Sleep pulled John under like a heavy tide. His body, still aching from the spar, surrendered easily. Instead of the usual blankness, however, he found himself standing in a forest clearing. The air smelled of pine and fresh earth, and cicadas droned in the distance.
Ahead stood a battered training log. A boy hammered his fists against it again and again, each strike sharp, precise, and relentless. The boy's white martial top was lined with neat rows of buttons, his black pants straight and simple. His hair was tied back into a ponytail, sweat dripping down his face.
John froze. He knew this scene. Rock Lee as a child… one of the moments Gai should've witnessed. But this time I'm watching.
The boy stopped and turned, dark eyes locking on John with burning intensity.
"Step out."
John obeyed, stepping into the clearing. As he did, his stomach dropped. He was no longer in Lee's body. Instead, he stood in his old skin: a weary office worker in a black suit, briefcase in hand, stubbly hair falling into tired brown eyes shadowed by dark bags. Average height, average build… painfully ordinary.
For a long moment, the two simply stared at one another. John tried to speak, but the boy's voice came first.
"I saw your memories." His tone was calm, curious, without bitterness. "I saw how you were cast aside, even when you worked hard. And I saw how my own efforts ended. I overcame Gaara's sand… only to spend the rest of the story forgotten. Always behind, casted away to being second tier."
John swallowed, throat dry.
"But I wonder," Lee continued, fists tightening at his sides. "What if I had gone further? What if I had stood at the top… facing the monsters that came after? What if I had truly been strong enough to change everything?"
The boy's eyes sharpened, their fire nearly overwhelming. "That's what I see in you. You have a path I never got to walk. Hard work doesn't bow to fate. The flames of youth can burn through anything! Even plot itself."
John let out a humorless chuckle. Ignoring the fact I've got a system giving me boosts… He shook his head. "I get it. But… I still don't feel like I belong here. Even now, I can't believe I transmigrated. It feels like I'm just borrowing your life."
Lee stepped forward, and his outline shimmered faintly, as if the forest itself were letting him go. "You're not borrowing. You're continuing. My youth burns through you now. My time is over. Yours has just begun."
The world dimmed as his form dissolved into light. His final words echoed like a vow.
"Don't waste it. Goodbye… John. Goodbye… Lee."
The forest crumbled into darkness.
The system chimed.
[Hidden Feature Unlocked: Hidden Tasks]
Hidden Task Completed: One Body, One Mind
Reward:
- Eight Gates: 40% Mastery
- Strong Fist Style: 55% Mastery (Lee's base taijutsu)
- Drunken Fist: 1% Mastery (Mastery rises exponentially with alcohol consumption)
Hidden Task Progress: 1 / ???
Progress Reveal Condition: 95% of Hidden Tasks Completed
John jolted awake, gasping for breath, sweat sticking his hair to his forehead. His hands trembled as he brought up the status screen.
[Ultimate Fighter System – Status Update]
Rokushiki Skills: 12% mastery
Strong Fist: 55% mastery
Eight Gates: 40% mastery (Locked by current stamina/strength)
Drunken Fist: 1% mastery
Stats: Strength 45, Vitality 44, Stamina 45, Chakra 8, Wisdom 28, Luck 5
Daily Task: Routine of Youth (Incomplete)
Hidden Tasks: 1/???
He stared at the glowing words, his chest tight with emotion.
"These… are Lee's skills. His true legacy. The ones that never shined as they should have."
John clenched his fists, the weight of the promise heavy but not crushing. "Alright. Then I'll become you. No… I'll surpass you. I'll carry your dream further than you ever imagined."
The night was silent, but inside him, Lee's fire burned hotter than ever.