hazy, and he was struggling to breathe. The pain in his stomach was intense, as if the breath had been knocked out of him.
Lee, panting yet still standing and ready to continue, looked at Zack with a respectful smile.
— I thought you would get another chance to use some jutsu — Zack said, trying to recover and breathe, with his hands on the ground.
— You have the determination, Zack. But you still need more strength and control — Lee replied, slowly approaching. — This isn't over, but you've already put up a good fight.
Zack forced himself to breathe, trying to get up. The impact against the rocky wall was brutal, but his mind was focused. He didn't want to admit defeat. With the pain pulsing in his stomach, he lifted his head, staring at Lee, determined to stand up and continue.
But at that moment, he knew he needed more time, more practice, and more endurance. He wasn't ready to defeat Lee yet, but the fight hadn't been in vain.
Zack, still breathless and feeling the pain in his stomach, forced a smile. His eyes were focused, but exhaustion was beginning to take over his body.
— Looks like I'll have to let you win this time… again — he laughed, trying to disguise his fatigue but unable to hide his frustration.
Lee, seeing Zack's smile, couldn't help but smile back. He knew how much Zack had given during the fight, and that only increased the respect he felt for the young ninja.
— You really have something inside you, Zack — Lee said, reaching out a hand to help his friend up. — It wasn't an easy fight. But next time, it won't be so easy for me either.
Zack took Lee's hand, and with effort, he rose, still in pain but determined. He knew he hadn't won, but he also knew he had made progress in his journey. Lee had fiercely challenged him, and he had managed to withstand it as much as he could.
— Don't get me wrong, Lee, one day I'll get there — Zack replied, with a more confident smile. — And next time, you'll see what I'm capable of.
Lee nodded, satisfied with Zack's response.
— Let's see what you can do then. But first of all, rest. I know you have a lot of potential, Zack. You just need more time, more training, more control.
Zack nodded, still feeling the pain in his stomach. He knew he was far from perfect, but Lee's words reminded him not to lose focus.