Sasuke folded the application form neatly and slid it into the pouch strapped to his leg. His dark eyes held a glint of intrigue, sharpened by something new, a rare kind of curiosity.
Then, turning toward Naruto, he spoke, voice low but clear.
"Naruto… I want to meet this Lee guy. Right now."
Naruto blinked, a little surprised. "Huh?"
Even Sakura tilted her head. "Rock Lee? What do you want with him?"
Sasuke's gaze didn't waver. "You said he's fast. As fast as you. Maybe even faster. I want to see it for myself. If someone like that exists at our level… I want to face him."
Naruto looked at him for a second, then chuckled.
"Heh… I figured you'd say that."
Sakura was still confused. "Wait, wait. What's the deal with this guy? I mean, sure, I've seen him around. Green jumpsuit, shiny bowl-cut, thick eyebrows… looks like some sort of weird clone of Guy-sensei. But is he really that strong?"
Naruto grinned and rubbed the back of his neck.
"You'd be surprised. He's not just strong... he's ridiculous strong!"
Sasuke's lips twitched into the slightest of smirks. "And that's why I definitely want to test him myself."
Sakura crossed her arms. "You boys and your need to punch each other in the face..."
Naruto pointed his thumb behind him, toward the direction of the training field near the eastern wall. "He should be at Training Ground 9. Team Guy trains early in the mornings, and Lee never misses a session."
Sasuke was already moving.
Naruto and Sakura exchanged glances, then quickly followed him.
------
The sunlight filtered softly through the leaves, casting dappled shadows as Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura made their way through the narrow path beside the forest. The chirping of birds was the only sound at first, save for the occasional crunch of dried leaves under their feet.
But the place was eerily empty.
"Huh?" Naruto scratched his head and looked around. "He's not here…"
"Where's this 'amazing taijutsu guy' you were talking about?" Sasuke asked, scanning the area with a slightly annoyed expression.
Sakura glanced around, brushing a leaf off her shoulder. "Maybe we came too early?"
"Doubt it," Naruto said. "Lee's never late for training."
The three of them continued walking, following the faint sounds of movement in the distance. As they approached the edge of the training field, they saw the clearing come to life in full-blown battle.
"Haaah!!"
Neji Hyuga moved swiftly, thrusting his palm forward with incredible precision. A powerful gust of chakra followed his strike, pushing the air violently.
Lee spun to the side, parrying Neji's blow with the edge of his forearm, sweat flying from his brow as he moved.
High above them, a figure flipped through the air — Tenten, calm and focused, her eyes narrowed like a hawk's.
"Here I go!" She called, voice echoing through the open field. With a sharp flick, she hurled her scroll into the sky.
The scroll unfurled midair with a dramatic spiral, like an elegant ribbon caught in a breeze.
"Summon!" Tenten's fingers flashed through a hand seal.
POOF! POOF! POOF!
In a burst of smoke, dozens upon dozens of weapons appeared, swords, spears, kunai, axes, chains, and more, falling from the sky like a storm of steel.
"Dodge!!" Neji barked, instantly recognizing the danger.
Lee and Neji leapt back in perfect unison, narrowly avoiding a rain of deadly weapons. The impact shook the ground, several of them embedding deep into the earth, some even exploding upon impact, sending up clouds of dust and smoke.
Tenten pulled back with strings attached to her fingers. The weapons glimmered and flew back toward her in a graceful arc, whirling around like loyal birds returning to their master.
As the dust cleared, Lee and Neji stood side by side, breathing heavily but steadily. They immediately assumed their fighting stances once more, unbroken in spirit.
From the treeline, Naruto grinned.
"Yo Lee! It's been some time!" He waved energetically.
Lee immediately turned toward them. His face lit up like the sun as he saw Naruto approach.
"Naruto-kun!" Lee called out, fists clenched with excitement. "What a splendid surprise! Ah, it feels like it has been ages since we last trained together!"
He sprinted toward them at full speed and stopped just inches away, sweat glistening on his forehead, but his energy still untouched.
"I hope we didn't interrupt your training…" Naruto said, offering an apologetic smile.
"Not at all! This moment is filled with youth and promise!" Lee declared, striking a flamboyant pose with one leg lifted dramatically and a thumbs-up that gleamed in the sunlight.
Sasuke raised a brow. 'This guy is… intense.'
Meanwhile, Neji narrowed his eyes from a distance, silent but observant. His pale lavender gaze lingered on the three figures walking across the field.
'So that's him…' Neji thought. 'Uchiha Sasuke. He looks sharp, calm… but fierce. Just like Naruto claimed.'
Naruto gestured to his teammates. "Ah! Let me introduce you guys."
He pointed at Sakura first. "This is Haruno Sakura."
Sakura smiled politely.
"Hello," She said, though her thoughts were far from composed.
'Whoa… what is up with those eyebrows? They're even bushier up close!'
Naruto then pointed to the brooding figure beside him.
"And this is… Uchiha Sasuke."
Sasuke gave a short nod but didn't speak. His eyes were already analyzing Lee's posture, stance, and chakra control. 'So this is the taijutsu prodigy… Let's see what you're really made of.'
Lee turned, locking eyes with Sakura.
And everything suddenly slowed down in his mind.
She looked radiant as her eyes sparkled, and her hair shimmered in the sun.
To Lee, it was love at first sight.
In an instant, he was standing before her.
"My name is Rock Lee," He said solemnly, dropping his fighting stance and standing tall. "And your name… is Sakura, right?"
Sakura blinked, startled. "Uhh… yeah?"
Lee's face lit up with passion as he fell to one knee dramatically, holding up his hand as though proposing to the stars.
"Please… go out with me!"
He beamed, his teeth flashing like a polished blade. "I swear on my life, I will protect you! No matter what happens, I will be your shield... your sword! I will guard your honor with my last breath!"
Sakura stared at him, completely stunned. "Uhhh… What?"
Her expression shifted from confusion to discomfort.
"Absolutely... not."
Lee froze mid-pose, the sparkling background behind him cracking like glass.
"Huh?!"
Sakura put her hands on her hips and looked away. "You're… uh… too intense. And honestly, those eyebrows... kind of freak me out."
Lee fell to the ground, hands limp at his sides, a shadow looming over him like the fall of an empire.
"My heart… has been rejected," He said quietly, staring into the dirt. "So swiftly… so mercilessly…"
Sakura blinked. "Was I too harsh?"
Naruto laughed awkwardly. "Eh, he'll be fine. That's just Lee."
"Yeah…" Sakura sighed. "He's got way too much energy for me."
Meanwhile, Neji finally stepped forward, arms crossed.
"You brought interesting company today, Naruto."
Naruto nodded. "Well, the Chuunin Exams are coming. Figured we'd get to know our rivals a bit better."
Neji's lips curled slightly, his eyes never leaving Sasuke. "Rivals, huh?"
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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