Neji's Strength

"Amazing! He really is a genius!" Rock Lee stared at the fallen wild boar, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit.

"Lee, you've still got a long way to go before you catch up to Neji!" Might Guy said.

"Teacher Guy, I'll work harder! I'm increasing today's training by a third!" Rock Lee's enthusiasm hadn't dimmed in the slightest.

"Lee!"

"Teacher Guy!"

Watching the two embrace yet again, Neji didn't know what to feel.

Neji sighed helplessly. What did I do to deserve being on a team with these two oddballs?

Working with those two could be exhausting, but at least the wild boar capture mission had ended successfully.

They reached the blocked river. Might Guy studied the mud and fallen rocks damming it, rubbing his chin in thought.

Beside him, Neji frowned almost imperceptibly at the river, blocked as thoroughly as if by a dam.

"It's blocked so badly we'd need a professional crew to clear it!" Tenten said, looking troubled.

"Teacher Guy, leave it to me! My youthful spirit can't wait to get moving!" Rock Lee declared.

"Neji, do you have a way?" Might Guy asked, studying him.

Neji thought for a moment. "Teacher Guy, I can handle it."

Might Guy smiled. "Neji, you really are a genius."

"Teacher Guy, this is nothing. Your rival, Jonin Kakashi, is the real genius. He was already a village Jonin at my age. What I can do is nothing compared to that." Neji shook his head.

"What?" Tenten stared in shock. "He became a Jonin at Neji's age? You mean he was a Jonin at twelve?"

"So that's what a real genius is?" Rock Lee clenched his fists, his face brimming with determination.

"Kakashi..." Might Guy murmured his name, briefly lost in memory. "He certainly is a real genius, but don't sell yourself short, Neji. Kakashi became a Jonin at twelve largely because we were at war. With your talent, I believe you'll become a Jonin within three years."

"Who can say, Teacher Guy?" Neji smiled and stepped straight onto the river.

"Just as I thought." Seeing Neji walk across the water as easily as solid ground, Might Guy nodded.

Born into the Hyuga Clan, Neji had no need for Might Guy to teach him Chakra control. And Might Guy suspected that was only the beginning of what he could do.

Might Guy turned to Tenten and Rock Lee. "See what Neji did? That's your training assignment: walking on water!"

He skipped tree climbing altogether. If they could walk on water, they could climb trees.

"Yes, Teacher Guy!" the two answered together.

Out on the river, Neji activated his Byakugan. He planned to use a secret technique of the Gentle Fist to shatter the obstruction.

"Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!"

Neji approached the dam-like blockage and thrust his palm forward.

In an instant, he gathered a vast amount of Chakra into his palm, compressed the surrounding air with it, and fired the result like an air cannon.

Boom!

A thick column of water shot skyward, then fell as a downpour over the area.

From the riverbank, the three saw Neji fire a streak of blue light at the blockage. A gap exploded open where it struck.

Neji took a deep breath and gathered even more Chakra in his palm.

A massive amount of Chakra now enveloped his entire arm.

"Sky-Breaking Palm!"

With a low shout, Neji struck, sending streaks of blue light hurtling forward.

He had compressed Chakra and air into a barrage of air cannons, drawing in part on the principles of the Rasengan.

Boom...

In an instant, the river ahead exploded. Neji's strike had blasted the blockage apart.

"Neji..." Tenten's mouth fell open. She had known he was strong, but never imagined he was this strong.

"So this is a genius's strength? Teacher Guy, I'll have to work even harder to keep up with Neji!" Rock Lee stared at him in the river, his determination undiminished.

"That technique..." A master of Taijutsu, Might Guy could see something of how it worked. "Is it a variation of the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm he used just now?"

An ordinary Chunin probably couldn't withstand even one hit. What an outstanding ninja, Might Guy thought.

It's a shame I practice the Strong Fist Style, while Neji has his family's own techniques. I'm afraid there isn't much I can teach him. He regretted that, as Neji's teacher, he had so little to offer such a gifted student.

"Teacher Guy, it's done." Neji returned to the bank with a Body Flicker Technique.

"All right!" Might Guy raised a thumb, his teeth flashing in a grin. "That's enough for today. We won't take a mission tomorrow. I'll work with you on your Taijutsu instead."

He turned to Tenten. "Tenten, even though you're a girl, you still need to master Taijutsu. You can't become a ninja as powerful as Lady Tsunade without a strong body."

"Lee, the same goes for you. If you want to catch up to a genius, you'll have to work even harder!" He looked at Rock Lee.

"Teacher Guy! I'll work twice as hard!" Rock Lee's fighting spirit burned as fiercely as ever.

Finally, Might Guy turned to Neji. "Neji, you've already found your own path. There isn't much I can teach you about Taijutsu, but I can share some of my combat experience."

"Thank you, Teacher Guy!" Neji said sincerely.

Might Guy waved it off. "Teaching a genius like you is something I could only wish for. Besides, it's my duty as your teacher and the Jonin leading this team."

"Teacher Guy!" Rock Lee was already crying tears of gratitude.

Might Guy suddenly burst out laughing. "Come on! To celebrate the formation of Team 3, we're going to Yakiniku Q!"

With a sweep of his hand, Might Guy led the three toward Konoha's most famous barbecue restaurant.

"Hey, Kakashi!" Might Guy stopped and waved to someone on the street.

The man had silver hair, a Jonin vest, and a black mask. He had pulled his Forehead Protector down to cover one eye, and looked utterly listless.

With one hand in his pocket and a small book in the other, the silver-haired man strolled down the busy street, reading as though no one else existed.

"Guy," Kakashi replied, glancing up.

"This is Kakashi, the genius who became a Jonin at twelve—and my lifelong rival!" Might Guy enthusiastically introduced him to the three.

Neji took the cue and greeted him politely. "Hello, Kakashi."

"Hello, Kakashi!" Tenten and Rock Lee echoed.

"Hey, hello." Kakashi freed a hand and waved.

"Where are your students, Kakashi?" Might Guy asked, looking around for them.

"Oh, them? They didn't pass my test, so I sent them all back to the Ninja Academy." Kakashi sounded unconcerned.