Li Who Cannot Use Ninjutsu

As usual, Naruto was at the training ground practicing taijutsu, experimenting with various techniques on his own. Hui watched for a while before using the Clone Technique to manifest another version of herself. Naruto only heard a soft pop, and suddenly, two Huis stood before him.

Naruto pointed at them in astonishment, shouting, "Hui... Hui... is this the Clone Technique?!!"

Hui ignored him. One of the clones walked toward him and said indifferently, "Let's spar. For a guy like you, practical combat is what matters most."

"Spar? You never sparred with me before..." Naruto seemed a bit aggrieved, though his tone held a hint of anticipation.

"Enough talk, start!" Hui said, taking a stance. Naruto scratched his head and assumed a defensive posture as well.

Watching Naruto and her clone prepare, Hui took out her book and began reading by a tree. The books Kabuto had been giving her lately were becoming increasingly difficult; often, she couldn't understand them at all. Furthermore, ever since Nonō left the Orphanage, Kabuto had become even more silent, and Hui didn't dare disturb him.

In truth, Hui could roughly guess why things had turned out this way. It was likely that Danzo had already visited the Orphanage, hoping to recruit Kabuto as an asset, though she had happened to miss it.

She didn't know if the others at the Orphanage blamed her; after all, she was an uninvited guest. Even though she couldn't do much for them, Hui still wanted to help them as much as she could.

However, Kabuto was truly a medical genius. Things that seemed incredibly difficult to her, he grasped instantly. He was now capable of performing large-scale medical ninjutsu and had even begun mixing his own medicine, while she could still only manage minor treatments. She wondered when she would ever reach his level.

Maybe I should experiment on Naruto a few times next time, Hui thought, silently shifting her gaze to Naruto, who was still circling her clone.

Naruto chased after her, trying to land an attack, but he couldn't hit her at all; instead, he was struck by her clone several times.

"Can you look properly before you strike? You're just flailing around like a wild animal," the clone Hui complained flatly, her eyes filled with helplessness. How was he supposed to improve like this?

"I... I'm not!" Naruto replied innocently, despite how hard he was trying to train.

The clone Hui seized an opening and struck his shoulder, sending Naruto stumbling back until he sat on the ground. He looked at Hui, feeling somewhat resentful. "You snuck up on me!"

The clone Hui smiled. "I told you to be careful. Don't get distracted just because of what I say."

Hui watched from the side and chuckled. This guy got hurt often anyway, so trying it on him wouldn't be a bad idea!

"Hui... Hui-kun..." A weak, mosquito-like call came from behind her. The voice sounded familiar. She stood up and turned around, only to be startled into taking a step back by the sight of a guy who was beaten black and blue and looked absolutely wretched.

Hui stared at him for a moment before finally recognizing him from his clothes. "...Lee?"

The person couldn't walk and sat on the ground looking at her. Hui managed to discern a look of innocence in his swollen eyes and sighed inwardly. How did this guy end up like this?

"Lee, why are you like this... is it..." Hui left her book where it was and walked toward Rock Lee, only to notice his gaze wasn't on her; he looked rather dazed.

"Can Hui-kun use the Clone Technique already?" He withdrew his gaze and lowered his head. "As expected of Hui-kun..."

Although he was praising her, Hui could hear the deep disappointment in his voice. She had a suspicion—had he finally discovered that problem?

"Lee?" Hui sat down beside him. The wind blew through the forest, ruffling the pages of her book and making a rustling sound.

Lee looked up at Hui, seeing her watching him with a calm, earnest expression. He couldn't help but glance toward the Hui sparring with Naruto, feeling a lingering sense of loss and regret.

"Lee, can you tell me what happened?" Hui asked, drawing his attention back to herself. Rock Lee's face wasn't as swollen as before, and Hui could see a mix of confusion and unwillingness in his eyes.

Rock Lee stared at the ground in silence, his expression full of conflict and sorrow. Hui didn't speak, just watched him quietly. After a long while, he finally spoke. "Hui-kun, is it impossible for me to become a ninja? I can't use any ninjutsu, I can't learn genjutsu at all, and... no matter how much I train in taijutsu, I can't beat ninjutsu!"

Rock Lee shouted the last part at the top of his lungs, loud enough for Naruto in the distance to hear. As he spoke, tears streamed down his face, soaking the dirt in front of him.

Hui frowned at the tear stains, feeling a profound sense of powerlessness. A feeling of disappointment even began to envelop her.

Yes, she really couldn't change anything. Even if she made Rock Lee train hard in taijutsu and tried to distract him by saying he was the best in the class at it, there would always be someone to make him realize he was a failure at ninjutsu and genjutsu. This was a situation she couldn't change. Reality was reality; avoiding it wouldn't prevent the hurt.

Hui felt a bit dejected herself. Although she knew that Rock Lee would become the strongest taijutsu ninja in the future, and that his teacher would show the world that taijutsu could surpass ninjutsu—and that he, as Guy's direct disciple, would become even stronger—but... Lee didn't know that yet!

Rock Lee said intermittently, "I fought... him, but it was useless... taijutsu just can't beat him."

"...Hui-kun... I don't know what use I am anymore... what can I actually do?" Rock Lee asked, weeping silently as he looked at Hui as if begging for an answer.

Seeing Rock Lee like this, Hui furrowed her brows tightly, her eyes filled with self-reproach and heartache.

She had tested Lee's level before; he wasn't that weak. At the very least, he could handle those who had just entered the Ninja Academy. Unless it was someone from a clan who had been studying ninjutsu for a long time, the only person she could think of was Neji...

That genius. She had even harbored the delusion of saving him. How naive. Despite this guess, Hui still asked, "Lee, who were you sparring with? With your strength, you shouldn't be that weak."

Lee froze at Hui's words, his tears stopping as he looked at her with a tear-streaked face. "...It was a genius in my class... I... I wanted to try challenging him... just like Hui said, even though I can't use ninjutsu, I have no rivals in taijutsu in the class... I thought... but he said... I couldn't possibly become a ninja..."

The rest of what Neji must have said was easy for Hui to imagine. Neji's mockery was truly hurtful. That guy, Hui sighed inwardly.

She couldn't think of a solution for the moment. It had to be Neji—that boy who was also suffering and struggling, torturing himself while hurting others.

Hui sighed silently in her heart. She couldn't change Neji, but she could change Rock Lee. "Lee, you've always believed in me. Can you believe in me one more time?" Hui smiled lightly, losing her serious demeanor and returning to the way they usually interacted. Rock Lee looked at her and nodded.

Naruto sensed something was wrong and walked over from the distance. As he passed the tree where Hui had left her book, he slowed to a stop. He walked up, picked up the book, and looked up at Hui.

Just how strong had Hui become? He always felt that since she returned, she was surrounded by secrets. But he didn't want to pry; he felt like he might lose something if he did. That was why, even though he had the chance to learn, he had never opened the book.

He put the book down, closed it, and walked toward the two of them.

"Y-yes!" Rock Lee answered immediately after Hui finished her question.

"Lee, even if you only have taijutsu, you will become the greatest ninja. Even if you only have taijutsu, you can fight against those geniuses. So, for that goal, you must train in taijutsu even harder, even more diligently! Let those geniuses see the power of taijutsu, because that is your mission, Rock Lee! It is a training bestowed upon you by the heavens alone!"

As she said this, the smile on Hui's lips widened. Her eyes were filled with the light of hope, and in the end, it was as if flames were burning within them. She stared straight at Lee, as if she were about to jump up at any second.

Lee looked at her blankly, his mind in chaos. A training bestowed by the heavens? His mission?

Wasn't the inability to use ninjutsu a sign that the heavens had stripped him of his talent? But why was Hui-kun so excited, her eyes shining as if she had discovered a treasure? Could he also be favored by the heavens? Was this truly his mission?

Hui saw the doubt in Rock Lee's eyes and laughed. "Lee, you must remember: only when you have a mission will the heavens make you endure more pain than others, to temper your strong heart. More importantly, to solidify your path!"

"Lee, all the suffering you endure today is for the sake of your future strength. All the grievances you suffer today are so that when you finally stand tall and proud, others will be forced to look at you with admiration!"

"Staying true to your heart is far more important than wallowing in self-pity, because you carry a mission that belongs to you alone!!"

Naruto stared blankly at Hui; she had never been this agitated before, and the burning passion radiating from her seemed to affect him as well. Did he have some sort of heaven-sent mission of his own? Suddenly, he felt a pang of envy for Rock Lee, to be able to possess such a calling.

"Rock Lee! To think you have a mission like that!" Naruto cheered as well.

Rock Lee looked up in surprise at Naruto standing to the side, seeing the flames burning even more brightly in his eyes, along with a sense of envy and joy. He was happy for him, cheering him on, feeling gratified for him—these were things he hadn't seen in a long time. Like a little sun, Naruto's presence caused the gloom surrounding him to dissipate.

Hui shifted her gaze toward Naruto and chuckled inwardly. This assist was truly well-coordinated; compared to the excitement and passion she had been feigning, Naruto's were genuine. The passion of this big idiot was the real deal, and it was the most capable of infecting others.

Sure enough, the light in Rock Lee's eyes changed. He turned to look at Hui, nodded solemnly, and declared, "I understand now. This is a trial given to me by the heavens, because I bear the mission of letting everyone know—that a taijutsu ninja can also become the strongest!"

"Right! Exactly! These are all trials given to you by the heavens; only by overcoming them can you break out of your cocoon and become a butterfly!" Hui chimed in happily, a faint smile remaining on her lips.

"Good! I understand! I will go train my taijutsu right now!" Rock Lee stood up from the ground in excitement and turned to run off, but after only a few steps, he doubled back and bowed to Hui.

"Thank you very much, Hui-kun. I will continue to grow stronger, and then I will defeat you!"

Rock Lee seemed to recall their last spar and was still unwilling to accept his loss to her, but that was even better. Hui laughed.

"Haha, good! I'll be waiting. I want to witness the day you fulfill your mission!"

Rock Lee laughed as well, casting a glance at Hui with eyes full of tenacity and confidence. "I will certainly not fail my mission!" With those words, he turned and left. There was still so much training left to complete and so many hardships to face; he could not be defeated before then. These were all the trials the heavens had set for his cultivation, the mission the heavens had entrusted to him!

Hui watched his retreating figure with the corners of her mouth slightly raised. More than her words, it was Rock Lee's own resilience and persistence that truly saved him. Heaven helps those who help themselves.