"So, you're Rock Lee, the exceptional boy with a talent for Taijutsu?"
A warm, elderly voice broke the silence. The words belonged to a short, wrinkled old man clad in a red-and-white robe, a wide, imposing hat perched atop his head. A smoking pipe rested between his lips, filling the air with the sharp, lingering scent of rich tobacco.
His presence was noble yet kind, the very essence of a great leader—the Hokage himself. To the peaceful citizens of the Land of Fire, he was a figure of admiration, while to enemies, he was a name spoken with dread and reverence. Wisps of smoke curled lazily through the classroom air, dissipating just enough to allow Lee a clear view of the man before him: Hiruzen Sarutobi. His piercing gaze carried the weight of authority, yet his smile remained warm and untroubled.
The sheer sense of grandeur was overwhelming—fitting for someone of his rank. But Rock Lee couldn't help but wonder: Where is my teacher?
By all logic, he should have been escorted here by his instructor. And yet, the Hokage had arrived alone. Strange. Unexpected.
After all, as the saying goes, no warrior stands alone on the battlefield.
But before Lee could ponder further, the unfolding events decided to answer his question in the most absurd way possible…
"Hokage-sama, was it really necessary to use Ninjutsu instead of simply walking through the door? Forgive me, but I fail to grasp the wisdom of such humor—I prefer using my legs to move around," came a bold remark from the doorway.
There stood a man with thick eyebrows, a bowl-cut hairstyle, and a bright green jumpsuit. Beside him was Lee's own instructor, along with a few Shinobi clad in combat vests—most likely Chūnin.
Aha. So that's where my teacher was.
Hiruzen chuckled, amused by the man's words. "Ahem, Guy, I am the Hokage, after all. I can't afford to look anything less than impressive before the young man who will one day protect our village from countless dangers, don't you think?"
Lee stood frozen, wide-eyed. Of all the things he had expected from his Genin exam, he hadn't anticipated it turning into some elaborate comedic act.
Still, regaining his composure, he quickly bowed. "It's an honor to meet you, Lord Hokage!"
He followed with another respectful bow toward the others present—Might Guy, the Chūnin observers, and his instructor. These Shinobi would likely be overseeing his demonstration of the technique he had allegedly developed: Rankyaku.
It made sense for Hiruzen to bring additional witnesses. After all, Lee had explained to his teacher that Rankyaku was more Taijutsu than Ninjutsu. And who better to assess that than Might Guy, the living embodiment of Taijutsu mastery?
As for the Chūnin, Lee wasn't sure why they were here. One of them looked so bored he was nearly picking his nose—clearly invested in the mission.
"Hoh… You have manners. That's good," Hiruzen mused, puffing his pipe. "You lack Ninjutsu and Genjutsu, yet rather than despair, you chose to train relentlessly, dedicating yourself entirely to Taijutsu. You didn't break under the weight of rejection, even when the world refused to acknowledge you."
For a brief moment, the Hokage's sharp eyes flicked toward Might Guy, his wrinkled face curling into a knowing smile.
The resemblance between Guy and Lee was uncanny. Not in looks—no, that wasn't it. It was something deeper. Their spirits, their indomitable will. Even their hands—rough, calloused, worn from endless training. Just like Guy's.
This… This was training-induced masochism in its purest form.
The Will of Fire in action.
"Alright," Hiruzen continued, tapping the ash from his pipe. "This room is far too small for a proper demonstration, wouldn't you agree, Lee? Let's move to the academy's training grounds. Plenty of space there."
With a nod toward Guy, Lee's instructor, and the Chūnin, he took a step closer to the boy. A thin, bony hand rested on Lee's shoulder.
The world blurred.
Lee's stomach lurched as a sudden wave of nausea hit him. The scenery twisted, colors swirling together in a dizzying vortex before snapping back into focus.
He blinked. No longer surrounded by gray walls, he now stood under the open sky, fresh air filling his lungs. Hiruzen stood beside him, smiling.
"Was that… Body Flicker Technique?"
Lee was in awe. He had just experienced Ninjutsu firsthand—and it felt almost like teleportation.
Taking a moment to gather his bearings, he glanced around. A short distance away, another academy instructor was briefing a group of students before a practical lesson. A man with a high ponytail of dark brown hair and a scar across his nose.
Lee recognized him instantly.
Iruka Umino.
With his usual stern kindness, Iruka was explaining the proper way to handle kunai and shuriken, ensuring his students didn't accidentally maim themselves. Among them, an all-too-familiar spiky-haired troublemaker stood out—Naruto Uzumaki.
Not far from him, another notable figure brooded in silence. Dark-haired, expressionless, exuding an aura of quiet superiority.
Sasuke Uchiha.
A line of love-struck girls, including Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka, fawned over him—both rivals and best friends, simultaneously competing and bonding over their shared admiration.
So many central characters… but for now, they're still just kids. Unpolished, inexperienced.
Yet, the potential for greatness was there.
Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura—their fates were monumental. If Lee wanted to surpass them, he'd have to work far harder, even with the system on his side.
A chuckle escaped his lips.
Surpassing the plot armor of the main characters, huh? Now that sounds like a challenge.
Just then, with a whirlwind of leaves, Guy and the others arrived. The Chūnin, still exuding peak levels of enthusiasm (read: boredom), tagged along.
"Lord Hokage, I'll need a target—any size will do!" Lee declared firmly, voice carrying the conviction of a soldier.
Hiruzen took a slow drag from his pipe before shifting his gaze.
"Kato, Hiroshi—you heard him," he said to the Chūnin, his tone sharpening. "Quit slacking off and raise an earth wall. Now."
The two men straightened at once. Whatever haze of lethargy they'd been in moments ago was gone as they leapt into action, forming a series of seals before pressing their hands against the ground.
The earth trembled. Chakra surged.
Before long, a towering rock formation rose from the soil, jagged and solid. It was a defensive structure often used by Shinobi skilled in Earth Release.
Lee found himself staring up at it—a sheer, unbreakable wall.
A challenge.
A symbol of the impossible.
But this wasn't some distant dream, some insurmountable obstacle. This was reality. And in this reality, where men wielded chakra and moved faster than the eye could track…
He was about to prove what pure Taijutsu could do.
From the sidelines, Hiruzen's voice rang in his ears. "Go on, Lee!"
A fire ignited in the boy's eyes.
He took a step forward.
The air around him grew heavy, thick with raw physical pressure. His posture sharpened, his movement blurred with sheer speed.
And then—
A spin. A strike.
His foot slashed through the air, carving a crescent of compressed wind and chakra—Rankyaku.
The azure blade tore through the rock like paper, splitting the massive wall cleanly in two.
Silence.
Wide-eyed, the Chūnin stood frozen.
"No way…!"
"Hahaha! That's the Power of Youth!" Guy roared in laughter.
Hiruzen exhaled a slow stream of smoke, eyes filled with intrigue.
"…At least B-rank," he murmured.
For a technique supposedly invented by an academy student… that was no small feat.
P.s: If you're interested, you can read up to chapter 17+ at patreon.com/c/Lucius01