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"How's Lee?"
The moment Senju Haruto appeared, Might Guy couldn't hold back his question. He had watched the surgery from start to finish. Everything looked fine, but the only one who could truly give him peace of mind was Haruto.
"He's out of danger now. I've removed all the bone fragments from his body. What's left is simply recovery."
Haruto answered without hesitation, patting Guy on the shoulder before walking past him.
A short while later, Rock Lee was wheeled out of the operating room by the nurses.
"Guy-sensei!"
Lee turned his head, immediately spotting his teacher. Their eyes met, and the two of them smiled through tears.
On the other side of the hallway, Haruto stripped off his surgical robes when a familiar voice rang in his ears.
Congratulations, Host. Sign-in complete!
Reward obtained: The Eight Gates!
"As I thoughtâŠ"
Haruto's gaze sharpened as he carefully read through the description of the ability.
It was exactly as he remembered. Each gate, when opened, would grant unimaginable power at the cost of severe damage to the body. And if the Eighth Gate was openedâone would gain strength capable of shaking the heavens themselves⊠in exchange for certain death.
"The only thing I don't know⊠is whether a Wood Clone could open the Eighth Gate."
He murmured under his breath. Wood Clones were among the most advanced clone techniques, capable of wielding power nearly identical to the original. But without absolute certainty, he wasn't about to gamble recklessly.
Besides, his arsenal was already vastâbut he still lacked the power of YinâYang Release. With his current level, even opening up to the Seventh Gate was more than enough to crush any enemy.
"HarutoâŠ"
While he was lost in thought, Hatake Kakashi quietly approached him from behind and gave a report on Lee's condition.
"Thank you for what you've done."
Kakashi's voice carried a rare sincerity. Truth be told, he didn't have many personal ties to Lee. The only time he had noticed him before was during the second stage of the Chƫnin Exams.
A boy with no genjutsu. No ninjutsu. By every standard, Lee had no talent to be a shinobi. Yet through sheer taijutsu, he had carved a path for himselfâan effort-born genius.
"It was nothing." Haruto waved the thanks away, his voice casual.
And it wasn't false modesty. With the Byakugan and Sharingan working in tandem, the operation had taken him less than fifteen minutes.
"HoweverâŠ" Haruto's tone shifted. "Not everything can be changed through effort alone. While I was treating him, I noticed the tearing in his muscles. If I'm not mistaken, that was caused by using the Eight Gates, wasn't it?"
Kakashi froze at the words. But only for a momentâthen he relaxed, realizing it made sense.
The man before him wasn't an ordinary medic. He was Senju Haruto, someone whose strength far surpassed his own, armed with the greatest dĆjutsu of two clans. That Haruto had seen through Lee's secret wasn't surprising at all.
"I only hope he can keep moving forwardâŠ"
Haruto said no more. He reached into his robe and pulled out a scroll, handing it to Kakashi.
"What's this?" Kakashi frowned, quickly unrolling it. One glance at the contents made his body go stiff.
"This is the Hydration Technique⊠the secret art of the HĆzuki clan of Kirigakure. It allows one to dissolve into liquid, nullifying physical damage. If Lee can master this, it may allow his shinobi path to continue further than fate would allow."
"Of course, whether he can learn it will depend entirely on him. Kakashiâyou hand it to him."
Without waiting for Kakashi's reaction, Haruto turned on his heel and strode away.
He had always held a deep respect for Rock Lee.
Yes, the early parts of the shinobi world celebrated the idea that effort could surpass talent. That a dropout could become stronger than geniuses.
But reality was far harsher.
Naruto, the so-called dropout, had the Nine-Tails inside himâand was the son of the Fourth Hokage.
Obito, another "nobody," had been infused with Hashirama's cells and awakened one of the most powerful Sharingan in history.
Others were born with bloodlines, kekkei genkai, or family secret arts.
Only Lee stood alone. Truly talentless. Truly bloodline-less. Truly ordinary.
And in a world like this, without heritage or a "golden finger," one's ceiling was always cruelly low.
Even Guy, who nearly kicked Uchiha Madara to death, had survived only because Naruto saved him with the power of Yang Release.
As for Lee, the pinnacle of his taijutsu had ended with opening just the Sixth Gate.
At the climax of the Fourth Great Ninja War, that feeling of crushing helplessness⊠was Lee's true reality.
In this world, hard work could never defeat lineage.
That was why Haruto decided to entrust Lee with the Hydration Technique.
"âŠThe Hydration Technique."
Kakashi stared after Haruto as his figure disappeared around the corner, then lowered his gaze to the scroll. After a long silence, he turned and headed toward Lee's ward.
"Where is Lord Haruto?" Guy asked immediately when he saw Kakashi alone. He had wanted to thank Haruto personally. Without him, Lee's youth might have ended here.
"He's gone." Kakashi shook his head and handed Guy the scroll. "But he asked me to give this to Lee."
"What is it?" Guy asked as he took the scroll. He opened it, his eyes widening as he read.
It wasn't ninjutsu.
It wasn't genjutsu.
It was a secret technique rarely seen, never passed down lightly.
And if Lee could learn it, not only would his strength soar, but the self-inflicted toll of the Eight Gates could be greatly reduced.
"This⊠it's like it was created for Lee himselfâŠ"
Guy swallowed hard, his gaze drifting back to his student.
ButâŠ
Secret techniques weren't the same as standard ninjutsu or genjutsu. Whether Lee could master it was anyone's guess.
"Guy-sensei. I want to learn it."
Lee, who had been watching his teacher's expression closely, understood instantly. His determination blazed in his eyes as he nodded with force, declaring his resolve.
â
Meanwhile, far from the hospital, Senju Haruto had already slipped into the forest beyond Konoha's borders. Ensuring he was alone, he summoned a Wood Clone. It was time to test the true amplification of the Eight Gates.
"Let's skip ahead to the Seventh Gate."
Haruto thought it over briefly. There was no need for half-measures. This was a test of power, not endurance.
The clone nodded. Without holding anything back, it began forcing open the Gates.
"Don't conserve your strength."
The battle was about to begin.