The conversation continued after Neji Hyuga had left...
"Are we really going to be a good, united team?" Tenten asked into the void, barely holding back a long, weary sigh behind her closed lips.
"Guy-sensei believes in us, and I have no intention of letting him down," Rock replied calmly, rubbing his hands together as he followed the path leading into the academy. He wasn't reckless enough to make a dramatic leap like Neji—no need to risk breaking a bone over theatrics.
"So, there won't be any more conflicts with Hyuga, right?" Tenten hastened after the thick-browed boy, momentarily reaching out to grab the sleeve of his kimono to stop him. But as a wave of sudden embarrassment crashed over her, she hesitated and withdrew her hand.
"Well... I want to beat the arrogance out of him, make him apologize and respect us. Sorry, but with someone like Neji Hyuga, words alone won't cut it. He's too self-centered and prideful. We have to fight—man to man!" Lee declared firmly, his eyes ablaze with determination, making it clear that compromise was out of the question.
"Man to man? So basically, like barbarians and savages, right? Pfft! Typical..." Tenten scoffed, rolling her lovely brown eyes and mocking what she saw as just another cliché of the so-called stronger sex.
"Huh?" Lee raised a thick brow in confusion.
...
As they wandered through the academy halls, painted in warm tones, Rock and Tenten navigated their way through a flood of children of all ages on their fifteen-minute break. Lee found himself smiling as memories of his time in a strict boarding school from his past life surfaced—harsh, disciplined, but occasionally fun. If he were to sum it up, it had been tolerable... enough to eventually die an inglorious, arguably foolish death and wake up in a completely new world, in a completely new body, with completely new surroundings and abilities. A lot of new things, though not all of them for the better.
Ninjutsu. Genjutsu. Cross those out.
Chakra. Taijutsu. Underline.
"Hey, Naruto!"
The moment Lee spotted the hyperactive blond entering the classroom, what did he do next? Take a guess.
He stormed in with a flying kick, of course, greeting his fox-faced friend with flair.
"Lee, you—" Tenten was left speechless, unable to find the right words. Her newly appointed teammate was behaving like an absolute menace, drawing way too much attention for a proper Genin—a real Shinobi, who was supposed to be stealthy by nature!
Then again, with an appearance as distinct as Lee's, being inconspicuous was practically impossible—a fantasy, a fairy tale.
"Oh! Rock! Tenten! Hey!" Uzumaki shot up from his lonely seat, grinning at the sight of his acquaintances at the doorway. He then turned to his classmates, stuck out his tongue mockingly, and boasted with unrestrained glee:
"Ha! What did I tell you, huh? And you guys didn't believe me, bunch of fools! Well, here's your proof!"
Naturally, Lee and Tenten exchanged bewildered glances, completely lost. But as Rock looked around, he noticed numerous pairs of eyes fixed on him—some filled with curiosity, others with admiration and respect.
"Huh? Do I have something on my face? Must be. Is it my charm? My masculinity? My raw strength? Or perhaps... my youth?" Lee asked with a playful smirk, reveling in the sudden wave of popularity. He wasted no time scanning the young kunoichi in the room—girls who, though still growing, promised to blossom into beauties in the future. Among them were pink-haired Sakura, blonde Ino, and dark-haired Hinata.
"You sure talk a lot for someone who called Neji Hyuga arrogant. Mmm, what's that saying? Something about a pot and a kettle..." Tenten muttered under her breath, wearing a deadpan expression as she awkwardly stood behind her teammate, unsure how to handle the situation.
...
Eventually, Lee and Tenten got their answers from Naruto, who had managed to slip out of his classroom and evade Iruka Umino's supervision.
Dressed in his usual blindingly bright orange jumpsuit, the blond explained that Lee's newfound fame among Naruto's classmates wasn't random. It had a reason—a story behind it.
Apparently, just the previous day, when Lee had taken his Genin exam, demonstrating Rankyaku right in front of the Hokage, Might Guy, and the assembled Chunin, students from Naruto's class—who had been training nearby—had seen everything. Not just his use of the Rokushiki technique, but also his unique Taijutsu kata. And, of course, Naruto couldn't pass up the chance to brag. He had proudly revealed that he and Lee were not just acquaintances, but friends.
The problem? Who would believe Naruto Uzumaki—the outcast, the orphan, the kid nobody respected enough to even talk to? Exactly.
"A great reputation is nice and all, but..." Lee leaned his back against the cool hallway wall, scratching his cheek in thought before smiling peacefully and stating, "I don't want a horde of fans. They'd just get in the way of my training."
No joke. Showing off now and then was fine, but only to a point.
Beyond that, unnecessary people would just be a distraction. A few seconds of admiration weren't worth the time that could be spent on training—on getting stronger, on self-improvement. He still had the System, after all.
...
Alright! Tomorrow is Might Guy's evaluation! Hokage banned me from using Rankyaku in sparring, and aside from that, I don't have any other truly unique techniques to secure a win. Just my right hand, right foot, and right stance. But those are just extensions of my Taijutsu. Hmm... I guess it's finally time, ha-ha-ha…
Lee chuckled to himself, standing alone on the training field. Unless, of course, someone was hiding in the bushes.
Not that it mattered. If anyone were to show up, they wouldn't notice anything strange—just a young man in a kimono training under the gentle, whispering evening wind, leaves drifting around him. After all, the System's interface was invisible to everyone but him.
[Name: Rock Lee]
[Shinobi Rank: Genin]
[Health: 100%]
[Stamina: 100%]
[Chakra: 100%]
[Taijutsu Rank: C+]
[Ninjutsu Rank: —]
[Genjutsu Rank: —]
[Inventory]
[Achievements]
[Hellish Training Exercises: 2]
Nothing drastic has changed...
Lee noted, delving further into the System's digital panels.
[Hellish Training Exercises]
[Perform twenty squats with a boulder on your back.]
[Reward: Bronze Chest]
[Perform thirty pull-ups.]
[Reward: Bronze Chest]
"Ha, where should I start?" he mused aloud, knowing full well that his choice was more of an illusion—rewards were random, and the exercises were grueling no matter what. Might as well throw a dart at the board.
Alright, I came here with a plan.
Lee straightened his shoulders and turned his attention to his inventory, pulling out two items—a pristine, snow-white pill and a gleaming kunai with a barely noticeable engraving of a snake. Without hesitation, he sent the kunai flying toward the nearest tree, watching as it embedded itself deep into the bark, handle-first.
Not bad at all. The System wasn't lying about its sharpness.
He thought, his gaze shifting to the small, round pill in his palm—a highly unusual, white Hyōrōgan, rather than the standard black version.
[Hyōrōgan: White. A special-class battle pill that temporarily boosts stamina and chakra without the severe side effects of its black counterpart, which causes extreme exhaustion after use.]
A true treasure—one that would allow him to complete both of the System's exercises in a single go…
P.s: If you're interested, you can read up to chapter 27+ at patreon.com/c/Lucius01
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