Catch up on seven years of training in a single day?
Impossible. Absolutely impossible!
Hiruzen Sarutobi and Guy shot to their feet.
Disbelief was written all over their faces.
If a single day could make up for seven years of grueling training, what was the point of working hard?
Training was a lifelong pursuit. It required steady progress and perseverance.
Catching up to someone in such a short time was utterly unheard of.
"You're giving Zhou Cheng far too much credit!"
Once the shock passed, Hiruzen Sarutobi regained his composure.
"His talent is monstrous, but turning talent into strength takes a great deal of time. It doesn't happen in a day or two!"
"It's still debatable whether his strength has even reached chunin level."
"There's absolutely no way he can defeat Neji!"
A genius who could figure out the Hyuga Clan's secret techniques on his own had already secured his place as the greatest prodigy.
If Zhou Cheng and Neji had started training at the same time, perhaps Neji would have been outshone.
Uzuki Yugao didn't argue. Her eyes simply held unwavering confidence in Zhou Cheng's strength.
Tomorrow would reveal who was stronger.
Guy recovered from his shock as well.
"I know how strong Neji is. He's unquestionably the strongest of his generation."
"Even that Uchiha kid can't match him!"
"As he is now, Zhou Cheng is no match for him!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the two people across his desk and thought to himself.
It might be good for the boy to taste defeat. If I approach him about becoming my student afterward, my chances will be better.
In just two years-no, one year-Zhou Cheng's strength will improve by leaps and bounds.
In a year, he'll definitely be a true chunin.
That's when the Chunin Ninja Exams jointly hosted with the other shinobi villages will begin.
He'll become the face of Konoha's new generation.
Then he looked at Guy, who was competing with him for a student, his expression complicated.
Guy was a shinobi of civilian birth, with little Hiruzen could put to use.
Except for the forbidden technique-the Eight Gates of Life.
But the Eight Gates of Life was also recorded in the Scroll of Seals.
There was no need for Guy to share it.
All Hiruzen Sarutobi could do was stall.
"Guy, let's wait for tomorrow's result before deciding who takes Zhou Cheng as a student!"
Guy hesitated, but nodded in agreement. The man was the Hokage; he couldn't push too hard.
"You're both dismissed!"
The words had barely left his mouth before Uzuki Yugao vanished with the Body Flicker Technique!
Guy stood, opened the door, and walked out.
Once he left the Hokage Building, he couldn't wait to get another look at Zhou Cheng's taijutsu.
He had only leaped across a few rooftops when he spotted a familiar figure.
White hair, a mask, and a forehead protector worn at an angle.
The man was walking along with a copy of Icha Icha Paradise in his hand, reading as he went.
Guy's eyes lit up. A few leaps brought him down in front of the man.
"Yo, Kakashi, my lifelong rival!"
"You're back from your mission!"
Kakashi glanced at Guy a few meters away with his dead-fish eyes, then closed Icha Icha Paradise with a resigned look.
"Guy, it's too late today. If you want a match, wait until tomorrow!"
"I just got back from a mission. I'm exhausted!"
Guy walked over to Kakashi and gave him a thumbs-up.
"Forget about our matches for now. Come meet someone with me!"
"He has an incredible talent for taijutsu. I want to take him as my student!"
With that, he led the way.
"Incredible talent for taijutsu? Better than Rock Lee's?"
Kakashi knew very well that Guy, his close friend and rival, didn't take students lightly.
Both a love of taijutsu and a talent for it were essential.
Curiosity piqued, Kakashi followed him.
Soon, they reached a rooftop not far from Zhou Cheng's home.
In the courtyard, Zhou Cheng and Hinata were still sparring with nothing but taijutsu.
They exchanged blows back and forth, but anyone with a discerning eye could see that Hinata was already losing ground.
"Kakashi, that's the kid!"
A flicker of surprise appeared in Kakashi's dead-fish eyes.
"It's him, that kid from outside the village!"
"I heard he's very talented!"
Kakashi studied Zhou Cheng's taijutsu for a while, then nodded.
"Yes, not bad. He must have been practicing taijutsu since he was little!"
Guy looked at Kakashi and flashed his trademark toothy grin.
His white teeth gleamed even in the darkness.
"One day. It took him just one day to get his taijutsu to this level!"
"Well? Talented, isn't he?"
"This child's youth must be devoted to taijutsu!"
Kakashi's dead-fish eyes went wide. He turned to look at Zhou Cheng and remained speechless for a long time.
"Impossible. One day!"
"I don't believe it!"
Just then, the purple-haired Uzuki Yugao appeared beside them.
"It's true. One day!"
"I was assigned to monitor him. I saw the whole thing!"
"After watching him for this long, I'm certain he's never practiced taijutsu before!"
Kakashi looked at Uzuki Yugao, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"Impossible. Absolutely impossible!"
Uzuki Yugao's expression was complicated as she dropped another bombshell.
"Third-sama recognized his talent and wants to take him as his fourth student!"
"But Zhou Cheng hasn't agreed yet!"
Kakashi nearly turned to stone when he heard that.
The Third Hokage wanted to take him as a student too?
And the kid still hadn't agreed?
Had the world changed while he was away on a mission?
"Tomorrow, he and Neji Hyuga will face off with their reputations as geniuses on the line."
"Who do you think will win?"
Uzuki Yugao put the question to Kakashi, her former colleague in the ANBU.
"Neji Hyuga!"
"Neji's a genius too, and he works hard!"
"He's also trained for several years longer than Zhou Cheng. There's no way to close that gap in a month!"
Kakashi gave the same answer as everyone else.
"I think Zhou Cheng will win!"
"Why?"
Kakashi and Guy spoke in unison.
"A woman's intuition!"
"Uh..."
Soon, it was time to call it a night.
After giving Zhou Cheng some encouragement, Naruto left without a second thought, displaying his utter cluelessness about romance to the fullest.
Zhou Cheng shook his head. After asking Haku to tidy the courtyard, he walked the two girls home.
First was Ino, whose home was closer.
Outside the Yamanaka Flower Shop, Zhou Cheng was saying goodbye to Ino.
But she suddenly caught his arm and planted a quick kiss on his cheek.
Her cheeks flushed scarlet. "That's my encouragement for you. You have to win tomorrow!"
Then she ran inside without looking back.
Hinata was startled by Ino's bold move, and a blush bloomed across her own cheeks.
Then she felt a sour pang in her heart.
Ah, what's wrong with me?
The one I like is Naruto-kun!
So why do I feel this way?
Then they arrived at the Hyuga Clan's gate.
"Zhou Cheng-kun, good luck!"
Unable to quite meet his eyes, she murmured those words and hurried inside.
Zhou Cheng smiled and headed home.
As he walked, he thought to himself.
I've more or less figured out how the Gentle Fist works!
If Neji only uses the Gentle Fist, I'm confident I can beat him.
If he uses secret techniques, I'll have something to worry about!
If he strikes my chakra points, my chances of winning will be slim.
My taijutsu should be about on par with an ordinary chunin's now!
That puts my overall strength at chunin level.
But I still can't let up. Chunin are still cannon fodder!
Becoming a jonin won't be so easy, though!
Even the Five Great Shinobi Villages only have so many jonin!
Compared with the total number of shinobi, the proportion is tiny.
Whom should I choose for my new talent in twenty days?