Chapter 252: The Potential of the Underdog
In the arena, nearly all spectators watched in disbelief—could such violent chakra and terrifying momentum really be released by a genin?
Kankuro, sitting alongside Baki in the spectator stands, had already become slack-jawed, his mind experiencing massive impact. This Chunin Exam... there were really this many monster-level people whose strength surpassed his own?!
Kakashi and Satsuki simultaneously opened their eyes and lifted their masks to reveal the Sharingan, their crimson eyes tightly tracking the green blur below.
The ordinary spectators in the stands mostly fell into a frenzy. They never expected the very first match to present such a shocking confrontation!
Is this really the Lee who never won against me even once in our previous battles?!
Watching the opposite side of Lee, completely engulfed in green energy like being wrapped in flames, Neji's conviction of "certain victory" finally developed clear cracks. He forcibly calmed himself.
I must use Kaiten to block his fierce assault! In this state, he absolutely cannot maintain it indefinitely!
Here it comes!
Boom—!!!
Lee's figure suddenly blurred! Merely the air current from his initial charge lifted the solid ground in layers, rolling it upward!
Even within Neji's Byakugan vision, he could only capture a green flash so fast it was nearly invisible, unable to clearly lock onto the movements!
"Kaiten—?!"
Bang!
Neji had barely begun activating Kaiten when its rotation had just started—Lee's form instantly appeared directly before him! A kick so fast it exceeded visual capture, striking with precision at his jaw!
So fast!
That was Neji's only thought. The massive impact force not only interrupted his Kaiten but sent his entire body uncontrollably skyward.
He tried to adjust mid-air to stabilize himself, but Lee gave him absolutely no breathing room!
Bang!
Another dull collision! Neji couldn't even see where the attack came from, only feeling a tearing pain in his ribs. Before his defensive posture even formed, he was violently launched away again like a kite with a broken string!
"Is it Body Flicker Technique?!" someone in the stands exclaimed.
"...No! We didn't see him form any seals at all! Could his speed be so fast that we can't even see his hand movements?!"
The ninja in the spectator stands were completely shocked by this terrifying power. A genin? A chunin? No, this level of power and speed, even many jonin would struggle to match!
What Lee was using wasn't some Body Flicker Technique at all, but pure, concentrated taijutsu speed expressed through raw physical explosion! It only seemed like spatial teleportation because it was so fast that ordinary perception created the illusion!
What?! I'm completely unable to fight back?!
His body kept being tossed and flipped like a leaf in a windstorm. Neji barely maintained consciousness amid his shock. Just as he tried to find a balance point, the green-faced Lee, his complexion flushed from blood surge, appeared before him like a burning meteor once more!
"Fifth Gate: Closing Gate, open!"
Even more violent chakra erupted! Neji felt everything in his vision blur into indistinct colors. He completely lost track of Lee's movements, his entire body like a broken punching bag being brutally pummeled by invisible force. Then Lee's voice, slightly hoarse from power surging, reached his ears clearly.
"Neji, this move was prepared specifically to defeat you! This is my final strike!"
Bang!
An irresistible massive impact force slammed him to the ground! Neji, enduring excruciating full-body pain, was shocked to discover white bandages wrapping tightly around him!
As the bandages pulled, his body moved uncontrollably toward Lee's prepared figure, that fist condensed with terrifying power rapidly enlarging in his vision!
This wasn't simply losing the match anymore... if this strike hit a vital point... he could really die!
If Neji had successfully sealed Lee's pressure points with Gentle Fist before opening the Eight Gates, this battle could have been easily won. But at the fourth gate, even the fifth gate state, Lee's speed had become too fast for Neji to find opportunities for point strikes!
"Lee! That's enough!"
Just when that destructive fist was about to touch Neji's body, Might Guy's loud voice rang out like a warning bell from the spectator stands! The about-to-land fist forcibly changed trajectory under that call!
"Interior Lotus!"
BOOOM!!!!
Accompanied by an ear-shattering roar, a terrifying shockwave swept across the entire arena! The kicked-up dust expanded like a tsunami in all directions, forcing most spectators to raise their arms against the sand and stones.
When the dust slowly cleared, the sight made everyone hold their breath. Neji looked terrified at Lee hovering directly above him—that fist that could have been lethal ultimately landed on the ground beside his head.
The green energy steaming around Lee's body had dissipated, his skin returned to normal. He collapsed beside Neji, his chest heaving violently as he gasped for air.
The ground beside Neji was now a mess, covered with spider-web cracks and a clear depression.
...I lost?
This thought echoed uncontrollably through Neji's mind. He understood clearly that Lee had avoided the lethal strike at the last moment.
But even without receiving that final blow, the series of violent strikes before it had left his entire body in excruciating pain, making even moving difficult.
On the other side, Lee also suffered greatly from the Eight Gates' massive side effects, gasping painfully. Yet his eyes still burned with an unbreakable flame, attempting repeatedly to stand again through willpower alone.
Finally, under the silent gaze of all spectators, that green figure trembled, yet moved with absolute determination, standing up once more! Though his body swayed precariously, seemingly ready to collapse at any moment.
The arena fell silent. Everyone watched this Rock Lee, standing firm through sheer willpower despite being weakened to the extreme.
"Neji... this time," Lee's voice came intermittently from exhaustion, "I... won."
The moment this declaration struggled out, Might Guy in the spectator stands could no longer contain his inner turmoil. Bean-sized tears rolled down his resolute cheeks as he vigorously pumped his fist, bursting with pride in his student.
"First match concluded—"
Torune Aburame walked back to the center of the devastated arena. His gaze fell on that green figure swaying yet stubbornly standing, and he announced clearly:
"Winner... Rock Lee!"
The moment his words finished, deafening cheers and thunderous applause swept from all sides of the stands like a tidal wave, surging toward that figure in the arena.
Years of relentless daily training, countless times shedding sweat in unseen corners, bearing the ridicule and contempt that came with the name "taijutsu-only dropout"... in this moment, all of it transformed into brilliant proof on this stage.