Chương 4: Body Tempering

In the world of ninjas, even the strongest physical fighters, the Jōnin, were only about one-fifth as strong as a beginner martial artist. "Still not enough," Rock Lee thought to himself as he practiced, remembering the techniques and experiences of Sion Mun.

Back in his past life, Sion Mun had reached the rank of Martial King at eighteen, filled with strength and confidence. Now, those memories were passed on to Lee, along with techniques Sion had refined over 800 years of training. Lee was determined to push beyond his current limits and reach new heights!

Lee's body was weak by martial arts standards, but he didn't complain. He knew that Sion had once started from nothing, without a master, school, or techniques—he had to learn everything on his own. Now, Lee had a guide in Sion's memories.

"Then I'll start from scratch," Lee said, focusing on the basics.

He shifted into an unusual stance, his feet planted firmly on the ground, upper body leaning back, almost bending in half. His head was between his legs, and he reached his hands behind his back to support his chin. With a quick push, he launched himself into the air, spinning in a tight ball. Every part of his body moved, and his joints cracked loudly, one after another.

Anyone watching would've been astonished. Even a seasoned ninja like Might Guy would struggle to pull off such a move!

Lee's face turned pale, his breath came fast, and his body trembled. But he kept going, following the steps from Sion's memory. After spinning three or four times in the air, he landed and rolled in a circular motion on the ground. Then, he stretched out suddenly, like a chick breaking free from its shell, his joints cracking even louder.

Finally, he slowly stood up, his legs trembling with every inch as they made a deep cracking sound. Once steady, he stretched his arms into another odd position, and his joints popped again.

This wasn't just a regular workout—it was a basic technique from Sion Mun's world of martial arts, developed over thousands of years. Each move symbolized a stage of life—forming, breaking free, standing up. Lee knew that this routine was training his entire body, breaking down his limits so he could rebuild even stronger.

The pain, however, was intense, like breaking bones. But Sion's memory had told him to stay silent because even a small sound could weaken his energy.

After completing the sequence three times, Lee collapsed to the ground, drenched in sweat. His face was pale, his whole body shook, and sweat poured off him, along with black impurities—the waste his body expelled through the intense exercise.

This training was powerful enough for anyone, even without natural talent. It purified the body and improved natural ability, transforming an average person into someone fit for intense practice. Sion called this state "body tempering"

"This body is still weak," Lee thought. "Even with these techniques, it'll take me two months to build it up."

But he wasn't worried. He was still young and had plenty of time to improve step by step.

Then he remembered, "Three months from now, the Chūnin Exam is coming up." He knew Might Guy planned to enter him and his teammates.

The Chūnin Exam held twice a year, selected the best young ninjas from each village. Last time, Might Guy had held them back from competing, probably to protect them. But now was different.

"The Chūnin Exam gathers the best Genin from each village," Lee thought. "I'm curious to see how they compare to martial artists from Sion's world."

Lee knew he had to be careful not to reveal everything. Instead, he'd focus on observing the abilities of other ninjas and learning from them. With three months left, he planned to use the first two to strengthen his body. The last month, he would train in one or two techniques that could give him an edge.

Even if he wasn't ready to overpower everyone, he would at least be able to protect himself!