"Leaf Great Whirlwind!"
Seeing it was Rock Lee, Hoshigaki Kisame's eyes widened in shock. How had this kid's speed increased so much?
*Bang!*
Rock Lee's incredibly fast kick was blocked by Hoshigaki Kisame raising his hand. He retreated slightly, then shook his arm and said, "Can you put more power into it?"
"First Gate, Open!"
Seeing his comrade trapped by the enemy, Rock Lee immediately unleashed his strongest taijutsu, the Eight Inner Gates.
"Front Lotus!"
However, only the first stage, Shadow Dance, was easily blocked by Hoshigaki Kisame, preventing the subsequent Front Lotus from being executed.
"Second Gate, Gate of Rest, Third Gate, Gate of Life, Open!"
Opening two more gates consecutively, Rock Lee's speed and strength increased another level. His body began to flush, and a faint green energy started to leak from his skin.
Sensing the further improvement in Rock Lee's strength, Hoshigaki Kisame also moved his wrist and became slightly more serious.
The sound of fists colliding with fists and legs with legs echoed across the plaza. The speed of both fighters was so immense that Neji, who was looking for an opportunity, found himself unable to intervene.
In just one second, they exchanged several blows. Initially, they were evenly matched, but as time went on, Hoshigaki Kisame seemed to adapt to Rock Lee's rhythm and gradually gained the upper hand.
*Bang!* Rock Lee was repelled by a punch, his body crashing through a wall. As he got up to re-engage, Neji intercepted him.
"Lee, I'll hold him off. You go save Tenten first."
Tenten, trapped in the Water Prison, had a grim expression, facing the constant danger of drowning.
"Heh, a good thought, but can you do it? Hidden Mist Jutsu!"
A large patch of mist suddenly appeared. In the blink of an eye, Hoshigaki Kisame and Tenten vanished from their sight. Grayish-white mist enveloped the plaza.
"Byakugan! Be careful, at forty-five degrees to the right."
Neji, utilizing his Byakugan's advantage, could easily discern Hoshigaki Kisame's position. However, he had to call out to warn Rock Lee, which gave Hoshigaki Kisame an opening.
With Neji's warning, Rock Lee kicked to the right without looking. His foot met Hoshigaki Kisame, who was hidden in the mist. They began to fight again.
"Tch, the Byakugan is such a nuisance."
Seizing the opportunity while Rock Lee engaged Hoshigaki Kisame, Neji rushed towards Tenten, chakra already gathered in his palm.
*Bang!*
Because he couldn't take his hand off the water to perform the Water Prison Jutsu, Hoshigaki Kisame's water clone took a direct hit from the Gentle Fist. It dissolved into a pool of water and seeped into the ground. The Water Prison was broken, and Tenten finally got to breathe air.
"Cough... I almost thought I was going to die... Neji, be careful!"
Just as Neji broke the water clone and hadn't yet retracted his hand, another hand emerged from the mist, and a cold, sharp voice reached their ears.
"You didn't think I'd only made one water clone, did you?"
Damn it!
Neji realized he had fallen into a trap. He instinctively brought his unretracted hand into the stance for the Rotation, but it seemed too late. The Water Prison Jutsu was completed a step ahead, and Neji was trapped, unable to struggle.
Tenten, nearby, wanted to help, but due to prolonged oxygen deprivation, her body was still weak. Hoshigaki Kisame delivered a swift kick, knocking her unconscious.
"Now then, what will your disciples do? Mr. Might Guy of the Leaf."
...
Meanwhile.
"It's no use. If this is all the strength you have, then I can only apologize."
Even without unleashing his full arm strength, Hoshigaki Kisame, using the Hidden Mist Jutsu, was suppressing Rock Lee, who had unlocked his weights and opened three gates. His exquisite taijutsu and years of combat experience allowed him to see through every move Rock Lee made, leaving him with no choice but to be on the defensive.
*Bang bang bang!*
The sound of punches filled the air, followed by a figure crashing into the ground, sending debris scattering. Rock Lee, covered in wounds, struggled to his feet. His momentum had significantly diminished. He hadn't yet mastered the Eight Inner Gates, and he had only experimented with gates beyond the third.
Rock Lee clenched the bandages in his hand, recalling Might Guy's words.
"Lee, with your current physical condition, you can at most bear the burden of the first three gates. Forcibly opening beyond the third gate will cause irreparable damage to your body. Remember this."
Rock Lee closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his gaze was resolute. "I'm sorry, Guy-sensei, but I must gain more power to defeat this strong enemy. I will prove to everyone that persistent effort can also surpass genius!"
"Fourth Gate, Gate of Pain, Open!"
*Whoosh!*
A powerful gust of air surged outwards again from Rock Lee. The green energy surrounding his body became more pronounced. Rock Lee's aura surged again, but his expression contorted. Damage began to appear on his body, as if he were enduring immense pain.
*Boom!*
The ground where Rock Lee stood collapsed. He reappeared in mid-air, kicking towards Hoshigaki Kisame.
"Faster again, this kid..."
Hoshigaki Kisame's eyes changed. He hastily raised his arm to block, but the force of the blow sent him flying back dozens of meters, leaving a long gouge in the ground before he could dissipate the momentum.
However, he had no time to catch his breath. Rock Lee's figure followed, delivering another heavy punch that sent him flying.
"Reverse Lotus!"
Taking advantage of Hoshigaki Kisame being temporarily knocked away, Rock Lee, enduring the intense pain, unleashed a series of supersonic punches to Hoshigaki Kisame's chest. But that wasn't enough. Rock Lee knew he couldn't last much longer. The bandages on his hands unraveled and wrapped around Hoshigaki Kisame's falling body. Gathering all his strength, he delivered a powerful punch to his abdomen.
*Boom!*
Like a meteor striking the earth, the ground instantly cracked and fractured outwards in an elliptical shape. Hoshigaki Kisame's body was embedded in the ground in the center, his clothes tattered, his life uncertain.
After delivering the punch, Rock Lee slumped to the ground like a deflated balloon. His body had sustained injuries of varying degrees, and he occasionally twitched, a lingering side effect of opening the gates.
"Guy-sensei was right, the after-effects of the Eight Inner Gates are truly painful. But thankfully..."
"So this is called the Eight Inner Gates? Kid with the melon head, you are quite good. You're worthy of me knowing your name."
*Crack.*
Stones fell as Hoshigaki Kisame, who had been buried in the ground, flipped over and jumped up. He casually brushed the debris off his clothes, glanced at his exposed abdominal muscles, and grinned, "To actually break my defense, kid, what's your name?"
Damn it, that punch really hurt. I think I've got internal injuries. I'll definitely need to claim medical expenses when I get back!
However, Rock Lee was in too much pain to speak and could only express his shock with astonished eyes.
"Reached your limit? Then your companions are in trouble."
The surrounding mist had already dissipated. Hoshigaki Kisame pointed at Neji, still trapped in the Water Prison, and showed a ferocious grin.
"Neji! Tenten!"
Seeing his teammates still in the enemy's hands, Rock Lee struggled to stand up, but his body wouldn't obey. Even his thoughts began to stagnate, his eyelids growing heavier, his body forcibly entering a state of dormancy.
"Yo, look, someone's about to pass out."
Rock Lee turned his head. Neji's struggling figure, on the verge of drowning, filled his vision. Neji, desperately struggling in the water, seemed to be reaching for a last hope. Rock Lee's pupils suddenly constricted...
On the spectator stands, Kakashi, after seeing Rock Lee open the Gate of Pain, couldn't help but question Might Guy, "Guy, didn't you warn Rock Lee about the after-effects of opening the Eight Inner Gates? At his current physical condition, even opening the first three gates would cause damage, let alone beyond that."
Might Guy stared intently at the big screen, not even turning his head when Kakashi spoke.
"As a teacher, of course, I cautioned my students. Rock Lee is my most proud student. Every time I see him, I feel like I'm seeing myself from back then."
"Then why did he..." Kakashi knew that Might Guy treated Rock Lee like his own son, and it was precisely for this reason that Kakashi was confused.
Considering the battle so far, Rock Lee would be resting for at least two months, and in a severe case, he might not even be able to be a ninja. Forcibly opening the Eight Inner Gates had very serious consequences.
Might Guy didn't reply. Suddenly, the scene displayed on the big screen caused an uproar in the audience.
Tears welled up in Might Guy's eyes, and his voice trembled, "Because I also told Rock Lee not to let his youth be filled with regrets. No regrets in youth!"
"Go for it, Lee!"
...
"Fifth Gate, Gate of View, Open!"
A gust of wind swept through the plaza again. The green energy entwining his body was like armor. Even as his face contorted and he gritted his teeth, enduring unimaginable pain, Rock Lee still raised his hands into a standard fighting stance and said,
"My name is Rock Lee!"
A young boy who firmly believed that with enough effort, he could still become an excellent ninja.