Lee, however, didn't share his sensei's gloom. Instead, his fighting spirit surged to its peak.
"Oh!!!"
"Finally, it's my turn!"
"Michihito! Come on! Let me see how powerful you really are!"
"Youth!"
Before Might Guy and the others could react, Lee had already leaped off the platform and landed in the center of the arena, his signature one-handed combat stance ready.
Michihito Gekkō followed right after him, though his demeanor was far more relaxed.
"Lee, take off your weights."
"Fighting with those on isn't fun."
Lee, who was just about to launch forward, froze for a moment. Instead of answering, he turned to look at Guy on the platform.
Might Guy saw the anticipation in Lee's eyes, sighed helplessly, then nodded fiercely. Flames of renewed determination ignited in his gaze.
"Lee! If you're going to fight, then fight properly!"
"Take them off!"
With Guy's permission granted, Lee's excitement exploded. He immediately removed the heavy weights strapped to his legs, each marked with the word "Guts."
Those watching reacted with curiosity, surprise, or even disdain.
"What's the point of that kind of weight training?"
Naruto voiced what many were thinking.
But their doubts vanished quickly.
Michihito Gekkō smiled at Lee, walked forward, grabbed the discarded weights with one hand, and tossed them aside.
"They're just in the way here."
Everyone on the platform stared, their surprise growing as they saw the strength in Michihito Gekkō's arm—until the weights hit the ground with a deafening crash.
"BOOM!"
Dust billowed up as the ground shook, and only then did everyone realize how absurdly heavy the weights really were.
"Holy crap, how heavy are those?! He's been wearing them this whole time?!"
"A monster!"
"This training is impressive… but Guy, don't you think you went too far?"
Opinions varied. Naruto and the others saw Lee as a monster, while Kakashi found it acceptable.
Guy simply thrust out his thumb, overflowing with passion for his student.
"Lee! Go!"
"Yes, Master Guy!"
With the master-and-disciple moment complete, the match between Lee and Michihito Gekkō officially began.
Once the weights were removed, Lee's speed skyrocketed, shocking everyone present.
"So fast!"
"I can't even follow his movements!"
Sasuke Uchiha activated his Sharingan on the spot, yet even then he could only barely keep up.
Everyone else was wide-eyed.
"Come on!"
"Scorch Release: Blood Boiling!"
Seeing Lee go all out, Michihito Gekkō pulled a pill from his waist pouch and swallowed it without hesitation.
His hands flashed through three seals.
A torrent of steam erupted from his body the next instant.
The moment the steam burst forth, he moved—charging forward with speed that matched Lee's, invisible to the naked eye.
"As expected of Michihito! Come on!"
A full-contact taijutsu battle was always a sight to behold.
Lee and Michihito fought using pure taijutsu. Their speed and power collided again and again, sending shockwaves sweeping across the arena.
"Incredible… he's actually keeping up with Lee."
"Isn't that Pakura-sensei's Scorch Release? But that's an offensive Kekkei Genkai… how can it work on your own body?"
Guy stared at the fight intently, his sharp eyes catching every tiny movement.
Yet he couldn't understand how Michihito Gekkō—though strong—could possibly match Lee, who had trained relentlessly in pure speed.
"Using the principle of a steam engine—he burns the blood, water, and oxygen in his body with Scorch Release. It converts into energy that fuels him."
"But to maintain such perfect balance… that Michihito Gekkō kid is a real genius."
"I just wonder if this application was discovered by Pakura-sensei, or by the teacher himself."
Beside them, Kakashi's body crackled with electricity. Michihito Gekkō's technique stirred genuine excitement in him.
A method of self-enhancement like this appealed greatly to Kakashi, who had always relied on lightning to stimulate and enhance his physical ability.
Michihito's technique had a similar essence.
"Kakashi, if you're right, this technique has serious drawbacks."
"A person's blood, water, and oxygen are limited. If he keeps burning them like that—"
But Kakashi remained calm.
"Did you forget what he swallowed earlier?"
"We don't know exactly what it is, but it definitely stabilizes his internal condition."
Thanks to Kakashi's explanation, Guy immediately understood.
Inside the arena, the two continued their high-speed clash. Each punch created bursts of wind.
"Lee, your speed is amazing!"
"Michihito, you're just as fast—truly a prodigy!"
After exchanging compliments, Michihito Gekkō unleashed another burst of power.
Steam surged wildly from his entire body.
"Lee, sorry—but even though you're strong, I don't plan on giving you the chance to activate the Eight Inner Gates!"
"Body Flicker!"
Lee had speed, but Michihito had his own approach.
Combining his extreme speed with the Body Flicker Technique, Michihito vanished instantly from Lee's sight.
At the same time, Lee felt a jolt of shock.
How did he know about the Eight Inner Gates?
"Lee, it's over!"
"Konoha-ryū! Taijutsu Ultimate Technique!"
"No!"
At the words "Taijutsu Ultimate Technique," most of the audience turned pale. Kakashi and Naruto went dead serious.
But for Lee, the impact was far more profound. A cold chill rose from deep within.
Michihito's next strike felt like a guaranteed kill.
"One Thousand Years of Death!"
The familiar Tiger Seal. The familiar posture. A strike full of power.
Followed by the familiar scream.
"Aaaaaah!!!!"
A blooming flower—unstoppable.
"Lee!"
On the high platform, Might Guy's eyes nearly popped out as he saw the scene unfold.
Lee no longer ran, nor moved fast. He was struck directly by the One Thousand Years of Death, sent flying, and crashed heavily onto the ground.
"Aaaah!"
His agonized scream echoed as Michihito Gekkō let the steam fade from his body.
The extended energy consumption didn't affect him much. After all, the pill he'd taken earlier was personally made by Orochimaru—a pill designed specifically to replenish blood and vital energy.
"Lee, let's end it here."
"We're from the same village. There's no need to fight to the absolute limit."
...
NEW FIC> Parallel Ninja World: Which Naruto Will Leap Through Time Today?