Naruto: Martial God Art

"Hiss…" Seeing this scene, Uchiha Sasuke couldn't help but take a sharp breath in shock.

Though he had already expected Lee's strength to be impressive, he hadn't imagined it would be this overwhelming. Lee had just dodged Naruto's surprise attack and sent him spinning with one light move. The ease with which Lee handled Naruto far exceeded Sasuke's expectations.

Sasuke knew that while he himself was stronger than Naruto, he couldn't have taken him down with such little effort, especially during a sneak attack. For Lee to have brushed Naruto off like that so easily—it was hard to believe.

"This… how is this possible? How could he be so strong?" The girl with pink hair, Haruno Sakura, stared at Lee in shock.

As Naruto's teammate, she knew how hard Naruto trained and how quickly he was improving. Even though Naruto was behind Sasuke in skill, he was no pushover. Yet, Lee had just dismissed him as if it was nothing. Could this "weird" guy be even stronger than her idol, Sasuke? She couldn't believe it.

Nearby, Naruto's young admirer Konohamaru and the other children looked equally stunned. Konohamaru especially, who usually idolized Naruto, had never seen him defeated so easily.

After spinning around for what seemed like ages, Naruto finally stopped, landing on the ground in a daze. But true to his boundless energy, he sprang right back up, clenching his fists as he glared at Lee. Without a second thought, he charged at Lee once more.

Lee sidestepped effortlessly, avoiding the punch. "Give up. You're too weak," he said calmly.

"You…" Naruto stopped, frustration plain on his face as he stared at Lee. He had realized it, too. No matter how hard he tried, Lee was far beyond his level right now.

Still, Lee smiled warmly at him. "You have a lot of potential. Don't be discouraged. One day, when you're stronger, come find me and challenge me again."

Naruto blinked in surprise, feeling both insulted and strangely encouraged. "One day, I'll beat you," he said, a fierce determination lighting up his eyes.

Lee admired that determination. "He's got the spirit," Lee thought, noticing how Naruto's unbreakable will reminded him of the drive he'd seen in himself before. "Train hard," he said aloud. "I'll be waiting."

Suddenly, Sasuke stepped forward, his gaze focused on Lee. "Rock Lee, you're planning on taking the Chūnin Exams?"

Lee turned to him, nodding. "Of course. I missed the last Chūnin Exam, so I can't let this one slip by."

Sasuke's face shifted. "You missed the last Chūnin Exam… Does that mean you already had the ability to compete six months ago?"

Lee shook his head with a slight smile. "Not exactly. There was another reason. Anyway, you shouldn't feel bad. I graduated the year before you did, so I've had extra time to train."

Sasuke's expression hardened. "I don't feel inferior to anyone." His eyes narrowed with determination. "And you'll see soon enough what the Sharingan can do."

Lee raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Good. I hope the Sharingan lives up to its reputation," he replied with a slight smile. "I'd hate to be disappointed."

Sasuke's face was serious. "The Uchiha clan built its reputation on the battlefield," he said, his voice calm but intense. "You'll find out the truth behind that reputation soon enough."

Lee nodded. "Then I'll see you in the Chūnin Exams," he said. He glanced at the pink-haired girl beside Naruto. "And you… what's your name?"

The girl blinked in surprise. "M-Me? I'm Haruno Sakura."

Lee looked her over with a faint frown. "You're too weak. If you're serious about supporting them, you'd better train hard, or you'll hold them back in the field."

Sakura flushed with embarrassment and anger, unable to respond.

Naruto stepped in defensively. "I'll protect Sakura! So you don't need to worry about that."

Lee looked at him with a smirk. "And who's going to protect you, Naruto?" he replied, turning to walk away. Naruto and Sakura exchanged irritated glances but had no response as Lee walked off calmly.

"Sasuke, where are you going?" Sakura called after him as Sasuke began to walk away as well.

"I'm going to train," Sasuke replied without looking back. "I need to get stronger." His voice was determined, and his fists clenched as he disappeared down the road.

"I'm going too!" Naruto yelled, following after him. "I'm gonna get strong enough to beat that guy, believe it!"

Sakura watched them both go, a feeling of determination lighting up inside her. She clenched her fists, feeling a newfound resolve. "I'll get stronger too… I don't want to be left behind," she whispered to herself.

When Lee returned to his training spot, he was greeted by an impatient Tenten, who crossed her arms and gave him a stern look.

"Lee, where have you been? Guy-sensei has been looking for you everywhere!" she scolded him.

Lee looked back, surprised. "Really? What does Guy-sensei need me for?"

Just then, a tall figure appeared behind him without a sound.

"Lee."

Lee turned sharply to find himself face-to-face with Might Guy. His teacher's expression was serious, and Lee realized with surprise that Guy-sensei had appeared using the Body Flicker Technique, a skill he'd rarely shown before.

"Guy-sensei," Lee said, bowing respectfully.

"Come with me, Lee," Might Guy said in a deep voice. "The Chūnin Exams are coming up soon. Tenten and Neji are almost fully prepared, but you still have something left to master."

"Something to master?" Lee asked, looking at his teacher with wide eyes.

"Yes," Guy replied. "The front Lotus."