I couldn't miss this moment—I had to meet him.
Catching my breath, I headed toward him.
Guy stood with his head held high, a radiant smile on his face. He seemed to glow with boundless energy, as if this race had been nothing more than a warm-up.
I stepped closer and swallowed before speaking:
— Hey… you're Might Guy, right? — I asked.
Guy spun around sharply, his eyes gleaming, and his smile widening into a dazzling grin.
— THAT'S RIGHT! — he declared loudly, pounding his fist against his chest. — ARE YOU CHALLENGING ME?!
I blinked in confusion.
— Um… actually, I just wanted to meet you. You were running incredibly fast. How did you do that?
Guy smirked, clasped his hands behind his back, and nodded.
— IT'S SIMPLE! I BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF YOUTH!
I blinked again, trying to process his response.
— The power of what…?
Guy thrust his fist into the air, his eyes blazing with enthusiasm.
— THE POWER OF YOUTH! — he repeated so loudly that a few students nearby winced in annoyance.
— Uh… right, — I muttered. Though I had seen this in anime and it felt natural there, hearing it in real life was disorienting.
Guy, however, seemed oblivious to my confusion. Suddenly, he stepped closer, clenching his fist.
— You ran well! Especially at the end! I even thought you were going to catch up to me!
I blinked in surprise.
— Well… I used chakra to speed up, — I admitted.
Guy raised a finger.
— Now that's the right mindset! The most important thing is will and determination!
I pondered for a moment.
— Are you always this… energetic?
Guy's smile grew even wider.
— Of course! Every day is an opportunity to get better! I train from dawn to dusk—and sometimes even at night!
I whistled.
— No wonder you're so fast…
Suddenly, Guy clapped me on the shoulder so hard that I almost lost my balance.
— HEY, how about we train together?!
I raised an eyebrow.
— Together?
— Yeah! I was just about to go for an evening run… and then FIVE HUNDRED PUSH-UPS!
I nearly choked on air.
— Five hundred?!
— Yep! But if you want, we can start with three hundred!
I sighed. It seemed I had just gotten myself into something crazy…
Guy was looking at me with excitement, waiting for my answer. I had a feeling that even if I refused, he would somehow drag me into his training anyway.
— Well… — I glanced at the other students, who were already starting to disperse. — Why not?
— THAT'S THE SPIRIT! — Guy clapped me on the shoulder again, but this time I was ready.
I couldn't help but smile. His energy was contagious.
— By the way, what's your name? — he asked, tilting his head.
— Oh, right. I'm Kotetsu Hagane, — I said, extending my hand.
Guy froze for a second, then firmly grasped my hand with both of his.
At that moment, Takeshi clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention.
— Alright, no slacking! Ten minutes of rest, then we move on to the next challenge.
I decided to meditate to recover faster.
Ten minutes passed.
During this time, all the students managed to reach the finish line, catch their breath, and regain their strength. Some sat on the grass, stretching tiredly, while others eagerly discussed the race and shared their impressions. The chunin recorded results, and Takeshi was jotting things down in his journal, occasionally glancing at us.
— Alright, — Takeshi's voice caught our attention again, — the first stage is complete. Now we move on to the next challenge.
The crowd stirred as students began standing up, preparing for what was next.
— The next stage is the obstacle course. It will test your agility, reaction speed, and coordination, — Takeshi gestured toward the training area.
I looked over.
The obstacle course was impressive: wooden barriers of varying heights, balance beams, ropes to climb across, water pits, jumping platforms, and even nets to crawl under. The entire setup stretched across several dozen meters, forming a tough but passable route.
— Your task is to complete the course as quickly as possible. Your time will be recorded, and mistakes will be counted. Each fall or improperly cleared obstacle results in a penalty, — Takeshi surveyed us before adding, — Follow the instructors' directions carefully.
The chunin began assigning students to their starting positions, rearranging us into new groups.
I ended up in the same group as that Inuzuka guy, who scoffed in irritation upon seeing me again. He was clearly still upset about losing the race. Also in our group was a quiet Aburame clan member wearing dark glasses, along with two other regular students.
I glanced over at Guy. He was in another group, standing with his arms crossed and a broad smile on his face. I was certain he would put on an amazing performance.
— Get ready! — one of the chunin commanded.
I took a deep breath, focusing.
— On your marks…
Everyone leaned forward, eyes locked on the course ahead.
— Get set…
My muscles tensed as I mentally calculated my first moves.
— Go!
I launched forward, racing toward the first obstacle.
In front of me loomed a two-meter wooden barrier. I gathered my strength, pushed off the ground, and soared upward, grabbing the top edge. With a strong pull, I swung my legs over and landed on the other side.
Without missing a beat, I sprinted toward the next challenge—a series of narrow beams that required careful balance.
I hopped onto the first beam and began moving forward, keeping my balance steady. The surface wobbled slightly under my feet, but I remained focused. Behind me, I heard someone land heavily after jumping off the barrier. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Inuzuka closing the gap, swiftly maneuvering across the beams, his dog leaping over obstacles beside him.
Reaching the end of the beams, I took a final leap, rolled upon landing, and dashed toward the next challenge—ropes suspended in the air. I had to grab onto one and swing my way across to the opposite platform.
I jumped, grabbed a rope, and started pulling myself forward, feeling my arms strain from the effort. Ahead, someone lost their grip and plunged into the water with a loud splash, earning a penalty.
I had no intention of falling. With one last burst of strength, I swung my legs onto the platform and barely managed to stay upright before sprinting onward.
Next up was a net that required crawling beneath it. I dropped to the ground and began moving forward, careful not to get caught.
From a distance, I heard Guy cheering loudly:
— COME ON! THE POWER OF YOUTH IS WITH YOU! NEVER GIVE UP!
I couldn't help but smile.
Only one obstacle remained—the jumping platforms. Three tall pedestals that had to be cleared without touching the ground.
I leaped onto the first one, then quickly pushed off toward the second. Mid-air, I felt my balance slipping, but I adjusted in time, landing on the third and launching into a final sprint toward the finish.
I crossed the line!
Collapsing onto my knees, I gasped for breath. Around me, other students finished as well. The chunin recorded our times, while some participants excitedly shouted out their results.