The days rolled by like a clockwork toy, rushing forward amidst training, sweat, the occasional Ichiraku Ramen, and increasingly familiar banter.
The training ground practically became their base. At the crack of dawn, the footsteps of Rock Lee and Shira would sound on time, followed by Naruto, who looked sleepy but tried hard to keep up.
Morning runs, stretching, basic physical conditioning, and then endless sparring—mainly with Shira and Rock Lee, with Naruto mostly observing from the sidelines, occasionally being pulled in as a "live target" to practice his reflexes, or being dragged by Rock Lee to do those exhausting "basic 500 repetitions" that could make anyone want to vomit.
Shira still maintains her overwhelming dominance over Rock Lee, but it's clear that Rock Lee is improving.
Well, that kind of progress isn't a sudden increase in strength or speed. Rather, it's about understanding combat, seizing opportunities, and optimizing one's own movements.
Rock Lee hadn't suffered any less beatings, and his falls were still as solid as ever, but each time he got up, the confusion and recklessness in his eyes lessened, and the wisdom in his eyes grew stronger.
He began to consciously imitate Shira's concise and efficient way of exerting force, learning how to find openings for counterattacks in a passive situation, and even trying to anticipate some of Shira's habitual movements—although he would misjudge nine out of ten times, resulting in an even worse fall.
"Li, here! Lower your center of gravity a little more, push off the ground suddenly, absolutely no hesitation!"
Shira delivered a powerful but somewhat stiff straight punch to Rock Lee, then hooked his foot, easily disrupting Rock Lee's balance. Before he fell, she reached out and pulled him up, pointing out the problem at the same time.
Hesitation leads to defeat!
Rock Lee, panting, steadied himself, wiped away his sweat, and repeated the phrase with shining eyes, taking it as his new motto.
Naruto, on the other hand, acted as the most loyal spectator and support staff, responsible for handing out water, picking up Shuriken that had been knocked away, or eagerly showing off his newly learned, clumsy side kick during breaks in their sparring.
Or it often prompts Rock Lee to seriously correct her mistakes, making Shira unable to suppress her laughter.
That afternoon, the sun was setting, and the training ground was warm and cozy, with the smell of dust and sweat lingering in the air.
As the day's training drew to a close, all three had reached their physical limits, but their spirits were exceptionally high due to the exhilarating competition.
Shira and Rock Lee had just finished a round of intense offense and defense. Rock Lee had used all his skills, even employing a double kick technique he had just learned and was not yet proficient in.
Although Shira still easily saw through his attacks and took him down, her fighting spirit and increasingly tricky attack angles made Shira start to breathe slightly.
"Not bad, that kick was interesting, but the connection was too stiff."
Shira shook her slightly numb arm—she had just blocked Rock Lee's all-out elbow strike with her arm—and commented.
Rock Lee lay on the ground, his chest heaving violently, sweat soaking into a dark patch on the sandy soil.
He was too exhausted to speak, but he raised his uninjured hand, gave a thumbs-up, grinned, revealing his teeth that were a little yellow from the dust, and smiled.
Naruto squatted down beside him, holding a water bottle, looking at this and then that, his face flushed with a mixture of admiration and eager anticipation.
"Wow, that was amazing! Those moves you made were so fast, I didn't even see them!"
"You'll be able to go that fast Naruto you've mastered the basic footwork."
Shira took the water bottle from Naruto, took a big gulp, and the icy liquid slid down her throat, bringing a brief moment of clarity.
Just as the three were preparing to take a short break and then do some final stretching and relaxation --
At the edge of the training ground, where the woods meet the clearing, came a series of extremely regular, yet strangely heavy "thump... thump... thump..." sounds.
The sound wasn't loud, but it stood out clearly amidst the panting and the evening breeze.
That wasn't footsteps; it sounded more like something rhythmically pounding the ground.
The three of them turned to look in the direction of the sound without prior arrangement.
Against the backdrop of the setting sun, a tall figure appeared in their field of vision in an extremely strange manner.
The man was wearing an exaggeratedly tight green training uniform, the green so intense it seemed to drip with color, making it exceptionally eye-catching in the dim sunlight.
He had his back to them, facing the direction of the woods.
He was neither standing nor sitting!
He's standing upside down!
With his hands on the ground, his arm muscles bulged like the roots of an old tree, brimming with explosive power!
His body was ramrod straight, like a javelin, perpendicular to the ground. And his feet, clad in matching green training shoes, pointed straight up to the sky!
That's not even the most astonishing part. The most astonishing thing is that this upside-down figure is doing push-ups?!
It wasn't even a regular push-up; it was a handstand push-up?
What?
Thump!
My body sank steadily, my forehead almost touching the ground.
Thump!
His arms unleashed terrifying power, pushing his heavy body straight up once more, taut as before.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
One after another.
The rhythm was terrifyingly steady, each rise and fall accompanied by a dull thud, demonstrating the inhuman strength and absolute control over the body contained within that inverted form!
What incredible coordination!
The light of the setting sun shone through the edges of his taut body, giving him a burning golden-red hue, while his equally striking, hedgehog-like black hair shimmered in the backlight.
In this way, in a silent yet highly impactful manner, he was conducting his own unique and unimaginable training on the edge of the training field.
The green figure, the upside-down posture, and the heavy, rhythmic "thump, thump" sounds combined to create a visually and emotionally impactful scene, instantly captivating the attention of the three boys in the room.
Rock Lee suddenly sat up from the ground, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly open, staring at the upside-down green figure as if he had seen some incredible totem that had stepped directly out of his dreams.
Naruto gasped, his mouth agape, nearly dropping his water bottle. His large blue eyes were filled with shock and bewilderment.
What kind of new training method is this? Wow, it looks so cool! But won't you get dizzy upside down?
When Shira saw the iconic green bodysuit, the hairstyle, and especially the handstand push-up posture that exuded absolute power and discipline, her heart felt as if it had been squeezed hard by an invisible hand, and then began to pound wildly, her blood rushing to her head.
Yes, that figure from behind...
The Blue Beast of the Hidden Leaf of Konoha...
Might Guy!
We met again!
Oh dear, it's Friday, 7:13 PM. I just got my phone; I'm staying at school this week.
I need to hand my phone to the teacher before 10 PM. I need to use this limited time to finish writing the manuscript until Sunday, and then continue writing after I get my phone back on Sunday, until next Friday.
So tired QAQ