"Boom!"
With a loud crack, the branch in Lee's hand snapped cleanly in two. But Kiba's powerful kick continued, drawing an afterimage as it moved toward Lee's chest.
Kiba was like a wild beast, his strength amplified by his clan's technique. His muscles pulsed with power, and the broken branch was as ineffective as glass against his fierce assault.
"Not bad," Lee muttered, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He moved forward, leaving an afterimage as he lunged to meet Kiba's attack head-on.
Lee's aura was intense, his presence like a towering mountain. He was ready for a clash of pure strength—a warrior's duel. "Boom!" Their attacks collided with a loud impact.
"Agh!" Kiba let out a pained yell as a fierce shock rippled through his leg. Lee's strength was overwhelming, threatening to disable his leg with a single blow. Realizing this, Kiba quickly used the force of Lee's strike to propel himself backward, minimizing the damage. Still, he was launched through the air, slamming into a thick tree trunk with a force that split it in half.
The sheer strength displayed left Shino visibly shaken. He had known Lee was powerful, but this was beyond anything he'd expected. Kiba had unleashed his clan's secret technique, yet Lee had overpowered him with a single blow.
"Ya, are you okay?" Hinata ran over to help Kiba up, concern in her voice.
"Back off! I'm not done yet!" Kiba pushed her away, his vision blurred as he struggled to steady himself, but his fighting spirit remained fierce. Stumbling, he charged at Lee once more.
Lee looked at him coolly. "Is this really the strength of the Inuzuka clan?" he asked, advancing with measured steps. His eyes held a wild glint, and his every step radiated an aura that was as fierce as it was focused.
"Raaaah!" Kiba roared, attacking with clawed hands and feet. His movements were wild but determined, his sharp claws aiming to slice into Lee.
But Lee's experience was unmatched. He dodged and countered effortlessly, each movement precise and effective. Kiba was growing more frustrated, his anger fueling his attacks, yet he was unable to land a single blow.
"You've lost," Lee said flatly, catching Kiba's leg mid-kick, holding it firmly in his grip.
"W-what?" Kiba's eyes widened.
Without a word, Lee swung Kiba like a rag doll, smashing him against a nearby tree, the force splintering the wood with a loud crack.
"Crack!"
Lee swung Kiba again, shattering another tree trunk. He continued, spinning Kiba and slamming him repeatedly against anything nearby, each impact creating loud cracks that echoed through the forest.
Both Shino and Hinata watched in shock, unable to believe their eyes. Lee seemed more like a force of nature than a person, his strength and relentlessness surpassing anything they'd seen.
"Argh!" Kiba cried out, struggling to break free. Blood trickled down his forehead, and he looked dazed, his strength fading.
"Let him go!" Shino finally shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.
Hinata's eyes flashed as she activated her Byakugan. She moved in, determined to save her teammate, her hands poised in the stance of her clan's Gentle Fist.
"So, she's using the Byakugan," Lee thought, sensing Hinata's approach. He swung Kiba's body toward her, forcing her to adjust her stance. But Hinata moved skillfully, her palm gently redirecting Kiba's body aside without harming him.
"Boom!"
As Hinata's hand connected with Kiba, Lee felt a sharp jolt. Her Gentle Fist technique sent a wave of force directly toward Lee's chest, aiming to disrupt his chakra flow.
"Interesting," Lee thought, impressed by the strength of her attack. But he sensed the need to release his grip on Kiba. Before doing so, he delivered a final, powerful slam, sending Kiba's body crashing into the ground.
Just as he released Kiba, Lee heard a faint buzzing noise behind him. His instincts took over, and he jumped onto a nearby tree branch to gain some distance. When he looked down, he felt a chill—the ground was swarming with countless insects.
"Konoha's Aburame clan technique," he muttered, realizing the severity of the threat.