The mention of building a dedicated base sent a ripple of excitement through the room.
While the Shiranui Agency was a fine starting point, it had become far too cramped. This was especially true for Rock Lee; the training room was so small he could barely break a sweat without hitting a wall.
Hotaru tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Boss, among the gifts from Elder Maktoum is a manor located in the New York suburbs. It covers about half a square kilometer. Out of all the assets we acquired, it's the single most valuable property."
Half a square kilometer—roughly 125 acres. Hayate considered it. The size was substantial. Being in the suburbs meant it was far from the city center, but that was actually a plus.
A base required privacy and secrecy. In the heart of the city, one was surrounded by skyscrapers and prying eyes. Furthermore, knowing the future of this world, major battles tended to level city blocks every year or two. Building a fortress in the suburbs would save him the headache of constant reconstruction.
"We'll use that land," Hayate decided. "Plan for extensive training grounds, a medical wing, and advanced laboratories. Leave room for future expansion as well."
"And make sure there's a trophy hall. I need a place to display my collections and spoils of war."
He thought of the Mark I armor currently sitting in his storage space. I really need a mechanic or a puppet master on the team, he mused.
His instructions given, Hayate turned to the bushy-browed youth. "Lee, come with me to the training room. The rest of you, stay here with Hotaru and discuss the specifics of what the base needs."
The group didn't think much of the two leaving, though Sasuke cast a curious, lingering look at Rock Lee.
Is that idiot about to get a power-up?
Meanwhile, Iruka and Shizune leaned in to begin the planning phase with Hotaru.
Inside the training room, Hayate turned to Lee. "Lee, has your strength improved at all over the past year?"
Lee stood respectfully. He wasn't sure why Hayate had brought him here, but he answered honestly.
"Lord Hayate, I have trained relentlessly. I wear my heavy weights at all times. My physical strength has grown since I arrived here, but since I cannot unlock the Eight Inner Gates in this world, I am significantly weaker than I was back home."
Hayate nodded. Lee had improved his baseline, but without the Gates, he couldn't reach his peak potential.
The version of Rock Lee currently standing there was the one from the Chūnin Exams, roughly a year after his graduation. Logically, he should have been able to open up to the Gate of View, but for some reason, even the first Gate remained locked to him.
"No matter what you see next, do not be surprised," Hayate said calmly.
Lee nodded, falling silent.
Hayate was about to conduct an experiment. He wanted to see what would happen if two "Rock Lees" existed simultaneously, and more importantly, he wanted to test if the "Gate of View Lee" from the system would behave as he did in the game—maintaining the Gates permanently.
His consciousness dove into the system. His ninja roster now held five names: Iruka Umino, Rock Lee, Sasuke Uchiha [Sharingan], Shizune, and Rock Lee [The Gate of View].
Hayate selected the latter for deployment.
[Ding! Deploy Rock Lee (The Gate of View) within three meters?]
"Yes."
The air in the training room fractured.
BOOM!
The moment the new Rock Lee manifested, he was already in the state of the Gate of View. A torrential flood of chakra erupted, whipping up a localized gale that rattled the walls. A heavy, suffocating pressure radiated from his body.
Green steam—chakra visible to the naked eye—shimmered around him like a verdant flame.
In the conference room, the sudden surge of violent energy made everyone freeze. Iruka gasped, "That chakra... has another master arrived?"
Shizune's eyes narrowed. "It's tyrannical. I can't tell which Jōnin it belongs to, but it's immense."
Sasuke remained silent, his grip tightening. He had a feeling it was either Lee or Lee's mentor. Hayate wouldn't have called the "loser" over for anything less.
Hotaru felt the terrifying aura rising through the floorboards but remained composed. "Boss took Lee to the training room. Whatever is happening, we'll know soon enough. Let's get back to the base plans."
Back in the training room, the original Rock Lee stared at the transformed version of himself. "Lord Hayate... what is this?"
The new Lee didn't speak immediately. He stood with his eyes closed, veins bulging on his forehead and his skin flushed deep red. The surging chakra indicated that maintaining this state was a monumental feat of endurance.
"He is you, and you are him," Hayate explained. "He is the version of you who has mastered the Gate of View, brought forth from the river of time."
Hayate comfortably attributed the system's power to himself. If the system was his, the ability was his.
The new Lee opened his eyes, the memories of this world integrating into his mind. "Lord Hayate!"
"Lee," Hayate asked, "can you maintain this state, or is it temporary?"
The new Lee moved. His speed was supersonic—a blur that even a trained eye would miss. To Hayate's Sharingan, however, the movement was clear.
After a brief burst of motion, the Gate of View Lee spoke. "Lord Hayate, I am permanently fixed in this state. For some reason, I cannot deactivate the Eight Inner Gates."
Hayate's heart leaped. Fixed? This meant the B-rank Rock Lee would always be at his peak. He wasn't just a Jōnin-level combatant; he was arguably stronger than most standard Jōnin. A supersonic punch from this version of Lee carried more destructive force than a tank shell.
Moreover, if the system could maintain the Gates without physical backlash, did that mean... if he ever summoned Might Guy, the Eight Gates Released Formation wouldn't be a death sentence?
If the Eighth Gate is no longer a suicide move...
Hayate took a deep breath. This was the true terror of his Golden Finger.