The Third Hokage, Might Guy, and the others observed as Rock Lee, despite his surge of positive emotions, remained steadfast. He neither changed his stance nor rested on his laurels.
Instead, he shifted into a new position, launching himself toward a rocky wall with lightning speed. A portion of it crumbled with a thunderous crash, sending dust and debris flying, yet its solid foundation remained intact. That was all Lee needed. The bushy-browed taijutsu devotee unleashed a relentless flurry of strikes, his blows landing in perfect succession.
His legs, palms, and fists blurred through the air, leaving imprints one after another—like signatures on a contract. Lee showed no mercy to himself or the wall, treating it as nothing more than a training dummy. And why should he? Stopping at just Rankyaku wouldn't satisfy him. He struck as if his very life depended on it, gradually reducing the once-sturdy obstacle to a web of cracks.
"I see tremendous potential," Hiruzen murmured, glancing at Might Guy—the finest taijutsu master in all of Konoha. "What do you think?"
"You know, Lord Hokage, I've been meaning to take a team of Genin under my wing as a full-fledged Jōnin," Guy responded with his trademark beaming smile. "Lee would be the perfect student for me—his talent in one area is undeniable, even if he's lacking in others. And most importantly, he carries the Power of Youth! The most elusive yet all-powerful force of all! Ha-ha!" He gave a thumbs-up, making his approval of Lee's abilities all too clear.
"Good," Hiruzen nodded, retrieving a small bundle from inside his robe. Inside was a forehead protector—one he had prepared just in case, though he'd only given it fifty-fifty odds. But now, with Lee having officially passed his exam, it seemed his foresight wasn't in vain after all.
When Lee finally finished demonstrating his kata, momentarily lost in memories of his past, the question of his rank had already been decided. Without hesitation, Hiruzen handed him the gleaming metal hitaite.
"Wear it with pride," he said, his voice firm. "As a sign that you are a shinobi of Konoha, and no one else."
Lee saw no reason to resist such a declaration. Without a second thought, he tied the forehead protector around his head, the corners of his mouth curling into a small smirk. For some reason, he suddenly felt far more important than he had just moments ago.
Magic, perhaps…
[Name: Rock Lee]
[Shinobi Rank: Academy Student]
[Health: 100%]
[Stamina: 90%]
[Chakra: 88%]
[Taijutsu Rank: C+]
[Ninjutsu Rank: —]
[Genjutsu Rank: —]
[Inventory]
[Achievements: 1]
[Hellish Training List: 2]
"Hmm? Achievements?" Lee wondered to himself. But seeing that the Hokage was still lingering, and with a few dull tasks ahead—such as having his shinobi profile picture taken—he decided to put off exploring this "update" to his system for later.
Besides, if he had overheard correctly, he was to be assigned to Guy's team rather than some random Jōnin—a fear that had occasionally haunted him. Bushy brows recognize their own from afar, after all. But jokes aside, there was simply no better mentor for him in the entire Hidden Leaf Village than a man with the surname Might!
By the end of the day, Lee returned home so exhausted that he could barely stand—not from physical exertion, but from mental fatigue. Being one of the last Genin to be officially processed meant enduring endless paperwork and waiting around. And so, despite his best efforts, he couldn't escape boredom or the deep bags under his eyes, making him look sleep-deprived despite that being far from the truth.
Bureaucracy, it seemed, could be just as torturous as Konoha's most infamous interrogators!
"Well done, son!" His father, Son Lee, greeted him with unfiltered enthusiasm. "Honestly, I never bet on you, but you proved me wrong! And I couldn't be prouder of you—even if this is the last success you'll ever have in life! A Genin, huh? Not quite a Chūnin, but who cares? My son is finally a shinobi, after all these failures! If your mother hadn't left us ages ago, she'd be proud too—bah, to hell with that fool of a woman!"
Lee found himself tossed around by his so-called "relatives," their excitement filling the house. His father, somewhat drunk with celebration, was genuinely happy for his son's achievement—but his way of expressing it made Lee want to disappear into the floor. Or, at the very least, shut his father up with a solid punch.
It wasn't that Lee was an introvert—far from it—but anyone would be annoyed by constant interruptions, by relatives asking the same tired questions: How are you? How's life? How's your chakra control? How are your tenketsu?
It was all so infuriating. And if he were anyone else, he might have wasted his emotions on them—but emotions were precious, and Lee refused to squander them on idiots.
Eventually, night took over, and one by one, the members of the Lee clan retired to bed. They had children to send to the Academy and missions to complete to keep their pockets from running empty. Such was life.
But that night, Son Lee did something out of character.
"Get up, Rock! No sleeping, my warrior! Tonight, we celebrate, just the two of us—father and son, no one else!" he declared, dramatically wiggling his thick eyebrows.
"…Huh? Can we not?" Lee asked hesitantly, hoping to avoid further exhaustion.
But his father wasn't asking.
"We must!" Son Lee proclaimed, his energy levels as irrationally high as always—so much so that it often seemed like Lee was the more mature one in the family.
And so…
Son Lee took his son to a restaurant—not just any restaurant, but one owned by the Akimichi Clan! A clan known for their large appetites, their easily offended stance on fat jokes, and their signature jutsu that allowed them to grow to massive sizes—giants, in every sense.
"Well? Ha! Bet you thought your old man was a broke fool, didn't you?" Son Lee boomed. "But no! I saved up just for this! Ran mission after mission, barely home, all so I could treat you! Sure, we're going to spend a ridiculous amount of money tonight, but we'll celebrate like kings! Like true men of the Lee family, Rock!"
Lee eyed the glowing, bustling restaurant, watching as plump figures entered and exited. A thought crossed his mind.
Maybe I misjudged him…
His father, who had always seemed like an irresponsible buffoon, suddenly looked… decent. Like a man who was willing to make sacrifices for his son.
"…Thank you," Lee said sincerely, stepping inside to taste the finest meat of his life.
Achievements and late-night training could wait.
The next morning.
A classroom filled with twelve-year-old Genin, all still buzzing with excitement from their freshly earned ranks. Among them sat Rock Lee, perched on the highest row of seats, observing his classmates while listening to his former teacher—who, after today, would no longer be their instructor. From now on, each trio of Genin would be assigned to a proper Jōnin mentor.
"Team One…"
"Team Two…"
"Team Three: Neji Hyūga, Tenten, and Rock Lee."
P.s: If you're interested, you can read up to chapter 17+ at patreon.com/c/Lucius01