"Cough, cough… The winner of the sixth match: Shikamaru Nara."
It wasn't the most spectacular or flashy fight, but the ending was undeniably impressive.
The way young Nara slipped his shadow beneath Kin's thin wire was already clever enough, but knocking her out cold by slamming her head against the wall behind her? That was the cherry on top.
Sure, Ino's hair maneuver had shown good awareness of a shinobi's environment, but the sheer simplicity—almost coldness—of Shikamaru's strategy left Trunks slack-jawed.
Meanwhile, Goten was dizzy just watching the boy's analytical skills and intelligence at work. But what shocked him most was that strange shadow jutsu, where the victim was forced to mimic every single one of Shikamaru's movements.
"Man, I wish I could do that with my shadow…" he muttered, eyes glazed, imagining himself using the technique—though only for dumb pranks. Like casting it on Piccolo to force him to pick his nose. That alone would be enough to drive the stern Namekian warrior insane.
"Hmph! So the good-for-nothing Shikamaru actually knows how to fight." Deep down, Naruto was seething with jealousy over his classmate's display.
"That's how you do it, Shikamaru! Great job! Wooo!" Ino screamed her lungs out, joined by Choji, who was practically glowing with pride over his best friend's performance.
The 'genius' walked up the stairs with a confident smile. It wasn't arrogance—it was relief. He was just glad to be done in one piece and, more importantly, free for the rest of the exams. No more lifting a finger, just waiting it out.
He passed by Trunks, still standing with Kakashi and the others. He barely noticed—until he realized the Saiyan didn't even look at him.
"Good job."
That was all Trunks said. Not a word more. Not a word less.
"Uh… thanks." Shikamaru shot him a weird look, wondering what bug had bitten him. The guy was starting to seem a little bipolar—not Sakura-level bipolar, but close.
Ino's hostility cooled significantly when she noticed the Saiyan's strange behavior. And she hadn't taken her eyes off him during Nara's fight, either.
Now she was confused. Whatever was going on with him, it clearly wasn't just about her. Maybe it had to do with the whole group. There wasn't much time to think further, though, because the screen started spinning names again—until it finally landed on:
Naruto Uzumaki vs. Kiba Inuzuka.
"YEEEES! FINALLY, IT'S MY TURN!" Naruto was bouncing like a maniac, completely consumed by euphoria. As usual, his sheer hype made him more reckless than he should've been. "Now everyone's gonna see what I can really do, believe it!"
"WOOHOO! Talk about luck, Akamaru! We've got this one in the bag!" Kiba shouted to his ever-faithful partner, who lay sprawled lazily across his head.
"Woof! Woof!" (I think so too, but don't underestimate him. Naruto's gotten stronger lately. If we hold back too much at the start, he could surprise us and make things rough.)
"C'mon, buddy, you're overthinking this. Relax!"
"Woof, woof, woof! Baaf, baaf, baaf! WOOF!" (Fine.)
Off to the side, Goten leaned toward Naruto, cupping his mouth with one hand.
"I don't speak dog, but I'm pretty sure the second message was the important one. Didn't you see how long it was? That's their strategy—watch out."
"I know, I know." Naruto waved him off, eyes squeezed into smug little lines. "Don't worry about me. I'm not losing to flea-bag Kiba and his mutt."
Both boys stepped forward, trading threats and taunts to rile each other up. Kiba was so confident that he laughed at every one of Naruto's words, practically brushing them off.
"GO NARUTO, YOU CAN DO IT! THIS IS YOUR MOMENT—SHOW THEM WHAT YOU'RE MADE OF!"
Sakura looked absolutely deranged. She cheered with a mix of fury and blind rage, fists clenched as she threw punches at an invisible enemy.
Watching her, Shikamaru came to a solid conclusion: Aside from being bipolar, Sakura was also schizophrenic.
Ino nearly snapped when she heard Trunks yell out advice to Naruto, telling him to stick to the basics and keep his patience.
"What's your problem... Why are you cheering for him & not us? What did we ever do to you?" She thought sadly.
"That's right, Naruto! Just be yourself and beat him—you got this!" Now, Rock Lee joined the chorus. And he was right. If Naruto fought his own way, with his own spirit, he could win.
That was Naruto's cheer squad.
And Kiba's?
Crickets.
Well, at least Shino's bugs were buzzing something in the background.
Still, beside the stoic boy stood a certain someone who, in her heart, rooted for Naruto with everything she had. Someone who could barely meet his gaze, even when he wasn't looking at her. Someone was nervously fidgeting with her fingers.
"Na-Naruto, I-I want to cheer for you, b-but Kiba's my teammate, and he'd probably get mad at me… S-still, I-I wish you the best. E-everyone's watching, and now they'll finally s-see how much you're really worth. I-I believe in you…"
All that was left was for Hayate—still coughing like he was dying of consumption—to give the word.
"Begin!"
After a few minutes of fighting, the result was completely unexpected: Naruto won.
Yes, the kid was persistent and had improved a lot, but Kiba had pretty much beaten him down through most of the match. His strength and speed were far superior to the blond's, especially after he and Akamaru took a soldier pill.
The incredible part was that, to turn the fight in his favor, Naruto mostly used his intelligence and strategic thinking, surprising quite a few who thought he was just an airhead, like Shikamaru.
Well, strategy and a little luck—like when he let out a massive fart right in Kiba's face, leaving him almost knocked out because of his chakra-enhanced sense of smell.
The medics carried Kiba off, though truthfully, he didn't need much attention; he wasn't in any critical state.
Naruto rejoined his teammates, and everyone congratulated him, including Kakashi, in his own way. Despite the smelly gas, Naruto's effort was still impressive.
Very cautiously, Hinata approached him from behind, summoning every bit of courage she could to offer him a healing ointment.
"N-Naruto…"
Her soft, sweet voice was overflowing with fear, considering how much effort it took for her to say even a single word to the boy she secretly admired so much.
"Did you say something, Hinata?" he asked, leaning closer to hear her better, which only made her blush furiously.
The young Hyuga froze. She nervously fidgeted with her fingers around the small ointment container.
"I… I thought maybe…" She couldn't finish. She just held the container out and bowed her head submissively in front of him.
"Just take it." Kurenai had to step in, giving her student a gentle push and ensuring the clueless blond understood what he was supposed to do. "It's a healing ointment. It'll help with your injuries."
Naruto hesitated for a moment longer, then gave the girl a huge smile, taking her hands in his as he gladly accepted the gift.
"Thank you so much, Hinata! You're really kind!"
That alone nearly knocked her out. Her pearly eyes widened, her skin tingled from the warmth of his hands against hers. But the moment was brief—Naruto took the ointment and walked away.
For her, though, it was exceptional, unique, and significant despite how short it was… until Kurenai placed a hand on her shoulder, pulling her out of her daydream and nervously pointing her toward the match screen.
Hinata Hyuga vs. Neji Hyuga.
Naruto refused to believe otherwise or listen to the chatter around him, so he kept cheering on the young Hyuga, encouraging her not to give up and to keep fighting until the end. But anyone with half a brain (and in Sakura's case, more than that) already knew what the outcome would be.
"He's way too strong," Trunks muttered under his breath so Naruto wouldn't hear. "If this keeps up, it'll end badly."
Both Saiyans could see every movement in incredible slow motion, practically the only ones able to notice how, with each of Hinata's strikes, the chakra concentrated in Neji's palms brushed against her arms just enough to block several of her chakra points, weakening the effectiveness of her attacks.
The fight was unlike any other. At first, Goten and Trunks had been excited at the prospect of another taijutsu-only match, but once they realized the strange nature of the technique—harmless at a glance—along with Kakashi and Gai's explanations about the Hyuga Kekkei Genkai and the Juken, a chill ran down their spines.
It was a terrible, deadly style. Attacking internal organs as the main target? Madness.
"No matter how strong you are," Kakashi added, casting a grim look downward at the Saiyans. "Internal organs can't be strengthened…"
"That's true," Trunks replied immediately. "That's why energy control is so important."
"What do you mean?" Lee asked, notebook ready, eager to jot down anything useful from the Saiyan that might give him an edge against Neji.
"I don't know much about chakra, but we can use our ki like a natural armor, covering every cell of our body and protecting us from very powerful attacks. Our body isn't our only line of defense. Training it matters—just like you do—but ki is even more important."
"If one of Neji's hits landed on us," Goten continued, raising a finger as if giving a lecture—which annoyed Sakura, who thought he was just trying to act smart—"his energy likely wouldn't be enough to break through our ki barrier. Only a stronger ki could hurt us. And I don't think we even have those chakra points."
"Like a stream of water trying to punch through a brick wall…"
Kakashi's analogy was spot on. Trunks simply nodded.
"Still, I've never heard of anything this lethal. It's nearly a perfect system." Trunks turned back to Kakashi. "Those eyes combined with that technique… it's too much for anyone. Very few genin could face him."
"That's why I said earlier, the best rookie is on my team. And the one I meant is Neji Hyuga."
Some noticed the faint gleam in Lee's eyes. It wasn't admiration, pride, or excitement—it was the fire of rivalry, and more than one recognized it instantly.
"And every chakra point is really as small as the head of a pin?" Goten asked Sakura, clearly amazed.
The kunoichi nodded proudly, hands on her hips. She was annoyed that even an airhead like Goten could keep up with the jounin's explanations—and even add his own—so she decided to rub her knowledge in his face. What she didn't know was that impressing Goten wasn't exactly hard.
"That's right, and there are 360—"
"There are 361, Sakura. But you're close," Kakashi corrected without looking away from the fight.
"Wow, Sakura, you really are smart. But Kakashi-sensei's smarter."
BAAAM!
She didn't take Goten's teasing well, so she smacked him on the head, leaving a lump that puffed out a little smoke. Anime logic at its finest—the Saiyans' ki defense was useless against angry girls.
"Ugh!"
The two stopped bickering and turned their attention back to the duel.
Neji stopped playing around and drove his Gentle Fist straight into Hinata's chest, knocking her back several meters and making her cough up blood uncontrollably. The internal damage was serious—he wasn't holding back.
He stared at her, cold as ice, though behind that glare burned resentment and hate. In the blood-streaked face of his cousin, barely clinging on, he saw nothing but the scorn of the Main Branch and the shadow of his father's death—things Hinata had nothing to do with.
She couldn't hold on any longer. Hinata collapsed, face down, choking on her own blood.
"You're weak. Too compassionate. Traits unworthy of someone meant to lead the Main Branch," he said with terrifying coldness, aimed at his own cousin, who was now barely clinging to life. "You're useless. You should give up. You weren't born to be a ninja, much less the leader of a clan like the Hyuga."
As Hayate moved to stop the fight, Naruto cut in.
"Nooo! Hinata, don't give up! Get up and give that stuck-up bastard what he deserves! He doesn't know anything—don't listen to him!"
Neji's calm expression twisted in irritation at the loser's shouts. He was the one who didn't understand.
"In this world, those born as failures remain failures, no matter how hard they try to change. A monster will always be a monster, no matter what it does to prove otherwise. That's why beasts must stay in chains."
Goten understood perfectly. And even so, he only answered with a sharp, piercing stare.
For Trunks, though, it was different. He was furious, yes, but also shaken—those words hit deeper than he wanted to admit. It wasn't just the Hokage who saw them as dangerous creatures. To some, they were beasts who needed to be kept away from people, lest they harm them.
Without meaning to, Trunks glanced at his team—and regretted it instantly. They were already watching him, as if they knew he'd look. He couldn't hold their gaze, especially Ino's. Her blue eyes, so full of kindness and understanding, pierced him harder than any blow could.
He would never hurt them… never hurt her. On the contrary, he'd die to protect them.
That was his second reason for fighting—and the most important one. The one he hadn't dared to tell the Hokage, because he didn't think the old man deserved to know.
They protected the weak from the strong, no matter who they were. But above all, they protected the ones they loved. Simple as that. The hard part was taking that "small step"—being ready to give your life for the one you love.
Everyone was shocked when, motivated by the words of the boy she admired most, Hinata forced herself back on her feet, even though she was broken inside. At last, she had his attention—even if it meant her life, she wouldn't back down.
"I bet you used up your last bit of strength to stand," Neji said arrogantly, though his face betrayed him. For once, his usually impassive features showed a faint sneer of displeasure. He couldn't understand people like Hinata yet. "You've carried a heavy burden, suffering under the weight of the Main Branch's responsibility. You're weak and too kind—so you feel guilty. But people can't change who they are."
"No, you're wrong, cousin Neji," she whispered weakly. But her words had unexpected strength—no stammer, no hesitation. "You're the one truly suffering because of the branch system."
That blinded him with rage.
He rushed at her, palm out, ready to end her right there. He didn't care.
"Stop!" Hayate shouted, but it was too late.
Too weak to fight back, Hinata closed her eyes, accepting her end.
But death didn't hurt. She opened her pearly eyes again and, through her blurred vision, saw the back of a boy in an orange dogi, a monkey tail trailing behind him.
Once again, Kakashi was stunned by his speed. Not even the jounin had moved when the Saiyan stepped in, grabbing Neji's wrist mid-strike.
"That's enough. Touch her again," Goten squeezed, and Neji's face contorted in pain at the crunch of bones in his hand, "and you'll regret it."
Neji pulled his hand back, furious, glared with disdain, and turned away, walking tall and proud, head held high.
"Aaghh!"
Hinata collapsed. Deep down, she thanked Goten for protecting her, even though they barely knew each other. She only regretted not being able to tell him.
Immediately, people surrounded her—Kurenai at the lead—checking her vital signs. Panic struck when the jonin screamed she was in cardiac arrest and needed immediate attention.
Naruto felt a dagger to the chest. She was dying—he could feel it. And it was his fault for pushing her to go this far.
Then something clicked in Goten's mind. He remembered a story his father told him. Goku wanted to teach him about compassion—though honestly, Goten didn't need much teaching there; he was naturally even gentler than Gohan had been.
It was about the time Goku gave some of his energy to the dying Frieza. And now, Goten decided to try the same thing. Maybe it wouldn't work—but he had nothing to lose.
"Step aside," he told Kurenai, who was kneeling over Hinata, staring at him in dismay. "I think I can help her."
"Don't try anything, boy. It's dangerous," she protested, shielding the girl as if to protect her.
"There's no time! Move! Or do you want her to die?"
She searched the others' eyes for guidance. Kakashi gave her a nod. He wasn't overthinking anymore; with those two Saiyans, anything was possible.
Reluctantly, she stood and gave him space.
Goten extended his hand, summoning a bit of ki into his palm. A small golden sphere of light formed—much dimmer than his usual blasts—and he fired it gently at Hinata.
It was quick, like a light washing over her whole body. She glowed intensely for several seconds before the light faded away.
Everyone waited, even Trunks, who had no idea what to expect.
Barely five seconds later, Hinata gasped and coughed, her chest rising as precious oxygen filled her lungs again.
"You're alive, Hinata!" Naruto exclaimed happily, leaning close—though Kakashi sternly warned him to give her space, as she was still very weak.
The only explanation Kakashi could think of was that, although Goten's energy was incompatible with hers, it had been enough to unblock the compressed chakra points, restoring just enough flow for her vital functions to kick back in. Goten's ki had worked like unclogging a pipe.
"Give her this," Trunks said, walking up to Naruto and handing him a Senzu Bean. "She's not completely safe yet. Better to be sure."
"Don't give her weird things," Kurenai protested, still reeling. But Asuma placed a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head silently. Then he pointed forward.
It would have been better if she had ignored it, because when Kurenai turned around, she almost fainted upon seeing Hinata perfectly fine, getting up with the help of a smiling Naruto. Even Hinata herself didn't understand what had just happened. Her soft features full of shock and wonder, looked almost comical.
"Alright, everyone back up!" ordered Trunks, casting a quick glance at the Hokage, who hadn't moved from the balcony. The young Saiyan feared the spectacle might have gone too far. They had practically brought someone back to life.
The old man could do nothing about those kids. They stood out far too much, and by now everyone had noticed how strange they were. Everything they did seemed like a miracle. Perhaps stopping the rain with their bare hands would have been easier than hiding who they really were. He was seriously starting to reconsider his decision.
Even though Hinata insisted she felt better than ever, the medics demanded she undergo a few tests in the infirmary, just to prevent any possible risks.
To everyone's surprise, Naruto offered to go with her. Goten wanted to go too, but Sakura didn't like the idea one bit.
"Goten, what are you even going to do in the infirmary? Just because you woke her up doesn't make you a doctor! Besides, those places are small. Naruto's enough. If you go too, you'll just get in the way."
The truth was, Sakura was a little jealous that Goten was so close to Hinata, mostly because of the lies Naruto had told her in the forest, lies she still partly believed.
Poor Naruto, when she found out the whole truth! She'd tear him apart with her own hands! Still, Naruto was deeply impressed by Hinata's fight—her courage, her determination, and even her critical state, standing at death's door.
From that moment, he began to see her in a new light.
"Hinata really has changed!"
He wasn't the only one learning something new that day.
Right there, handed to him on a silver platter, the clumsy, scatterbrained Goten was giving the Hyuga prodigy a life lesson, one he was still far from understanding.
Compassion does not make you weak. On the contrary, it is the mark of the strong.
Perhaps that is why Goku never stopped growing stronger. It was that strange "Earthling" feeling Vegeta struggled so much to understand, but which always gave Kakarot that "little extra push" that kept making him ever more untouchable.
"What happened? How's Hinata?" Goten asked, a little worried, when he saw Naruto return alone from the infirmary.
"She's fine. They just wouldn't let her leave, as a precaution." Naruto scratched the back of his head with his fox-like grin. "Guess they were really impressed, for real!"
The blonde glanced around, noticing someone missing. When he looked down at the arena, he spotted the bushy-browed boy facing off against the silent redhead from the Sand, the duel about to begin.
"Whoa! Is the ninth match starting already?"
Sakura shook her head.
"It's the last one. While you were in the infirmary, Choji fought that nasty Sound guy." She pointed at Dosu, who stood apart from the others, though not far from Temari and Kankuro. "Choji gave it his all, but as expected, he lost to that soundwave jutsu. Luckily, it didn't go too far—he was just dazed, and he's better now. Trunks didn't even need to give him that seed."
Cough, cough. "The tenth match is between Rock Lee and Gaara," Hayate cut in, his weak expression oddly cheerful now that things were coming to an end. "Begin!"
The cork sealing Gaara's gourd shot out with desperate speed straight toward Lee's face, but Lee simply tilted his head to dodge it.
Sand began pouring out of the gourd, floating upward and forming strange shapes in the air like storm clouds. One of them suddenly shot forward, forcing Lee into a backflip to avoid it.
Barely had he landed before another cloud rushed at him, forcing him into yet more flips, dodging again and again as Gaara's sand relentlessly attacked.
It seemed unfair—Lee was forced to keep moving and dodging, while Gaara stood motionless, arms crossed, letting his chakra manipulate the sand for him.
And that sand was no joke. Each time it missed Lee and struck the ground, it shattered the concrete like it was nothing.
Lee leapt high and perched atop the statue forming the Ram seal, trying to put some distance between himself and Gaara, if only to catch his breath.
"It's unfair, that guy doesn't even move. He just throws sand at Lee, and Lee can't get close," Sakura complained. It was Gaara's special ability and technically fair, but it did look one-sided.
Still, some knew better—and Gai wasn't the only one. Trunks and his team had seen some of Lee's abilities already.
"Lee, take off the weights."
Surprisingly, it wasn't Gai who said it, but Trunks. He knew Gaara's defense wasn't perfect—but to get past the sand shield, Lee needed more speed, something Trunks was certain he could achieve without the weights.
Lee looked at him seriously, unsure if it was the right move, until he turned to Gai. His sensei nodded slowly, clear approval.
"Thank you, Gai-sensei! I won't let you down!" Lee shouted, giving a thumbs up with a gleaming smile fit for a toothpaste commercial. Gai mirrored the gesture, his teeth shining too.
They were… very weird.
Lee quickly removed his orange leg warmers, then the heavy weights strapped to his legs.
Kakashi's lone eye widened. "Gai, how much weight did you put on him? Don't tell me—"
KA-BOOOOOOM!
The impact of the weights hitting the floor was insane. The explosion shook the arena harder than any blow seen so far. Just those weights alone could've knocked out almost any genin if dropped from that height.
"WOOOOW! AWESOME! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT, THIS IS AMAZING!" Goten shouted, thrilled to see someone who trained and fought like them. Pure excitement, pure empathy. "Trunks, that guy's even greater than I thought! He can win!"
Trunks' deep blue eyes lit up with excitement. He smiled genuinely, the sound of those weights smashing the floor like sweet music. Soon enough, it would be followed by Lee's strikes against Gaara, who had no idea what was coming.
Kakashi noticed the Saiyans leaning over the railing, practically ready to jump into the arena themselves, remembering that they too trained in ultra-heavy gear.
And then, before anyone realized it, Lee blurred into a green streak.
He appeared right behind Gaara—so fast the Sand ninja barely turned his head before a kick nearly landed on his face. The sand barely rose in time to block it. But Lee kept attacking, faster and faster, never stopping, fists and feet striking from every angle, edging closer and closer to breaking through.
Gaara wasn't just surprised—he was afraid. Afraid that sooner or later, that bushy-browed blur would hit him.
BAAAM!
An axe kick slammed into the back of his neck, snapping his chin against his chest. The message was clear: Yes, this is real. You've been touched again.
"Go, Lee! Don't give him a chance!" Gai cheered. Aside from him and the Saiyans, everyone else was stunned by the display. Well—Tenten and Neji stayed calm. They already knew most of Lee's potential… most.
BAAAM! BAAAM! BAAAM! BAAAM!
Lee's kicks drove Gaara higher and higher, setting up his special technique.
In a green blur, Lee vanished, reappeared behind Gaara, and unraveled his bandages, binding him like a mummy. Then he locked his arms around him, holding tight.
That's when Gaara understood. Terror consumed him. He remembered Trunks doing the same outside the tower, and that primal survival instinct surged.
But still, he wasn't fully intimidated. Lee's speed wasn't Trunks', nor his strength.
Back then, one kick from Trunks had launched him half a kilometer. His grip had made Gaara feel like a twig about to snap. The drop would've killed him if the Saiyan hadn't slowed it down with his own body.
By comparison, this wasn't as terrifying. His icy mind refused to panic. He wouldn't lose control completely.
But it was already too late. He hadn't used a sand clone, and now he was trapped. His only option was to harden his sand armor and burn through chakra to survive. At least it would hold.
KA-BOOOOOOM!
Another explosion, even bigger than before.
The blast shook the entire arena, the shockwave rattling the crowd. Dust rose high, nearly reaching the ceiling, until it finally settled—revealing Gaara half-buried in a crater, his body crumbling into sand.
"I-Is he dead?" Sakura's voice trembled. No one answered. Many felt the same—Naruto included.
"Oh no, here we go again," muttered Kankuro, though his tone betrayed real fear. He knew what came next. Bloodlust would drive his brother mad, unleashing the monster inside. Everyone would be in danger.
Gaara stood, eyes bloodshot, with a deranged grin that chilled every soul watching. He panted like a beast, face cracking and crumbling, a vision out of a horror film. The crowd trembled.
Without a word, he unleashed a torrent of sand against the exhausted Lee, who could no longer dodge.
PRRAAAM!
Lee's body slammed into the wall, embedded hard from the force.
"I don't get it! Where's his speed? Why isn't he dodging?" Sakura demanded, panic rising as she looked to Gai and Kakashi.
"The Primary Lotus is powerful, but it's a double-edged sword," Gai explained tensely. "It puts enormous strain on the body. Recovery takes time. That's why it's forbidden."
"In short," Kakashi cut in, keeping it clear, "Lee can't dodge. His body must be in agonizing pain, barely able to stand."
Sakura was shaken. So was Goten—but for a different reason. That technique reminded him of the Kaio-ken.
Trunks suddenly remembered—Lee had been exhausted when he faced him after using the Primary Lotus.
"He's finished if he doesn't do something," said Shikamaru, who had moved closer to Kakashi and Gai's group.
Ino tagged along, though her real interest was Trunks. She watched him closely, noticing the sweat beading on his forehead. Nervous? Since when was he so close with Lee?
It wasn't just friendship. Trunks knew how dangerous Gaara was. He was ready to step in if necessary. He had no doubt Gaara might use the Sand Coffin.
Then, without warning, Lee stood tall again. His eyes burned with determination. He even smiled, his face glowing with resolve.
At blinding speed, he dodged Gaara's next sand strikes with ease. The spikes tore into the floor, but Lee slipped past them like nothing.
He kept moving, weaving through every attack, a green blur almost impossible to track. Few genin could follow his movements.
"Trunks, did you feel that?" Goten asked, alarmed. "His chakra—did you feel that jump?"
Trunks, arms crossed, nodded seriously. His gaze shifted to Gai.
"What did he do? How did his chakra surge like that?"
Kakashi's eyes flicked between the Saiyans and Gai, trying to make sense of it.
The bushy-browed jounin smiled faintly. They had noticed.
"Let's just say… Lee's about to land his ultimate strike. He's opened the Gate of Rest."
Kakashi froze.
"What have you done, Gai? How could you teach him that? I know you overdo things sometimes, but this—this is too far! They're our students, nothing more! We can't let our emotions and personal feelings get in the way!"
Trunks realized how serious it was. He hadn't heard Kakashi's voice like this since the fight with Zabuza. For a moment, the usually stoic jounin had lost control.
"You don't understand!" Gai snapped, teeth clenched, fists tight, brows sharpened into a fierce glare. "You don't know Lee, you don't know anything about him! He has a dream, something to prove, even if it costs him his life!"
Kakashi blinked, surprised by Gai's intensity.
"In this world where a shinobi who can't perform even the simplest ninjutsu or genjutsu is rejected, he only wants to prove that with his fists and effort, he can still become a great ninja. His training has ground his bones, torn his flesh, broken his joints, and shredded his muscles." Gai's voice cracked slightly. Manly tears threatened, but never fell. "I can't stop him from chasing his dream."
Kakashi sighed heavily, closed his eyes, and lifted his head. When he finally looked back at Gai, he asked, "How many gates can he open?"
"Five…"
"Wait, hold on! You've completely lost me!" Sakura cut in. "What's all this about gates, and why's it so dangerous?"
Instead of answering right away, Kakashi lifted his headband, revealing the Sharingan, locking onto Lee as he explained.
"The Eight Inner Gates are points within the chakra network that restrict its flow. They're like valves. Opening them releases chakra in an unimaginable surge, massively increasing strength. If all eight are opened, the user's power surpasses even the Hokage's." He paused, eyes narrowing on Sakura and Naruto. "But it's forbidden because the cost is death."
Everyone was shaken. It was almost too much to believe.
They couldn't stay impressed for long—not with Lee's shouts cutting through everything.
"Gai-sensei, the condition's been met!" the boy cried, as his chakra blasted upward, swirling around him like a violent blue whirlwind. "I must protect and uphold my ninja way!"
His skin flushed red from the blood flooding his vessels, feeding oxygen and nutrients desperately into every fiber of his body. Tiny pebbles floated up under the sheer intensity of the energy bursting from him. Veins bulged dangerously.
His eyes rolled white, as though he were teetering on the edge of unconsciousness from the inhuman strain it took to force his power this far. His hair rose, as if about to—
"Look, Trunks!" Goten shouted, grinning wide, feeling Lee's power skyrocket and getting excited beyond belief. "He's turning Super Saiyan 3!"
Trunks nearly burst into laughter but settled for a huge smile, convinced now that Lee would win.
"Gate of Life… OPEN!"
His stance was like he was trying to transform into the golden-haired warrior: fists clenched at his sides, a deadly mask of rage and pain twisting his face into something mad and imposing.
But it didn't stop there. The Saiyans' hearts raced when Lee's chakra spiked again.
"Gate of Pain… OPEN!"
A faint green aura, softer than the blue glow of his chakra, wrapped tight around him.
This boy who trained harder than anyone in Konoha, who was just as much a genius as Sasuke or Neji—only quieter about it—and who had been born with the greatest gift of all, a Kekkei Genkai stronger than any other: perseverance.
BOOM.
The ground beneath him exploded as his energy peaked, and he launched himself in a blast that shattered the sound barrier straight toward a terrified Gaara. The shockwave tore through the arena, forcing everyone to shield their faces from the onslaught of air.
Everyone but Goten and Trunks, who were laughing in awe, dazzled by the spectacle, completely ignored the toll Lee's body was paying for unlocking such power.
WHAM.
A monstrous uppercut slammed into Gaara's chin, nearly cracking his skull from below.
He didn't need to fly. Lee ricocheted off the walls and ceiling, intercepting Gaara midair again and again, hurling him across the arena like a helpless ping-pong ball. Each strike broke the sound barrier, rings of white shockwaves bursting around them until it looked like there were dozens of Lees attacking from every angle.
But it couldn't last. His body screamed with pain, muscles tearing, bones cracking.
Catching Gaara midair by the bandages around his waist, Lee locked him in place, drawing back his fist for the final blow.
"Gate of Closing… OPEN!"
A fresh wave of chakra ravaged him as he slammed fist and foot together into Gaara's torso, shattering the sand armor and blasting him down toward the floor.
The redhead fell like a meteor, air screaming past him.
KABOOM.
The arena shook violently, a crater tearing open in the shattered concrete, the shockwave rattling even the balconies.
When the dust cleared, Gaara was broken, sprawled on a bed of sand—his gourd's last defense, just like against Trunks. The blows hadn't matched the Saiyan's, but they'd left him nearly out of chakra.
Still, his sand rose, creeping toward the battered Lee, who could barely drag himself forward, bones shattered, muscles destroyed.
But before the killing blow could fall—Trunks appeared, smashing the sand aside with one arm, dispersing the stench of blood and death in the air.
Gaara froze, stunned. He couldn't understand it—this act of protection, of empathy.
"The match is over!" Hayate finally declared, too shaken to intervene sooner. "With outside interference on Lee's behalf, the winner is Gaara!"
Gaara reformed his gourd, silent, and with his last chakra disappeared in a swirl of sand back to his siblings.
"Why… why did you step in?" Lee murmured, his voice hollow, near collapse.
"Because I know that technique," Trunks said, pulling a senzu bean from his pouch. He hesitated at how few remained, but gave one to Lee without doubt. "And I know what comes after it. Death."
Lee froze, shaken. He hadn't realized how close he'd been.
"But you've got nothing to be ashamed of. Your fight was the best. You're the best. Above all, you never gave up." Trunks turned his gaze to Gaara. "Someday, we'll fight. That'll be fun."
Despite everything, Lee smiled faintly in silence. Recognition from someone like Trunks meant everything. His blood, sweat, and tears had borne fruit. But he still had further to go—training, more training, until he was known not just in Konoha, but in all nations.
He ate the bean and felt his body knit back together instantly. Living it was far beyond watching it. He stood, returning to his sensei and team.
But Trunks lingered. His heart pounded, his Saiyan blood screaming for battle. The destruction of the arena only thrilled him more, flooding him with memories and hunger.
Goten felt it too.
While others celebrated Lee, Trunks stood alone in the arena, trembling with need. He couldn't stand it anymore. He didn't care what the Hokage or anyone else thought. He would fight Goten here and now.
Like Vegeta, once consumed by the need to fight Goku, his blood drove him mad.
And so, amid laughter from the balconies, he raised his hand, overcome by Saiyan frenzy, knowing only one truth: he had to fight.
BOOOOOM.
He fired a powerful golden beam from his palm, slicing through the wall of the chamber as if it were made of soft butter, shaking the entire place with a violence comparable to Lee's final strike.
A curtain of black smoke spread, completely obscuring vision, the result of scorched concrete from the raw heat of the blast.
Everyone stared in horror at what his technique had left behind: a smoking hole, eight meters wide, reaching almost to the ceiling of the preliminaries hall. Through it, the outside of the tower was visible. Even more shocking—the beam hadn't just destroyed the wall. It kept going, ripping through the forest, toppling trees, and carving a deep trench into the earth. The trail of destruction stretched far into the distance, beyond sight.
Asuma stiffened, alarmed at what reckless thoughts might be running through the boy's mind.
Kakashi, however, thought he knew. He had caught it during Lee's fight. He understood: Trunks wanted to fight for the sheer pleasure of it, stirred and exhilarated by the battle he had just witnessed. And his words confirmed it.
"Goten! Get down here! Let's fight!"
Goten grinned. He wanted to fight too, just as much as Trunks, and for the same reasons.
"Trunks! Don't you dare do something stupid!" Asuma barked, almost frightened now. Things were spiraling out of control, and with the Hokage present, this could only worsen their reputation. "Stop it and get back here, right now! You've got nothing to prove!"
The boy just laughed mockingly.
"You think I'm trying to prove something? Please. Keep going with your stupid exam, or better yet, all of you go home! You'd be doing us a favor—saves us the trouble of holding back!" His smirk hardened into his usual serious expression, his features tightening. "I just want to fight. It's been a whole month since I last fought Goten. I'm done waiting."
When a Saiyan wanted to fight now, it meant now. It was like a craving—like a pregnant woman's craving. There was no shaking it from their heads.
Without another word, Trunks sat down and began removing his boots, under the astonished stares of everyone present. Only Kakashi understood—there was no turning back.
The boy placed each boot carefully on the ground, but even so, the floor groaned under their weight. To everyone's shock, cracks spread outward from where the boots landed, spiderwebbing several meters.
"No way!" Gai shouted in alarm. "All this time… that boy's been wearing ultra-heavy training gear!"
"Oh yes," Kakashi said lightly, becoming the unwilling center of attention. "And I'll tell you, Gai, each piece of that gear probably weighs as much as both of Lee's ankle weights combined. Believe me, it's absurd."
Gai could hardly process it. He began sweating profusely, eyes wide as he stared at the boy calmly removing the rest of his weighted outfit.
"That clothing doesn't mean anything to them," Kakashi continued, his tone dry but steady. "They don't even feel it. They wear it for one reason: to train under insane gravity, making their bodies even heavier."
The words sounded almost insane. The Hokage approached Kakashi, pipe in hand, posture solemn—though the faint tremor in his wrist betrayed his unease.
"Tell me, Kakashi," Sarutobi said. "Did you always know? Why didn't you say anything before? And why speak of it now?"
Kakashi's gaze lifted to his superior. Despite his seriousness, his lone visible eye curved in amusement.
"I didn't think it was necessary. They're powerful enough as it is, aren't they?" He paused, almost lowering his head, as if it weighed on him to continue. "I just wanted to protect them a little longer… but I knew this moment would come. Don't misunderstand me—I only felt that responsibility because I was the one who found them. And I speak now because I know he's already made his choice."
"What choice?" Ino blurted, forcing herself into the circle where only adults seemed to belong. Only Kurenai stood off to the side, silent and nervous, glancing between them.
"Trunks has decided to leave… I'm sure of it. Nothing else matters to him anymore." The little blonde felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her. Kakashi never once looked her way, but fixed his attention firmly on the Hokage. "You're right—coincidences don't exist. I'm glad these boys came here. I think they've taught my students something… some more than others." He recalled Sasuke's face when he snuck into the gravity chamber at night and nearly killed himself out of sheer curiosity. That night, Uchiha finally understood the vast gulf of power.
By now, Trunks had removed his boots and wristbands. All that was left was the upper part of his green gi. When he slipped it off, Ino nearly tumbled headfirst over the railing, leaning too far in her nosiness.
CRAAAACK!
The floor split apart like fragile glass when the boy set the garment down, even carefully.
They were stunned. The scene was unimaginable.
Even Sarutobi, who had seen more than anyone, raised an eyebrow despite his otherwise impassive expression, his interest piqued.
Trunks's body was unreal, no sense denying it.
Every muscle imaginable was carved into his torso, muscles most shinobi didn't even know existed. His abs were not only perfectly defined, but looked like he had more than he should. The slender fibers of his deltoids stood out clearly, notoriously difficult muscles to build. His back was a masterpiece of balance—every small muscle visible, with no part overdeveloped or out of place. His physique was pure harmony, nothing exaggerated, nothing wasted.
And yet, no amount of training at his age could explain such a body. Maybe his alien genetics had a hand in it.
Yes, everyone was impressed when they saw Trunks's physique—but for a different reason.
"W-why does his body look like that?" Ino stammered weakly, trembling hand over her mouth at the sight.
It wasn't the strength or perfection. It was the scars.
He was covered in them. Countless small ones, and some horrifyingly large.
"Because that's the body of a seasoned warrior," Kakashi replied in his usual flat tone, though his eye betrayed a deep empathy. The boy had been through hell. He had known it—but not to this extent.
He thought the Saiyans had already taught enough, just as he'd admitted earlier to the Hokage. And yet, once more, they shocked him at the last moment.
He glanced at Asuma, who could barely breathe at the sight of his student's battered body.
"Asuma, do you remember how Trunks didn't take a single scratch when he slammed into the ground outside?"
"Y-yes… of course I remember, I could never forget. But… why bring that up now—?"
No more needed to be said. The connections were clear, though Kakashi drove the point home anyway.
"Obviously, he didn't do that to himself." His voice took on a mock curiosity, as if about to discuss something amusing. "So it makes you wonder—what kind of monsters did this to him?"
Ino nearly broke. Silent tears streamed down her pale cheeks. Shikamaru, confused but steady, moved behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders in silent support.
Nobody understood her reaction. But when she heard those words, she saw it. For a brief, terrible instant—she saw it.
The pink demon. Three meters tall. Fanged grin, head tilted in that idiot's way, looming right behind an 8 year old Trunks. She covered her face with both hands, sobs breaking free despite her efforts to muffle them, desperate that Trunks wouldn't notice.
Kakashi and Asuma exchanged a look—the girl knew something. Somehow, she had a deeper connection to the Saiyan than even Naruto or Shikamaru.
"Dammit, Goten, get down here already!" Trunks barked, standing now, stretching to warm up, utterly indifferent to the stares fixed on him. To him, this was his body. Normal. He had grown up seeing his father's, even more defined than his own.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming!" Goten called back, grinning, still chatting excitedly with Lee as he moved toward the railing, ready to jump.
But before he could—
"NO! DON'T DO IT!"
Goten spun around, almost startled. All he saw were pink locks throwing themselves at him.
"Please, don't do it, don't go!" Sakura begged, burying her face in his chest, crying like a frightened little girl, terrified of what she might see. She tried to hold herself back as much as she could until she couldn't anymore.
She wasn't stupid, and she knew instantly: if Trunks was like this, then so was Goten.
It hit her so hard to witness something like this that she couldn't bear the thought of seeing the tailed boy in the same state.
She didn't hate him anymore, not even dislike him. That was long gone. Now she had real affection for him, and she'd rather remember him as the cheerful, clumsy boy he was than see his body broken and scarred.
"Sakura, calm down, nothing's going to happen to me." He tried to console her, patting her small back, a bit uncomfortable with the kunoichi's embrace. "We always do this, we're used to it."
She lifted her head and looked him straight in the eyes, crying harder than she could remember in a long time. But when she saw that wide, innocent smile that usually made her feel so good, this time she only felt worse. She never thought that seeing him smile the way he always did would actually crush her like this.
Goten grabbed her shoulders firmly, forcing her to step back, though he never stopped smiling.
"I promise I'll win, you'll see!"
The fool didn't even understand why the kunoichi was crying.
He turned his back to her and leapt over the railing. Landing slowly and gracefully, he eased his fall thanks to his ability to float. He ran toward the impatient Trunks, who was still warming up. He hurried to strip off his clothes like a kid rushing into the ocean on his first day at the beach.
Sakura bit down on her lower lip, nervous.
The younger Son sat down. He pulled off both boots and wristbands, each one hitting the ground with the same weighty effect as Trunks' had earlier. Then he peeled off the orange gi's top, leaving only his navy blue long-sleeve undershirt—the one that carried all the weight.
He grabbed the hem and began lifting it, revealing his skin inch by inch.
Sakura prayed it wouldn't be too much, but her hope shattered like fragile glass when the first bare patches of his back already showed faint scars.
It was worse than she imagined. Both Saiyan bodies were nearly identical. Only two things set them apart: Goten's skin was lighter, and his scars were in different places. That was it.
With a quick glance, she managed to count fifteen, but it was hard—the boy kept stretching and moving, and she'd lose track again and again.
She focused on his carefree face instead, smiling at Trunks, chatting about something she couldn't quite hear.
Shame washed over her when she remembered her harsh words the day they first met, during their first night watch. She'd called him such an idiot that he didn't understand the seriousness of a mission, because someone so dumb would never know what it was to fight or work for someone else's sake. Now, she knows how wrong she had been & regrets it a lot.
"No energy blasts," Trunks warned. He explained when Goten pouted. "We'll fight in the forest, where you killed that snake. There's some space, but it's still dangerous."
"Alright." Goten grinned. "By the way, do we still have any senzu beans left?"
"They're gone… I gave the last one to Lee." Goten's jaw dropped, but he didn't argue. Lee had needed it more than anyone. Instead, he regretted giving them out unnecessarily—like to Sakura and Ino. "I didn't say anything because the old man would've stopped me, wanting to cultivate it for the village's benefit." He smiled, resolute. "But you saw how Lee fought—he deserved it a thousand times over!"
"True! He almost went Super Saiyan!"
"Alright, enough." Trunks answered instantly, biting his lip to stifle a laugh. "It was funny the first time, but don't try to play the clown—you're not Naruto."
Their warm-up ended, though in practice, it usually lasted right into the opening blows.
They started walking through the wide, makeshift gate Vegeta's son had created.
"How are we going to recover after the fight?"
"Do you really care?" Trunks smirked. "You know the loser always feels the hits worse. That's all that matters."
He was right. No matter how battered the victor ended up, victory itself was a balm for the wounds.