Pat—
"3,001!"
Naruto's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"Lee… Lee! What are you doing?! Do you really want to kill me?!" he shouted, clutching his head in disbelief.
Rock Lee, grinning like a man possessed, replied, "Of course! I reciprocate Naruto's efforts and passion! We burn together with youth!"
"No… don't!" Naruto tried to protest, but the numbers kept rising.
"3,002!"
"What are you saying, Naruto? I just kicked you once more! Now it's your turn!" Lee's grin widened.
Naruto's expression hardened into one of uncompromising hostility. "Damn it!" He clenched his fists, summoning every ounce of willpower, and kicked the wooden stake twice more.
"3,002… 3,003… 3,004!"
"Ah! Stop kicking!" Naruto wailed, now completely hysterical, hair in wild disarray as he clung to Lee's leg.
Lee tilted his head, scratching it with genuine curiosity. "What do you mean, Naruto?"
Naruto could hardly explain himself. All he could do was think quickly and hope his excuse would suffice. "Ah… well… victory and defeat can't be decided in an instant. Let's leave the rest for later!"
Lee's eyes lit up. "You said it perfectly, Naruto! Training is a marathon, not a sprint! Now, onto the next step…"
"Hitting the training dummy 4,000 times!" Lee announced with excitement.
Naruto shivered and gave a weak thumbs-up. "O-okay… okay…"
"Good! Very good! Keep going!" Lee cheered.
"Thank you… Lee," Naruto muttered, his body trembling from the earlier ordeal.
By the time Naruto finished the 4,000 hits, he felt as if his body no longer belonged to him. His arms were heavy and unresponsive, like wooden puppets controlled by someone else. But he had learned an important lesson this time—he didn't scream. Instead, he quietly focused on each strike, keeping track of the numbers in his mind.
Rock Lee, ever competitive, had completed his 4,000 as well, but secretly added a few extra hits to make sure Naruto couldn't claim victory. A clever move on Lee's part, ensuring his youthful rival didn't get any ideas about surpassing him so easily.
"Next… 3,000 rope jumps!" Lee called.
"…O-okay… okay…" Naruto muttered, bracing himself.
"Well done, Naruto!" Lee encouraged him. "Finally… 3,000 push-ups!"
"…I-I understand," Naruto groaned, already feeling the burning pain in his muscles.
Even Rock Lee, for all his legendary stamina, had reached his limit. Performing 3,000 push-ups was far beyond what anyone their age could reasonably achieve. Lee managed just over 2,500 before his body began to falter. Naruto, thanks to his extraordinary endurance and rapid recovery ability, could push slightly longer—managing roughly 2,600 before collapsing.
In an instant, both ninjas fell to the ground, panting, completely drained. They could hardly speak. And yet, unbeknownst to them, a pair of eyes was watching from afar, shining with intense focus.
"Naruto… perhaps it was because I trained with you that I worked harder than ever today!"
"A friend's strength…?" Naruto thought, exhausted but grateful. "…Thank you."
Rock Lee, still panting but smiling, replied, "Don't mention it! I should be thanking you, Naruto!"
Naruto, utterly incapable of responding, could only lie sprawled on the training ground, too exhausted to comprehend the depth of Lee's words. Lee, oblivious to any subtleties, only continued.
"Ah, right! Naruto… since neither of us completed the full challenge, we must uphold our agreement!"
"Ag-agreement?!" Naruto stammered.
Lee's face shone with a brilliant smile as he raised his thumb. "Of course! That means we must walk thirty times around the Village on our hands!"
"…Ah! Nooo!" Naruto groaned, flailing weakly as he imagined the nightmare ahead.
A flock of crows cawed overhead, circling lazily as twilight descended. The sun's last rays bathed Konoha Village in a warm, golden light, highlighting the rooftops and streets. In a quiet alley on the outskirts, Naruto and Rock Lee began their handstand journey, oblivious to the shocked villagers who paused to watch.
"Hang in there, Naruto! Only twenty-nine more laps!" Lee encouraged, sweat pouring down his face.
"…Do you even hear yourself?!" Naruto gasped. "Is this even humanly possible?!"
His arms shook violently, quivering under the strain. But he refused to stop. He clenched his teeth, using every ounce of his Might to push forward. At this point, giving up was no longer an option. All the pain he had endured during training would be wasted otherwise.
Just as both ninjas were fully immersed in their relentless exercises, a sudden roar echoed from behind them, shaking the ground and scattering nearby passersby.
Pat pat pat—
Pat pat pat!
A green whirlwind streaked past, moving so quickly it almost lifted the skirts of nearby girls. They blushed furiously, hastily covering themselves.
"Hahahahahaha!"
The green figure, clad in a green jumpsuit with a wide bowl haircut and thick eyebrows, sprinted across the ground on his hands! Naruto and Rock Lee turned in unison, expressions instantly changing to shock.
"Ah! Another bowl cut and thick eyebrows!" Naruto exclaimed.
Rock Lee, eyes wide with awe, shouted, "What incredible speed and strength! Walking on his hands like that… it's unbelievable!"
There was no doubt—the bowl-cut, thick-browed man was none other than Might Guy, the Blue Beast of Konoha Village!
Rock Lee had known of him for years. During their time at the Ninja Academy, stories circulated of a youth whose dedication rivaled that of Lee himself. Might Guy had secretly observed Lee's training for some time, never interfering, lest he disturb the young ninja's progress.
Now, seeing that Lee had finally found a training partner capable of pushing him, Might Guy decided it was time to make his presence known.
With the force of a hurricane, Might Guy landed between Naruto and Rock Lee. The violent blast of air sent both young ninjas spinning and crashing to the ground.
"Ah ah ah—" they cried out in surprise.
Might Guy stood tall, one hand raised confidently and the other forming a thumbs-up. His brilliant grin radiated energy.
"Well done, both of you!" he exclaimed. "This… is true youth! Sweat, effort, and no regrets! Cherish every moment, leave no room for sorrow or doubt!"
Naruto, still on the ground, shouted in exasperation, "Who the heck are you?!"
Might Guy laughed, spinning effortlessly on one hand as if strolling through a garden. "Me? I am Might Guy! The Blue Beast of Konoha Village! The terror of the ninja world!"
"…I've never heard of you!" Naruto muttered, utterly bewildered.
Rock Lee's eyes shone brightly. "Oh my God! Teacher Might Guy!" he exclaimed, barely able to contain his admiration.
Might Guy's appearance alone inspired both awe and a renewed energy in the two young ninjas. The sun set behind him, casting long shadows across the training ground, signaling not only the end of a grueling day but the start of a new chapter in Naruto's journey—a chapter where hard work, perseverance, and youthful passion would define his path forward.
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