"Great!"
Seeing that his opponent was Izayoi, Rock Lee clenched his fists and shouted with excitement. His face lit up with anticipation.
He had long wanted to challenge Izayoi, but Uchiha Sasuke had stopped him before. Having witnessed Sasuke's strength and his cautious attitude toward Izayoi, Lee's desire to test himself against Izayoi had only intensified.
Now, his wish had finally come true.
"Lee, go and unleash your youth!" Might Guy gave Lee a hearty pat on the shoulder and grinned widely.
"Yes, Guy-sensei!"
Rock Lee stood at attention and saluted, his eyes shining as a flash of white light glinted off his teeth.
Feeling the attention he was drawing, Tenten couldn't help but cover her face in embarrassment.
"This is so cringe…"
Meanwhile, Hyuga Neji remained calm and expressionless, speaking with measured concern. "Lee, your opponent isn't ordinary. His chakra is enormous, and he's also Hinata-sama's companion. Be careful."
"I understand."
Lee nodded with a serious expression. He stepped onto the railing of the viewing platform, then leaped into the arena below with a graceful flip.
Seeing that his opponent was Rock Lee, Izayoi was slightly surprised.
He had assumed the later rounds would follow the structure of the original Chunin Exams. He thought Rock Lee would face Gaara again, while he might be matched with someone like Yoroi Akado or Shino Aburame, or perhaps even get a bye. Facing Rock Lee this early had caught him off guard.
Still, thinking of the legendary Eight Gates technique, Izayoi's interest was piqued.
Just as he was about to jump down, a voice whispered in his ear.
"Izayoi-kun, give me the camera."
Hinata stood beside him, looking up shyly.
"Okay."
He handed her the camera.
Hinata clenched her small fists, cheering him on softly. "Ganbatte!"
"Watch my performance," Izayoi said with a confident smile. Then, as if remembering something, he paused. He leaned in and whispered into Hinata's ear, "If I win, remember to give me a reward when we get back."
In the next instant, Izayoi disappeared and reappeared in the arena.
On the viewing platform, Kurenai Yuhi raised an amused eyebrow. Hinata's face flushed crimson, and she quickly raised the camera to cover her cheeks, adjusting it to find the best lighting angle.
"Izanami, please take care of me!"
Rock Lee stood tall, striking his taijutsu stance. His expression was serious, his eyes full of burning determination.
"Before we start," Izayoi said calmly, "take off your weights. This is a friendly match between ninja from the same village, but I won't go easy on someone who holds back. If you're too proud and get knocked out instantly, don't say I didn't warn you."
"Amazing—you noticed so quickly." Rock Lee looked at him in surprise, his fighting spirit rising.
But then he hesitated, remembering his promise to Might Guy.
"Lee, take them off!"
Might Guy's voice rang out from the stands.
With a thumbs-up and an approving smile, he said, "This is an opponent worth going all-out against. You have my permission."
"Thank you, Guy-sensei!" Lee was moved to tears. He sat down excitedly and began unfastening the weights on his legs.
"What?! That bushy-brow guy was wearing weights?!"
Naruto and Sakura were both stunned, watching from the Seventh Team's section.
Uchiha Sasuke scoffed. "Just some lumps of iron."
But the next moment, his pupils contracted in shock.
Boom—
Two heavy thuds echoed through the arena.
In the corner where Lee had dropped the weights, thick dust billowed up.
When it cleared, the floor was cracked and sunken under the two iron blocks.
All the examinees stared in disbelief.
"This guy..."
Sasuke gripped the railing tightly, his heart pounding.
He had relied on Lightning Release chakra to stimulate his cells and increase his speed—yet even while wearing those weights, Rock Lee had been fast enough to pressure him.
Just how terrifying was his actual speed?
Even the Jonin around the arena showed signs of astonishment.
"That Guy... he's gone too far."
Kakashi and Asuma exchanged glances, both wearing expressions of disbelief.
Kurenai, still unaware of Izayoi's full strength, looked concerned. "Izanami has met his match this time."
Shino Aburame removed his hands from his pockets and leaned forward, his sunglasses hiding a spark of curiosity. He had been Izayoi's classmate for six years. Finally, he'd get to witness the full power of the academy's top student.
"Has this kid also mastered that technique?"
Orochimaru, still lurking near the arena, watched Rock Lee intently. His expression betrayed rare interest.
"This hasn't been this exciting in a long time."
Finished with his warm-up, Rock Lee bounced lightly on his feet. He entered his stance again and declared, "Izanami, this is my strongest state. Let's settle this!"
Izanami responded with a confident smile, raising his index and middle fingers together.
"Bring it on. Please take care of me."
"Please take care of me!" Rock Lee answered with a formal seal of confrontation.
Watching from the viewing platform, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, smiled approvingly.
Sensing the intensity in the air, proctor Gekkō Hayate grew serious. Holding a clipboard in one hand, he raised the other high and shouted:
"Round Ten: Izanami VS Rock Lee… officially begin!"
He brought his arm down decisively and vanished, reappearing on the second-floor platform to avoid interfering.
Hayate's speed was impressive—but Rock Lee was faster.
Before Hayate even fully reappeared, Rock Lee had already vanished and closed the gap between them, appearing at Izanami's left with a low sweeping kick.
"Leaf Whirlwind!"
His speed was blinding. Many of the examinees, including Gaara, and even a few Special Jonin, couldn't react in time.
But Izanami was even faster.
Almost at the exact moment Rock Lee struck, Izanami turned his head slightly and blew out a breath of air.
Whoosh—
A fierce gust of wind exploded out, distorting the air and halting Rock Lee's kick in midair. The force of the Wind Release: Great Breakthrough didn't just stop the attack—it blew Lee across the arena and into the wall.
Naruto had used this jutsu before, but never this fast.
"Single-handed hand seal? That's insane casting speed!"
Several experienced Jonin's expressions changed as they processed what they saw.
From the audience's perspective, Izanami had kept his hands hidden inside his wide sleeves, calmly reading Rock Lee's movement, then spat out an invisible gust of chakra-infused air that slammed his opponent away like a giant hand.
Meanwhile, Gekkō Hayate had just reached the second-floor platform.
From the start signal to Lee's surprise attack and his swift counter, the entire sequence had lasted under three seconds.
And in those three seconds, everyone watching felt the overwhelming difference in level between themselves and the two in the arena.
Uchiha Sasuke snapped out of his daze and activated his Sharingan without thinking.
Even Kakashi silently lifted his forehead protector, revealing his own Sharingan eye to observe the two young prodigies more closely.
He could feel it—these two were about to deliver a truly spectacular battle.
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