Noticing the change in Rock Lee's mood, Naruto gave Sasuke a slightly apologetic look. Then he walked over to Rock Lee, patted him on the shoulder, and waited for him to look up before meeting his eyes and speaking gently:
"The Rock Lee I know has always been passionate, full of enthusiasm for training, and eager to become an outstanding ninja. Lee, that dejected expression doesn't suit you."
Passionate, full of enthusiasm for training, eager to become an outstanding ninja?
Tears shimmered in Rock Lee's eyes.
Naruto was still the same gentle, polite Naruto.
And he no longer had the right to become a ninja.
He lowered his head again, his shoulders trembling. "I was the last one in the class to extract Chakra, and I have no talent for Chakra. I can't even master the Three Body Technique." As he spoke, two streams of tears rolled down his face. For a moment, Rock Lee sobbed uncontrollably.
Becoming a ninja was Rock Lee's dream.
But the blows he had suffered these past few days had undoubtedly made this young boy taste despair far too soon.
No matter how optimistic or passionate he was, he could not force a smile at this moment.
His close friend Naruto was highly skilled in Taijutsu, willing to share his training experience, and a perfect genius.
Now that Naruto knew I'm a loser, he'll probably give up on me as a friend too.
"If you have no talent for ninjutsu, then focus on Taijutsu. Who says a ninja must know ninjutsu? Don't let the world's prejudice crush your confidence, Lee." Unexpectedly, Naruto's warm voice rang out beside Rock Lee's ear.
Rock Lee looked up in disbelief.
Sunlight fell over Naruto's bright, gentle smile, adding a touch of warmth and tolerance to the aura of a thoughtful older brother.
Naruto's gaze was so sincere, as trusting as his parents had once been toward him.
Focus on Taijutsu?
Could I really do that?
Rock Lee was stunned for a moment.
"Lee, since your talent for ninjutsu cannot compare to others, then we'll make up for our weaknesses with our strengths. We'll put in a hundred, a thousand, even ten thousand times more effort into training Taijutsu. Haven't you always believed that? You're a genius of hard work."
Naruto's warm voice fell upon Rock Lee's ears. At that moment, Rock Lee could no longer restrain his surging tears. The pain, grief, and resentment of the past few days poured out with them.
"Naruto, thank you. Thank you so much. Having a friend like you is the greatest fortune of my life. I'll work hard. I won't let down your expectations. I'll definitely become a ninja."
He clumsily wiped away his tears and gave Naruto a deep bow.
"Idiot, we're close friends." Naruto pulled Rock Lee up.
"Tell me, you're still that passionate Rock Lee who fears no hardship. You'll definitely become an outstanding ninja."
"Yes, I will. I can definitely become an outstanding ninja. I'll prove myself through hard work!" Rock Lee wiped away his tears, a long-lost spark igniting in his eyes as he shouted.
I'm going to start training! As long as I work hard, I can become an outstanding ninja. I'll keep growing stronger! Then I'll be able to stand beside Naruto!
Thus, under Naruto's gratified gaze and Sasuke's stunned one, Rock Lee began running laps around the training ground.
First lap, second lap, third lap. It's not enough. If I want to defeat ninjas skilled in ninjutsu, I need to work even harder. I need speed too fast for the naked eye to catch and endless stamina!
These weights aren't enough either. Tomorrow, I'll order ones twice as heavy!
Beneath the setting sun, a thick-browed boy in simple casual clothes wore heavy weights as he ran around the training ground again and again.
After running, he even squatted down and began doing frog jumps to train his leg endurance and explosive power.
His face was flushed red, sweat pouring from his body. Even the dirt of the training ground was left damp wherever he ran.
Whenever his strength was nearly exhausted, it seemed as though a force surged from within his body and supported him as he continued running.
Sasuke's mouth fell slightly open. The scene burned itself into his mind, impossible to dispel.
This guy—no, was Rock Lee trying to kill himself?
Could such a stupid method really catch up to geniuses?
Sasuke looked at Naruto, only to find the latter watching him gently.
"Are you surprised that there's someone in this world as foolish as Lee?"
"Huh?" Sasuke hurriedly waved his hands. "No, that's not it."
"He really is foolish." Naruto's next words left Sasuke stunned.
"He's foolish enough to know he has no talent for ninjutsu, yet still want to fulfill his dream of becoming a ninja. He's foolish enough to know this training method is bound to be difficult, yet he still persists without hesitation."
"They say Konoha is the cradle of geniuses, but who knows that behind those geniuses, ordinary people like Lee are doing everything they can to catch up?"
"You and I are both fortunate. We were born with the sword called talent. With the same training methods, we can gain results far beyond Lee's."
"But that doesn't mean Lee is mediocre."
"His terrifying perseverance and hard work, beyond anything ordinary people could imagine, will gather like raindrops until one day they erupt like a tsunami, surpassing everyone and shocking everyone."
"In my heart, he is a genius of hard work!"
Genius of hard work...
Sasuke's pupils trembled.
Looking at Rock Lee, drenched in sweat on the training ground, Sasuke asked himself whether he could persist like that.
But the answer was no.
Such training, beyond the limits of humanity, was something he did not even dare imagine.
"Is that why you're so strong?" Sasuke looked at Naruto.
"That's right." Naruto nodded.
"The world will never remember a loser. Only hard work can let you climb to the summit." Naruto opened his jacket, revealing the dense layers of weights beneath it.
"Y-you were wearing weights while fighting me?!" At that moment, Sasuke was nearly speechless.
When you discovered that a companion with talent no worse than yours had put in several times more effort than you, shame would inevitably rise in your heart.
Sasuke was deeply ashamed.
He had actually been wasting his talent.
Compared to them, he was the mediocre one!
Naruto's warm hand rested on Sasuke's shoulder, his voice as gentle as warm sunlight.
"Sasuke, you have Uchiha blood. From the very start, you've already surpassed most people. But never become complacent because of your talent. Remember, everyone is moving forward. The moment you stop, you'll be overtaken."
Naruto withdrew his hand and looked deeply toward the setting sun.
"That's also why I work hard. I want to surpass everything and stand above the heavens."
On the way back.
Walking along the road dyed red by the setting sun, Sasuke recalled everything that had happened that day, his heart filled with complicated emotions.
"Naruto possessed terrifying talent, yet still worked hard. Rock Lee worked so hard that it was frightening."
For some reason, the words Naruto had said kept surfacing in Sasuke's mind.
"I want to surpass everything and stand above the heavens."
Stand above the heavens?
A burning heat rose in Sasuke's heart.
Before you continue