"So, who's up for the second round?" Kakashi looked meaningfully at Ishikawa, then stepped forward to ask.
He hadn't expected Ishikawa to win—after all, his opponent was Hyuga Neji, a genius who had already mastered the Gentle Fist. But to defeat such a powerful foe through nothing but intelligence and strategy... now that looked like a real ninja.
Well, he was certainly worthy of being recognized as a disciple of Hatake Kakashi.
"I'll do it! I'll do it!" Lee shot his hand into the air, eyes blazing. "I didn't expect Ishikawa to beat the genius Neji. Looks like I have two rivals to chase now!"
"A loser trying to chase a genius? You're dreaming, Lee!" Jiro scoffed and stormed out of the line.
Lee was infamous as the last-place student in their group, and Jiro took it upon himself to teach him a lesson—to remind him that between genius and failure, there was an unbridgeable mountain of reality.
"Dead last should stay dead last," Taro sneered, backing Jiro without hesitation. "If genius were that easy to reach, it wouldn't be genius. You think you're another Ishikawa? Keep dreaming..."
In his mind, it didn't matter if Jiro fought or not. It was best-of-three. Ishikawa had already claimed one win, and Lee was guaranteed to lose.
Victory for Team 7 was already within reach!
"Damn it!" Lee burst out, flushed with emotion. "Even if I'm the worst now, I'll catch up to Neji and Ishikawa with sweat and effort! I'll prove to you that even without ninjutsu or genjutsu, I can still become a great ninja!"
Seeing this, Kakashi turned to look at Might Guy. He couldn't help but smile slightly, a flash of Guy's own youthful days appearing in his mind.
"That kid reminds me of you, Guy... He might actually win."
"You acknowledge Lee?!" Might Guy lit up with joy, beaming with pride—Lee was, after all, his most devoted student.
Kakashi didn't respond. Instead, he stepped forward and gestured. "Both parties sign the seal of opposition."
As the two completed the sign, Kakashi called out: "Begin!" And in the next instant, he flickered away from the battlefield.
"Konoha Whirlwind!" Almost simultaneously, Lee launched the first strike—a thunderous roundhouse kick with explosive force.
"Too predictable." Jiro raised his elbow to block—casually at first. But the moment they clashed, his expression twisted.
In the next second, he was sent skidding backward by sheer physical power, stumbling several steps.
"What incredible strength!" Jiro grimaced, pain shooting through his arm. The force stunned him.
Even Ishikawa and Taro's eyes widened at the impact.
As someone who knew what was coming, Ishikawa was especially shocked. Was Lee already doing weight training? Wait—he had misremembered. Lee had already gained Might Guy's attention back in the academy and had been relentlessly honing his taijutsu ever since.
"You're right—I don't know ninjutsu or genjutsu. Maybe I'm not what you'd call a 'real ninja,'" Lee shouted, full of passion. "But because of that, I've poured ten times—no, a hundred times more effort into taijutsu! Today, I'll show you the results of all that training!"
Before Jiro could respond, Lee surged forward again, throwing a fierce punch.
"Dead last will always be dead last!" Enraged and humiliated, Jiro shouted and activated chakra beneath his feet to leap backward, forming hand seals as he moved.
"This is the wall you'll never climb!" With a snarl, Jiro completed his jutsu: "Water Style: Water Wave!"
"It's over. That idiot's done for..." Almost the moment Jiro launched the technique, Ishikawa sighed and covered his face. He couldn't bear to watch.
"Do you think you're the Second Hokage or something? Using Water Style in a place with no water?" Ishikawa couldn't help but sneer. "As long as Lee withstands this move, the outcome is already decided."
And sure enough, things unfolded exactly as Ishikawa had predicted. While Jiro's Water Jutsu could technically be used without a natural water source, the chakra it consumed was completely disproportionate to the effect it produced.
Though the five-meter-wide water column looked impressive, it didn't hurt Rock Lee at all. Thanks to his speed, he simply dashed through it—only getting slightly slowed and accidentally swallowing a few mouthfuls of water!
Instead, the one who paid the price was Jiro himself. With his chakra nearly drained, he was caught by Lee and chased down mercilessly. Before long, he was beaten black and blue and had no choice but to surrender.
Not just Taro and the others—even Lee himself hadn't expected such a result.
He had thought that even after years of relentless training in taijutsu, he still wouldn't be able to defeat someone like Jiro. But to find the other side so helpless after using up his chakra...
At that moment, something quietly shattered within Lee—the deeply rooted inferiority complex he'd been carrying all this time. In its place bloomed a newfound confidence and excitement.
Hard work could truly surpass talent… even surpass who he used to be!
"You two really don't have the fighting style of proper ninjas," Kakashi muttered, speechless as he looked at the defeated Jiro and the panting Lee. Shaking his head, he simply announced: "Third match—begin."
Compared to the sharp, high-level battle between Ishikawa and Neji, this second round felt more like watching two children wrestle in the schoolyard. It was immature—almost laughably so.
"I didn't expect that what once seemed like a guaranteed win would end up like this!" Taro glared at Jiro in disappointment. "You've really let me and bother Ishikawa down. Looks like it's up to me to turn things around now."
With great confidence, he stepped forward to face Tenten. Seeing Ishikawa's utterly speechless expression, he puffed out his chest.
Ishikawa could only sigh helplessly—and silently prayed: Please… let the rich girl not be carrying too many ninja tools.
But fate is often merciless.
"Hidden Weapon Barrage!"
What you fear always comes to pass. After exchanging a few brief blows in close combat, Tenten suddenly leapt back to gain distance—and activated her scroll.
The moment her scroll unfurled, the air filled with a glinting storm of shining ninja tools. Kunai, shuriken, and all kinds of deadly implements rained down like a bladed typhoon.
Taro dodged and twisted through the first wave, sweat pouring from his brow. But when Tenten calmly pulled out another scroll, his face turned pale—and he immediately surrendered without a second thought.
He hadn't even gotten the chance to use his only technique, the Fire Style. This defeat was even more humiliating than Jiro's!
"I'm sorry, brother..." Taro returned to Ishikawa with his head lowered in shame, his face pale and drained.
It wasn't that he didn't want to fight—Tenten's attacks were just too terrifying! This wasn't a training match; it was a full-on bombardment. It was almost reckless to fight her seriously.
"Best of three—it looks like Guy's team wins the second match. That ties things up." Kakashi turned around calmly. "How about we call it a day, Guy?"
"A draw?" Might Guy instantly raised his voice. "Kakashi, this is a duel! How can we end it so casually?"
He took a step forward, eyes burning with competitive fire.
'Oh no. Don't tell me…' Kakashi's face stiffened the moment he saw that glint in Guy's eyes. Something felt very wrong.
"Kakashi! Since this is a class face-off, let the teachers settle it once and for all!" Guy clenched his fist, veins popping with excitement. "We can do taijutsu, a 100-meter sprint, underwater breath-holding—you name it, I'm ready!"
Watching the fiery roar coming from Might Guy, Kakashi's mouth twitched.
As expected... He sighed internally. Those kids inspired him again. And now... there's no escaping this madness.
So...
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P@atreon/Arvinstorm (30+ Advanced Chapters)