Cold sweat beaded on Temari's forehead.
"Isn't this a bit… too much?!"
Even Kankuro couldn't help muttering, his voice tight. "At this rate, someone's really going to die…"
In stark contrast, Naruto was trembling—not from fear, but from excitement.
"Come on, Lee!"
Rock Lee finished his final preparation. The moment the furious chakra of the Eight Gates surged through his body, his figure blurred, turning ghostlike as he vanished from sight!
To clearly track Lee's movements, even Kakashi had to activate his Sharingan.
"…Incredible," Kakashi murmured.
Hyuga Neji could sense Lee's position with his Byakugan, but his body simply couldn't keep up with that terrifying speed.
At this point, there was only one option left.
No matter where Rock Lee appeared, he would eventually launch his decisive attack.
And Neji knew this well.
After opening the Fifth Gate of the Eight Gates Formation, prolonged combat was impossible. The pain alone was enough to destroy the body, not to mention the immense danger.
Victory or defeat would be decided in a single blow.
Neji took a deep breath.
"Gentle Fist… Eight Trigrams Palm Secret Technique…"
"Rotation!"
At the same moment, Rock Lee descended from the sky like a blood-red lotus in full bloom. Chakra roared around him as he drove downward, his fist carrying the overwhelming power of the Fifth Gate!
The Fifth Gate of the Eight Gates Formation!
The Gentle Fist Eight Trigrams collided head-on with the Palm Secret Technique—Rotation!
Rock Lee's shout echoed across the entire arena.
"Reverse Lotus!"
BOOM—!!!
The desperate attacks of the two collided in a deafening explosion.
The Reverse Lotus, reinforced by the terrifying might of the Fifth Gate, erupted with unimaginable force.
Like a cannonball smashing into the earth.
Like a meteor falling from the heavens.
Like a volcano erupting all at once.
It crushed everything in its path.
It was unstoppable.
Finally, even Rotation could no longer endure the pressure. Cracks spread rapidly from top to bottom.
Crack!
With a thunderous crash, Rock Lee slammed into the ground. Dust and debris exploded outward, completely engulfing both figures.
Who won?
Who lost?
No one dared to breathe.
After what felt like an eternity, the dust slowly settled.
Hyuga Neji lay collapsed on the ground, staring ahead in disbelief.
"…I…"
"…lost."
Rock Lee was still standing.
His arm hung at an unnatural angle, completely broken. Blinding pain threatened to swallow his consciousness, yet he remained upright—supported purely by willpower.
But in the end… he had won.
Shiranui Genma stepped forward, checked both combatants, and raised his voice.
"The winner is—"
"Rock Lee!"
For a brief second, silence reigned.
Then the entire arena exploded with thunderous applause.
Cheers surged like a tidal wave.
Might Guy could no longer hold back his emotions. Tears streamed down his face as he sobbed openly.
"T-That's our Lee…"
Tenten exclaimed in shock, "Neji… actually lost…"
Naruto was practically jumping out of his seat.
"This is amazing!"
"Lee! You won!"
"This is what real youth looks like!!!"
Rock Lee's vision blurred.
"I… I won…"
He could no longer feel the pain in his shattered arm, nor the exhaustion tearing his body apart. All that remained was a quiet peace in his heart.
He had finally proven himself.
Although Neji had deflected much of the Reverse Lotus's power using Rotation, the amplification from the Fifth Gate was simply too overwhelming.
And the truth was…
At the final moment, Lee had deliberately driven his fist into the ground instead of fully releasing the technique on Neji.
Otherwise…
Neji would not merely be lying here defeated.
He would be dead.
Neji struggled to speak, his voice hoarse.
"To be defeated… by someone like you…"
"Lee…"
Rock Lee panted heavily.
"You lost… to me. Are you really not convinced?"
Neji fell silent.
Was he unconvinced?
Reluctant?
Strangely… no.
Because no one understood Rock Lee's path better than he did.
This wasn't merely 'effort.'
It was living while facing death.
It was setting one's entire life ablaze.
It was burning everything to ash.
Despite Neji's talent.
Despite his confidence that he had surpassed the Main House.
Despite his relentless training day and night…
His results still could not compare to Lee's devotion.
Effort that surpassed genius.
Could fate truly be changed?
Neji's heart was filled with complicated emotions.
At that moment, Might Guy appeared beside them. He supported Neji and caught the swaying Rock Lee.
"Lee! Neji!"
"You were both magnificent!"
"This is true youth!"
"Our team's strength is enough to shock the world!"
He pulled them both into a fierce embrace, tears streaming down his face.
Rock Lee's own tears fell freely.
"Sensei… I did it…"
"I finally proved myself…"
Neji let out a slow breath.
"Perhaps…"
He didn't know who he was speaking to.
Maybe… himself.
Though Lee had won, forcing open the Fifth Gate—and even the forbidden Reverse Lotus—had completely destroyed his arm and cracked his bones throughout his body. He was utterly exhausted, incapable of continuing.
But so what?
Might Guy quickly handed both of them over to Konoha's medical ninja.
Rock Lee would be unable to participate in the remaining matches.
Yet no one felt regret.
As Guy watched them carried away, tears still glistening in his eyes, he smiled brilliantly and raised his thumb.
"You did well, Neji."
"You did well, Lee."
"Youth… roar on!"
The battle between Rock Lee and Hyuga Neji ignited everyone's emotions. Applause echoed throughout the arena, hearts deeply stirred.
Naruto felt both joy and worry as he watched Lee's injuries.
At that moment, Hinata looked toward her father, Hyuga Hiashi.
Hiashi sighed and slowly stood up.
"Father?" Hanabi asked softly. "What are you going to do?"
"There's something I need to say to Neji."
Hanabi nodded obediently. "Alright."
The matches had to continue.
The next competitors were announced.
"Nara Shikamaru!"
"And Temari!"
This battle unfolded much like in the original timeline.
Shikamaru was still unbearably lazy, even getting shoved forward by Naruto.
The fight became a battle of intellect rather than brute force.
Both sides displayed outstanding ninja skills, engaging in a contest of strategy and nerve.
Shikamaru's performance amazed the audience.
Yet, to everyone's shock, after cornering Temari with his brilliant tactics, he chose to forfeit.
Instant outrage erupted from the stands.
But Shikamaru didn't care.
What he didn't know was that… losing this match meant winning his life.
And with the first round concluded, the final matchup was already decided.
"Uzumaki Naruto!"
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)