To the rest of the Shinobi, Lee's attack was a display of extraordinary skill and power. But in front of Ashveil, it was nearly inconsequential.
If Might Guy had used his ultimate move, that would have been a different story. After all, Might Guy's usual strength was already at the Jonin level. It's crucial to understand that the Eight Gates Formation is a Ninjutsu with its own limitations. The effectiveness of each gate depends on the user's base combat power, placing immense demands on their natural strength.
Might Guy could even open the Eighth Gate of Death.
Lee, by contrast, had comparatively low combat strength. More critically, he couldn't even open the Seventh Gate under normal circumstances. Regarding Lee's breakthrough this time, Ashveil could only feel a mixture of admiration and mild apology.
[Ashveil's thoughts] "I'm sorry, Lee. Truly, you are inspiring. I respect your effort… but your opponent is me. Sometimes, no amount of effort can surpass a genius, especially a cheater like myself."
Lee, undeterred by Ashveil's words, refused to yield. "No! Effort is a form of genius too! I will defeat you!" he roared.
With renewed determination, Lee pushed his body to its absolute limit. Like a green streak of lightning, he charged forward. Flames danced along his body with each movement. Once the Sixth Gate of the Eight Gates Formation is opened, every strike unleashes the full energy within his body. The explosive energy released by his Iron Fist as it cuts through the air manifested as searing flames. This was the Morning Peacock—an attack likened to a peacock spreading its radiant feathers.
Flames surged through the sky, rushing toward Ashveil.
Ashveil, however, barely lifted a brow. To him, Lee's Morning Peacock was impressive by ordinary standards, yet utterly insignificant. Without hesitation, Ashveil walked forward step by step, his Conqueror's Haki naturally deflecting the attacks.
Lee froze, stunned. His painstakingly learned, ultimate technique—the move he had spent years mastering—was being casually ignored. A bitter sense of humiliation and disbelief surged through him. His muscles burned, yet he refused to stop, unleashing punch after punch, desperate to prove his strength.
Rumble… Rumble!
Flames crashed around Ashveil, the sheer force vaporizing a nearby river. Steam billowed as the Morning Peacock's power surged, yet Ashveil remained unshaken, his figure calm and resolute.
Lee's chest heaved. "All my attacks… they hit! They should've at least injured him!"
But when Ashveil reappeared unscathed, Lee's hope crashed. His strongest blow—the culmination of years of training—had no effect. A profound despair settled over him, and his body trembled.
"You… you're a monster," Lee murmured, recalling the first time he had felt such hopelessness during the Chunin Exams, facing Gaara of the Sand. And now, after so many years, Ashveil evoked that same fear, that same overwhelming presence. The side effects of the Eight Gates Formation left Lee's muscles screaming, his willpower the only thing keeping him upright.
Ashveil continued forward, a walking embodiment of power and threat, leaving an indelible mark on Lee's heart.
Might Guy assessed the battlefield, noting his subordinates' plight: Hana was unconscious, Neji shattered by lightning, and Lee's Morning Peacock ineffective against Ashveil's defense. Even Kage-level adversaries he had faced in the past had never instilled this kind of terror. His beloved disciple, despite pushing himself beyond human limits, had not managed to land a single effective strike.
To stall Ashveil, Might Guy made his decision. Without hesitation, he opened the Seventh Gate. Immense power radiated from him, steam rising as the energy from his body became nearly tangible.
"Lee! Step back! This man… is far too powerful! And you, Ashveil, I will not allow you to harm my disciple!" Might Guy bellowed, his aura surging.
Ashveil's lips twitched, a subtle smile forming. Memories of his fights with Might Guy's rival, Kisame, came back, reminding him why the man was considered a 'rare beast.'
From above, Deidara's expression reflected shock and disbelief. "Ashveil… how can he handle these attacks so easily? When he faced the Raikage, he had to exert so much more effort!"
Deidara's frustration mounted. He had believed he had a chance against the Eight-Tails, yet now witnessing Ashveil's effortless dominance over Might Guy's team left him questioning his own strength.
Tobi, never missing a chance to taunt, chimed in. "Deidara-senpai, you really are pathetic. The people you couldn't defeat… Ashveil-senpai makes them look like children, and he's barely trying. Incredible, isn't it?"
Deidara's heart sank, frustration and helplessness colliding. The gap in power between Ashveil and everyone else was glaringly obvious.