Gaara vs. Rock Lee

Uh...

Seeing Neji's astonished expression, Hinata spoke somewhat sheepishly!

"Neji, I'm still not very familiar with this move!"

"I only mastered it shortly before the Chunin Ninja Exams!"

"It's fine. Hinata is already amazing. I only mastered it after learning the One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms!"

"For Hinata to master the Vacuum Palm right after learning the Sixty-Four Palms is already incredible!"

Neji was speaking sincerely. Hinata had improved far too much during this period!

In only about three months, she had not only mastered the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, but also the Vacuum Palm!

Moreover, the power of her Sixty-Four Palms was far greater than that of ordinary people!

Neji estimated that the later One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms would be the same...

That freakish big brother had been right after all. Hinata was very talented; she had just gone down the wrong path before!

"Yes, Neji. I'll keep working hard!"

"Referee, I concede!"

"Kurenai, your student is pretty good!"

Seeing Hinata concede, Asuma instead praised Kurenai Yuhi.

"Yes, Hinata has changed quite a lot recently. She's becoming more and more confident!"

"The biggest problem has already been solved. From now on, as long as Hinata keeps her confidence and continues growing stronger, that will be enough!"

Kurenai Yuhi was also smiling, very satisfied with Hinata's performance, even though she had lost!

However, that opponent was the Hyuga Clan's famous genius, and the younger brother of that man. Hinata's chances of winning had been slim!

For her to have the courage to take part in a match under the eyes of so many people was already a huge improvement!

"Hyuga Hinata concedes. The winner is Hyuga Neji!"

After Hinata conceded, Genma Shiranui immediately announced Neji's victory!

Soon, the ninth match was drawn!

"The ninth match: Gaara versus Rock Lee!"

Genma Shiranui announced it the moment the result appeared.

"Little Lee!"

"Be careful. Don't underestimate that guy!"

"Don't forget Team 7's earlier warning!"

"Anyone they take seriously won't be simple!"

As Little Lee was about to head down, Neji grabbed him and gave him these instructions!

"Got it, Neji!"

"Just wait and see. My youth will bloom!"

Little Lee flashed Neji a mouthful of white teeth and gave himself a thumbs-up!

"Very good!"

"Go, Little Lee!"

Might Guy wildly cheered for Little Lee's confidence, holding his index and middle fingers together as he pointed toward the arena!

Gaara wore a cold expression as he instantly descended from the stands. He was very dissatisfied that he had not been matched against Team 7!

And the finals would not begin until a month later. Gaara was in a terrible mood and only wanted to deal with his opponent quickly!

"I wonder what kind of attacks that watermelon head will use, but..."

"Against Gaara, he has no chance of winning!"

Watching Might Guy and Little Lee's passionate display on Konoha's side, Kankuro could not help speaking.

"The ninth match, begin!"

As soon as the fight began, Gaara crossed his arms and controlled sand to fiercely attack Little Lee from afar!

"Boom, boom, boom..."

Explosions rang out continuously. Little Lee sometimes kicked apart the sand and sometimes flashed aside to dodge, his movements incredibly smooth and fast!

He used fists, feet, and even kunai together. Little Lee's taijutsu attacks were extremely sharp!

But it was all useless!

He wanted to dash in for close-range attacks, but the sand was not slow either!

Time and again, it stopped his charges and even launched counterattacks against Little Lee.

Sand wrapped around Little Lee's ankle and flung him into the wall. As the sand swept over him again, Little Lee performed several backflips at the critical moment and dodged the attack!

Meanwhile, Gaara had kept his arms crossed the entire time without moving an inch, looking like a master isolated by his own greatness!

There was even one time when Little Lee attacked him from behind with kunai, and Gaara still remained the same!

He did not move at all, while the sand automatically blocked every incoming kunai!

The spectators could not understand why the watermelon head's incredibly fast attacks were completely useless!

And why didn't he widen the distance and use ninjutsu for ranged attacks?

"Why isn't the watermelon head using ninjutsu?"

Naruto had the same question and directly voiced the doubt in his heart!

That little panda had pushed him that far, yet he still wasn't thinking of using ninjutsu to strike back from afar?

Sasuke and Sakura had the same doubts and shook their heads, indicating that they did not know either.

"Because... Little Lee can't use ninjutsu!"

Neji's voice came from nearby as he explained it to the puzzled Team 7 trio!

"What?"

"He can't use ninjutsu?"

The three were utterly shocked. If he could not use ninjutsu, how had he become a ninja?

"Not only can't he use ninjutsu, he can't use a single genjutsu either!"

"The only thing he knows is taijutsu!"

"But that guy is pretty strong. Just wait and watch!"

Ignoring Team 7's cries of surprise, Neji continued while looking toward the arena!

He knew very well that Little Lee was nowhere near his limit yet. He had not even removed those weights on his body!

"Lee!"

"Take off your weights!"

"For this battle, I permit you to use that move. Go!"

Might Guy watched as several of Little Lee's attacks were blocked.

He knew that the kid carrying the gourd was strong, and... Guy had always felt that there was something strange about that gourd!

This was an excellent opponent. There was no need to keep restricting Little Lee any longer, so he shouted loudly toward the arena!

Hearing Guy's words, Little Lee was instantly filled with excitement!

After flashing several times in succession to widen the distance, he leaped onto the finger of a stone statue in the arena!

He removed the weights from his legs and held them in both hands!

"Hmph!"

"They're just weights. Does he really think taking them off will help?"

Kankuro snorted disdainfully!

However, as Little Lee loosened his fingers, the weights fell!

Boom!

Dust surged into the air, and the entire arena seemed to shake, leaving everyone dumbfounded...

"Th-this..."

"Those are fucking weights?"

"He had been wearing something that heavy while fighting Gaara for so long?"

Kankuro could hardly believe it. The slap to the face had come so suddenly!

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura exchanged glances, their expressions turning grave!

They had also worn weights when their teacher trained their taijutsu!

Back then, they had thought their teacher was a demon. But now, compared to the guy beside them with thicker eyebrows and an even rounder watermelon head...

Their teacher had been far too kind!

They had never expected this thick-browed, big-eyed guy to be so ruthless toward his student!

And this Little Lee was already somewhat freakish, yet he still needed to catch up to Hyuga Neji!

Then... just how strong was that guy?

Still, was it any surprise? He was their teacher's younger brother, after all!

"Guy, aren't you taking this too far?"

"He's still just a child. Is training at this level really okay?"

Even Kakashi could not help speaking up for Little Lee, feeling that his friend had gone too far!

"No!"

"This was Little Lee's own request!"

"He can only catch up to them by putting in a hundred, a thousand times more effort than ordinary people!"

Might Guy's expression was calm, but his words were deeply stirring!