Chapter 142 – Since Birth, I Have Never Lost
"Those eyes… how beautiful," Orochimaru murmured, his voice filled with quiet envy. "The Six Eyes, you said?"
"Haha, nothing special," Yusuke replied casually. "Though rather than beautiful, I'd say they're... cool." He gave a small grin. "Anyway, Snake-ojisan, looks like we really are from different generations now."
Orochimaru chuckled, his snake-like tongue brushing across his lips. "Hmph, Yusuke-kun, you haven't changed at all. Even your face remains exactly the same."
"Well, I take care of myself," Yusuke said lightly. "Anyway, if there's nothing else, I'll be going. Oh, and here's a little tip—Jiraiya-nii should be returning to Konoha soon."
He turned and began walking away.
"That fool…" Orochimaru muttered under his breath, his golden eyes narrowing. "If he comes back, things might get… troublesome."
Jiraiya had always been a thorn in his side, constantly trying to drag him back to the village he'd abandoned long ago.
— — —
A few days passed. The Chūnin Exams had reached their final stages, and the stadium roared with anticipation. On the arena floor, Rock Lee stood facing Gaara of the Sand.
"Leaf Hurricane!" Lee shouted, twisting midair as he unleashed a flurry of spinning kicks.
But Gaara didn't even move. The sand around him shifted like a living creature, forming a thick barrier that easily blocked Lee's strike. Then, in an instant, the sand lunged forward, forming claws that lashed back at Lee.
The clash continued at blistering speed—Lee darting around with pure Taijutsu while Gaara stood perfectly still, his sand dancing to his will.
Finally, with Guy's permission, Lee reached for the straps around his legs and dropped the heavy training weights he'd been wearing.
The impact shattered the stone floor, kicking up clouds of dust. The entire stadium gasped.
"Guy… this is insane," Asuma muttered. "That kid's been carrying that much weight every day?"
"Ah, that's nothing new," said Kakashi nonchalantly, flipping through his copy of Icha Icha Paradise.
"Indeed. I used to train Kakashi with even heavier weights when he was younger," said a familiar voice behind them.
"Asuma, when did you get back, Yusuke?" Asuma blurted out in surprise.
"Just recently," Yusuke replied, patting Asuma's shoulder with a faint grin. "You're a Jōnin now, huh? Impressive."
"Hmph," Asuma grumbled under his breath. Some things never changed—Yusuke always had a way of making him feel like a kid again.
"Haha, but I'll admit it," Yusuke said. "That kid has potential. Even without ninjutsu, his spirit burns brighter than most shinobi I've seen."
"Yusuke! You recognize Lee's strength too? That's my prized student!" Guy's booming voice echoed out of nowhere as he appeared right beside Yusuke, flashing a dazzling smile.
"Long time no see, Guy," Yusuke said. "But are you sure you'll let him keep fighting? Even if he opens the Fifth Gate, he still won't beat that sand brat."
"I believe in Lee," Guy said firmly. "He'll prove that hard work can surpass natural talent. That's his nindō—his ninja way! He won't lose!"
"Kakashi, he's already opened five gates," Yusuke noted quietly.
"I know," Kakashi said, his brow furrowed. He understood the danger of the Eight Gates better than anyone—he could open up to the seventh himself. "If this continues, he could…"
"Relax," Guy said. "I'll honor the path he chose with his own hands."
"Guy…"
"Let it go, Kakashi," Yusuke said with a small smile. "Look at him. Who can stop a man who's walking toward his dream?"
"…Fine," Kakashi sighed. "But when the time comes, Nii-san, I'll be counting on you."
"Of course," Yusuke replied. "For my little brother, I'll make an exception."
Down in the arena, Lee's body trembled. His chakra was almost gone, his vision blurring.
"This is my final attack!" he shouted. "Fifth Gate—Hidden Lotus!"
Gaara's eyes widened. "Impossible… such speed—!"
The strike landed clean. The impact cracked the floor, the force shattering Gaara's sand armor. Both fighters crashed down—Lee collapsed, completely spent, while Gaara's sand barely managed to shield him from death.
Panting heavily, Gaara extended a trembling hand. The sand around him surged, forming a massive arm that reached for Lee's broken body.
Lee tried to move, but his legs refused to obey.
Why…? Even after Hidden Lotus… he's still moving?
The sand coiled around his limbs.
"Desert Coffin."
"AAARGH!" Lee screamed, his body crushed within the sand's grip.
Guy clenched his fists, his eyes blazing.
"Damn it…" murmured Hayate Gekkō, the proctor, frozen in place.
"Die," Gaara said coldly. The sand closed in tighter—
—but in a blink, a figure appeared between them. Guy smashed the sand apart with a single punch, dispersing it completely.
"Why are you protecting him?" Gaara asked, his voice trembling slightly.
"Because he's my most precious student," Guy said, his words cutting through the silence.
For the first time, Gaara's expression wavered. His thoughts flickered back to memories of loneliness… of never having someone who would say those words to him.
His sand armor cracked, crumbling away as he turned and walked off the field in silence.
Behind him, Lee—barely conscious—struggled to stand again. His legs shook violently, his body broken… but his will refused to fall.
Guy rushed forward and caught him in his arms.
The crowd stood in stunned silence. Even in defeat, Rock Lee's unwavering resolve moved every heart in the stadium.
He had lost the fight—but won something far greater.
"Lady Tsunade! Please, save my student!" Guy shouted toward the stands.
Tsunade immediately leapt down and knelt beside Lee. After a brief examination, her expression darkened.
"His injuries are severe," she said. "His muscles are torn, bones shattered, fragments embedded deep in his tissue. Even with surgery, it's unlikely he'll ever be a shinobi again."
"Please, Tsunade-nee! Save him! Save the thick-eyebrowed kid!" Naruto begged, eyes brimming with tears.
Tsunade exhaled softly, then smiled faintly. "Even I can't guarantee that… but there is one person who can."
Guy's eyes widened. "Who?! Who can save him?!"
Tsunade tilted her head toward the stands. "That man over there—my husband will handle it."
"Hahaha, since my beautiful wife asked so nicely," Yusuke said with a grin, stepping forward. "Besides, I like this kid."
Tsunade's face instantly turned red. "Y-Yusuke! Don't say that in public!"
Ignoring her flustered protest, Yusuke raised his hand. "Room."
A glowing blue dome enveloped Lee and Yusuke. In a flash, his body split into sections, suspended gently in the air as Yusuke's Six Eyes glowed faintly. His hands moved with surgical precision—bones aligned, tissue repaired, chakra veins restored.
The entire process took less than a minute. When it was done, Yusuke snapped his fingers, and green flames of vitality flared around Lee's body.
Lee's eyes flew open. He stood up abruptly, looking around in confusion.
"Eh? Did the match end already?" he asked innocently.
"Lee! You're alive!" Guy shouted, tears streaming down his face as he hugged him tightly.
"I lost, didn't I, Guy-sensei…" Lee said softly, his expression filled with quiet sorrow.
"Kid," Yusuke said, smiling faintly, "losing is part of being human. But as long as you keep getting back up, victory will always come your way."
"Thank you, Sensei," Lee said earnestly. "Have you… ever experienced something like this yourself?"
Yusuke paused, thinking for a moment. Then, with a straight face, he said, "Now that you mention it… I don't think I've ever lost. Not even once since I was born."
Everyone around him went silent.
Yusuke grinned. "But that's understandable—I am invincible."
Every shinobi nearby could only stare at him in stunned silence. Is this guy even human…?
— — —
Elsewhere, in a dimly lit chamber, Orochimaru sat across from a bespectacled young man, whispering about a dark plan that was finally beginning to take shape.
Meanwhile, Kakashi quietly made his way to the hospital—to visit Sasuke.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Join my Patreon here:
🔗 patreon.com/FaaanzKun
✅ Enjoy 80+ chapters ahead of WebNovel
✅ 2 new chapters every day (Monday–Saturday), exclusive on Patreon
🌙 Note: Sunday is a rest day, so there will be no updates tomorrow. Regular uploads resume as usual on Monday.
Join now and dive deeper into the story—weeks ahead of public release!
Thank you for your amazing support 💖
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —