What Kind of Genin-Level Battle Is This?

Under the blazing sun.

Xiao Yun and Rock Lee locked eyes, the battle ready to erupt at any moment. Facing the pinnacle of Genin strength from the early days of the ninja world, Xiao Yun could not help feeling somewhat nervous.

Rock Lee stared at Xiao Yun with an equally solemn expression. Of course, he was not afraid of Xiao Yun. On the contrary, he was worried about him.

Because Might Guy had actually told him to use that move in order to improve Xiao Yun's combat experience.

"Rock Lee, don't worry. I'm here. Go all out!"

Might Guy shouted to Rock Lee.

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, Rock Lee pulled a gourd from his waist, uncorked it, and drank deeply.

"Junior brother, you'd better be careful. Urp... this wine really hits the spot."

With that, Rock Lee actually fell stiffly backward. His face was flushed red, and he looked completely drunk.

Drunken Fist?

Xiao Yun recognized it at once. He remembered that in the original story, Rock Lee's strength increased tremendously after getting drunk. He could even fight Lüma Jun, who possessed a Kekkei Genkai.

"Xiao Yun, come on, come on! After one cup, another cup! After this cup, there are still three more! What? You won't drink with me? You looking down on me? Idiot!"

Rock Lee looked completely drunk. He raised the gourd to his mouth, but suddenly a fierce glint flashed in his eyes. With an effortless leap, he shot into the air and sent a kick straight at Xiao Yun.

So fast!

So powerful!

Before the kick even reached him, Xiao Yun could already feel a powerful gust of wind rushing toward his face. He truly was the pinnacle of early-stage Genin. Two Sasukes combined could not compare to that one kick alone.

"Xiao Yun, Rock Lee is incredibly powerful when he's drunk. You must go all out and use every ninjutsu you have!"

Might Guy roared from afar.

Xiao Yun fixed his gaze on Rock Lee. Against an expert like this, he obviously could not use Wing Chun.

"Wood Release: Tree Binding Death Burial!"

Xiao Yun rapidly formed hand seals.

Rip!

Several vines no thicker than ballpoint pens suddenly burst from the ground at incredible speed, wrapping around Rock Lee before he could react.

"Urgh."

Only then did Rock Lee stop, his drunken eyes staring blankly at the vines binding his limbs.

"Damn it! I invite you to drink, and you invite me to play bondage? You bastard!"

With an angry roar, Rock Lee instantly tore the vines apart.

Damn it!

Was this guy just too strong, or were my vines too fragile? He broke them so easily.

However, in the next moment, something strange happened. The snapped vines grew back and wrapped around Rock Lee once more.

Excitement gleamed in Xiao Yun's eyes. He had not expected ninjutsu to be so overpowered, but he liked it!

"Damn it! Eight Inner Gates, First Gate—Opening Gate—Open!"

A cloud of blue vapor instantly enveloped Rock Lee. Furiously, he tore apart the vines again. Though the vines could regrow, Rock Lee was clearly breaking them faster than they could grow back.

Moreover, as time passed, the vines seemed to be growing increasingly slowly. Soon, they would no longer be able to hold Rock Lee.

"Hah!"

Xiao Yun shouted and pressed his palms together. A quarter of his Chakra was instantly drained away. The vines swelled to more than three times their original thickness, wrapping Rock Lee up like a mummy.

Boom!

Rock Lee erupted with strength, directly shattering the vines into countless fragments.

With a leap, he jumped out of the attack range of Tree Binding Death Burial. Then, swaying unsteadily, he took another gourd of wine from his waist and gulped it down.

Afterward, he slowly unwound the white bandages around his arms, muttering as he did so, "Good wine is good wine, but it's too expensive. Tomorrow, I'll borrow more money from my junior brother. It's not like I wrote him an IOU anyway."

Holy shit!

Xiao Yun looked at the drunken Rock Lee, unsure whether to laugh or cry. Drunk people really did speak the truth.

"Xiao Yun, be careful. He's about to use the Front Lotus."

Might Guy said solemnly.

Xiao Yun's ass clenched at those words. The Front Lotus was the preparatory move for unlocking the restriction on the Second Gate of the Eight Inner Gates. (This differs slightly from the original story. In the original, the Front Lotus was the preparatory move for unlocking the First Gate, but since it has already been written this way, it will not be changed.)

Xiao Yun remembered that in the original story, Gaara had been kicked into the sky by this move before being slammed heavily into the ground.

Fuck!

He wasn't going to use that move on me, was he?

"Front Lotus!"

Rock Lee moved like a ghost, instantly appearing beside Xiao Yun. He crouched beneath Xiao Yun in an unnatural posture, then kicked him beneath the chin, sending Xiao Yun soaring straight upward.

So fast!

So strong!

He could not react at all.

"What is this?"

Before Xiao Yun could react in midair, white bandages fluttered around him.

Smack!

Xiao Yun was instantly bound tight.

"Come on, have a sip of good wine."

As he spoke, Rock Lee held the gourd to Xiao Yun's mouth.

Xiao Yun frowned. Fuck, does this guy not brush his teeth?

"Hmph, you don't know what's good for you. I offer you wine and you won't drink? Then eat a Front Lotus instead. Urp~ Take this!"

With that, Rock Lee kicked hard. Xiao Yun was sent headfirst downward, and Rock Lee clamped Xiao Yun's neck between his legs while tightly gripping his feet with both hands.

"Rock Lee, stop!"

Might Guy shouted and instantly opened a gate. Just as he was about to rush forward to save him, a figure blocked his path.

"Kakashi, why are you stopping me from saving him?"

Might Guy glared furiously at Kakashi.

"Calm down! Xiao Yun won't die."

Kakashi had already lifted his forehead protector, revealing his Sharingan as he coldly watched the battlefield.

Boom!

A heaven-shaking crash rang out, deafening everyone present. Dust billowed into the sky. When it cleared, Xiao Yun's head had been smashed deep into the stone floor, leaving a massive crater in the ground.

However, the expected scene of blood flying everywhere did not appear. Instead, a series of creaks sounded, and the "Xiao Yun" on the ground had somehow turned into wood!

"This is a Genin-level battle?"

Kurenai, watching from afar, widened her beautiful eyes and stared at the scene in disbelief. Wood Release Clone, Wood Release Binding Technique, Eight Inner Gates—if anyone dared say this was a Genin-level battle, she would have words with them!

"Xiao Yun!"

Tsunade's eyes shone. How long had it been? He had already grown to this extent.

"Good! That was satisfying! Let's do it again!"

Rock Lee threw the last gourd of wine from his waist into the air and shattered it with a kick. Wine rained down from above, drenching his body.

"Take this! Ahh~ ha!"

After several leaps, Rock Lee arrived before Xiao Yun. His fists were like raging winds and his feet like flashes of lightning. Every move appeared chaotic, and in truth, they really were chaotic.

Xiao Yun could only dodge passively under the barrage. I can't keep taking hits like this...