The sun beat down on the Ninja Academy training ground. It was already afternoon, and time for practical combat training again.
The students trained in their assigned areas, and the entire field was filled with a tense yet lively atmosphere.
Menma had special permission from the school to arrange his own training, so he was free at the moment. He looked around and suddenly spotted someone in a corner, practicing Taijutsu alone with great effort.
Menma smiled faintly. He quickly recognized the boy: Rock Lee.
Rock Lee moved swiftly beneath the sun, every motion filled with strength and determination.
Sweat soaked his clothes, but it did nothing to dampen his enthusiasm for Taijutsu. He repeated difficult moves over and over, each punch and kick driven by the resolve to stake everything on his effort.
Drawn to Rock Lee's training, Menma walked over. Rock Lee only noticed someone approaching when Menma was close. He looked up, and the moment he saw Menma, his eyes widened. His face was full of shock.
In Rock Lee's eyes, Menma was a super-genius who shone like a star at the Ninja Academy. Whether it was theoretical knowledge, Taijutsu, or ninjutsu, Menma excelled at everything.
To Rock Lee, someone like Menma seemed to stand above the clouds. There was no way he would talk to someone like Rock Lee, whom everyone regarded as a "dead last."
Seeing Rock Lee's stunned expression, Menma smiled warmly. "You train really hard. Actually, I trained the same way when I was little."
Rock Lee could hardly believe his ears. He stammered, "Menma, you... you're a genius. How could I... how could I compare to you?"
Menma smiled and waved a hand. "A so-called genius is just someone who works hard where no one can see. I did well in the