章節 85: In the tower

"Since you're here, none of you are leaving," Hyuga Neji declared, his movements a blur as he closed the gap of several meters in an instant. He intercepted the three Rock Shinobi Village ninjas attempting to flee.

"We surrender—"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Neji didn't let them finish. With swift precision, he struck all three to the ground, incapacitating them instantly. Searching their belongings, he retrieved a full set of Heaven and Earth scrolls.

"Cowards," Neji muttered, kicking the defeated ninjas before making his way back to Rock Lee and Tenten.

"Done already?" Rock Lee teased, turning to Tenten with a sly grin. "Now you've seen for yourself the difference between you and the best Genin."

As he spoke, Lee reached over and pressed a point on Tenten's chest, releasing the hold he had placed on her.

"You… how do you know the Hyuga clan's acupuncture technique?" Tenten asked, ignoring his earlier remark.

In her mind, this technique was a closely guarded secret of the Hyuga clan, requiring Byakugan to perform. How could Lee possibly know it?

"Shhh… it's a secret," Lee replied with a mischievous smile. "If you're interested, come find me after the Chūnin Exam, and I might teach you."

"Really?" Tenten's eyes sparkled with intrigue. She knew that much of Neji's strength came from the Gentle Fist techniques of the Hyuga clan, especially the ability to target chakra points. If she could learn even a fraction of that skill, her combat effectiveness would soar.

"Of course," Lee said with a nod. "But…" He paused, smirking. "Whether I teach you wholeheartedly depends on how much effort you're willing to put in."

"You… you're impossible!" Tenten huffed, realizing he was once again alluding to her needing to kneel and formally apprentice.

Ignoring her frustration, Lee turned to Neji. "Good work, Neji. Looks like you've made a decent haul."

Neji shrugged. "I found a complete set of Heaven and Earth scrolls on them, but since we already have ours, these are useless to us."

"In that case, destroy them," Lee suggested with a grin.

"Agreed." Neji pulled out a kunai and, with a swift slash, cut the scrolls to pieces.

"Tenten, why do you think they were hoarding scrolls even though they already had a complete set?" Neji asked.

"Good question," Tenten replied. "Why would they stay here instead of heading straight for the tower?"

"They're what we call 'collectors,'" Neji explained. "Collectors thrive in dangerous environments like this. They're often overly cautious and prefer to hoard additional scrolls in case of unexpected trouble. For example, they might use extras to replace scrolls lost in a fight or share with teammates who are struggling."

"Alternatively, they set traps for stronger teams to ambush them and eliminate competition for the next phase of the exam."

"These people are despicable!" Tenten said, frowning.

"On the battlefield, any strategy is fair game," Lee interjected calmly. "If you can't accept that, surviving as a ninja will be difficult."

"It's not your place to lecture me!" Tenten snapped, glaring at him.

"Enough," Neji said with a shake of his head. "Let's head for the tower. We can discuss everything else later."

The trio encountered another group of enemies en route to the tower, but their opposition was no match for Neji's skills. Within moments, the path was clear, and they entered the tower without further delay.

Inside the tower, they were greeted by Uzumaki Naruto's unmistakably loud voice.

"What took you so long?!" Naruto called out.

Lee glanced around and was surprised to see all nine Konoha rookies already gathered and waiting.

"Tenten, let's go," Neji said, sensing that the group's attention was on Lee.

"Oh… okay," Tenten replied reluctantly, following Neji out.

"Rock Lee," Uchiha Sasuke said, stepping forward. His tone was serious. "I knew you'd make it through. Don't forget our agreement—see you in the finals for our match."

"I won't forget," Lee replied with a smile. "Just make sure you actually make it to the finals."

"If I don't make it, I wouldn't deserve to face you," Sasuke said confidently. "You'll see—I'll be there." With that, he turned and walked away.

Naruto and Sakura approached next, thanking Lee for his earlier assistance before leaving as well.

"Rock Lee," Nara Shikamaru said, stepping forward with Choji and Ino. "Thank you. If it weren't for you, we'd have died at the hands of the Sand team."

"You saved our lives," Choji and Ino said, bowing deeply.

"There's no need for thanks," Lee said, waving them off. "We're all Konoha ninja. It's natural to help each other."

"No," Shikamaru insisted. "We owe you. If you ever need help in the future, the three of us will do everything we can to support you."

Lee smiled inwardly. This was exactly what he wanted—to earn their loyalty.

Next came Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba, and Hyūga Hinata.

"Rock Lee," Shino said, his voice steady. "You're strong. I look forward to facing you in battle."

"Likewise," Lee replied with a grin. "But I warn you—I don't like bugs. If they get in my way, don't blame me for squashing a few."

"If you can kill them, feel free," Shino said coldly.

"I want to fight you, too," Kiba said. "I know I'm not your equal, but I want to see how big the gap between us is."

"Fair enough," Lee said. "But next time, don't hide behind your dog. Fight me yourself."

Akamaru growled in response, baring his teeth, but Kiba quickly calmed him down.

Meanwhile, Hinata stood quietly, stealing glances at Lee but saying nothing. Her face was red, and she looked as though she wanted to speak but couldn't find the words.

As the others left, Lee found himself alone.

"Come out," Lee called, his voice echoing in the now-empty room. "They're gone."