Naruto, What Hokage Without You!

Bang!

"3001!"

Naruto's eyes nearly popped out of his head!

"Rock Lee... Rock Lee! What are you doing! Are you trying to kill me?!"

Rock Lee grinned. "Naturally, I'm responding to your effort and passion, continuing to burn with youth!"

"No... don't!"

Rock Lee kicked out yet again.

"3002!"

"How about that, Naruto? I've kicked one more time than you again!"

"It's your turn!"

The look Naruto gave Rock Lee was one of pure, unadulterated hatred.

"D-damn it!"

He could only clench his fists and kick out twice more.

"3002!"

"3003!"

Rock Lee: "Oh! As expected of Naruto!"

"3003!"

"3004!"

"Ahhhhh! Stop kicking already!"

Naruto clutched his head, frantically pulling at his own hair, reaching the point of hysteria.

"3004!"

"3005!"

As Rock Lee prepared to chase him down again, Naruto, unable to take it anymore, threw himself forward and hugged Rock Lee's thigh.

"Rock Lee! Rock Lee! Spare my life!"

Rock Lee scratched his head. "What do you mean, Naruto?"

Naruto, of course, couldn't tell him his true plight.

He could only rack his brains, desperately searching for an excuse.

"Ah, well... victory isn't decided in a single moment, let's save the rest of the competition for later!"

Rock Lee's eyes lit up.

"Well said, Naruto!"

"True training is a marathon, not a sprint!"

"Let's start the next phase immediately..."

"4,000 strikes on the wooden post!"

Naruto tremblingly gave a thumbs up.

"G-good..."

"I thank you so much, Rock Lee!"

Might Guy's Approval! Burn, Youth!

Naruto had burned out.

He had turned into white ash.

By the time the 4,000 strikes on the wooden post were finished, he felt as though his body no longer belonged to him.

It was as if he were a puppet in the hands of a puppeteer.

However, Naruto had learned his lesson this time.

He deliberately didn't call out how many times he had struck.

When Rock Lee finished his 4,000, Naruto intentionally did one extra strike without being noticed.

In this way, he avoided that hot-blooded youth trying to compete with him again.

"Good, Naruto, next is 3,000 jump ropes!"

"...Right, okay..."

"Well done, Naruto!"

"The final task is 3,000 push-ups!"

"I, I understand..."

However, even for Rock Lee, he had actually reached his limit.

These final 3,000 push-ups were simply not something they could achieve at their age.

Even though Rock Lee gave it his all, he only managed to complete a little over 2,500 in the end.

As for Naruto, the advantage of his stamina and recovery speed became apparent at this moment.

He even managed to hold on a little longer than Rock Lee.

However, he stopped at around 2,600 as well.

The two of them collapsed onto the ground of the training field simultaneously.

Gasping for air, they didn't even have the strength left to speak.

And what they didn't know was...

At this very moment, another pair of eyes was staring at them, glowing with intense fervor...

"Na, Naruto, perhaps because I was training with you, I actually worked much harder today than I usually do!"

"Is this the power of a comrade?!"

Naruto: "...I thank you for that..."

Rock Lee laughed while panting: "No need for thanks! If anything, I should be the one thanking Naruto!"

Naruto was left speechless; it was clear that Rock Lee was a straightforward person who couldn't understand the sarcasm in his words at all.

"Oh, right, Naruto, since neither of us completed the challenge, we have to follow through with our agreement."

"A, agreement?!"

Rock Lee flashed a brilliant smile and gave a thumbs-up.

"Of course, it's thirty laps around the village walking on our hands!"

Naruto: "...Ah! No, don't!"

A row of crows flew overhead, letting out cawing sounds.

Dusk had fallen.

The afterglow of the setting sun slanted across the entire Konoha.

On the outer path, Naruto and Rock Lee were walking on their hands around the entire village, completely ignoring the confused gazes of passersby.

"Hang in there, Naruto! Only 29 laps left!"

Naruto: "...Do you even hear how ridiculous that sounds?!"

Sweat poured down him like rain, and his arms began to tremble, but to avoid being electrocuted, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and push through with all his might.

Besides, at this point, he didn't want to give up anymore.

Otherwise, wouldn't all the suffering he endured earlier be for nothing?!

Just as the two were training for their lives.

Suddenly, a noisy sound came from behind, as if the earth itself were trembling, and passersby exclaimed in alarm, scrambling to get out of the way.

Thump, thump, thump--

Thump, thump, thump!

A green figure swept past like a whirlwind, nearly blowing away the skirts of the passing girls, who hurriedly covered them with flushed faces.

"Hahahahahaha!"

Accompanied by bursts of wild laughter, a man wearing a green training suit, also sporting a large bowl cut and thick eyebrows, came rushing toward them from behind while walking on his hands!

Naruto and Rock Lee looked back, and their expressions changed in unison.

"Ah! Another bowl-cut with thick eyebrows!"

Rock Lee said in shock: "What, what a powerful man!"

"To be able to walk on his hands with such speed and power is simply incredible!"

"So, so cool!"

Without a doubt, this man with the bowl cut and thick eyebrows was none other than...

The Blue Beast of Konoha...

Might Guy!

He had actually known about Rock Lee for a long time; back when he was at the Ninja Academy, word had spread that there was a child who looked just like him.

Ever since then, whenever he finished his missions, Might Guy would intentionally or unintentionally keep an eye on Rock Lee's every move.

However, he had never revealed himself to disturb him.

Because he was afraid he would disrupt Rock Lee's training.

Seeing Rock Lee finally find a partner to train with, Might Guy felt genuinely happy for him and decided it was time to reveal himself.

Rumble--

Like a green tornado, Might Guy moved while walking on his hands, his power and speed far beyond anything Naruto or Rock Lee could have imagined.

He sprinted between the two in an instant, the violent shockwave sending them both spinning wildly.

"Ahhh--"

Thud!

Both of them tumbled to the ground uncontrollably.

Might Guy came to a stop, turned back to give them a brilliant smile, and stood on one hand while giving a thumbs-up with the other.

"Well done, you two!"

"This is what true youth is all about!"

"Sweat it out, burn with youth, and don't leave yourself with any regrets!"

Naruto, sprawled on the ground, couldn't help but shout angrily.

"Who the hell are you!"

Might Guy remained in his one-handed handstand, even turning his body with the ease of a casual stroll.

"Me?"

"I am the Blue Beast of Konoha, the one who makes the entire ninja world tremble with fear..."

"Might Guy!"

Naruto: "...Never heard of you!"

Rock Lee's eyes, however, lit up: "Oh! So it is Might Guy-sensei!"