"Are you saying my taijutsu doesn't affect your body?" Xiao Li demanded, narrowly dodging Yitai's strike.
"I don't know who trained you," Yitai sneered as he attacked, "but they must be mediocre!"
Despite being encased in heavy rock, Yitai moved far faster than expected. Xiao Li was struck and sent flying again.
Landing roughly, he growled through gritted teeth, "Insult me all you want, but if you disrespect Teacher Kai, I'll never forgive you!"
Curling to avoid another strike, Xiao Li planted a foot on Yitai's face and vaulted behind him. "Teacher Kai… to honor your ninja way… allow me… Third Gate… open!"
His skin flushed crimson as he spun, striking the air with unstoppable momentum. "Fourth Gate… open!"
Xiao Li blurred into an afterimage, smashing a powerful punch into Yitai's chest.
"What—?!" The rock armor splintered under the force, yet Xiao Li pressed on. "This is only the beginning! Fifth Gate… open!"
Leaping high, his fist blazing with chakra, he slammed into Yitai, shattering the rock beneath him.
"Okay, okay! Tianmu, tell us more about Konoha!"
"Does anyone even know what move that is? Rock Lee's physical prowess is at jonin level!"
"You think you can get this info free from Tianmu? Every village guards its secrets closely."
"…I know, but I can't say."
"What are you talking about!"
"I may not know the full principle, but seeing Lee's physical skills means that next time I meet him on a mission, I won't be fooled by his harmless looks."
"That's the value of Tianmu! Thank Konoha!"
"Hahaha, mockery! Why thank Konoha? They're crazy!"
Ningji ignored the barrage of comments, focusing on Lee's mastery of the Eight Gates. 'That's the technique Teacher Kai taught us. Lee is using it flawlessly.'
He glanced at Lee, who met his eyes and said solemnly: "Ningji, I practiced this for you, to prove that even my hard work can surpass your genius. It doesn't matter if it's revealed now. In this year's Chunin Exam, you'll admit that even using only physical skills, I will become a great ninja!"
Neji's pride flared. "Then let's see whether your steel fist can beat my soft fist."
Team 7 watched quietly, each processing the spark of rivalry:
Sakura: 'Feels a bit like Sasuke and Naruto…'
Sasuke: 'This thick-browed boy has serious strength.'
Naruto's eyes shimmered, inspired by Lee's words.
Kakashi, impressed, remarked: "Fifteen, maybe sixteen… opening the Fifth Gate already. At this age, you surpass both me and Kai, Lee."
Kai stroked his chin, proud. "Hehe, Kakashi, this is just the beginning. Wait until the Chunin Exam."
Even with Lee's power, Yitai defended himself. Emerging from his rocky shield, he spoke with a doubtful tone: "Interesting—you've grown stronger. But I have tricks too."
Yitai summoned the snake-like tentacles that had pierced his body earlier, crushing them with one hand and drinking their fluids.
Immediately, a surge of chakra more potent than before erupted, forming a towering purple pillar in the sky. "Hahaha! Full power! Full power!"
Setsuna and Kusu, chasing Shion, looked at the rising pillar. Kusu muttered, pessimistic: "That idiot… he drank the chakra directly." But they pressed on, unwilling to interfere with their mission.
"Wow! I didn't know that. Thought those tentacles were just a medium for injecting chakra."
"Incredible!"
"The strengthening effect of this dark medical ninjutsu is insane. Xiao Li's attack barely phased him, and he can grow stronger again!"
"Judging by the tentacle's appearance, there's definitely some flaw we don't know."
In a secret base in the Land of Rice, Orochimaru observed the sky with interest, licking his lips. "Interesting, though far inferior to the curse seal."
He ordered his men to trace Huangquan's movements.
"It worked!" Yitai shouted, empowered. He could now turn rocks into explosive lava, a terrifying extension of his earth escape ninjutsu.
Xiao Li dodged the flying debris, staring at the transformed Yitai—now with three heads, six arms, and a serpentine tail. "His body's changed again!"
"Take this!" Yitai slammed his palms to the ground, erupting lava forces from underground toward Xiao Li.
"Is that… Lava Release?"
"No, it's more like earth release enhanced with fire. Combined effect."
"The power increase is insane, but his physical transformation… six arms, three heads?!"
"I've seen something similar in the northern Land of Earth—a body-altering ninja with mental instability, constantly shouting to kill. We handled him quickly."
"Could Huangquan be hiding in the Land of Earth?"
Orochimaru pondered thoughtfully, realizing this wasn't about his northern experiments.