Hearing the words of his alternate self, the younger Lee let out a gasp of shock. "You maintain the Gate of View constantly? Doesn't your body break under the strain?"
The Gate of View Lee looked at his counterpart, unable to resist another burst of supersonic shadow-boxing before answering. "There is no damage. Perhaps because of Lord Hayate's influence, this state is now my natural form."
"My other self! Let us have a youthful sparring session!"
The younger Lee's shoulders slumped in dejection. "I cannot open... the Eight Inner Gates..."
He wanted to spar, but he knew the difference. Against the Gate of View, it wouldn't be a duel; it would be a one-sided thrashing. His enthusiasm vanished instantly.
Looking at the pair—one radiating emerald chakra and the other a picture of misery—Hayate spoke up. "You are both Rock Lee. Are your minds and hearts linked? Like a Shadow Clone?"
The two Lees glanced at each other. They felt a strange familiarity, like looking into a mirror, but they shook their heads in unison. "No. Our thoughts are separate. He does not know what I am thinking, and I do not know his."
Hayate nodded thoughtfully. He pulled both versions back into the system space and sat on the floor of the training room to think.
One Gate of View Lee, and one regular Lee. If he kept them separate, he had two subordinates, but it would occupy two precious deployment slots. Those slots were the most valuable resource he had, and their value would only skyrocket as he recruited more powerful ninjas.
Furthermore, Gate of View Lee was constant. He was an eternal explosion of power.
But that came with a drawback: the erupting green chakra, the bulging veins, and the terrifying aura of the Eight Gates were constant as well. If Gate of View Lee walked down a busy street, ordinary citizens might pass out just from the sheer pressure of his presence. He would leave a trail of unconscious civilians everywhere he went.
Fusing them was the logical choice. It would reduce the quantity of his troops but significantly increase the quality. It would consolidate Lee's strength and, most importantly, free up a deployment slot.
Besides, if he didn't fuse them now, what would happen later? Would he have a Drunken Fist Lee, a Shippuden Lee, a Summer Lee, and a Swimsuit Lee all running around separately?
Hayate entered the system space where both Lee cards were idle and initiated the Fusion.
[Warning: Confirm Fusion? Star-level requirements will combine. Example: 90 Rock Lee Shards + 60 Gate of View Shards required for 3-Star. Note: Since the base Rock Lee is 1-Star, additional shards will be needed to complete the upgrade.]
Hayate didn't blink at the steep cost. Neither 60 nor 90 shards were within his reach yet anyway. He confirmed the selection.
A brilliant pillar of light engulfed the two cards.
[Ding! Since Rock Lee (The Gate of View) is a B-Rank ninja, the fused character remains B-Rank.]
The card's name shifted slightly: B-Rank Rock Lee (Can open Eight Inner Gates up to Gate of View). His skill list expanded from three to six.
Hayate's main concern was whether the "permanent state" would carry over. He moved the new card into the deployment slot.
[Deploy at previous location?]
"Yes."
With a soft pop, a single Rock Lee reappeared in the training room.
As he manifested, Lee's eyes flickered with a flood of new memories—the Chūnin Exams, the brutal battle against Gaara of the Desert, and the memory of being saved. He also possessed the memories of the Gate of View Lee looking back at him.
Feeling the raw power coursing through his veins, Lee clenched his fists and let out a thunderous roar.
"Eight Inner Gates: Gate of Opening—OPEN!"
A mental limit snapped. His chakra surged.
"Gate of Healing—OPEN!"
"Gate of Life—OPEN! Gate of Pain—OPEN! Gate of View—OPEN!"
Lee opened the gates sequentially, from the first to the fifth. The violent aura erupted once more, but this time, it was even more potent than the standalone Gate of View Lee. The emerald green chakra was thicker, more vibrant.
"Lee," Hayate asked, watching the display. "How do you feel? Can you sustain this? Is there any damage?"
Lee didn't deactivate the Gates. Standing in the center of the emerald storm, he turned to Hayate. "Lord Hayate, I can fix my state at the Gate of View. As long as I do not consciously deactivate it, I can remain like this forever without any harm to my body."
Hayate's smile widened. This was the perfect result. A Lee who could remain in his peak state indefinitely was a Lee who could truly dominate.
"Good. Lee, use this power frequently. You haven't had access to the Gates for over a year; you must get used to this version of yourself."
"I'll tell you what I've told the others: while we haven't met anyone truly dangerous in this world yet, our current strength is still meager. Do not become arrogant."
Lee finally deactivated the Gates. He felt no fatigue, no muscle aches—only a baseline physical strength that felt leagues beyond what he had just moments ago. He was stronger now than he had ever been, even back in his home world.
He bowed deeply. "Thank you, Lord Hayate!"
"Please rest assured, I will master this power as quickly as possible. I will surpass who I am today and use this strength to protect everyone!"
"This is my Youth!"
Hayate nodded, satisfied. He couldn't help but wonder what Sasuke's face would look like the next time they sparred. After a year of Sasuke looking down on the "loser," seeing Lee suddenly flip the script was going to be priceless.
Hayate briefly toyed with the mischievous idea of calling Sasuke in right now just to see him get humbled, but he dismissed it. As the leader, such a blatant setup would be too petty. Best to let it happen naturally.
Giving a few final words of encouragement, Hayate left the training room, leaving Lee to acquaint himself with his explosive new power.