Chapter 130: Konoha vs Konoha!
On a high platform in the finals arena of the Chunin Exams, Rock Lee undid the weights on his legs and casually tossed them onto the ground.
"Rumble! Rumble!"
Two massive booms rang out almost simultaneously, kicking up clouds of dust everywhere.
Those who knew the truth understood he had just thrown down two leg weights.
Those who did not know better might have thought he had tossed down two nuclear bombs.
Having removed his training weights, Lee felt incomparably light. In this state, he was much stronger than before.
When the audience saw what he did next, they could no longer just say "Wow"; instead, they would have to say "Mom," because he had taken his "W" to a whole new level!
Sasuke, seeing Rock Lee's actions, was rather surprised.
He had not expected that Lee had been fighting him earlier while carrying such heavy weights.
But it did not really matter—whether in their previous clash in the Forest of Death or in this match just now, Sasuke had never gone all out.
…
In the stands surrounding the arena, Kakashi, Might Guy, and several high-ranking members of the Hyuga Clan were all watching.
When Lee prepared to go all out, Guy was thrilled. He waved his arms and said to Kakashi, "Kakashi, my eternal rival, this time my student is definitely going to defeat your student! This counts as yet another victory in our many contests! Hahahaha!"
Kakashi shook his head at Guy's words. "I may be the temporary instructor for Naruto and Sasuke, but to be honest, I haven't really taught them anything. And although Lee is indeed quite strong, he isn't a match for Sasuke."
Might Guy completely disagreed. He looked at Lee in the arena, full of confidence in his beloved student!
He was clearer than anyone about how much effort Lee had poured into his growth.
When a ninja pushes themselves to the very limit—fighting so hard they move even themselves to tears—they can defeat any genius through sheer effort alone!
With a solemn expression, Guy said to Kakashi, "Kakashi, ever since Lee started training under me, he has always worked unbelievably hard. In this match, his youth will burn to the fullest! He can absolutely rely on his diligence and perseverance to triumph over any genius!"
Kakashi sighed and chose not to argue with Guy. He knew Sasuke's current strength better than anyone; in his eyes, Rock Lee was by no means Sasuke's equal.
Sasuke's natural talent was already astonishing, and recently, he had been growing at an unbelievable rate.
From Kakashi's point of view, after Karin's withdrawal, there was almost no one in this Chunin Exam who could defeat Sasuke.
…
Back in the arena of the Chunin Exams:
As soon as Rock Lee reappeared not far from Sasuke, he struck his signature opening stance—an iconic pose with his palms raised.
From the stands, Senshi saw this and mentally gave Lee a dub: "Wing Chun, Rock Lee, please advise!"
But Lee himself had no idea about such "famous lines." In a flash, he moved like a whirlwind of green, charging straight at Sasuke.
As he closed in, he roared:
"Gate of Opening—Open!"
Suddenly, a green steam burst forth around Lee's body.
In an instant, his speed, power, and reaction time increased dramatically.
Even without his leg weights, his speed had already risen a fair bit. Now, with the first Gate open, he was even faster—enough to amaze the entire audience.
Cries of surprise erupted from all around the stands.
"What incredible speed! That Konoha Genin wasn't even using his full strength earlier? Unbelievable!"
"This is ridiculous! He's only a Genin, yet his taijutsu is already this strong. That Uchiha opposite him must be in trouble!"
"Well, I mean, he looks around ten years old. Just making it to the finals of the Chunin Exam is already impressive."
As these voices fell, many around them nodded in agreement.
"Hahaha, the caliber of this Chunin Exam is no joke!"
"Right, from the start in the Forest of Death, the battles have been intense. I even heard someone used a Tailed Beast transformation!"
"Given that, it's already proven how good that Uchiha kid is for getting this far. Even if he loses to Rock Lee here, there's no shame in it."
…
While the crowd discussed, Sasuke and Rock Lee continued their fight.
Most people favored Lee, convinced he was on the offensive.
Yet Sasuke, facing Lee's fierce, unyielding attacks, showed not the slightest panic. He responded calmly from start to finish.
With his Three-Tomoe Sharingan, Sasuke could observe every move Lee made the instant he opened the Eight Gates.
Lee's speed was extraordinarily fast, but the Sharingan's dynamic vision was far from its limit here.
Swish!
When Lee suddenly launched a kick, Sasuke, cloaked in crackling blue chakra, used his Lightning Release taijutsu to dodge with ease.
Lee, having missed, wasted no time whipping his foot upward in a fierce second kick, aimed at Sasuke's chin.
But Sasuke, facing that kick, suddenly vanished—only to reappear behind Lee!
Against a novice, he might have already landed a decisive blow, but Lee was hardly inexperienced.
Almost the moment Sasuke appeared behind him, Lee responded perfectly.
"Leaf Whirlwind!"
Lee whirled around, unleashing a back kick.
Against Lee's impeccable taijutsu and his wealth of combat experience, Sasuke still remained calm.
Protected by his Lightning Armor, he raised his right arm to block. At the same time, he snapped out a kick of his own.
Boom!
Boom!
Two dull impacts rang out. Lee's Leaf Whirlwind was fully neutralized by Sasuke's Lightning Armor.
Sasuke's counterkick struck Lee's flank, sending him skidding sideways at high speed.
Lee twisted his waist midair to lessen the force, then stomped hard on the ground to steady himself.
Lee: (O_O)???
Sasuke's skill surprised Lee. Even with the weights removed and the first Gate opened, he was still no match!
He felt unwilling to accept it—he had always believed that with enough hard work, he could defeat any genius!
But what if the genius also worked just as hard?
Lee had no answer for that—because that would just be unfair to him!
Sasuke's display also startled Might Guy in the stands. He exclaimed, "Kakashi, truly worthy of being my lifelong rival. Under your guidance, Sasuke's combat skills have reached such a high level?"
Without waiting for Kakashi's reply, Guy burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Even so, my Lee will still be the one to win in the end!"
Kakashi felt exasperated. He hadn't taught Sasuke that advanced combat style—Sasuke had gained it on his own.
Moreover, even if Lee still had more tricks, he was unlikely to beat Sasuke.
…
Others in the audience were stunned by Sasuke's skill:
"My goodness, that kid can't be more than ten, yet he's this strong!"
"It's unbelievable. I wonder who his teacher is?"
"We shouldn't jump to conclusions too soon. That one named Lee hasn't shown his full hand yet!"
This last comment was right on point. As soon as the words fell, the battle shifted again!
"Gate of Healing—Open!"
Lee roared, and the green steam around him exploded anew.
Once again, his speed, strength, and reaction time soared.
"Leaf Great Whirlwind!"
With even greater speed, Lee closed in on Sasuke.
But even with his second Gate opened, Lee's speed still fell short of Sasuke's, who had mastered Lightning Release taijutsu and trained extensively in hand-to-hand combat.
When Lee unleashed a colossal spinning kick—his right leg swinging like a steel whip straight for Sasuke's head—Sasuke's body flashed with lightning as he dodged effortlessly.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Ball!"
Simultaneously pulling away, Sasuke formed hand seals, launching one golden lightning sphere after another at lightning speed.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
Lee twisted, flipped, and cartwheeled away, using remarkable taijutsu skill to evade every blow.
Though uninjured, he was left a bit rattled.
In kinder words: his brilliant taijutsu let him dodge all of Sasuke's attacks.
But more bluntly: Sasuke's onslaught left him with no chance to retaliate—he could only defend.
This spurred Lee to stop holding back. He was determined to show Sasuke some real intensity!
Swish!
He rushed Sasuke again, simultaneously unwrapping the bandages on his arms.
"Front Lotus!"
At high speed, Lee instantly appeared in front of Sasuke and unleashed a forceful kick.
Sasuke leapt back to dodge.
But Lee, like a shadow, followed relentlessly, grabbing Sasuke and dragging him into the air!
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Up in midair, Lee used the bandages on his arm to bind Sasuke tightly. Then the two spun in a rapid descent.
During this moment, Sasuke's expression turned peculiar. He made no attempt to go easy on Lee, instead channeling Lightning Release taijutsu.
Under Lee's shocked gaze, Sasuke accelerated their fall!
Rumble!
The next instant, they crashed hard into the ground, sending rubble flying and clouds of dust everywhere.
Thanks to the protection of his Lightning Armor, Sasuke was unharmed.
Lee, on the other hand, hit the ground so hard his head was buzzing.
He was dazed. Technically, Sasuke was the one who should've been in that state!
…
In the stands, everyone watched, dumbstruck.
A clash of offense and defense like this—so many skillful attacks and counters—were these two really just Genin?
In the arena, Rock Lee stared at Sasuke, who stood a short distance away, completely unscathed. Lee made a final decision:
He would use the move he had originally reserved for Neji—he would no longer hold back.
He, Rock Lee, wasn't just able to open the First and Second Gates. He could also…
"Gate of Life—Open!"
"Gate of Pain—Open!"
"Gate of Limit—Open!"
"Waaaaaahhh!"
In one go, he opened the Fifth Gate. Green steam blazed around his entire body, drastically boosting his speed and power.
He was now so strong that he almost scared himself. Even the slightest movement felt like he was equipped with a "shockwave engine," practically breaking the sound barrier whenever he moved!
Seeing this, Might Guy was brought to tears. He gave Lee a thumbs-up, shouting, "Burn your youth to the fullest, Lee!"
Receiving that encouragement, Lee—already fired up—grew even more so.
"Oooohh, Guy-sensei, watch me…"
"Reverse Lotus!"
With the Fifth Gate opened, the bandages on Lee's arms shot toward Sasuke at impossible speed.
Facing a fully unleashed Lee, Sasuke did not take chances. He pushed his Three-Tomoe Sharingan to its limit, pouring everything into his Lightning Release taijutsu.
As Lee's bandages wrapped Sasuke once again and yanked him forward with terrifying force, Sasuke's Thunder Punch was already primed and ready.
"Uchiha's in danger!"
Someone in the stands cried out. The people around him nodded.
In their eyes, even if Sasuke lost here, it would be an honorable defeat. Lee in Fifth Gate was already on par with Jonin!
Many high-ranking figures from smaller ninja villages watched Lee and Sasuke intently. Both were clearly rare talents.
What they did not realize was that no matter how strong Lee was, he was still some distance from defeating Sasuke.
Just as the bandages on Lee's arm violently pulled Sasuke closer, Sasuke struck!
His charged Thunder Punch blasted out with full power!
Lee, blazing with green steam, unleashed his own fierce punch!
"Reverse Lotus!"
"Thunder Punch!"
Under the gaze of countless spectators, Lee's green-steaming fist collided with Sasuke's lightning-wreathed punch!
Boom!
Rumble!
A terrifying crash resounded across the entire arena. Every eye locked onto the two of them.
The outcome was completely unexpected.
Everyone had assumed this blow would decide Sasuke's defeat, sending him flying.
Yet it was the other way around: Sasuke's all-out Thunder Punch sent Lee hurtling backward!
Boom!
Another explosion-like sound rippled out. Lee slammed into the wall at the edge of the arena.
The tremendous strain on his body from the Eight Gates, plus the impact from Sasuke's final Thunder Punch, made Lee quiver as he stood. He could no longer fight.
Seeing Lee struggling to stand, Might Guy instantly rushed over to support him. Guy was filled with concern and amazement.
He never imagined his student would still lose after opening five Gates.
Kakashi truly was his lifelong rival—he was even better at guiding students!
As he thought of this, Guy glanced up at Kakashi, who looked perfectly calm, as if this result had come as no surprise.
Meanwhile, Hiashi Hyuga, head of the Hyuga Clan, was astonished by the power on display from Sasuke and Lee alike:
"Their combat abilities are on par with some of our village's Jonin! I never thought Konoha's genin would have so many promising young ninja!"
"But, unfortunately…Neji is not born of the main family."
At the edge of the arena, Guy was already comforting Lee. "Lee, don't be discouraged. You've done extremely well—I saw your youth burn brightly!"
Hearing this, Lee hugged Guy and burst into tears.
Though he lost, he had earned Guy-sensei's full recognition!
He resolved in his heart to train even harder from now on.
He believed that if he worked just a bit harder, he could definitely defeat Sasuke next time!
But reality was harsh: Sasuke's talent so far exceeded Lee's, and Sasuke also worked night and day, doing constant missions.
Not to mention, while Lee opening five Gates looked spectacular, the price he paid was steep. He'd practically be sidelined for 600 episodes, unable to open the Seventh Gate until the very end—truly tragic!
No one else knew Lee's ultimate fate just yet. For now, the entire audience was in shock from his and Sasuke's fight.
All around the stands, people chattered nonstop:
"Incredible—two Genin fighting at this level!"
"Konoha really lives up to its name as one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations. Their ninja are strong—easily on par with those from the Ame."
"I'm not so sure! The elite Genin of Amegakure aren't pushovers, either!"
As the bigshots all offered their opinions, Shiranui Genma announced the next match:
"This match will be Naruto Uzumaki of Konoha versus Neji Hyuga!"
As soon as Genma read out the pairing, murmurs of surprise filled the stands.
No one had expected Konoha vs. Konoha for the first two battles of the finals. That was definitely an advantage for Konoha—since they were from the same village, they presumably wouldn't fight to the death. If it had been against ninja from other villages, there'd be no reason to hold back.
In the stands near Kakashi and Hiashi Hyuga:
Learning the next bout was Neji vs. Naruto, Hiashi smiled and said, "Kakashi, you truly are an experienced Jonin, able to guide a student as outstanding as Sasuke. So this Naruto you've taught must be pretty decent as well. Still, Neji is our Hyuga prodigy. I doubt Naruto will beat him."
Kakashi felt tired of repeating himself—he truly hadn't taught Naruto or Sasuke much of anything. That said, he knew Sasuke and Naruto's strengths very well.
He sighed. "Lord Hiashi, though Neji is indeed excellent, defeating Naruto will be extremely difficult for him."
That was the most tactful way Kakashi could put it. In truth, he felt Neji had no chance to beat Naruto.
"Oh?" Hiashi's face instantly darkened.
He knew better than anyone how brilliant Neji was. If Neji had been born into the main family, he would surely become the next head of the Hyuga.
Even though he was from a branch family, Neji's overwhelming talent and work ethic gave him formidable power.
No matter what Kakashi said, Hiashi believed Neji would surely crush Naruto!
While Hiashi and Kakashi discussed their respective students, Naruto and Neji appeared in the middle of the arena.
Neji was a prodigy from the previous academy class; Naruto and Sasuke were geniuses who graduated early from this year's class. Everyone in the stands was quite eager for this match.
Konoha was practically "winning big." Their elite Genin had occupied two rounds in a row, letting them flex their new generation's might before all the influential powers of the ninja world (and plenty of wealthy patrons).
Neji glanced at Naruto, not underestimating him at all. He immediately activated the Byakugan. The veins around his eyes bulged noticeably.
Naruto, facing this older classmate known for being a genius, did not hesitate. He let out a yell and charged straight in.
Swish!
His speed was also extremely fast. Having daily sparring sessions with Sasuke, Naruto's taijutsu was on par with his teammate's.
From the stands, Senshi observed Naruto and felt the vibe was off. Normally, Naruto would start by using his Shadow Clones—often many of them—and then charge in.
Now he just rushed right in with no clones whatsoever, aiming to clash head-on!
In fact, he had learned the Shadow Clone and even Multiple Shadow Clone jutsu quite some time ago (he had drawn those from the system long ago, then passed them on during training).
As for Sasuke, he had yet to figure out his own Combo, but Naruto had already learned "Naruto Rendan" (Naruto Barrage).
Who knew when Sasuke would pick up on Naruto's move and come up with a Combo for himself?
Down in the arena, Neji saw Naruto racing toward him, kunai in hand, and prepared the starting form of Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.
Sure enough, Naruto was soon right before him, stabbing forward with the kunai.
Naruto's combat techniques, honed in countless missions, were on full display. Neji did not dare be careless. Uncertain of Naruto's true skill, he decided to probe him first.
As Naruto thrust the kunai at his throat, Neji stepped back and slapped forward with his palm, aiming at Naruto's head.
Naruto sidestepped in a flash, avoiding the strike, and again jabbed his kunai at Neji's throat.
Naruto's skill surprised Neji—he had not expected someone merely around ten to have such formidable combat prowess.
But Neji had tested him enough to get a read on his strength.
As the kunai streaked toward his throat, Neji calmly called out:
"Eight Trigrams, One Palm!"
Neji's sudden palm strike knocked Naruto's arm off course; the kunai missed Neji by a wide margin.
"Huh?"
Naruto was startled to feel a strange sluggishness in part of his arm's chakra flow, as though something were blocking it. Though the sensation began fading after a moment, Naruto quickly realized that Neji's taijutsu was unlike Sasuke's or anyone else's. It directly impacted an opponent's chakra pathways!
He knew that to fight Neji, he had to avoid letting that peculiar move hit him again, all while trying to land his own blows.
For Naruto—who sparred daily with Sasuke and then trained under Teacher Senshi—it was not an impossible task.
He promptly ducked low, sweeping his leg around to knock Neji off balance.
Neji, a true prodigy, swiftly leaped backward to evade, closing in again with an onslaught of Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!
"Two palms…three palms…four palms…five palms…"
His flurry of strikes was as fierce as a raging storm. Naruto moved and weaved with confident footwork, blocking each blow.
Though fast, Neji's strikes were neutralized one by one by Naruto.
The crowd went wild.
"That blond kid is way too strong—he's up against Hyuga Neji, the known genius of the previous class!"
"I heard he's the one who graduated early alongside Uchiha Sasuke. He might be on Sasuke's level!"
"It's no use. The Hyuga have the Byakugan bloodline plus that unique Gentle Fist. Naruto might be holding out now, but one slip and he's finished!"
Their chatter reached Kakashi and Hiashi's ears.
Hiashi smiled at Kakashi and said, "Well, Kakashi, you still insist on your previous view? Naruto may not be beaten yet, but the longer this goes on, the more likely it is he'll lose. Neji has the advantage—if he makes a mistake, it won't matter much; if Naruto slips up even once, it's over."
Kakashi kept his calm tone: "Lord Hiashi, Naruto still isn't giving it his all."
Hiashi and the other Hyuga members did not believe him. To them, Naruto was obviously backed into a corner with only defensive moves—how could he not be going all out?
"Eight Trigrams, Forty-Eight Palms!"
Amid his relentless flurry, Neji marveled internally:
"What is this guy? He just graduated not long ago, but he's already this strong?"
While he was amazed, Neji also decided that once he finished Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, he would chain it straight into One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms. He refused to believe Naruto could keep matching him blow for blow until the very end!
~~~
New Fanfic Available!
1.Journey to Godhood Begins in Frieren
2.Leading Hunter x Hunter to the Top of the Anime Multiverse
3.Judgment Descends Upon the Ninja World
Please Check it Out!
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— You can Read the Fanfic until Completion! This Fanfic is Completed in Patreon!