NOVGO.NET Chapter 975: “Phew, it was a close call!”
Observing Rock Lee, surrounded by powerful swirling winds, with Chakra so dense that it became visible to the naked eye, Sasuke felt a sense of alarm. He was no stranger to the Eight Inner Gates Technique.
The memory of the intense battle between his father and Kakashi during the Godaime Hokage’s election remained vivid in Sasuke’s mind. In that encounter, Kakashi had also employed the Eight Inner Gates Technique, pushing Sasuke’s father into a desperate struggle. Faced with Kakashi’s relentless attacks, even Susano’o became vulnerable, teetering on the brink of collapse.
Even though his father emerged victorious, it came at a significant cost. Furthermore, from Kakashi’s own admission, Sasuke learned that Kakashi hadn’t completely mastered the forbidden technique during their battle. If he had, Kakashi might have been able to open more gates and unleash greater power. Sasuke was deeply shocked upon hearing this revelation.
Since then, Sasuke gained a profound understanding of the Eight Inner Gates Technique, recognizing its potency to be on par with the Mangekyou Sharingan. Witnessing Rock Lee utilize the technique and open the first four gates, Sasuke understood that he had to approach this battle with the utmost seriousness as if his life depended on it.
After opening the Fourth Gate, Rock Lee took a deep breath and locked eyes with Sasuke.
During this moment, Rock Lee’s skin had taken on a reddish hue, and steam emanated from his body, as if the blood within him boiled at an extremely high temperature, causing the rapid evaporation of sweat and bodily fluids. Even the blood capillaries on his skin and temples were now clearly visible.
The activation of the first three gates of the Eight Inner Gates Technique merely released the basic restrictions on the body. However, as the fourth gate opened, Rock Lee entered a danger zone where muscles and fibers in his body began to tear apart. Despite the risks, the benefits were substantial.
Upon opening the ‘Gate of Pain,’ although the muscles in Rock Lee’s body incurred damage to a certain degree, the resulting increase in speed and strength far surpassed that of the first three gates.
“These are the flames of my youth!” muttered Rock Lee, clenching the fist of his right hand and declaring with a raised arm that sent a shockwave through the arena. Sensing the impact of Rock Lee’s raised fist, Sasuke’s expression froze in shock, and sweat covered his forehead. He couldn’t deny the intense nervousness gripping him at that moment.
“Sasuke-san, I hope you are ready!” warned Rock Lee as he took a decisive step forward.BANG! Crack!
The ground beneath Rock Lee’s feet further cracked as his body shot toward Sasuke like a cannonball fired from a cannon. Sasuke, gripping his right hand, watched as the tomoe in his Sharingan whirled rapidly. Aware that any display of weakness or hesitation could lead to instant defeat, he gritted his teeth and chose to confront Rock Lee’s attack head-on, intending to leverage the dynamic vision of his Sharingan to secure victory.
Additionally, Sasuke harbored confidence in the Chidori wrapped around his hand. As a Rank-A ninjutsu, it wasn’t just for show. When using Chidori, the user moved at an incredibly high speed, making it challenging for someone without dynamic vision to process the onslaught of information. However, for Sasuke, with the Sharingan, this supposed shortcoming wasn’t a weakness at all.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
In an instant, Rock Lee and Sasuke created several afterimages, initiating a second round of confrontation in the arena. Both combatants had pushed past their limits, each striving to enhance their speed and strength with every successive move. The intensity of their clash continued to escalate as they relentlessly sought to outpace and overpower one another.
…
On the sidelines
Whoosh! Whoosh! WHOOSH!
Waves of air, mixed with sand and gravel, swept in succession, prompting the trainees on the sidelines to shield their eyes. Observing the battle amidst the swirling airwaves proved challenging as Sasuke and Lee’s afterimages darted back and forth, their specific movements nearly impossible to discern.
Even the Chunin instructors of the Konoha Ninja Academy, such as Iruka and others, found it difficult to capture the details of the intense confrontation. The trainees from the same generation were equally unable to grasp the specifics of Sasuke and Lee’s fight. At this moment, it became evident that Sasuke and Lee had reached a level akin to Jonin in terms of speed and power.
While they might lack longevity, combat experience, and refined tactics, in terms of sheer speed and strength, Sasuke and Lee had the potential to rival, and perhaps even overwhelm Jonin-ranked shinobi.
…
Viewer’s Stand
“How is it?” inquired Fugaku with an anxious expression. Despite having lost his eyes, Fugaku could perceive events in the arena up to a certain limit. However, he couldn’t discern every detail. Although he sensed that Sasuke and Rock Lee had initiated another round of confrontation, grasping the exact details remained challenging for him.
Mikoto, with a nervous expression, looked at the arena and responded to Fugaku’s concerns, “It’s not good; Sasuke seems to be at a disadvantage.”
Indeed, Sasuke’s situation was far from optimistic. Confronting Rock Lee, who had opened the first four gates, Sasuke, despite enhancing his movement and response speed with the Lightning Chakra Stimulation Technique, Chidori, and the dynamic vision of his three tomoe Sharingan, found himself not only outpaced in speed but also overpowered in physical strength.
Attacking or injuring Rock Lee had become an incredibly challenging task for Sasuke. Operating at such high speeds made it difficult for Sasuke to deploy multi-layered tactics, and even his single-layered strategies were proving less effective. As if that weren’t enough, Rock Lee was rapidly adapting to Sasuke’s combat style, changing attack patterns that started to overwhelm Sasuke.
“Hmm, this battle, it’s really…” muttered Fugaku, struggling to find the right words. Despite the difficulty in articulating it, Fugaku empathized with Sasuke’s current mindset. About eight months prior, he had faced a similar situation, emerging victorious with the help of his Mangekyou Sharingan. However, Fugaku couldn’t predict whether Sasuke would be able to achieve the same success.
…
Back at the field.
The idea of a battle of attrition crossed Sasuke’s mind: a test of endurance to determine the ultimate victor. However, he swiftly dismissed the notion, shaking his head. “No, I can’t allow this to turn into a battle of endurance; that would be too passive and might even result in my defeat.”
As Sasuke solidified his resolve, a momentary distraction caused him to lose focus. In that instant, Rock Lee’s fist nearly connected with his face.
Ugh!
Though Sasuke managed to evade the punch, the air pressure generated by the swipe across his cheek left a stinging sensation. It felt as if he had been slapped, making his cheek sore for a moment.
“Damn! This guy can no longer be treated as someone who was always at the bottom of the barrel!” The burning pain in his cheek drove home the realization that underestimating Lee would lead to a humiliating defeat. Sasuke understood that, similar to Neji and Naruto, he must regard Lee as an equal and strategize accordingly to find a way to emerge victorious.
Bang Bang Bang
At that moment, Lee appeared to be defying gravity, moving swiftly through the air as he circled around Sasuke, searching for an opening to launch an attack. Meanwhile, Sasuke stood seemingly motionless, not a muscle twitching. There was no coursing Lightning through his muscles, and the audible chirping of birds had ceased as Chidori disappeared, along with the Lightning that had enshrouded his arm. To an ordinary observer, it might appear as though Sasuke had exhausted his chakra and given up on the battle.
However, those with keen perception knew better. Sasuke’s guard remained intact, and his breathing remained remarkably calm. It was as if he projected an air of vulnerability, patiently waiting for the opportune moment.
Whether Lee failed to grasp Sasuke’s intention or chose to take the risk despite knowing, he lunged at Sasuke from behind, preparing to execute the Hidden Lotus as the finishing blow. Sensing Lee’s approach, Sasuke’s lips curled into a smile. “Heh.”
…
Among the judges, even Kakashi grew nervous as Sasuke stood still, awaiting Lee’s incoming attack. “Uh oh,” Kakashi muttered. Having taught Sasuke the Lightning Stimulation Technique, Chidori, and other combat skills, Kakashi was well aware of his student’s limits. The exhaustion Sasuke displayed seemed genuine, reaching his apparent threshold. Yet, from Sasuke’s calm breath, Kakashi sensed a plan forming. “Will it work?”
Observing the arena with a curious gaze, Kuroto pondered, “Uchiha Sasuke, what are you going to do?” He had already guessed the direction of the Chakra flow in Sasuke’s body but wondered if Sasuke could successfully execute his plan.
Shisui, too, shared in the curiosity, thinking, “Is he planning to use a Genjutsu? Given that Lee-kun is using the Eight Inner Gates Technique, affecting his Chakra flow and putting him in a Genjutsu would be extremely difficult. Sasuke, you should be aware of this… so will you succeed?” Shisui felt he had a good grasp of Sasuke’s thoughts.
Just as Kakashi, Kuroto, and Shisui looked on with curiosity, the battle in the arena reached its conclusion with a resounding bang.
…
In an instant, Rock Lee closed the distance, unfurled the bandages around his wrist, and was poised to ensnare Sasuke.
However, Sasuke, displaying lightning-fast reflexes, turned around and locked eyes with Rock Lee just as the bandages encircled him.
Bang!
With a resounding bang, Rock Lee secured the wrapped Sasuke and propelled them both into the sky.
Observers unable to see the full situation exclaimed, “Oh my god, is Uchiha Sasuke going to be defeated?” However, Rock Lee, without hesitation, began spinning as their altitude decreased. Just when it seemed Sasuke was on the verge of defeat, Rock Lee’s figure abruptly froze halfway through the Hidden Lotus, and both combatants plummeted to the ground, with Sasuke landing on top of Rock Lee.
“Phew, it was a close call,” muttered Sasuke as he observed the pained expression on Rock Lee’s face.