Chapter 55: CH 55
Naruto sat in his hospital room two days after returning to Konoha from the failed mission to retrieve Sasuke. Naruto was pleased to know upon their return that Rock Lee would be fine, and that the only other member of the retrieval team that needed to be hospitalized other than himself and Lee was Kiba, and he was doing just fine himself.
Kiba had a stab wound to his stomach that he had inflicted on himself. Rock Lee had many miniscule injuries to his muscles, chakra exhaustion, and a wounded shoulder from Sasuke's Chidori that mostly healed after he activated the fourth celestial gate in the battle. Naruto had to chuckle when Lee had recovered enough to tell him exactly how Sasuke had missed anything vital with the Chidori.
(Flashback – Valley of the End)
Sasuke stood across from Lee, the black marks of the cursed seal spread out across his body like fire. He had a cruel smirk on his face as he looked at Lee, who was set in his Gouken stance with a determined look on his face, "Just come back with us Sasuke-kun. I do not want to fight you, not like this."
Sasuke chuckled darkly, "But Lee. I want to fight you, ever since you first defeated me during the exams. Didn't you say you wanted to prove yourself against a genius? Well this is your chance."
"Very well Sasuke-kun. If this is what it will take, then I will defeat you if I must to bring you home." Lee launched himself at Sasuke to begin engaging.
(Flashback end)
Rock Lee however, was not as healthy and ready for combat as he had led most to believe. He had lost a considerable amount of his speed and mobility from the time he had off due to his injury and Sasuke with the use of his curse seal was too much for Lee to handle in his state, even after opening the first gate and attempting the Omote Renge (Front Lotus). The toll it took on his already battered body left Lee a mess, and a sitting duck for Sasuke's Chidori.
(Flashback)