"Lee… is this your awakening?"
Guy's voice trembled, eyes brimming with emotion. "How… youthful!"
He had wanted to step in—to stop his student's rampage before it went too far—but his feet refused to move.
Because he knew.
If Rock Lee wasn't allowed to explode now—if he was stopped before breaking through—he might never recover from that failure. It would haunt him for the rest of his life.
"Is that really Lee?"
Tenten's eyes were wide, her voice shaking.
The power radiating from him was unreal. His chakra flared like a raging inferno—wild, uncontrollable, monstrous.
"He's… too strong," she whispered. "That's not the Lee I know."
Even Chōji, Kiba, Shino, and Ino were stunned into silence.
That pressure—
That killing intent—
It wasn't something a Genin should be capable of.
Their hearts pounded as they realized just how small they were in comparison.
Naruto's clone crossed his arms, smirking slightly.
"See the gap now? The world is full of people stronger than you. So don't get cocky just because you've made a little progress. You're still miles behind."
The words cut deep.
"AAAHHHHH!"
Lee roared as cracks spread through his body like shattered porcelain. Blood misted from his pores, steam rising red-hot from every limb.
But he didn't care. He didn't even notice.
Naruto's cold, commanding voice echoed through his skull like a demon's whisper.
"Not enough. Not even close. Keep pushing. Go beyond."
"Stop it, Lee! That's enough!" Guy shouted from the edge of the field, fists trembling. "You'll die if you keep going!"
But Lee didn't stop.
Boom. Boom. BOOM!
Every strike he threw cratered the earth. The ground split, rocks shattered, the air itself seemed to tremble. It was like a rampaging beast had been unleashed, tearing through everything in sight.
Naruto's body blurred through the chaos—dodging, weaving, never countering, always speaking—his calm words fueling the inferno inside Lee's soul.
"You're weak."
"You're still holding back."
"Burn hotter."
Every taunt drove Lee further into madness.
"It hurts!" Lee screamed. "My foot's broken—my arm too!"
He staggered, blood dripping from his knuckles.
"Why? Why can't I hit you?! I've tried my best! I've trained harder than anyone!"
His voice cracked, the pain breaking through the fury.
"I've given everything… so why can't I succeed?!"
His breathing turned ragged. His vision blurred.
"Guy-sensei… am I really a hardworking genius?"
"Why… why does hard work never seem enough?"
"I'm tired…"
"I'm so tired…"
His thoughts spiraled. His mind sank into darkness.
And from that darkness came the ghosts of every insult he'd ever endured.
"Loser!"
"Dropout!"
"A ninja who can't use ninjutsu? What a joke!"
"You'll never be one of us!"
The voices of mockery, of laughter, of scorn—echoed endlessly in his head.
He could see their faces. Smirking. Pointing. Laughing.
And among them stood a cold figure—one that looked down at him and said quietly:
"You're nothing."
"You'll never be a ninja."
"You're doomed to fail."
Lee's world shattered.
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
He screamed from the depths of his soul.
Something inside him broke—then reignited.
His eyes burned with tears and fury. His chakra flared again—hotter, brighter, stronger.
"I… will NEVER… admit defeat!"
The air exploded.
BOOOOOOM!
Lee's punch tore through the air, creating a thunderclap that echoed across Konoha. The shockwave rattled windows miles away.
When the dust cleared, two enormous trenches ripped through the earth—like twin scars carved by a god.
And in the middle of it all stood Naruto—unmoved.
He had caught Lee's fist in one hand.
"Beautiful," Naruto said softly. "That… was a perfect punch."
He smiled, genuine admiration in his eyes.
Lee's breath hitched. The tension in his body snapped—and he collapsed backward, unconscious before he hit the ground.
Guy was already there, catching him.
"Lee! You idiot!" he shouted, voice shaking as he cradled his student.
He could feel it—the boy's entire skeleton felt brittle, his muscles torn to threads.
Naruto reached into his cloak and tossed a small red bottle.
"Give him this."
Guy didn't hesitate. He caught it, pulled the cork out with his teeth, and poured the ruby-red liquid down Lee's throat.
Moments later, Lee's breathing steadied. His pulse slowed. The blood drained from his face, replaced by a faint flush of color.
Guy exhaled deeply, his body trembling in relief.
"Take him to rest," Naruto said calmly. "He's done more than enough today."
Then, with a grin, he added, "And Guy-sensei—congratulations. You've raised one hell of a disciple."
Guy froze—then his teeth flashed in a blinding smile.
"YOUTH!!!" he roared, giving Naruto a dramatic thumbs-up.
Naruto laughed and returned the gesture.
The two stood there for a moment, the unspoken understanding between them shining brighter than words.
Lee… someone saw you. Someone acknowledged you.
Every drop of sweat, every scar, every scream—it all meant something.
Guy carried Lee out of the training ground, his steps steady, his heart full.
Naruto turned back to the others, hands behind his back, still smiling.
"Alright," he said casually, "don't just stand there staring."
His tone was light—but his eyes were sharp.
"Jealous, aren't you?" he teased. "Lee finished his training and now he gets to rest. You want that too?"
He tilted his head, smirking like a mischievous fox.
"Well, it's easy. Break thirty or forty bones, endure a little unbearable pain, and I'll let you take the rest of the day off."
He paused, pretending to think.
"Come on, that's a pretty fair deal, right? Suffer once, relax all day."
The Genin's faces turned pale.
Naruto chuckled and began pacing the field, his smile radiant, his tone cheerful.
But everyone knew—behind that sunshine grin was a devil.
And no one… not a single soul—dared to relax again.
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