22.
A New Divide
The attack on Lee had not gone unnoticed.
Word spread quickly through Konoha's shinobi ranks—whispers of masked assassins, of an ambush that had failed before it even began.
But no one spoke of it openly.
Because no one wanted to admit what it meant.
Someone within Konoha had ordered an attack on one of its own.
Not an enemy.
Not a rogue shinobi.
But Rock Lee.
The Village Watches
Lee continued walking as if nothing had happened, his face unreadable. But in his heart, he knew.
The moment he shattered that kunai, the moment he let those assassins flee, he had made a decision.
He could have ended them.
Could have crushed them before they even had the chance to retreat.
But that would have proven their fears right.
That he was no longer a shinobi.
That he was something else.
Instead, he let them leave.
Because he wanted them to carry a message.
That he knew.
That he understood.
And that he was not afraid.
Sasuke's Frustration
Sasuke sat alone, staring at the practice field in front of him. His Sharingan spun lazily in his eyes, tracking every falling leaf, every shift in the wind.
But his mind was elsewhere.
Lee had humiliated him.
Not in a fight. Not directly.
But in something far worse.
In progress.
Lee had grown stronger.
Lee had reached a level that even the Uchiha bloodline could not follow.
And Sasuke—**the last of his clan, the heir to the Sharingan's power—**had been left behind.
His hand clenched into a fist.
Unacceptable.
He needed more.
More than Kakashi could teach him.
More than Konoha could offer.
He needed power.
And he would get it.
No matter the cost.
Naruto and Lee Speak
Naruto had been looking for him all day.
When he finally found Lee, standing in the shade of a lone tree near the training fields, he hesitated.
Lee turned to him, his amber dōjutsu still faintly active, glowing slightly in the dim light.
Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Uh… hey."
Lee said nothing.
Naruto shifted awkwardly.
"I, uh… I saw what happened. With those masked guys."
Still nothing.
Naruto swallowed, then took a step closer. "You're not gonna say anything?"
Lee studied him for a moment before answering.
"There is nothing to say."
Naruto frowned. "Dude, they tried to kill you. And you just… let them leave?"
Lee turned away. "Yes."
Naruto's fists clenched. "What the hell, man?! You could've—"
"I could have," Lee said quietly, cutting him off.
Naruto blinked.
Lee's eyes darkened slightly. "I could have stopped them. I could have broken them before they even understood what was happening."
His hand twitched at his side.
"But I didn't."
Naruto stepped forward, lowering his voice. "…Why?"
Lee exhaled slowly.
"Because I did not need to."
Naruto opened his mouth—then shut it.
Because he suddenly understood.
Lee had already won.
This wasn't about proving his strength.
This was about sending a message.
And the message was clear.
If Konoha wanted to fear him—then so be it.
But they would never be able to control him.
Naruto swallowed hard, looking at his friend.
For the first time—Lee scared him.
Not because of his strength.
But because of what he was becoming.
The Hokage's Decision
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in his office, the weight of his years pressing heavily on his shoulders.
He had seen this before.
Not in Lee.
But in others.
Shinobi who had surpassed their limits, only to find themselves standing alone.
Shinobi who had become too strong.
And the world had always feared what it could not control.
The elders were already whispering, already demanding action.
And Hiruzen knew that if he did not act soon—
Someone else would.
Orochimaru's Next Move
Deep underground, in the tunnels beneath Konoha, Orochimaru smiled.
Oh, how the village hated what it did not understand.
How easily fear turned them against their own.
Lee had already been marked.
Not as an ally.
Not as a shinobi.
But as a threat.
And when a village turns against its own…
That is when they are easiest to take.
Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed.
He would wait.
He would watch.
And when the time came—
He would make his move.