Chapter 8 : Rock Lee vs. Sas—Naruto?!
Team 7 walked through the academy corridors, steadily approaching room 301, the designated location for the Chunin Exams. Before they could reach their destination, a voice echoed from behind them, stopping them in their tracks.
"Sasuke Uchiha!"
The entire team turned in mild surprise, eyes drawn upward toward the balcony. Standing there was Rock Lee, the same boy who had effortlessly blocked Sasuke's kick earlier. His determined gaze was locked on Sasuke.
"What do you want?" Sasuke asked, his voice tinged with confusion and irritation.
"I want to fight you. Right here, right now," Lee replied, conviction resonating in every word. Without waiting for a response, Lee leapt down from the ledge, landing gracefully in a crouch before Team 7. As he stood, he straightened himself confidently and formally introduced himself once again. "My name is Rock Lee, and I know you are of the Uchiha Clan. I want to test how strong the Uchiha really are."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes, taking Lee's challenge personally. "Fine. I'll show you just how strong I am."
However, before they could begin, Lee's gaze drifted toward Sakura. His expression softened into a goofy grin as he once again confessed his love, winking and blowing kisses at her. Hearts seemingly floated in the air with every exaggerated gesture, and Sakura, disgusted, did everything in her power to dodge the "flying" hearts, clearly uncomfortable.
Naruto, who had been standing quietly on the sidelines, suddenly stepped forward. His face was contorted in frustration, a large tick mark visible on his forehead. It was difficult to say what had annoyed him more—Lee ignoring him completely in favor of Sasuke, just like everyone else, or the fact that Lee was making moves on Sakura. Given Naruto's recent efforts in his training and the lack of recognition he'd received aside from Kakashi, it was clear that the first reason was fueling most of his irritation.
"Sasuke. I get him first," Naruto declared, his voice unwavering. "This weirdo is mine."
Sasuke glanced at Naruto out of the corner of his eye, his hands slipping back into his pockets as if to say he wasn't too concerned. "Go for it," he said nonchalantly.
Sakura opened her mouth, ready to scold Naruto for his usual brash behavior, but then stopped short. Something about the look in his eyes was different this time. There was no trace of his usual childishness or his need to prove himself out of sheer stubbornness. This was determination, pure and unyielding. He wasn't just looking for attention—he wanted to prove something, to everyone and to himself.
Lee eyed Naruto with mild surprise, intrigued by the seriousness that radiated from him. While his primary interest was still Sasuke, Lee couldn't deny the strange pull of Naruto's confidence.
"Fine," Lee sighed, taking a fighting stance. "But I'll deal with you quickly."
Naruto stepped forward, closing the distance between himself and Lee until he was just a few meters away. Unlike his usual reckless attitude, Naruto slid into a taijutsu stance, a calmness radiating from him that was unlike anything his teammates had ever seen. His posture was focused, professional, lacking any of the clumsy energy that usually defined him.
Sasuke and Sakura exchanged surprised glances. They could tell right away that something had changed. The reason was clear—Naruto's recent training had paid off, and now that his basic skills had improved, he was confident enough to face a skilled opponent without resorting to his usual chaotic tactics. Instead of rushing in with a haphazard attack, he seemed to have a clear plan.
Naruto hadn't been in a real fight since his training had begun in earnest. This moment was his chance to prove to his team—and more importantly, to himself—that he had grown stronger.
The air between Naruto and Lee was tense. Both fighters stood still, analyzing one another, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Naruto, feeling the heat of the battle, was the first to move. His patience, already worn thin by the brief wait, boiled over into action. He launched forward with a punch aimed squarely at Lee. However, Lee, with his incredible reflexes, effortlessly batted Naruto's punch aside. Instead of reacting with surprise, Naruto maintained his calm demeanor. He placed his hands on the ground and spun, using his momentum to follow up with a kick.
Lee easily dodged the attack, tilting his head to the side as if Naruto's effort was beneath him—he even closed his eyes mid-dodge. That was his first mistake.
A smirk flickered across Naruto's face as he used his other leg to launch a sudden horse kick straight into Lee's unguarded gut. The impact made Lee stumble back, eyes widening in surprise. Naruto somersaulted backward, landing smoothly on his feet and sliding into his stance once more.
Lee recoiled, regaining his footing as he stared at Naruto in shock. "Ah, it appears I underestimated you. My apologies. I will not hold back any longer. But first, what is your name?"
Naruto grinned wildly, his brows furrowed with a mixture of excitement and determination. "The name's Naruto Uzumaki. Remember it! Since it's gonna be the one to beat you!"
With that declaration, the two fighters met once more in a rapid clash of taijutsu. Lee, moving with blinding speed, initiated a Leaf Hurricane. His leg spun toward Naruto's head, the force of the kick causing the wind to whip past Naruto's face. Narrowly, Naruto dodged the attack, feeling the air brush his hair dangerously close.
But Lee's follow-up came too fast. His second kick slipped past Naruto's hastily raised guard and struck him in the ribs, sending Naruto tumbling across the floor. Groaning, Naruto quickly rose back to his feet, clutching his side in slight pain.
"What the heck... I had my guard up. How did he get past it?" Naruto muttered under his breath. His mind raced, trying to figure out how Lee had bypassed his defense so easily. "Tch, must've used some ninjutsu. Well, two can play at that game!"
Instead of rushing recklessly, as he would have before, Naruto sprinted at Lee with calculated aggression. Lee, anticipating another straightforward assault, readied himself to counter with another kick. But before he could strike, he suddenly felt arms wrap around his torso from behind.
Reacting quickly, Lee turned his head slightly and saw it—another Naruto. "Shadow clones, huh? Impressive," he remarked, slightly caught off guard. However, he easily broke the clone's grip and dodged Naruto's incoming punch.
Before Lee could retaliate, another clone appeared from Naruto's side, launching yet another attack. Lee dodged and countered, but a third clone popped up. Then a fourth. Each time Lee deflected an attack, another Naruto appeared from the periphery, swarming him with relentless assaults.
Lee was both impressed and slightly annoyed. "This guy... he's better than I thought."
On the sidelines, Sasuke had activated his Sharingan, carefully watching the battle. His eyes tracked Lee's movements, noting how effortlessly Lee evaded and countered without using any ninjutsu. It was all pure taijutsu—unparalleled speed and skill. He's strong... stronger than me.
Sasuke frowned. As much as it irritated him, he had to admit that Naruto was holding his own in a way he hadn't expected. A small part of Sasuke felt pride for his teammate, though it was immediately overshadowed by frustration. Could Naruto actually be putting up more of a fight than I would?
Back in the fight, Naruto and Lee continued their intense exchange for several minutes. Both fighters grinned despite the bruises beginning to form on their bodies—this was a battle they both were clearly enjoying. Naruto, using his clones and newly improved skills, was holding his own against Lee's incredible taijutsu prowess.
But then Lee saw his opening. With a swift motion, he launched Naruto into the air, his body spinning helplessly as Lee shot up behind him. The wraps around Lee's arms began unraveling, signaling the initiation of one of his more dangerous techniques—the Primary Lotus.
However, before Lee could complete the move, a paper shuriken flew through the air, striking the wall and pinning his arm wraps in place. Lee stopped immediately, his body tense as he glanced toward the source of the interference.
Lee landed on the ground gracefully, stopping the technique before it could hurt Naruto. Meanwhile, Naruto, still airborne, managed to slow his fall using one of his clones, landing safely a moment later.
The air was suddenly filled with an unexpected voice, "LEE!" A giant turtle, wearing a Konoha forehead protector around its shell, appeared out of nowhere, landing on the ground in front of everyone.
Lee's eyes widened in panic as the turtle reprimanded him. "That technique is forbidden, Lee! You know better than to use it without permission!" the turtle scolded sternly.
Lee scratched the back of his head, deeply embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Master. I got caught up in the excitement of the fight."
Before Lee could continue, a booming voice interrupted, "LEE!" Might Guy suddenly appeared in a flash, punching Lee in the head, sending him crumpling to the ground.
"Guy-sensei!" Lee exclaimed with teary eyes, looking up to his mentor.
Guy crouched down, pulling Lee into one of his infamous, overly emotional embraces. "You've disappointed me, but I am still so proud of you, Lee!"
Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke watched the bizarre scene unfold, unsure whether to laugh or feel uncomfortable at the overly dramatic display. Tears flowed as Lee and Guy shared a ridiculous and comically exaggerated hug. "We shall atone for this by doing 200 laps around the village!" Guy declared, holding Lee close.
Sakura, recovering from the absurdity of the moment, interrupted, "What about the exams?"
Guy suddenly froze, releasing Lee and scratching the back of his head. "Ah, I almost forgot about that." He then regained his authoritative tone. "Lee, as punishment for forgetting, you will do 400 laps around the village after the exams!"
Lee, rather than reacting negatively, smiled brightly and saluted. "Yes, Guy-sensei! Thank you for your kindness!" His enthusiasm for such a severe punishment left Team 7 utterly speechless.
Guy then turned his attention to Team 7, his eyes studying them curiously. "Ah, Kakashi's squad, right?" he asked, his demeanor instantly shifting from over-the-top to cool and calculating. "Did you know Kakashi and I are eternal rivals?"
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura exchanged skeptical glances. "There's no way you're on par with Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said, doubtingly. Even Sasuke looked unconvinced.
Guy's grin grew, clearly enjoying their disbelief. "Oh, is that so?" Without warning, he vanished from his spot and reappeared behind them in a flash of movement. The team blinked, startled by his incredible speed. "Still think Kakashi is the only strong one?" Guy teased, flashing his pearly white smile.
Naruto gawked at Guy's speed, while Sasuke's eyes narrowed, This guy... he's insanely fast.
Having proved his point, Guy waved them off. "Well, we should be going now. Lee, we've got training to do after the exams!"
Before leaving, Lee turned to Naruto, his expression serious but respectful. "Thank you for the amazing fight, Naruto Uzumaki. I look forward to the next time we meet." Naruto blushed slightly, flustered by the genuine compliment.
"Heh, thanks, Lee. Same to you!" Naruto replied, feeling a strange mixture of pride and excitement.
Lee paused for a moment before adding, "I would like to say I'm the strongest Genin from Konoha you will face, but there is one other..." His tone shifted, becoming more somber. "Neji Hyuuga, my teammate. He's... even stronger than I am."
Naruto and Sasuke both tensed at the mention of Neji. The boy with the white eyes—they both remembered his cold demeanor back in front of room 201.
With that, Lee and Guy took their leave, leaving Team 7 behind to ponder their next steps. Naruto's excitement surged at the thought of another fight. "Man, I can't wait to fight him again!" he exclaimed, his usual energy returning.
Sasuke, however, was more focused, his mind lingering on Neji. Stronger than Lee? he thought. The challenge was clear in his mind, and his competitive spirit burned hotter. He needed to get stronger if he was going to face opponents like Lee and Neji.