The sterile scent of antiseptic still clung faintly to John's nose as he stepped out of the hospital. For weeks he had lived beneath white sheets, his days measured in pain and slow recovery. Now, though, the sun pressed warm and golden against his skin, and the wind carried the sound of the village…children laughing, merchants calling, shinobi training.
Healing: 100%.
The system's silent notification was still burned into his thoughts. His body felt whole, stronger than it had any right to be after Gaara's sand crushed it. But even with the newfound strength in his limbs, he knew there were limits. The stamina bar inside him was real, every movement drained something vital, and every stumble reminded him he wasn't yet in full command of these strange techniques.
Ahead, the training courtyard awaited. Wooden dummies stood like silent witnesses. Gai was already there, bouncing on his heels, his grin wide and irrepressible. Tenten leaned against the fence, casually spinning a staff in one hand, while Neji stood with his arms folded in the shade, quiet and unreadable.
"Lee!" Gai's voice boomed across the yard, his teeth sparkling in the sunlight. "At last, your youthful flames have brought you back to the training ground! Today, you will prove that your springtime of youth has only just begun!"
John managed a small smile and a bow, slipping easily into Lee's mannerisms. Right. No pressure.
Tenten stepped forward, rolling her shoulders as she adjusted her stance. "So, you're cleared for training? Good. Don't think I'll go easy just because you're fresh out of the hospital."
Neji's eyes narrowed slightly. "Keep it controlled," he said flatly. "He may be standing, but we all know the damage he suffered. Don't mistake healing for invulnerability."
John inhaled slowly, settling into the stance Lee's body remembered. Fists up, knees bent, weight balanced. Beneath it, though, his mind ticked over the alien rhythm of Rokushiki. Stamina, not chakra. Keep it steady. Blend it with what you know.
Gai stepped between them, his voice ringing with that familiar enthusiasm.
"Before we begin, the seal of confrontation!"
John blinked for a moment before realizing what he meant. Both he and Tenten raised their right hands. Their index and middle fingers touched briefly in the practiced gesture, a sign of mutual respect.
Tenten gave him a small nod. "Don't hold back too much. I won't."
John managed a faint grin. "Wouldn't dream of it."
Gai's teeth flashed in the sunlight, his eyes sparkling. "Excellent! Begin!"
Tenten moved first, her wrist flicking as three kunai hissed through the air. John's body responded instinctively, ducking, weaving, yet as the second volley came, he pushed further. Muscles tensed, and in a blink, his frame bent unnaturally, Kami-e absorbing the motion as if his body were paper. The kunai passed close enough to whisper across his bandages.
Gai's jaw dropped. "WHAT WAS THAT MOVE!? Astonishing! Splendid! A new technique, Lee?!"
John grimaced as he steadied his breathing. New technique? Sure. Let's go with that.
He lunged forward, channeling the coiled energy in his legs—Soru. The burst of speed almost pitched him face-first into the dirt, but momentum carried his leg into a sweeping kick. Tenten crossed her staff, blocking with a sharp crack.
"Not your usual style," she muttered, pushing back. She spun, bringing the staff around in a blur, forcing him to duck. "Where did you…" Another strike cut off her question. "Never mind. Adapt first, ask later."
Neji's calm voice carried from the sidelines. "His footing is unstable. He sacrifices balance for speed. Reckless."
Gai ignored him, fists trembling with excitement. "No, Neji! That's the power of invention! Youth is unafraid to stumble as it creates something new!"
The spar escalated.
Tenten retreated, hands flashing through seals on a scroll. Weapons burst forth,shuriken, kunai, smoke bombs, all sent in a tight wave.
John ducked, bent, and dodged, but every evasive Kami-e or misfired Geppo hop drained his stamina. His breath grew harsher, chest tight.
When he finally closed the gap, Tenten switched seamlessly, her staff snapping out like a spear, then folding into close-quarters strikes. Her movements were sharp, precise, honed from hours of disciplined training.
John countered with Lee's familiar punches and kicks, weaving in awkward Shigan jabs that more often bruised his knuckles than pierced cleanly. Yet each clash, each stumble, taught him something, the rhythm of Rokushiki beginning to bleed into the taijutsu his body already knew.
Then came his chance.
Tenten overextended with a downward strike. John's legs coiled, then burst forward—Soru carried him past the arc. His body twisted, and he let Lee's instincts take over, spinning into a roundhouse. Tenten brought her staff up, too slow. The kick clipped her side, staggering her just enough.
John didn't stop. He followed with a crude Shigan thrust, his fingers grazing her shoulder. Not a perfect strike, but enough to disarm her, the staff clattered to the dirt.
For a moment, silence. John stood panting, sweat dripping, every muscle screaming from the drain on his stamina. Across from him, Tenten rubbed her shoulder, then gave a short laugh.
"You won. But you look like you ran a marathon." She smiled faintly. "If I'd pressed harder, I might've turned it around. Still… not bad. I didn't expect that."
From the sidelines, Neji's eyes narrowed. "Strange techniques. Inefficient. But… adaptable."
"INEFFICIENT?!" Gai shouted, tears streaming down his face. "That was beauty itself! A dance of resilience! Lee, you've surpassed all expectations! Truly, your youth burns brighter than ever!"
John only managed a weak grin before nearly collapsing to one knee. Yeah… youth. More like pure stubbornness.
Across from him, Tenten stepped forward again, raising her hand. This time, both of them pressed their fingers together in the seal of reconciliation. Respect, no matter the outcome.