Exam

One Week Later

Team Eight passed through the academy toward the designated room, Room One on the third floor. When they arrived, they noticed a group of genin teams trying to enter the examination room.

Team Seven had arrived as well.

"My failed cousin, what are you doing here?" Neji asked confidently.

Neji was Hinata's cousin.

"Of course I'm here to take the Chunin Exams," she explained.

She doesn't seem to stutter anymore, Neji thought.

"It's useless. You're destined to be a failure, a worthless female ninja," Neji replied smugly.

"No one can control our fate. We make our own choices. You should do the same," Hinata tried to persuade her foolish cousin.

"Impossible. You can't change fate. I'll prove it in this exam." Neji turned and walked away. Hinata could only shake her head.

Another member of Neji's team walked toward Teams Seven and Eight. He had extremely thick eyebrows and large, round black eyes. His hair was cut in a bowl shape, just like Might Guy's.

"Wow, he's practically Might Guy's clone," Naruto nearly shouted.

"I am Rock Lee! It is a pleasure to meet someone so youthful!" Rock Lee shouted.

"Uh... sure. Nice to meet you. I'm Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto held out his hand, and Rock Lee shook it enthusiastically.

"Are you Sasuke Uchiha?" Rock Lee asked Sasuke.

Sasuke turned around and merely nodded.

"I want to fight you." Rock Lee struck his signature pose.

"You know who I am, yet you still want to challenge me. How foolish. Still, a warm-up wouldn't be bad," Sasuke said.

"The show's starting," Naruto said, and Teams Seven and Eight followed Rock Lee to watch the match.

"Idiot, watch closely. You might learn something," Sasuke said smugly to Naruto.

Naruto responded with a giggle.

Sasuke and Rock Lee stood facing each other.

Naruto carefully observed Rock Lee with his Sharingan. Strange, he thought.

"Hinata, can you check Rock Lee's chakra level?" Naruto asked.

Hinata nodded and activated her Byakugan, then gasped in surprise.

"He might not be able to use chakra. His chakra channels are too narrow, so he probably can't mold chakra," Hinata explained. Rock Lee was basically like an ordinary person.

"That's what I thought too. If he can't use genjutsu or ninjutsu, he can only rely on taijutsu. He must be very skilled."

Sasuke vs. Rock Lee

Sasuke charged forward and tried to punch Rock Lee, but just as his fist was about to hit, Rock Lee vanished.

Sasuke regained his footing in time and saw Rock Lee spinning through the air.

Leaf Whirlwind!

Rock Lee attempted to kick Sasuke. Sasuke quickly dodged. Seeing Sasuke evade, Rock Lee planted his hands on the ground and tried to spin into another kick.

Rock Lee moved faster and slammed Sasuke heavily into the ground.

"Not bad." Sasuke looked at Rock Lee arrogantly.

"Oh, Sasuke successfully activated his Sharingan," Naruto said. "Two tomoe in each eye. Not bad."

"With the Sharingan, I'm unbeatable." Sasuke's lips curled upward.

"So this is the Sharingan." Rock Lee prepared to continue.

Sasuke confidently rushed forward. Rock Lee rushed forward as well, moved beside Sasuke, crouched down, and kicked him under the chin, sending him flying into the air before he crashed heavily to the ground again.

Sasuke got up and charged at Rock Lee once more. They stood face-to-face, but Rock Lee won every exchange, often slamming Sasuke into the ground.

"I saw this coming. Sasuke doesn't stand a chance," Naruto said.

"But shouldn't the Sharingan be able to track his movements?" Hinata asked.

"The Sharingan can track Rock Lee, but Sasuke isn't fast enough to adjust his position in time to block the attacks. That's why I train my physical abilities and use the Gravity Seal. The Sharingan alone isn't enough."

"So the Sharingan has weaknesses too," Shino said.

"The so-called weakness isn't in the eyes themselves. It's because Sasuke's body hasn't been trained enough to handle that speed. Let's go. This fight is over," Naruto said.

Team Eight headed toward the examination room.

Team Eight stopped near the examination room. The moment they pushed open the door, they felt an intense killing intent.