Rock Lee vs. Sasuke, Duanmu

Sure enough, the next day, Kakashi announced to the members of Team 7 that the Chunin Exams were about to begin.

He stood in the center of the training ground, his gaze sweeping over Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Duanmu. His tone was serious, but carried a hint of expectation. "The Chunin Exams are an important trial in a ninja's career. They test not only strength, but also teamwork and adaptability. This exam is extremely difficult, and you may even face life-threatening danger. You have the chance to back out, but once you decide to participate, you must give it everything you have. Understood?"

Naruto immediately raised his hand, his eyes shining as he shouted, "I'm not backing down! I'm definitely going to become a chunin, then surpass you and become Hokage!"

Sasuke folded his arms, his gaze firm. "I'll participate. This is a chance to prove myself." Sakura also nodded hard. "I'll be with everyone. I absolutely won't hold you back."

Kakashi looked at Duanmu next, a trace of probing in his eyes. "Duanmu, what do you think? With your strength, taking part in the Chunin Exams should be more than enough for you, but you don't seem very enthusiastic about these standard promotion routes."

Duanmu rubbed his chin, his gaze sweeping over the fired-up Naruto and the others beside him before finally settling on Kakashi. His tone was relaxed, yet carried an unquestionable seriousness. "Since everyone's participating, I naturally can't be absent. After all, the Chunin Exams are a good opportunity to observe the strength of ninjas from all over, especially those guys hiding in the shadows."

A barely perceptible sharpness flashed deep in his eyes. Clearly, he had already prepared himself for the coming exam and the dangers that might be lurking within it.

On the way to submit their application forms, they ran into Rock Lee, who was wearing a green bodysuit.

Rock Lee was still just like in the original story. The moment he saw Sakura, his eyes lit up as if he had seen the treasure of his dreams. His whole body turned into a green whirlwind as he rushed in front of Sakura, making strange gestures with both hands and shouting in a voice full of hot-blooded passion, "Miss Sakura! I am Rock Lee! To prove my youth, I am willing to give everything for you! Please allow me to protect you with all my strength!"

Sakura looked at Lee like that and was instantly scared stiff, leaving only the words "thick eyebrows" in her mouth.

Lee thought Sakura had not heard him clearly and was just about to keep talking when Sakura's "No" cut him off.

Hearing Sakura's words, the smile on Lee's face instantly froze. A layer of dejection quickly clouded his once fiery eyes, as if all his strength had been drained away, and his whole body wilted.

He silently lowered his head, his hands hanging limply at his sides. The green bodysuit looked especially glaring under the sunlight, and even the air around him seemed to grow heavy because of his mood.

Sakura also realized her reaction had been a bit too much. Looking at Lee's lost and dispirited appearance, a trace of guilt appeared on her face, but the words had already left her mouth, and she did not know how to take them back. She could only stand awkwardly in place, nervously twisting the hem of her clothes with her fingers.

Sakura looked toward Sasuke at the side, and somehow Lee instantly understood that Sakura liked Sasuke. He immediately challenged Sasuke to a one-on-one fight.

Sasuke smiled easily and said, "Five minutes will be enough."

With that, Sasuke charged at Lee. His figure was as swift as an arrow loosed from the string, chakra surging beneath his feet and stirring up a gust of wind.

The result... was that Sasuke was dealt with by Lee within five minutes.

After the fight ended, Sasuke stood in place with an ashen face, sweat sliding down his cheeks and his chest heaving violently. Clearly, he could not accept the fact that he had been defeated so easily.

He stared hard at Lee, his eyes filled with unwillingness and anger. His hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white from the force.

Lee was panting heavily as well, beads of sweat covering his forehead, but his eyes were exceptionally bright, filled with a desire for victory and a stubborn devotion to youth. He looked at Sasuke, his tone carrying a hint of provocation. "How was that? Sasuke, this is my strength, my youth!"

After saying that, Lee looked toward Duanmu. "What about you? Do you want to try too?"

Duanmu actually did not want to fight Lee, but at that moment, Naruto started egging him on from the side. "Duanmu! Go on! Let this thick-browed guy know how strong you are!" Naruto waved his fists excitedly, as if he were even more thrilled than if he were fighting himself.

Duanmu sighed helplessly. He knew very well how strong Lee's taijutsu was, especially that dazzling Eight Inner Gates. Although Lee had not fully mastered it yet, its explosive power was already quite astonishing.

He looked at Lee. The other boy's eyes burned with blazing fighting spirit, the purest desire for battle and the most direct expression of youth.

Duanmu scratched his head, a wry smile appearing on his face. "All right. Since you're so interested, I'll stretch a little with you. But let's make this clear beforehand: we stop at the right point. Don't let it hurt our relationship."

The moment his words fell, Lee immediately rushed toward Duanmu. "Leaf Whirlwind!"

Duanmu dodged with several flickers and took the opportunity to kick Lee flying.

Lee adjusted his posture in midair, landed steadily, and quickly flipped back to his feet. Not only was there no discouragement on his face, his fighting spirit burned even stronger instead.

He shook the shoulder that had been kicked, his gaze sharp as an eagle's as he locked firmly onto Duanmu. "Such speed! But that still isn't enough!" Before his voice had faded, chakra suddenly erupted beneath his feet. His figure turned into a green afterimage, carrying a fierce fist wind straight toward Duanmu's face.

Duanmu neither dodged nor retreated. His hands formed seals rapidly, and faint spatial ripples quietly appeared on the ground beneath his feet. At the instant Lee's fist was about to touch him, his body slid half a foot to the side as if melting into flowing water, just barely avoiding the attack. At the same time, his right hand formed a palm and struck toward Lee's ribs with a gentle yet irresistible force.

Lee reacted extremely quickly. His left hand immediately returned to defend and block. When their palms met, a dull sound rang out. He only felt a clever force travel down his arm, and his body involuntarily retreated half a step.

"Not bad taijutsu, but your movements look slowed down in my eyes." Duanmu's tone was calm, but his feet did not stop for even a moment. His figure shuttled back and forth across the training ground, every movement precisely avoiding Lee's attacks while he constantly tested with palm winds, searching for flaws in Lee's defense.

Seeing that ordinary attacks had no effect on Duanmu, Lee immediately opened the distance and began unwrapping the bandages around his hands.

Duanmu's eyes narrowed. He knew Lee wanted to use that extremely powerful Front Lotus.

But at that moment, a Ninja Turtle suddenly appeared and interrupted Lee. The person standing on that Ninja Turtle in an extremely abstract pose was none other than Lee's instructor—Might Guy.

Might Guy folded his arms and struck his signature hot-blooded pose, his green bodysuit exactly the same as Lee's.

Seeing the newcomer, Naruto and Sakura were both stunned. "Another thick-browed guy!"

He looked at the two people in the field, especially at Lee's movement of about to unwrap his bandages. A vein twitched faintly on his forehead as he shouted in a resounding voice, "Lee! Stop! Have you forgotten what I usually teach you? True youth is not reckless impulse, but knowing restraint and respect!"

Hearing Guy's voice, Lee's hand froze as he was unwrapping the bandages. A troubled and ashamed expression appeared on his face, and he lowered his head like a child who had done something wrong, saying quietly, "But, Guy-sensei, I wanted to prove..."

Guy strode to Lee's side and reached out to pat his shoulder, his eyes filled with encouragement and expectation. "I know your strength better than anyone, but a true strong person does not casually attack comrades. The Chunin Exams are the stage for you to display your youth. When the time comes, let everyone witness your burning fighting spirit!"

After saying that, he turned to look at Duanmu, revealing a hearty smile as he gave a thumbs-up. "Young brother, your reaction speed and taijutsu fundamentals are both quite good. You are qualified to become Lee's opponent! I look forward to your true match in the exam!"

Duanmu gave Might Guy a slight nod, his tone carrying a bit of relief. "Since Guy-sensei has said so, let's stop here for today."

He could sense that same blazing aura of youth from Might Guy. Although the way it was expressed was rather exaggerated, his care for his disciple and his persistence in the ninja way were completely genuine.

Hearing this, Lee was still somewhat unwilling, but he obediently wrapped the bandages back up. Only, the gaze he directed at Duanmu was still filled with a desire to fight, as if saying, "We must settle this in the Chunin Exams."

Might Guy patted Lee on the back and encouraged him in his signature booming voice, "Lee! Do you see? This is an opportunity for growth! Save this passion for the exam field and let everyone witness your youth!"

After saying that, he gave Duanmu, Naruto, Sasuke, and the others a forceful thumbs-up and flashed a brilliant smile, only then leaving with Lee.

Watching the master and disciple leave, Naruto could not help grumbling, "There are actually two thick-browed guys, and they both dress like that too. That's just too weird!"

Sasuke, meanwhile, looked thoughtfully in the direction Lee had disappeared. That brief exchange just now had made him realize that the strength of that ninja in the green bodysuit was not to be underestimated.

Sakura also breathed a sigh of relief. At least she no longer had to face that awkward scene.