How proud are the Uchiha?
Even with only Sasuke Uchiha left, he still carries the heavy expectations of every pair of crimson Sharingan that came before him.
This battle was even more exciting to watch than the last one. After all, in the previous match, Naruto Uzumaki had almost completely dominated Neji Hyuga. The crowd couldn't even see his movements clearly; they just knew he was incredibly strong.
This match, however, the taijutsu clash between Sasuke Uchiha and Rock Lee, had the raw intensity of a real fight between men.
In the huge crater, Sasuke and Rock Lee fought with ferocious energy, a battle between taijutsu specialists rarely seen. Every punch was met with a block, and every kick was countered. This was a visual feast of hand-to-hand combat.
Whether it was Sasuke or Rock Lee, the struggle between them was a real eye-opener for the audience.
Konoha village was thriving and prosperous. Inside the exam arena, the black-haired boy of Team 7 gritted his teeth, mustered his strength, and launched a flying kick, but it was instantly blocked by Rock Lee's crossed arms.
Sasuke's expression grew darker. He had been training tirelessly to master the nin-taijutsu style left by Shisui. However, just moments ago, Naruto had easily defeated Rock Lee's teammate, Neji Hyuga. Now, he was fighting Rock Lee to a standstill. Sasuke was more than a little dissatisfied with this.
"As expected, you have not disappointed me," Lee's eyes were bright, his spirit high. Looking at Sasuke through the gap in his arms, his face was filled with joy. "Truly worthy of being the top student of this class, the Uchiha genius who is on par with Neji."
"..."
The spiky-haired boy paused, then curled his lip. "Hmph. I didn't expect your taijutsu to be so decent."
Is this bowl-cut guy in front of me delusional? Sasuke thought. In the last match, Neji Hyuga was beaten like a dog. Is this guy really comparing me to him?
"No, it is still not enough!" Rock Lee shook his head, his face serious. "Since my time in the Ninja Academy, I have focused only on training my taijutsu. I will not stop here!"
Part of it was certainly because he was focused and serious in his work, but it was also because his chakra reserves were not abundant.
Lee flipped into the air and jumped back, shouting loudly, "Guy-sensei! Please allow me to release my restraints! Sasuke is a respectable opponent, and I wish to fight with all my strength!"
"Lee, I permit you to take off your weights!" The Blue Beast of Konoha cupped his hands around his mouth, tears in his eyes, and roared at the top of his lungs, "Lee! Go! Let your youth bloom! Let everyone see your passion!"
Naruto Uzumaki: "..."
Kakashi Hatake: "..."
They had always felt that Might Guy was a lunatic. If the jonin instructor wasn't right in the head, could his student be normal?
On the field, Rock Lee heard this and nodded seriously. He began to solemnly remove the weights on his legs, which made Sasuke laugh. "What the hell? I thought it was some powerful move, but you're just taking off some weights..."
Boom!
Lee casually threw the weights to the ground. The small objects hit the floor like thousand-pound iron balls, kicking up a massive cloud of dust.
The ground itself shook for a moment.
"...some weights... that's all."
Sasuke's smile froze on his face, the corner of his mouth twitching uncontrollably. "What kind of monster is this guy..."
"Here I come!"
The bowl-cut boy's figure instantly vanished.
"Idiot, using the Body Flicker Technique in front of me!"
Sasuke's figure also flickered into an afterimage and rushed forward. Even Rock Lee couldn't compare to Sasuke's mastery of the Body Flicker Technique. In fact, in all of Konoha, there was no ninja faster than Sasuke's Body Flicker.
Bang!
The two figures exchanged places in mid-air. A dull, heavy sound echoed through the arena. Sasuke and Lee's arms were pressed together, each blocking the other's attack. A surprising madness was on both their faces.
Almost instantly, the two were fighting again.
"Sasuke is being too careless..." Kakashi Hatake tapped his fingers, his voice tinged with worry.
The jonin leader of Team 7 knew Sasuke's pride well. It wasn't surprising that he would use taijutsu against a taijutsu specialist to prove his superiority. But he also had to recognize who his opponent was.
Rock Lee was no ordinary taijutsu specialist. As Might Guy's rival for many years, Kakashi knew exactly how much explosive power was hidden under Guy's goofy image. His most beloved student was definitely not simple.
"Don't underestimate Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto Uzumaki crossed his arms and said with a light laugh. "Sasuke is more diligent than any of us have seen. His taijutsu won't be weak."
Although, when the Nine-Tails inside him learned that Sasuke was having a taijutsu match with Lee, it had only one evaluation: Sasuke Uchiha is an idiot.
However, Naruto still firmly believed in his teammate.
The battle on the field finally reached its peak. Every kick from the two men stirred up the wind, tearing at the ground.
Facing Lee's relentless attack, Sasuke forced him back with a punch, then wiped the sweat from his forehead. "This guy's stamina is too good. Forget it, I'll just win this match first..."
A short wakizashi sword fell into his hand. With a slash, a blade of fire erupted from it. It was the Sword-Leap Flame, an attack that even Naruto wouldn't face lightly.
"Waaaaah..."
Lee dodged backward, avoiding the flame, but Sasuke's offensive was like a wave, attacking one after another.
Halo Dance!
Three blades of fiery light attacked in succession. Lee leaped to dodge, pressing himself against the tall surrounding wall, watching Sasuke's movements vigilantly.
Obviously, after Sasuke started using the nin-taijutsu left by Shisui, Lee had fallen into a disadvantage. What was more troublesome was the sparks flashing under Sasuke's feet. He had attached Lightning Release chakra to his body, making his speed no slower than Rock Lee's.
Unless he could become even faster.
Rock Lee's eyes gradually became determined.
Naruto's expression changed. For some reason, his mind was unsettled. He subconsciously pressed his brow as a sharp pain shot through his brain. The seal was stirring, warning him that something was wrong with Rock Lee, that he had to stop whatever he was about to do.
"This can't go on..." Naruto glanced at the boy in the green jumpsuit below, then turned to his teammate. "Sasuke, end this fight quickly!"
"Shut up, Naruto!" Sasuke wiped the corner of his mouth, a grin spreading across his face. "I haven't had my fill of this fight yet. I'm very curious about his secret move..."
"Hey, Sasuke!"
"Shut up!" Sasuke looked at his opponent with dissatisfaction. Just as he was about to tell Naruto to watch the match quietly, a sudden burst of aura swept through the arena.
The chakra of the boy in the green jumpsuit became incredibly violent. The veins on his body bulged, his skin tone gradually darkened, but his hoarse voice carried a resolute power.
"First Gate, the Gate of Opening, open!"
"Second Gate, the Gate of Healing, open!"
"Third Gate, the Gate of Life, open!"
"Fourth Gate, the Gate of Pain, open!"
"Fifth Gate, the Gate of Closing, open!"
-----
Bonus:
Kakashi Hatake: Why didn't you listen?
Sasuke Uchiha: Who knew he was hiding that much?
Kakashi Hatake: I told you not to be careless, not to be careless...
Sasuke Uchiha: Could you imagine an ordinary taijutsu ninja becoming that strong?
Kakashi Hatake: I can. If their intelligence is questionable, their strength usually isn't.
Sasuke Uchiha: Like that teammate of yours with an IQ of 2?
Kakashi Hatake: I'm warning you, no personal attacks. I know the Eight Inner Gates, too.
Sasuke Uchiha: Sorry. My bad.