"So, it's round two, huh?" Guy grinned mischievously, his voice brimming with excitement and pride. Ever since yesterday, he couldn't stop marveling at his new, spirited students.
Rock Lee, Neji, Tenten. A team practically tailor-made for a Jōnin like Konoha's Blazing Green Beast. They stood tall, looking him straight in the eye, ready for another fight—even though they had already passed their final Genin trial under his guidance. But even so…
They wouldn't rest until they had truly given it their all.
"Alright then, let's go!" Guy shouted passionately, though this time, he held back from going all out. Instead, he approached Lee and his teammates with a more measured pace, determined to test their skills thoroughly rather than just overwhelming them with sheer force.
A few minutes ago, he had been simulating a battlefield scenario—chaos all around, no time to think, no moment to steady oneself. Too intense? Perhaps. But what would happen if they ever faced an enemy who was both powerful and unpredictable? The answer was obvious…
No.
"Let's try again! Hyūga, cover me if needed and watch Tenten's back. Tenten, use that brain of yours and come up with something. And as for me… I'll hold the line and enjoy the fight!" Rock Lee swiftly strategized, taking a quick yet deliberate step toward Might Guy, who cracked his knuckles in response.
"Giving orders again?" Neji grumbled but, being no fool, he still followed along. In a situation like this, enduring Lee's self-proclaimed leadership was a small price to pay for victory.
"Not now, please," Tenten sighed, feeling the pressure of being assigned the most crucial role—coming up with a solid plan. No wonder she was stressed.
And then, it happened. Might Guy and Rock Lee found themselves facing each other alone. Or at least, it felt that way. That was exactly what they wanted—to believe that in this moment, nothing else mattered. Because between them was something no one else on this training ground could quite understand yet. A legacy.
The air whistled, charged with an almost tangible energy. The aura of taijutsu. The presence of two warriors whose hearts burned with the fire of martial arts—fighters who would never yield, because the path of the martial artist was as vast as space itself, endless and boundless. No beginning, no end—only one's efforts, one's unbreakable will.
This was taijutsu.
And they both understood it. That's why they fought.
Lee and Guy exchanged a nod, blinked, and their fists met. Lee flooded his limbs with chakra, knowing that since Rankyaku was off-limits for sparring, there was no point in conserving energy. At this moment, he was faster and stronger than ever—excluding, of course, those brief moments under the influence of the white pill.
Dust and soil erupted as their fists clashed. For a moment, Lee was taken aback—Guy's knuckles felt like solid steel. It was as if a bulldozer, backed by a stampede of bulls and elephants, was bearing down on him. But Lee refused to back down. Forcing his chakra to surge even faster, he felt his muscles tighten, veins bulging at his temples.
"Not bad, Lee! Few Genin can match your raw strength. But what about agility? Let's put that to the test!" Guy smirked with satisfaction, stepping back before suddenly closing in on Lee again, aiming to repeat his earlier grab-and-throw maneuver.
But no. Not this time! Lee wasn't about to fall for the same trick twice. He was no fool—he had learned his lesson!
As Guy attempted to flip him, Lee twisted mid-air, regaining balance just in time to land on his feet. Without wasting a second, he launched himself forward, aiming a powerful kick at Guy's chin. His opponent was taller, meaning Lee had to either stand on his toes or use sheer momentum to reach him. However, Guy anticipated the move, stepping back while pulling out a handful of shuriken, hurling them toward the calculating Tenten.
But nothing came of it—Neji deflected the projectiles effortlessly, his face as unreadable as ever, Byakugan activated.
"Hurry up. I'm tired of standing around and being useless," Neji stated coolly, glancing at Tenten. She wiped the sweat from her brow—there was a lot riding on her now.
"I know, I know! Just give me a second and stop pressuring me!" she snapped, frustration evident in her voice. Then, suddenly, her eyes lit up. "Wait… I've got it!"
She quickly whispered her plan to Neji, who exhaled but nodded in approval—there was no better alternative. And so, while Lee continued to "dance" around Guy, dodging and adapting to his ever-changing pace, the rest of Team Guy moved into action.
Sweat soaked through Lee's clothes as his body pushed itself to its limit. His hair, once wild, now clung to his forehead, damp with exertion. His eyelashes shimmered, heavy with sweat, perfectly capturing his growing fatigue.
But then—reinforcements arrived!
To Guy's surprise, two identical copies of Lee flanked him from both sides. They looked exactly like him—but they left no footprints on the loose soil. Illusions? A smirk tugged at Guy's lips. When had Lee learned ninjutsu?
Of course, he hadn't.
Guy quickly pieced it together—this wasn't Lee's doing. It was either Neji or Tenten. And then, before he could react, a storm of shuriken rained down on him, courtesy of Tenten, while the real Lee kept circling him, waiting for the perfect opening.
"Now this—this is teamwork! This is the Power of Youth! Hahaha! I'm impressed, but it's time to wrap this up!" Guy laughed heartily, unfazed by the illusionary clones—after all, they couldn't truly attack. And as for Lee… he wasn't quite a threat. Yet.
But what Guy didn't expect was for one of those "clones" to strike.
From the front and the back, two "Lees" lunged at him. Thinking he could pass right through the fake, Guy prepared to dodge—but then, blue chakra ignited around the clone's hands, aimed precisely at his tenketsu points.
A realization hit him.
This wasn't an illusion.
This was Neji, disguised with the Transformation Jutsu!
"Looks like you got me," Guy admitted, his voice calm yet satisfied. In an instant, he vanished from his spot, reappearing beside a breathless Tenten, who had been struggling to maintain the illusion.
With that, Neji dissolved as well—revealing that the "clone" had been a shadow clone all along. The real Neji had flawlessly blended in, using his chakra control to avoid leaving tracks on the disturbed ground, moving as light as air itself.
"And the ninjutsu trick—very clever, Tenten," Guy analyzed, his approval evident.
"Exactly!" she grinned, eyes shining with pride. Her plan had worked, and every member of Team Guy had played their part perfectly.
Lee had stalled for time, holding his own against their formidable sensei, even though Guy had occasionally pushed him hard. Neji had not only defended but had nearly sealed Guy's chakra points. And Tenten—she had orchestrated the entire strategy, ensuring everyone had a role to play.
They had each proven something today.
And they couldn't have been happier.
Neither could their teacher.
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