The sky over the Genjutsu World boiled with heavy winter clouds. A storm had threatened all morning, rumbling like a predator circling above the forest dome. On the monitoring screens, only five candidates remained.
Fifteen minutes left.
Five candidates remained.
Rock Lee.
Gaara of the Sand.
Yugito Nii—shrouded in ghost-blue demonic flame.
Hinata Hyūga.
And a lone shinobi from Kumogakure—Tetsuya Kumo, a prodigy trained in Lightning Chakra Mode.
---
Pine Forest
Hinata moved silently through the fog, Byakugan active—but she saw it too late.
A sphere of concentrated blue hellfire materialized behind her—
Spectral Flame Bomb.
Hinata barely had a moment to register the attack before she was obliterated, her Byakugan frozen in shock.
No roar. No warning. Only a high-pitched whine before the world folded inward.
The explosion erased trees for thirty meters, leaving a black hollow crater.
---
Evergreen Forest
Tetsuya flickered between trees at lightning speed, his body glowing yellow-white.
Lightning Chakra Mode wrapped his muscles like a second skin.
He zig-zagged toward Gaara, moving almost too fast to follow.
Gaara didn't blink.
Sunapon no Tsume — Claws of the Desert King.
Four colossal sand claws erupted from the earth. Tetsuya flashed past the first two—but the third swiped him mid-air.
He slammed a palm into Gaara's shield.
Lightning Palm—Burst!
Crackling chakra slammed into the sand—but Gaara merely raised his hand.
Sabaku Kyōen — Grand Sand Feast.
The forest floor liquefied instantly.
Tetsuya's speed meant nothing—his feet sank.
He roared, lightning surging.
Gaara clenched a fist.
Crunch.
Blood mist rose into the treetops.
Tetsuya's score became zero.
Only three remained.
---
Minutes passed.
The storm broke. Sheets of cold winter rain hammered the forest, turning it into a dark, dripping maze. Thunder cracked like a giant summon's roar.
The last three survivors—Gaara, Rock Lee, and Yugito—were drawn to the same clearing. Instinct, pressure, and the knowledge that only they remained pulled them together.
Gaara hovered above the ground on a swirling platform of sand.
Yugito burned with ghost-blue fire, steam rising as raindrops vaporized around her.
Rock Lee stood drenched, fists trembling—not in fear, but in pure anticipation.
The storm raged around them.
Gaara spoke first, voice low.
"This is where it ends."
Yugito's tails unfurled like flaming serpents.
"You two picked the wrong season to face me… but even winter will burn."
Lee inhaled deeply.
"Then… I will give everything in the time that remains! Youthhhhh!!!!"
---
The ground exploded.
Yugito Moved First
Kokūen Tasogare — Twilight Void-Flame Storm.
Spiraling blue fire rose like a tornado, bypassing trees, carving trenches in the wet soil.
Gaara Countered
Shajin Seijō — Sanctuary of Sand Purification.
A dome of golden grit enveloped him, absorbing the spiraling flames harmlessly.
Lee closed his eyes.
He took a deep breath.
Gate of Opening — Open.
Gate of Healing — Open.
Gate of Life — Open.
Gate of Pain — Open.
Gate of Limit — Open.
Green energy detonated around him, and he vanished in a blur.
---
He appeared above Gaara like a falling meteor.
Shōrai Tenpū — Incoming Heavenly Wind Kick!
Gaara whipped up a hand—
Tenrai Tate — Heavenly Sand Bulwark!
Lee's kick cracked the shield.
Gaara gritted his teeth. Lee was already gone.
In an instant—
Konoha Senpō Rendan — Konoha Whirlwind Combo!
A dozen blurred kicks hammered Gaara's defenses. Sand exploded. The golden shield shattered.
Gaara countered:
Gōma Sabaku Bakuha — Sand Demon Burst!
The ground under Lee detonated like a geyser.
Lee flew backward, skidding across mud.
---
Yugito flickered beside Gaara.
Yōrai no Matatabi — Wraith-Stride!
Her flaming afterimages clawed at Gaara, forcing him back.
Gaara retaliated:
Mana Suna Karyū — Demonic Sand Flood Dragon!
A sand dragon lunged. Yugito's flames shredded it—but the blast hid Gaara's own follow-up attack.
Sabaku Sōkyū — Sand Coffin Sphere.
The sphere crushed her—but her demonic chakra surged.
Tailed-Wisp Howl!
The sphere exploded in blue fire.
---
A green blur cut between them.
Lee appeared, drenched, panting—but smiling.
"This… is the most exciting day of my life!"
He crouched. The earth shook. His chakra flared like a sun.
—Gate of Joy, the Sixth Gate… OPEN!!!
Emerald lightning spiraled around his body. The rain sizzled into steam.
---
The Final Six Minutes
The forest could not contain them.
Lee vs Yugito vs Gaara
Seiryū Senpū — Azure Dragon Cyclone!
A dragon of compressed fire tore through the clearing.
Yugito countered:
Enkō Mugen Rendan — Infinite Blue-Flame Barrage!
Her flame tails whipped into the dragon, detonating it midair.
Lee's fist slammed into her ribs—her fire claw slashed his shoulder—both blasted apart.
---
Gaara hovered high, hands spread.
Sabaku Tenrai Tate (Full Expansion).
A colossal sand fortress formed, ready to crush anything below.
Lee leapt upward:
Hikari Ken — Fist of Enlightened Light!
The punch pierced the sand wall.
Gaara barely dodged as the blast split the sky.
---
Gaara snapped both hands forward.
Ichibi Kōrin — One-Tail's Imperial Howl.
The shockwave tore the rain into a spiraling vortex.
Yugito planted her feet:
Tailed-Beast Ball
Blue flames collided with the shockwave, consuming it.
---
Final Three Minutes
All three stood heaving, soaked and trembling.
None stepped back.
The storm roared. The ground trembled.
Lee whispered, barely audible:
"…Sensei… please watch me."
He vanished.
He struck both at once.
A kick shattered half of Gaara's sand armor.
A punch sent blue flames scattering from Yugito.
He spun. He roared.
"SEIRYŪ—"
The storm crackled.
"—SENPŪ RENDAN!!!"
A cyclone of emerald force engulfed all three.
Sand turned to glass.
Trees snapped like twigs.
Flames spiraled into the sky.
The explosion shook the forest dome.
---
Few minutes passed
The countdown hit zero.
The field froze.
Gaara laid embedded in a crater of hardened sand, gasping.
Yugito knelt, blue flames flickering weakly.
Lee collapsed, steam rising from his skin—but still conscious.
None could move. None had won.
Akira's voice came from above:
"Three hours over."
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