Originally, under the gaze of Sasuke's dual-tomoe Sharingan, Lee's originally lightning-fast movements were almost completely exposed, easily captured and predicted.
But at this moment, Lee seemed to have broken through some kind of limit; his speed surged once again, becoming so fast that even Sasuke's Sharingan found it slightly strenuous to keep up, making it somewhat difficult to track.
"Now!" Lee shouted inwardly, keenly seizing the moment when Sasuke momentarily slowed under the pressure of speed.
With a flicker of his body, he charged forward like a runaway horse, a punch carrying the full force of his body hurtling straight toward Sasuke's chest with a howling wind.
The ferocity of this strike was so immense that even Naruto, Sakura, and the others watching from a distance could clearly feel its power as it cut through the air.
Meanwhile, Tenten, Lee's teammate, breathed a sigh of relief and a relaxed smile appeared on her face.
"It's over. Aside from you, Neji, there probably isn't anyone among this year's examinees who can take one of Lee's full-power strikes."
She spoke lightly with an almost certain tone, her words filled with pride in her teammate's strength.
Neji merely shook his head gently upon hearing this, not directly responding, his gaze remaining firmly locked on the battle.
"Sasuke!" Sakura called out worriedly, unconsciously clutching the hem of her shirt.
But just then, an unexpected reversal occurred. A mysterious smile suddenly appeared on Sasuke's face. Without moving his body, he suddenly threw a punch toward the direction of Lee's strike, as if he had predicted it in advance.
"Bang!" A loud sound erupted across the empty training ground, dust flying as both figures staggered back several steps before regaining their footing.
"What power," Sasuke clicked his tongue in admiration. The green jumpsuit-wearing youth before him, despite his eccentric personality, possessed remarkably formidable taijutsu that he had to take seriously.
A rare look of seriousness and excitement flashed in Sasuke's eyes; he felt a long-missed sense of challenge and thrill.
On the other side, Lee's expression was one of profound surprise. His taijutsu, which he had always taken pride in, had been blocked so easily before this Uchiha youth.
In that moment, complex emotions churned within Lee.
Having no significant talent aside from taijutsu, he had poured all his energy and sweat into it, earning the strength and speed he had today.
Yet Sasuke before him, recognized by all as a prodigy, possessed not only deep ninjutsu mastery but also such exceptional taijutsu. This made Lee's conviction waver slightly.
"Is this the gap between genius and hard work?" Lee pondered silently, but then an even firmer fighting spirit ignited in his chest.
"No. I will prove with my own efforts that hard work is never inferior to any talent!"
With that resolve, Lee charged forward once more, engaging in even fiercer combat with Sasuke.
Fists whistled, legs crossed, their figures moved rapidly, leaving the onlookers breathless.
Sasuke, relying on his agile movements, moved fluidly within Lee's fierce assault, exchanging blow for blow, yet inwardly he breathed a sigh of relief.
"That was close. Good thing I underwent Vice Admiral Garp's training, otherwise I might have really been done for today."
Sasuke thought with relief. In the original story, he had indeed experienced his first embarrassing defeat here, but he was no longer the boy who simply relied on talent.
"Whoa, Sasuke really is a genius! His taijutsu is this strong too?"
Tenten watched Sasuke, who was holding his own against Lee, her eyes filled with shock. She had never seen such a well-rounded shinobi; Sasuke's strength far exceeded her imagination.
Neji's expression also grew serious. Though he remained confident, believing himself to be the strongest, he had to admit Sasuke's strength was not to be underestimated.
And Sasuke, while his dual-tomoe Sharingan strained slightly to track Lee's near-teleporting speed, combined with the Observation Haki and Armament Haki he had initially mastered during Garp's training, found himself navigating Lee's assault with ease, even gradually gaining the upper hand.
This power was forged through countless struggles on the edge of life and death, a priceless asset that no innate talent could replace.
"Sasuke, you truly are a genius!" Lee's voice rang out.
Yet in Lee's heart, it was precisely such a genius he sought to surpass and defeat.
His expression instantly grew grave; he resolved to use a forbidden technique that should not be easily invoked.
Though reason told him to follow his teacher's instructions, in that moment, Lee's fervor clouded his judgment, casting all warnings aside.
Seeing this, Sasuke could not help but feel a mix of surprise and excitement.
He keenly sensed a drastic shift in Lee's aura, like a beast about to awaken.
Sasuke thought to himself: if Lee's next move was truly that powerful, he might have no choice but to use *that* technique ahead of schedule.
"I was hoping to save it for the finals…" Sasuke's voice carried a faint, barely perceptible note of regret.
Just as Lee slowly began unwinding the bandages wrapped around his body, his aura reaching its peak, a broad hand suddenly landed on his shoulder, halting everything.
"Alright, Lee. Stop here." The newcomer's voice was steady and powerful: Might Guy.
Gazing at Guy's stern face, the fervor in Lee's heart gradually subsided, replaced by deep introspection.
"I acted rashly, Guy Sensei," he said quietly, his tone sincere.
Then Lee turned to Sasuke, his eyes resolute. "Sasuke, I'll see you in the tournament. I'll challenge you again, stronger than before!"
Nearby, Naruto watched this scene and couldn't help shouting, "Whoa, another guy in a green jumpsuit! So weird!"
At that moment, Guy suddenly turned to Sasuke, giving him a big thumbs-up, his teeth glinting in the sunlight. "Yo, young man! No wonder you're Kakashi's student. Your skills are truly impressive!"
Sasuke blinked in surprise, his gaze meeting Kakashi's, who had just walked over.
"Kakashi! Let's have a heated match!" Guy's enthusiasm was undiminished as he called out excitedly.
"I refuse," Kakashi replied curtly, but his gaze lingered on Sasuke for a moment, a hint of subtle contemplation in his eyes.
Kakashi knew that Sasuke's growth rate had far exceeded his expectations. The prowess he displayed, especially in taijutsu, forced him to reevaluate his student.
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