Who Is the Strongest Rookie?

Rock Lee

VS

Choji Akimichi

Seeing the result, Lee's enthusiasm seemed to have been doused with a bucket of cold water.

On the other side, Shikamaru let out a slight sigh of relief.

"Sure, that Lee guy is strong too, but compared to the other two, this is already the best possible draw."

As they spoke, the two contestants had already entered the arena.

With one hand behind his back and the other extended before him, Lee stood as steady as a mountain, carrying himself like a Martial Arts Grandmaster.

"Although this isn't the outcome I wanted most, I'll still defeat you here."

Lee spoke earnestly.

Choji swallowed, sweat trickling down from his temples. He looked somewhat nervous.

"Fatso! Get your head in the game!"

Knowing Choji's personality well, Ino Yamanaka shouted from the edge of the stands.

After all, what Choji hated most was being called a fatso or hearing any other words related to obesity.

Sure enough, provoked by that, Choji immediately turned fierce.

"Damn it! Just watch! I'll finish this exam right now, then deal with all of you!"

Lee sensed the change in his opponent's state as well. Focusing his gaze ahead, he said confidently:

"Come on! You chubby guy!"

"I'm not fat!! I'm just well-rounded!!"

Choji turned his head and roared:

" Ninja Art: Multi-Size Technique!"

Choji's plump body swelled like a balloon, instantly expanding into a massive figure over three meters tall.

"Next comes Leaf Style Taijutsu!"

As he spoke, Choji retracted his limbs and head into his body, instantly turning himself into a round ball of flesh.

"Human Boulder!!! Long live the well-rounded type!!"

But an attack of this level could not trouble Lee at all. Naturally agile, he dodged it without much effort.

Choji charged straight ahead and actually smashed through a wall, embedding himself in it as well.

Seeing that he could not move, Lee swiftly rushed forward and threw a heavy punch.

"Konoha Mountain Crash!"

The immense impact widened the cracks in the wall.

"Useless."

Shikamaru smiled from the stands.

After using the Multi-Size Technique, the already thick fat on Choji's body expanded and loosened further, greatly cushioning powerful external impacts.

Furthermore, a spherical structure had a lower surface-area-to-volume ratio, allowing it to disperse and absorb external force more effectively.

Otherwise, even Choji himself probably would not be able to withstand such a powerful Taijutsu technique as the Human Boulder.

After the failed strike, Choji quickly pulled himself free from the wall.

"Human Boulder!!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa."

The scene gradually became comical. A massive ball of flesh chased a little green figure around, crashing everywhere.

Anyone with eyes could tell that Choji was almost incapable of hitting Lee, while Lee also found it difficult to seriously injure him.

Do I have to use that move?

Lee breathed lightly, deeply irritated by the current situation.

The people in the stands were beginning to find it boring as well.

Kiba Inuzuka, who had already advanced, even came over to Shikamaru's side to chat.

"Hey, the fat guy in your group can really fight. He's practically demolished half the arena. Hahaha!"

It was impossible to tell whether he meant it as praise or mockery.

"He's already lost."

Shikamaru said expressionlessly.

No matter what, Lee had already secured an undefeated position. Once Choji reached his limit, Lee's victory would only be a matter of time.

Kiba neither agreed nor disagreed with Shikamaru's words.

As an agility-focused fighter, he had already decided that power-focused Choji was bound to lose. He had only come over to chat to pass the time.

"Huh, what's this?"

As he spoke, Kiba noticed a bag of chips sitting beside the stands.

By now, the match had gone from early morning to noon. Most of them were inevitably feeling hungry, and Kiba was no exception.

"Wait!"

Seeing Kiba reach for the chips, Shikamaru hurriedly called out.

"What? There are only a few left."

Normally carefree, and now hungry and craving a snack, Kiba spoke as he took out the last chip and popped it into his mouth.

"Crunch."

The faint sound was like lightning streaking through Choji's ears.

"Who? Who touched my last food?!"

Choji stuck his head out to look.

"Now!"

After waiting irritably for so long, Lee finally seized the opportunity.

"Konoha Great Whirlwind!!"

He leaped high into the air, spinning gracefully to build momentum, then delivered a beautiful spinning heel kick that crashed heavily into Choji's face.

This time, the Human Boulder rolled away again like a top struck by a whip.

Unlike before, when the rolling stopped, the ball of flesh returned to Choji's original form. Dizzy and disoriented, he lay weakly on the ground, likely unable to continue fighting.

After Hayate Gekko entered the arena and confirmed the situation, he straightened up and announced:

"Round Nine, winner, Rock Lee!!"

The moment his words fell, everyone's hearts began pounding with excitement again.

Not because they were happy for Lee, but because the final match ahead could be called the ultimate showdown in everyone's minds.

Uchiha Sasuke

VS

Neji Hyuga

"Last year's Strongest Rookie versus this year's Strongest Rookie—which one is stronger?"

From the stands, Tenten pondered silently.

"Go, Sasuke! If it's you, you can definitely beat him!"

Ino Yamanaka, the fangirl, had already forgotten about Choji's condition and began shouting encouragement.

"Heh, keh keh keh." Gaara did his utmost to suppress the restless blood within him, a stifled sound escaping his throat.

It made Temari, beside him, feel her scalp tingle.

"Neji..." Hinata Hyuga stared intently at the arena, her feelings filled with both worry and conflict.

Meanwhile, the two highly anticipated contestants had already entered the arena and taken their places on opposite sides.

"Uchiha Sasuke. We finally meet."

Neji Hyuga stood with his hands at his sides, his expression proud and aloof.

Sasuke did not answer. He merely lowered his center of gravity slightly and assumed a fighting stance.

"The descendant of the Uchiha Clan, Konoha's other prestigious ocular jutsu family."

"Do you also wish to struggle against this cruel fate?"

"Byakugan, activate!"

Seeing this, Sasuke did not dare let down his guard and hurriedly activated his Sharingan as well.

Unlike his ignorance toward the others,

Sasuke had heard his family mention from a young age that there was another prestigious ocular jutsu family in the village: the Hyuga Clan.

The Byakugan was the Kekkei Genkai passed down through the Hyuga Clan, an ocular jutsu similar to the Sharingan.

In terms of pure perception, it might even surpass the Sharingan.

"You can't deceive my eyes."

"Compared to when we first met, your eyes used to hold nothing but pure revenge and a thirst for power."

"But now, your eyes are filled with hesitation and confusion!"

"What has shaken you?"

A flash of panic crossed Sasuke's face, but even that subtle change could not escape Neji's eyes.

"Was it your Comrades? The village? How could you be foolish enough to waste your time on such things?"

Neji pressed forward step by step, trying to disrupt his opponent mentally.

"Stop talking!"

Sasuke said angrily.

The battle was on the verge of beginning.