Naruto stared at the watermelon-headed boy in front of him, his face pale with fright at the sight of such desperate training.
When the system said, "You only need to work a little harder than him," it felt like the very gates of hell had opened.
"Wh-what a joke!"
"That guy's practically suicidal!"
[Please, Host, immediately begin your Taijutsu training and work a little harder than Rock Lee.]
[Warning: Lightning Release baptism countdown, 5…]
A million alpacas galloped through Naruto's brain.
Reluctantly, he pushed aside the bushes, stepped out, and greeted Rock Lee, who was training like his life depended on it.
"H-hello…"
It was rare for anyone to approach Rock Lee while he trained. He paused, looked back, and his eyes immediately blazed with fiery light.
"Oh! It's Naruto!"
Naruto didn't bother asking why Lee knew him. Oddly enough, even though no one liked him, everyone seemed to recognize him.
He scratched his head and laughed awkwardly. "Ahaha… yeah, it's me. What's your name?"
"Rock Lee!"
"As expected…"
Lee's mouth curved into a wide smile. He gave Naruto a dramatic thumbs-up.
"Naruto! I saw it!"
"What?"
"Your handsome and heroic figure as you train desperately!"
"H-handsome and heroic figure?"
"That's right! Whether going to school or coming home, you're always doing weighted frog jumps or one-handed handstands, constantly training diligently. You're truly a role model for us all!"
Naruto froze, stunned… but then puffed out his chest with a touch of pride.
"Ahaha, that? Oh, it's nothing—just a small thing!"
Rock Lee's eyes burned even brighter.
"Well said, Naruto! Daily training on the way to and from school is just a warm-up. The real training begins here! How about it? Will you join me and burn our youth together?!"
Naruto wanted to refuse.
But did he have a choice?
"…Oh, that? It's exactly what I was thinking!"
"Lee, I won't lose to you!"
Rock Lee laughed heartily. "That's the spirit! Come on, Naruto!"
Naruto gave a nervous laugh and stood beside him.
"So, what exactly are we training?"
Lee clenched his fists.
"It's simple! Kick the wooden stake 3,000 times! Then punch it 4,000 times! After that, 3,000 jump ropes! Then 3,000 push-ups! If you can't finish, walk on your hands around the village 30 times!"
Naruto's eyes filled with tears.
"No way… you can't be serious!"
Lee flashed his gleaming teeth.
"What are you talking about, Naruto? This is only the beginning! You and I both have dreams—we want to be acknowledged, to prove our worth. If that's the case, this training is nothing at all!"
"It's absolutely something!!"
But Rock Lee only laughed even brighter.
"Come on, Naruto! Burn your youth with me!"
Without another word, he dove back into training.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
His left leg struck the stake with a fierce side kick. His right leg followed instantly, slamming from the opposite side. Wood chips exploded from the battered post.
Naruto's face was full of despair.
"…What else can I even say?"
He took a deep breath, then kicked a stake with all his might.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Under the summer sun, two hot-blooded fools began their devilish special training.
---
"1263!"
"1264!"
"1265!"
It was Rock Lee's first time training alongside someone else. He felt moved… and strangely competitive. His intensity doubled.
Naruto, on the other hand, was nowhere near Lee's explosive power.
But he had his own strengths: good stamina, crazy vitality, and absurd recovery ability.
So, even exhausted and suffering, he gritted his teeth and kept going.
"2110!"
"2111!"
"2112!"
"Come on, Naruto! Hope is in sight!"
"…I don't believe you at all!" Naruto groaned. "Kicking the stake is just the beginning, isn't it?!"
"You're right!" Lee shouted with a bright grin.
Naruto: "…"
Too drained to argue, he focused only on surviving. Sweat poured from his body, soaking the dirt of the training field.
"2997!"
"2998!"
"2999!"
Naruto panted like a dog, tongue hanging out.
But finally—finally—
"3000!"
With one last kick, he sent wood chips flying, then collapsed flat on the ground, wriggling like a dying insect.
Lee finished at the same time, wiping sweat from his face with pride.
"Naruto, this is only the beginning! Cheer up!"
Naruto weakly waved his hand. "No… I can't… I need to rest a while…"
[Detected: Host has not completed Taijutsu training. Lightning Release baptism imminent.]
[Countdown: 5…]
"Huh?!" Naruto shot upright.
"I finished already!"
[Reminder: The goal is to work a little harder than Rock Lee. Currently, you've only matched him.]
"…You've gotta be kidding me!"
[Countdown: 4…]
"Alright, alright, I get it!"
Staggering to his feet, vision blurry, Naruto faced the wooden stake again.
"3001!"
"F-finished…"
But Rock Lee froze in shock.
"Naruto… what are you doing?!"
His eyes lit up with realization.
"Oh! I understand now!"
He clenched his fist, eyes burning with fire.
"You're saying one must never dwell on the past, but surpass oneself! To set even stricter goals and keep pushing forward! I understand, Naruto—you're motivating me this way!"
And with that, Rock Lee's passion exploded again. He lunged forward and unleashed another blazing kick.