As Neji activated Rotation, the terrifying aspect of his absolute defense immediately became evident.
The ninja tools were completely ineffective against Neji in this state.
Tenten was well aware of this fact.
She had been by Neji's side when he first developed Rotation.
Because of this, she knew exactly where the strengths and weaknesses of the technique lay.
The biggest issue with Rotation was its duration.
Although the duration could vary depending on the user's skill, it couldn't be maintained indefinitely.
Three years ago, Neji could only sustain Rotation for ten seconds.
Even with significant improvement, he still couldn't keep it active forever.
The moment to strike Neji would be the instant Rotation began to slow down.
Tenten's attacks were relentless, continuous, and unending.
The ninja tools in her two scrolls were more than enough to sustain her assault for ten minutes.
In her mind, no matter how much of a genius Neji was, it was impossible for him to develop Rotation to surpass that time limit.
At this moment, Konoha's wealthiest kunoichi showed the full extent of her financial power.
While a single ninja tool might not be worth much, the sheer volume and variety of weapons she used could buy a small estate in Konoha.
Before long, Neji was surrounded by a mountain of weapons, resembling an armory.
"Tenten's attacks have become so... brutal," Rock Lee muttered as he watched, having activated five of the Eight Gates. He couldn't help but gulp.
It wasn't hunger—it was envy.
Hinata, keeping her eyes on Neji's movements, suddenly shouted two minutes later, "Neji's slowing down! Based on his movements, there will be an opening on his right shoulder in three seconds!"
As the heiress of the Hyūga Clan, Hinata hadn't yet mastered Rotation, but she had learned its principles and witnessed countless demonstrations of it.
With the insight from her Byakugan, she could predict Neji's next move.
This was her role in the battle.
Hearing her, Tenten and Rock Lee immediately prepared to act.
Three seconds. The opening was upon them in the blink of an eye.
"Konoha Gale!"
Rock Lee charged first, delivering an upward kick that landed squarely on Neji's slowing right shoulder.
The attack hit its mark!
Neji seemed caught off guard, launched into the air by the force of the kick.
Rock Lee crouched, frog-like, then leaped with explosive speed, closing the distance to Neji in midair.
His arm bandages unraveled, shooting out toward Neji, ready to bind him.
But at that moment, Neji reacted. With a powerful right punch, he aimed to disperse the approaching bandages with a gust of wind from his strike.
Just then, Tenten's attack arrived.
"Fireball Bomb!"
Although Tenten couldn't use Fire Release techniques, her storage scrolls could hold virtually anything.
A flaming sphere shot out of her scroll, hurtling toward Neji.
The duo's coordination was flawless, neutralizing Neji's counterattack.
The fireball didn't completely cancel out the gust from Neji's punch, but it weakened its force enough.
This brief stalemate was all it took for Rock Lee's bandages to fully bind Neji's movements!
"Hidden Lotus!"
With Neji restrained, Rock Lee unleashed an explosive flurry of attacks from every direction, moving at terrifying speeds.
For a moment, Neji became nothing more than a punching bag under Rock Lee's relentless assault.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
One punch after another, Rock Lee seemed to vent years of frustration on Neji, pummeling him without mercy.
Tenten and Hinata could only watch in shock.
"Lee's attacks are so intense! Can Neji handle this?"
"Brother Neji…"
Finally, Rock Lee grabbed the end of the bandages and focused all his strength into his right fist.
"This is the final blow! Neji, come back to us!"
With that, Rock Lee threw his punch.
But just as his iron fist was about to land, a hand emerged from within the bandages.
Rock Lee's punch was caught mid-air by Neji's palm.
Boom!
The bandages tore apart instantly.
Neji stood revealed, seemingly unscathed.
Despite the relentless barrage of attacks moments ago, he showed no signs of injury.
"What?!"
Rock Lee was stunned.
"Lee, you've grown stronger," Neji said coldly. "But I've told you before, you can never defeat me. Even if you've mastered the Eight Gates, the outcome won't change. From the very beginning, your destiny has been to lose to me."
"Humans cannot defy fate—just as you cannot defy me."
A smirk appeared on Neji's face as he thrust his left palm forward.
"Eight Trigrams: Air Palm!"
The devastating attack, launched from point-blank range, sent Rock Lee flying several meters away, blood spilling from his mouth.
"Lee!"
Tenten and Hinata rushed over in panic.
A moment ago, they had thought Rock Lee might incapacitate Neji.
But now, it was clear they had underestimated Neji's terrifying strength.
He had long surpassed the realm of ordinary shinobi his age.
The two hurried to Lee's side. Hinata immediately offered to heal him, but he refused.
"Lee, let me treat you! That Air Palm broke several of your ribs," Hinata pleaded.
"I know, but now isn't the time," Rock Lee replied, wiping the blood from his mouth as he gazed at Neji.
"Neji… you're still so strong. It's clear you've worked tirelessly over these past three years. But I haven't been idle either.
"I've trained harder than ever to bring you back. Lady Tsunade even prepared special strengthening tonics for me.
"I won't give up here—not for the people who helped me, nor for you!"
Taking a deep breath, Rock Lee shouted, "Sixth Gate, Gate of Joy—open!"
A more ferocious energy surged from his body.
The Sixth Gate!
Neji's pupils narrowed. He hadn't expected Lee to unlock another gate within three years.
"Unbelievable…"
No, Rock Lee was a true prodigy of taijutsu. This level of mastery couldn't be attributed to mere effort.
"Lee, stop!" Tenten cried. "Guy-sensei said you're not ready to use that technique yet!"
But Lee wasn't listening.
This was his only chance to match Neji.
"I have no choice, Tenten. For Neji's sake, I must give it everything I've got. This is also my best opportunity to prove myself to him!"
The green energy around him grew even more chaotic.
"Lee…" Tenten's eyes filled with emotion, torn between worry for both Lee and Neji.
The next attack would be no joke.
Even Kimimaro, locked in a taijutsu clash with Guy, noticed the shift in energy.
"That's… Morning Peacock? To think Rock Lee has already mastered the Sixth Gate. He's stronger than in the original timeline," Kimimaro thought, a hint of admiration in his eyes.
At this age, with such strength, Rock Lee's talent for taijutsu was undeniable.
He was born for it.
One day, surpassing Might Guy might not be impossible.
The Green Beast of Konoha had found a worthy successor.