The bowl-cut Rock Lee instantly fell head over heels for Sakura at first sight.
He boldly confessed his feelings to her—only to be met with an immediate and merciless rejection.
Devastated, Lee's spirits sank.
But his attention soon shifted. Standing next to Sakura were two other Genin: Naruto and Sasuke.
He had already looked into the new batch of Genin from the Ninja Academy.
Among them, Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke were easily the strongest of their generation.
Especially Naruto.
Even stronger than Sasuke, the Uchiha clan's genius.
During their six years at the Academy, Naruto had consistently outperformed Sasuke—always staying one step ahead.
As for Rock Lee, despite his lack of ninjutsu or genjutsu talent, he believed in sheer effort. He proudly called himself the strongest Genin in Konoha.
Now, standing before Naruto and Sasuke, he couldn't suppress the urge to challenge them.
"My name is Rock Lee," he declared.
"Uzumaki Naruto, let's fight!"
Lee's gaze was serious and determined.
As his words fell, the surrounding Genin—especially those from other villages—watched with growing interest, eager to see what would unfold.
Lee's teammates, Hyuga Neji and Tenten, frowned.
They knew Lee's personality. Once he set his mind on something, there was no stopping him.
But Naruto didn't even look interested.
Though Rock Lee's taijutsu was impressive—strong even among the Genin—it still didn't compare to either Naruto or Sasuke.
And it wasn't Naruto being arrogant.
The truth was, after Naruto's training, Sasuke had surpassed the level he reached during this period in the original timeline.
"Sorry. Not interested," Naruto replied coolly.
Then, glancing at Sasuke, he added:
"Sasuke, I'll leave this guy to you. Deal with him quickly—we still have an exam to take."
Sasuke sighed in mild irritation.
Always dumping the troublesome stuff on me...
Still, he didn't refuse. He didn't think someone like this bowl-cut weirdo would be a problem.
Lee, surprised by Naruto's rejection, clenched his fists.
"Am I being underestimated?" he muttered, then turned to Sasuke with determination.
"Fine. Then I'll defeat you first—and then challenge Uzumaki Naruto!"
Sasuke let out a dismissive snort.
Moments later, the two stood in an open corridor of the exam building.
Around them gathered Naruto, Sakura, Neji, Tenten, and several curious Genin from different villages.
Sasuke and Rock Lee faced each other.
Lee looked serious.
"I've already said—I won't lose."
"Because I'm the strongest Genin in Konoha!"
His goal was clear: defeat the Uchiha clan's genius and then overcome Naruto, the Academy's top student.
And, of course, he hoped to impress the girl he liked—Sakura.
Lee was dead serious about this fight.
Hearing Lee's confident declaration, the other Genin began to whisper.
Is this bowl-cut guy really that strong?
After all, anyone who dares to call themselves the strongest Genin in Konoha must have some skill.
Sasuke, however, found Lee's words amusing.
He didn't know how strong this so-called taijutsu specialist really was.
But one thing was certain.
No one among the Genin could rival Naruto.
In fact, Naruto might very well be the strongest Genin in the entire ninja world.
"Your perspective is too narrow," Sasuke replied calmly.
He lifted a finger and gestured for Lee to come at him.
Lee didn't waste words.
He charged forward in a blur of motion.
"So fast!" several of the watching Genin exclaimed in surprise.
But Naruto and Sakura remained unfazed.
Naruto, naturally, knew what Lee could do.
And Sakura had already seen what Naruto and Sasuke were capable of—this wasn't surprising to her either.
Sasuke, standing still, didn't even need to activate his Sharingan.
He tracked Lee's movement easily.
Lee opened with an uppercut.
Sasuke dodged effortlessly—then countered with a swift punch of his own.
Lee was caught off guard and sent stumbling back several steps.
"Faster than me?!"
Lee's eyes widened in disbelief.
He had trained relentlessly to perfect his taijutsu—pushing his speed and reflexes beyond normal limits.
He thought he'd become inhumanly fast.
But Sasuke had dodged with ease—and even countered faster than he could react.
Shock washed over Lee.
His teammates, Neji and Tenten, were equally stunned.
"Lee's attack was dodged..."
"He got hit!"
Neji and Tenten exchanged glances.
Shock was written clearly across both their faces.
Among all people, they knew just how strong Rock Lee was.
But what they hadn't expected—
Was that Uchiha Sasuke, a Genin who had just graduated, could actually fight on equal footing… or even dominate him.
Their gazes instinctively shifted toward Naruto and Sakura, standing calmly on the sidelines.
They were startled to see that neither looked the slightest bit surprised.
That's when realization dawned on them.
Sasuke's current performance wasn't out of the ordinary—for Team 7.
Which meant—
Naruto and even that pink-haired girl were likely on the same level as Sasuke?!
That was hard to accept.
Meanwhile, Sasuke's counterattack had already knocked Lee backward.
With just that exchange, Sasuke had assessed Lee's strength.
Compared to the rest of Konoha's Genin, Rock Lee was definitely a cut above.
But unfortunately for him—
He was up against Team 7.
That alone spelled misfortune.
Sasuke didn't hold back.
He seized the opening and went for the win.
In a burst of speed that eclipsed even Lee's, Sasuke moved—
Appearing behind Rock Lee before Lee had even regained his balance.
Lee had just barely steadied his footing—
When he sensed something behind him and froze.
"No way...!"
Shock flooded his features.
Uchiha Sasuke's speed had completely overwhelmed him.
Lee tried to twist his body, forcing himself into motion—
Desperate to counterattack before it was too late.
But it was already too late.
But Sasuke's assault was relentless—he unleashed a flurry of taijutsu techniques refined through the Uchiha clan's style, striking Rock Lee again and again.
Lee had no room to retaliate.
He was being completely overwhelmed.
Neji, Tenten, and the other Genin watching from the sidelines were all stunned.
This Uchiha Genin… was on a completely different level.
Lee, now flustered and desperate, considered doing something reckless.
He thought of unlocking the Eight Gates.
Only by releasing the inner gates could he possibly turn the tide.
But—
Sasuke didn't intend to give him the chance.
If he was going to fight, then he would end it quickly and decisively.
It was something Naruto had once said casually:
"If you fight, make it clean. Don't drag it out."
Sasuke found that philosophy useful.
So with a smooth, coordinated set of strikes, he prepared to finish the match.
Of course—
Since this was just a friendly match between Konoha shinobi, he didn't aim to seriously injure Lee.
He simply wanted to crush him with overwhelming force and win cleanly.
But just then—
A blur of green suddenly appeared between them, intercepting the clash.
Wearing the same green jumpsuit and sporting a bowl haircut just like Rock Lee's, the man was instantly recognizable:
Konoha's Proud Green Beast—Might Guy!
"Lee! Don't be reckless!" he shouted.
In one smooth motion, Might Guy caught Sasuke's incoming strike with one hand and held Lee back with the other.
He had arrived just in time.
Guy could tell Lee had been about to open the Eight Gates, likely the First Gate of Opening, to turn things around.
But as someone who had walked the same path, Guy understood something immediately—
Even without the gates, the Uchiha kid was already out of Lee's league.
And even with the Eight Gates, Sasuke hadn't even activated his Sharingan yet.
Might Guy's eyes narrowed slightly.
"As expected of Kakashi's student..."
"Gai-sensei!" Lee shouted.
Seeing his teacher's stern face brought him back to his senses.
Tears welled up in his eyes—not from pain, but from shame.
He'd lost. He knew it.
And he wouldn't make excuses for it.
A loss was a loss.
Moved by his student's sincerity and emotion, Might Guy suddenly burst into tears and swept Lee up into a dramatic hug.
"Don't give up! As long as you believe in your youth and never quit, the sunrise will shine on you one day!"
"Come, Lee! For the sake of youth, let's run around Konoha a hundred times right now!!!"
The declaration rang out loud and proud.
For a moment, the entire hall fell silent.
Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura, and all the other Genin stared at the overly passionate master and student pair...
...completely speechless.
Most of the Genin, realizing that the show was over (and that a Jōnin had arrived), began drifting toward the third floor where the actual exam was being held.
Neji and Tenten, however, had already anticipated what Might Guy and Lee were about to do.
Tenten stepped forward, sighing heavily.
"Gai-sensei, we still have to take the exam," she reminded.
Guy froze mid-pose.
He turned around, scratched his head, and gave a sheepish grin.
"Ah—that's right! The Chūnin Exams are today!"
Realizing his blunder, he quickly recovered.
"Alright! Then we'll run a hundred laps after the exam!"
"Yes, Gai-sensei!" Lee answered immediately, full of vigor.
Sasuke, watching the odd pair of master and student, felt like he was beginning to understand them.
They were earnest—too earnest, maybe—but completely genuine.
As for Guy blocking his punch just now—
Sasuke didn't mind.
After all, he hadn't used his full strength.
After all, his opponent had only been a fellow Genin—Rock Lee.
Seeing that the excitement was over, Naruto called out toward the field,
"Let's go, Sasuke."
Sasuke gave a short nod and returned to Naruto's side. Together, the two headed toward the stairway leading to the third floor.
Behind them stood Might Guy and his three students: Neji Hyuga, Tenten, and Rock Lee.
As they watched Team 7 leave, Neji narrowed his eyes and muttered,
"If Uchiha Sasuke is already that strong… what about Uzumaki Naruto?"
Rock Lee also began to ponder the same thing.
Just moments ago, it had been clear—Naruto was the one leading Team 7.
If Sasuke alone could defeat him so easily…
What kind of strength did Naruto himself possess?
Tenten remained silent, lost in thought.
Might Guy, of course, had noticed all of this as well.
The Team 7 trained by Hatake Kakashi appeared more formidable than even his own students.
But—!
"That doesn't matter!" Guy suddenly burst out with a thumbs-up and shining teeth.
"There will always be rivals along the road of youth!"
"Neji! Tenten! Lee!"
"As long as we work hard, we can surpass anyone!"
"Believe in the flames of youth!!!"
With passion blazing, Might Guy shouted out his encouragement.
Lee, full of spirit, immediately echoed back:
"Yes, Gai-sensei!!"
Third Floor.
Team 7 pushed open the door labeled 301.
The room beyond was already packed with Genin from all over the Five Great Nations and beyond—Konoha, Sunagakure (the Hidden Sand), Kusagakure (the Hidden Grass), Amegakure (the Hidden Rain), and others.
As soon as they entered, all eyes turned their way.
Among the many competitors were Gaara and Kankuro from the Sand Village.
The moment they laid eyes on Naruto's team, both of them silently sharpened their focus.
But thanks to Naruto's earlier "training," Team 7 had learned how to handle pressure.
They met the stares of the room with calm confidence.
Then came the warm sound of familiar voices—
"Long time no see!"
"Yo, Naruto!"
"Sasuke!"
"Sakura!"
Their classmates had noticed them—Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, and others from the Konoha 11 greeted them with smiles.
Naruto and his team returned the greetings.
Sasuke gave a curt nod, while Sakura smiled brightly and waved.
Naruto's eyes, though, were already drawn to someone in particular—
"Long time no see, Hinata," he said with a warm smile.
As he reached out to gently ruffle her hair, Hinata's cheeks immediately flushed pink.
"N-Naruto," she stammered, nodding shyly.
"It's… been a while."
The two began chatting about what they'd been up to lately.
Nearby, Sakura was catching up with Ino, while Shikamaru and the others exchanged updates.
But just then—
Something happened.
A discordant voice suddenly cut through the chatter.
"You nine… You're the new grads from the Academy, right?"
"It's so noisy. You're seriously killing the mood."
"Take a look around—some real monsters are already eyeing you."
The one who spoke was a Konoha Genin named Yakushi Kabuto. He addressed Naruto and the rest of the nine rookies from this year's graduating class.
As he said this, Kabuto's demeanor abruptly shifted. Putting on the facade of a friendly upperclassman, he smiled warmly and acted like he was offering some helpful advice to the fresh-faced Genin.
He began to pretend he was simply trying to give them a sense of what they'd be up against in the Chunin Exams.
Sakura was just about to respond, visibly impressed.
Some of the other rookies—still inexperienced and oblivious to the crueler sides of the ninja world—started to warm up to this "nice senior."
But before she could speak, Naruto stepped forward and cut in with a calm, steady voice.
"You just told everyone here that we're all new Academy graduates."
Naruto narrowed his eyes slightly.
"That wasn't for our benefit. You're trying to draw attention to us. You're up to something."
His blunt words made the atmosphere shift instantly.
Kabuto froze, caught off guard. He hadn't expected Uzumaki Naruto—of all people—to see through his ploy so quickly.
The other rookies—the Konoha 11—suddenly realized what had just happened.
Inuzuka Kiba, ever hot-blooded, looked about ready to pounce on Kabuto where he stood.
Others, like Shikamaru and Sasuke, had already sensed something was off. They remained calm, their suspicions confirmed.
Naruto didn't waste time arguing further. As far as he was concerned, Kabuto was just Orochimaru's pawn—not worth his attention.
Turning away, he called over to Sasuke, Sakura, Hinata, and the rest.
"Let's go find a seat. Ignore him."
Sasuke and the others nodded in agreement. The group passed right by Kabuto without even sparing him another glance.
Kabuto stood there, stunned.
He hadn't expected his attempt at subtle manipulation to fall apart so easily.
All around him, other Genin had been watching the interaction. A few chuckled under their breath.
This so-called "veteran" from Konoha had tried to play a trick...
Only to get outwitted in seconds.
Pathetic.
In the crowd, a female Genin wearing a Kusagakure forehead protector watched with keen interest. There was a flicker of intrigue in her eyes.
"To have someone like him suppress my dear Sasuke..."
"As expected of the top rookie this year…"
But this person wasn't a Genin at all.
It was Orochimaru—one of the Legendary Sannin—in disguise.
He had taken the form of a female Genin from the Hidden Grass and arranged for Kabuto to infiltrate the Chunin Exams as a sleeper agent.
And that wasn't all.
Orochimaru had also sent in four Genin from the Hidden Sound Village, each loyal to him and ready to act as instruments in his upcoming plan—
The Konoha Crush.
But beyond the operation to destroy the village, Orochimaru had another, far more personal goal.
He had his eyes set on Uchiha Sasuke.
Ever since his defeat at the hands of Uchiha Itachi, who wielded the Sharingan with terrifying mastery, Orochimaru had become obsessed with the Uchiha clan's kekkei genkai.
Especially now—after developing his forbidden Living Corpse Reincarnation Technique, which allowed him to transfer his soul into other bodies to achieve a twisted form of immortality.
The only downside was that he had to switch hosts every three years.
And his current body was reaching its limit.
He needed a new vessel.
And the one he had set his sights on...
Was none other than Uchiha Sasuke—the last viable heir to the Uchiha bloodline in Konoha.
...
TN:
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