The spar with Neji clung to Lee like a shadow. His muscles still carried the memory of every strike, every palm thrust that shut his strength down. He had landed a few clean blows, yes, but Neji had always been two steps ahead, seeing through him with those pale eyes.
And then there was the system, merciless in its verdict:
[Limited-Time Story Quest: The Hyūga Wall – 6 months remaining.]
Six months. That was all the time he had to close the gap between himself and a genius bred by fate. Six months before the world shifted into chaos.
Lee clenched his fists as he jogged through the streets of Konoha, forcing his aching legs to keep pace. If I can't surpass Neji, how will I stand against what's coming?
The village was alive with unease. Shinobi from across the nations filled the streets for the Chūnin Exams. Lee passed them daily on his runs… Sound-nin with bandaged faces whispering among themselves, Suna-nin walking in tight formation, their gourd-bearing teammate radiating a quiet menace that made even seasoned shinobi glance twice.
Rumors hung heavy in the air. Merchants muttered about strange chakra in the forests. Shinobi spoke in hushed tones of a serpentine figure sighted during the exam. Orochimaru's name passed between lips like poison.
Lee's chest tightened. Once, as John, Orochimaru was just a villain on a screen. Now he was real, flesh and blood, and very likely within the village walls already. The invasion was close.
He cut through the training grounds, slowing when he heard a familiar voice.
"Again, Naruto! If you don't focus your chakra properly, the clone will pop every time!"
Sakura stood in the field, her arms crossed, her sharp eyes fixed on Naruto. The blond genin gritted his teeth, forming seals. A puff of smoke appeared beside him, another Naruto, this one sagging half-melted before it vanished with a poof.
"Gah! Come on!" Naruto growled, tugging at his hair. "Why does this always happen?!"
"Because you're reckless," Sakura snapped. "Control first, power later. How many times do I have to say it?"
Lee paused at the edge of the field, catching his breath. For a moment he just watched. Naruto's frustration reminded him painfully of himself , throwing his body against training posts until his fists bled, of being told effort wasn't enough.
Sakura caught sight of him and straightened. "Lee? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be resting?"
Lee smiled faintly, though his chest still heaved. "Rest is for when youth has burned out. I must keep pushing forward."
Naruto blinked at him, then grinned wide. "Heh, you sound like Bushy Brows! Oh wait…you are Bushy Brows!"
Lee chuckled softly. "And you are Naruto Uzumaki, the one who never gives up. I respect that."
Naruto puffed his chest out proudly, though his clone attempt had just failed again. "Damn right! I'm gonna be Hokage someday!"
Sakura rolled her eyes, but Lee's smile only grew. "Then let us both continue striving, no matter how many times we fall. That is the essence of youth."
Naruto's grin widened, energy reignited. "Yeah! You get it!" He threw his hands together again, summoning three clones this time before they fizzled out.
Sakura groaned, but Lee felt something stir inside him. Watching them, Naruto's wild determination, Sakura's sharp focus, reminded him that he wasn't alone in this storm.
That night, as he sat cross-legged in his small room, the system pulsed again.
[System Update: Secondary Skill Package Unlocked]
Rokushiki – Mastery Progression: 14%
New Technique Acquired: Tekkai Kenpo (Iron Body)
Effect: Harden the body through focused tension.
Current Efficiency: 30% (Stamina drain proportional to duration).
Passive Adjustment: Stamina Efficiency +3%
Lee clenched his fists, his heart pounding. "Iron Body…" A defense, finally. A shield he could call his own.
He tested it, focusing his breath, clenching his muscles. For an instant his skin felt solid, dense as steel.Holding it for one minute .The system flickered.
[Stamina -8]
He released it, gasping. Pain radiated across his muscles, but the potential was undeniable.
Defense. If Neji's strikes couldn't break through it, if Gaara's sand couldn't crush it… then maybe…
His thoughts trailed off, sinking into the future. Gaara, Orochimaru, the invasion. He remembered enough of the story to know the shape of it. But not the hour, not the details, not how it would all unfold.
The system answered, as if reading his fears.
[Story Quest: Survival – The Leaf Will Burn]
Objective: Endure the invasion of Konoha.
Failure: Death.
Reward: ???
Lee stared at the glowing text, his chest tightening. The Hyūga Wall was one thing, a rival to surpass, a measure of his growth. But this? This was survival.
[Ultimate Fighter System – Status Update]
Rokushiki Skills: 14% Mastery
- Soru (Speed Step) – Basic Use
- Kami-e (Paper Art) – Basic Use
- Tekkai (Iron Body) – 30% Efficiency
Strong Fist Style: 55% Mastery
Eight Gates: 40% Mastery (Locked by current stamina/strength)
Drunken Fist: 1% Mastery
Stats:
- Strength: 46.5
- Vitality: 45.5
- Stamina/Chakra: 46.5
- Luck: 5
Daily Task: Routine of Youth – In Progress
Limited-Time Quest: The Hyūga Wall (6 months remaining)
Story Quest: Survival – The Leaf Will Burn (Active)
Hidden Tasks: 1/???
He rose, pacing the room, fists clenched so tightly his knuckles whitened. "If the village is to burn, then I will be the shield that refuses to fall. No matter the cost."
Outside, Konoha lay quiet, the lamps of the village glowing like stars against the dark. Yet beyond the walls, the storm gathered, silent but inexorable.
Lee stepped to the window, eyes narrowing at the horizon. Six months for Neji. Unknown time for Orochimaru. The walls are closing in. But I won't stop. Not now.
The system notification burned in his mind, as chilling as prophecy:
The Leaf Will Burn.
And for the first time since merging, he felt it, not just John's pragmatism or Lee's passion, but something greater. A determination sharpened by two lives, one dream.
Whatever storm came, he would stand in its heart.