Tenten blurted out, "It's because my brother makes his own ninja tools at home!"
Tianyu nodded and elaborated, "Yes, I often forge my own weapons and use them in combat. That might be why my strength has improved."
Might Guy listened to their explanation, his expression shifting from surprise to understanding, though a hint of amazement remained.
"I've never heard of blacksmithing increasing physical strength before," he mused.
Then, with a bright smile, he gave Tianyu a big thumbs-up.
"Tianyu, it seems you have a real gift for the ninja path!" His eyes shone with admiration. "I believe you'll become an incredible shinobi one day! Maybe even surpass Kakashi and become the youngest Jonin in Konoha! Hahaha!"
Of course, while praising Tianyu, he didn't forget to encourage Tenten and Rock Lee as well.
"You two must keep up with Tianyu's pace! Don't feel discouraged—you'll both become formidable ninja too!"
"Yes, Sensei Kai!" Tenten and Rock Lee responded in unison, full of determination.
They weren't the type to wallow in self-doubt just because Tianyu had advanced faster. Instead, his progress served as motivation for them to train even harder.
"Yosh! That's the spirit of youth!" Might Guy placed his hands on his hips and laughed heartily. "Now, let's see the results of your training!"
Tianyu's eyes gleamed with anticipation. After all his hard work, he was eager to see how far he had come. Facing an elite Jonin like Might Guy—albeit his shadow clones—would be an invaluable experience.
Tenten asked curiously, "How are we going to test our progress, Sensei?"
Guy's smile turned mysterious. "You'll see!"
With a quick hand seal, a loud "Bang!" echoed through the training ground as three identical clones of Might Guy appeared in a puff of white smoke.
"These are my shadow clones," he explained. "Each one has only one-tenth of my full strength. They will be your opponents for today's training!"
His voice boomed with enthusiasm. "Now, give it your all and try to defeat me!"
---
Chapter 12: Practical Training
Tianyu's excitement grew. After training for so long, he was eager to test his skills in actual combat.
"Alright! Who wants to go first?" Might Guy asked with a grin.
"Me!" Rock Lee immediately stepped forward, his fists punching the air as if warming up. His energy was boundless.
"Excellent! Go for it, Lee!"
"Yes, Sensei! Here I come!" Rock Lee dashed forward with incredible speed.
"Hyaah!" He threw a powerful punch, but the shadow clone dodged effortlessly.
Guy nodded approvingly. "Good strength, but your accuracy needs work. Keep going, Lee!"
"You dodged?! Try this!" Rock Lee showed no signs of discouragement. He spun and delivered a sharp kick.
"Let's see how much I've improved, Sensei!" he shouted, unleashing a flurry of rapid strikes.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Punches rained down like a storm, but to Might Guy's trained eye, they were easy to evade. He moved effortlessly, dodging each strike with minimal effort.
"Huff… Huff…" After over a dozen attacks, Lee was out of breath. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and panted, "Phew… Sensei Kai, you're incredible!"
Despite his relentless assault, he hadn't even managed to graze his teacher's shadow clone.
"Lee, I understand your current level now," the shadow clone said casually. In the blink of an eye, Guy's figure blurred.
"W-What?!" Lee's eyes widened as Guy seemingly vanished.
Before he could react, the Jonin reappeared behind him, legs bent low.
"Boom!" With a simple stomp, a shockwave erupted from the ground, shaking the entire training ground. Waves of dust and earth rippled outward.
Lee, caught off guard, was blasted away by the force, tumbling across the ground.
The battle was over before he could even react!
In less than three seconds, the fight had ended.
Had Might Guy actually attacked directly, Lee wouldn't have stood a chance. The power difference was overwhelming.
Tianyu, watching from the sidelines, was equally awestruck.
Is this the power of pure Taijutsu?
This is the strength of an elite Jonin from Konoha?!
It was beyond impressive.
With another "Bang!" the shadow clone dispersed. The real Might Guy walked over and helped Lee to his feet. "Lee, you have great potential in Taijutsu. Your training results are impressive!"
He patted Lee's shoulder reassuringly. "You're all still young. You haven't even officially become Genin yet. But you've done well! Keep training! Remember, hard work can surpass natural talent!"
Despite his temporary defeat, Lee quickly regained his usual fiery determination. "Yes, Sensei Kai! I'll train even harder!"
Guy smiled, pleased. This boy truly has an unshakable spirit.
"Alright, who's next?" he asked.
"Me, me, me!" Tenten eagerly jumped forward before Tianyu could respond.
She immediately launched into battle against another of Guy's clones.
Tenten's combat style relied heavily on ninja tools and precision. She rapidly hurled kunai, shuriken, and senbon with expert aim. Her weapons rained down in a relentless barrage.
Rock Lee, watching from the side, was amazed. "Whoa! She's using so many ninja tools! That's incredible!"
It was a stark contrast to his purely hand-to-hand combat approach.
So this is how ninja from major clans fight… Lee thought, slightly envious. They have such an advantage with all these resources!
However, despite her overwhelming barrage of projectiles, Tenten's strategy had a flaw—her attacks were too predictable.
Might Guy's shadow clone weaved through her relentless assault, dodging effortlessly. Though her ranged attacks were impressive, she lacked the versatility to break through the Jonin's defenses.
The battle continued, but the outcome was clear.
Tianyu watched intently, taking in every detail.
My turn is coming soon… I need to be ready!
---
The training had only just begun, but already, each of them was learning valuable lessons. Their journey as future Konoha ninja was just getting started.