"3001!"
Naruto's eyes nearly popped out of his head! "Lee… Lee! What are you doing! Do you really want to kill me?!"
Rock Lee chuckled. "Of course! I'm responding to your efforts and enthusiasm, Naruto, and continuing to burn with the fire of youth!"
"No… don't!"
Rock Lee, however, actually kicked out again. "3002! So, Naruto, I've kicked one more time than you! It's your turn!"
The look in Naruto's eyes as he stared at Rock Lee was one of pure, irreconcilable agony. "But, damn it!" He could only clench his fists and kick out again.
"3002!"
"3003!"
Rock Lee roared, "Ohhh! As expected of you, Naruto!"
"3003!"
"3004!"
"Ahhhhhhh! Stop kicking!" Naruto covered his head and pulled at his hair desperately, reaching the very edge of hysteria.
"3004!"
"3005!"
Rock Lee was about to continue his relentless pursuit when Naruto couldn't stand it any longer. He dropped to the ground with a plop and hugged Rock Lee's thighs. "Lee! Lee! Please, just give me a chance to live!"
Rock Lee scratched his head. "What do you mean, Naruto?"
Of course, Naruto couldn't possibly tell him about his predicament. He could only rack his brains and desperately think of an excuse. "Ah, well… the winner can't be decided in just one moment, so let's leave this for later!"
Rock Lee's eyes lit up. "Well said, Naruto! This so-called spiritual practice is a marathon, not a sprint! Let's start the next phase right away… punching the stake 4,000 times!"
Naruto gave a shaky thumbs-up. "Well… thank you, Lee!"
Naruto was completely burned out. He felt as if he had been turned into snow-white ash. After punching the wooden stake 4,000 times, he felt that his body no longer belonged to him. It was like a puppet in the hands of a puppeteer.
However, Naruto had learned his lesson this time. He deliberately didn't shout out how many times he had punched. When Rock Lee completed his 4,000th punch, Naruto deliberately hit the stake one more time without being noticed. This way, he could avoid the hot-blooded young man from trying to compete with him again.
"Okay, Naruto, next up is jumping rope 3,000 times!"
"…Okay, okay…"
…
"Well done, Naruto! The last part is 3,000 push-ups!"
"…I, I understand…"
However, even Rock Lee had actually reached his absolute limit. The final 3,000 push-ups were simply beyond their ability at this age. Even though Rock Lee tried his best, he could only manage to do a little more than 2,500 in the end. As for Naruto, his advantages in endurance and recovery were reflected at this time. He even held on a little longer than Rock Lee. However, he stopped at around 2,600 at most.
The two of them collapsed to the ground in the training field at the same time. They were gasping for breath and didn't even have the strength to speak. What they didn't know was… at this moment, another pair of eyes were staring at them with a blazing light.
"Naruto, maybe because I'm training with you, I've actually worked harder today than I usually do! Is this the power of a partner?!"
Naruto managed to get out, "…Thank you…"
Rock Lee laughed breathlessly. "You're welcome! I should be the one saying thank you, Naruto!"
Naruto was also speechless. It was obvious that Rock Lee was a straightforward person and could not understand the sarcasm in his words at all.
"Ah, by the way, Naruto, since none of us completed the challenge, we can only follow the agreement."
"Agreement?!"
Rock Lee smiled brightly and gave a thumbs-up. "Of course! Walking upside down around the village thirty times!"
Naruto's soul left his body. "…Ah! No!"
A row of crows flew overhead, their cawing echoing in the air.
…
It was dusk. The afterglow of the setting sun slanted across the entire Konoha Village. On the small path outside, Naruto and Rock Lee were walking upside down around the entire village, completely ignoring the confused and concerned looks of the passers-by.
"Hold on, Naruto! Only 29 laps left!"
Naruto wheezed, "…Listen to what you just said. Is that something a human would say?!"
He was sweating profusely, and his arms began to tremble, but in order to avoid being electrocuted, he had to grit his teeth and persevere with all his might. Moreover, at this point, he no longer wanted to give up. Otherwise, wouldn't all the hardship he had endured before be in vain?!
Just when the two of them were practicing desperately, there was a sudden loud noise from behind them, as if the very earth was shaking. Passers-by screamed and dodged out of the way.
*Thump, thump, thump—*
*Thump, thump, thump!*
A green figure passed by as fast as a whirlwind, almost blowing the skirt off a passing girl, who hurriedly covered her face with blushing hands.
"Hahahahahahaha!"
Accompanied by wild, unrestrained laughter, a man wearing green training clothes, also with a big watermelon-shaped haircut and thick eyebrows, came up from behind in a handstand and quickly charged forward!
Naruto and the other boy looked back, and their expressions suddenly changed.
"Ah! Another one with a watermelon head and thick eyebrows!"
Rock Lee was shocked and said, "Wow, what a powerful man! Walking upside down with such speed and strength is simply incredible! So… so handsome!"
There is no doubt that this man with a watermelon head and thick eyebrows was, of course… the Blue Beast of Konoha Village… Might Guy!
He had actually known about Rock Lee for a long time. When he was still in the Ninja Academy, someone had told him that there was a child who looked very similar to him. From then on, whenever his missions were not taking up his time, Might Guy would always pay attention to Rock Lee's every move, either intentionally or unintentionally. However, he had never shown himself, afraid that he would disrupt Rock Lee's training.
Until today, seeing that Rock Lee finally had a training partner, Might Guy was very happy for him and finally decided to show up.
*Rumble—*
Like a green tornado, although Might Guy was walking upside down, his strength and speed were far beyond the imagination of Naruto and Rock Lee. He flew past the two of them in an instant, and the violent air waves made them both spin wildly.
"Ahhhh—"
*Thump!*
Both of them fell to the ground involuntarily.
Might Guy stopped, turned around, and smiled brightly at the two of them. He stood upside down on one hand and raised his thumb with the other.
"Well done, both of you! This is real youth! Sweat hard, burn with the fire of your youth, and don't leave yourself with any regrets or remorse!"
Naruto, having fallen to the ground, couldn't help but yell, "Who the hell are you?"
Might Guy was still doing a one-handed handstand, and he even turned around on that one hand, as if he were strolling through a garden.
"Me? I am the Blue Beast of Konoha Village, feared by the entire ninja world… Might Guy!"
Naruto deadpanned, "…Never heard of you!"
Rock Lee's eyes, however, lit up. "Oh! It's Mister Might Guy!"