Previously, in the split second before his body crashed into the ground, Sasuke had flared his aura.
Using the dramatically increased speed from powering up, he had quickly adjusted his posture, allowing him to land in a way that would minimise the damage.
Not only that, but he had also focused all of his ki into a defensive shield to lessen the immense impact of the fall.
It was precisely because of this that he was able to emerge almost completely unscathed from Rock Lee's astonishingly powerful attack.
"You've finally used that move."
Seeing the white aura of ki surrounding Sasuke, Rock Lee's eyes gleamed with even greater excitement.
Although he didn't know what technique Sasuke was using, he knew one thing for certain: only by using this move could Sasuke be a match for him when he had the Eight Gates open!
"Hm?"
Hearing this, Sasuke's eyes narrowed. It seemed this guy had been nearby and had watched their fight long before he and Naruto had even finished.
That being the case, for him to still dare to issue a challenge after knowing the level of power he possessed while powered up meant that he believed his own strength was no less than his. Or at the very least, not much weaker.
However, while the strength his opponent had shown so far was greater than his own in his base state, it was still clearly inferior to his powered-up state. Could it be that he was also holding back?
Just then, Rock Lee's expression turned serious. He clenched his fists and let out a low roar.
"The Eight Inner Gates! First Gate, the Gate of Opening, Open!"
"Second Gate, the Gate of Healing, Open!"
BOOM!!
As soon as he finished speaking, the formless presence emanating from his body suddenly surged.
"What is this?!" Sasuke immediately noticed the change, and his eyebrows shot up. "So you were holding back after all!"
A thrill of excitement began to course through him. He had initially thought that his opponent would, at most, be able to force him to power up.
He never expected him to have even more strength in reserve. It seemed this fight wouldn't be over so quickly; he could have a proper, all-out battle!
"Then let's see just how strong you are!"
The moment he spoke, Sasuke pushed off the ground, his body shooting towards his opponent like an arrow released from a bow.
"Bring it on!"
Seeing this, Rock Lee showed no fear. Instead of waiting for Sasuke to come to him, he chose to meet the charge head-on!
When the two were less than three meters apart, they stared intently at each other and, in perfect unison, threw a punch.
BANG!!
In a flash, their fists collided like a comet striking the earth. Immediately after, one of them was sent flying, unable to match the other's strength after holding on for a few seconds.
And that person was Rock Lee!
'His power has increased so much!!'
After being knocked back, Lee used the momentum to perform several flips in the air before landing somewhat unsteadily on the ground, a grave expression on his face as he thought.
Before his opponent had flared the white aura, his strength had clearly been a notch weaker than his own before opening the Eight Gates.
He never would have thought that after flaring the white aura, his opponent's strength would increase by so much that it was now even greater than his own with two gates open!
What in the world was this technique?
Just then, an icy voice sounded in his ear. "You dare to get distracted while fighting me."
A jolt of alarm shot through his heart. 'Not good!'
He looked up to find that Sasuke had, at some point, appeared right in front of him, his right leg raised high and swinging down in a vicious axe kick!
It was too late to dodge. He raised his arms, crossing them in front of his forehead in an attempt to block the blow head-on.
BANG!!
With a loud crash, he managed to block the attack, but his face was flushed red, and he was gritting his teeth tightly. 'His power... It's even greater!'
Lee could feel his arms trembling, as if they would give out at any second.
Not only that, but his feet had sunk deep into the ground, a testament to the immense power of the blow!
What he didn't know was that his moment of distraction had angered Sasuke.
So, when he had delivered that kick, he had flared his aura even more intensely, making the attack even more devastating than before.
'It seems opening only the second gate won't be enough to beat him,' Lee thought to himself and so, in the next second.
"Third Gate, the Gate of Life, Open!"
His body suddenly began to turn red as blood rushed to the surface of his skin. A green energy then erupted from his body, enveloping him completely.
BAM!!
He forcefully pushed Sasuke away and retreated a distance. "I was careless just now. From here on, I will not be distracted again!" he declared, his eyes fixed on Sasuke.
On the sidelines, upon seeing Sasuke power up, Sakura said with an expectant look, "Now Sasuke will definitely be able to beat him!"
Beside her, although Naruto was annoyed that Sasuke was stealing the spotlight, he had nodded in agreement.
No one understood the power Sasuke possessed after flaring his aura better than he did. In the face of that power, he was like an egg hitting a stone, completely helpless.
While this thick-eyebrowed guy was impressively strong, he was sure to meet his end against Sasuke's power.
And just as they expected, in just two moves, Sasuke had completely overwhelmed Lee. It seemed he would win the fight at any moment.
But then, they suddenly saw a green energy erupt from Lee's body, and the presence he exuded grew even more powerful than before.
"What is that?!"
Beside them, Goku watched the scene unfold with a look of surprise.
'A technique that pushes one's power beyond its limits? It resembles the Kaio-ken somewhat. It seems Sasuke has met his match this time.'
On the field, Sasuke felt the tremendous power explode from Lee and saw the changes in his body. A smirk tugged at his lips.
"So you were still hiding your power. This is for the best. Otherwise, this fight would be no fun at all."
Across from him, Lee exhaled a long breath. He said nothing more, simply beckoning for him to come forward.
Swoosh!!
Seeing his opponent signal for him to make the first move, Sasuke showed no hesitation.
With a powerful burst of speed, he shot forward like a howling gale and launched his attack.
Thud, thud, thud!!
Smack, smack, smack!
Soon, the sound of rapid-fire blows echoed through the field, accompanied by whistling winds and flying sand and stones!
BOOM!!
Suddenly, Sasuke was caught off guard by a kick that sent him flying backwards.
He crashed into a tree as thick as a bowl, snapping it in half. In the next instant, he flared his aura even stronger, vanished, and reappeared behind Lee, driving his elbow backwards in a vicious strike.
BAM!!
Lee had no time to react and was slammed face-first into the ground by the blow, which created a large crater.
But he quickly got back up, seemingly unfazed, and threw himself back into the fight.
And so, the two of them continued to trade ferocious blows. Before long, both of them were covered in wounds.
'It seems the third gate is not enough. Should I open the fourth?' In a brief lull in the fighting, Lee wrestled with the thought.
Opening the fourth gate would increase his power even further, but it would also begin to cause irreversible damage to his body.
His teacher, Might Guy, had always warned him not to open it unless it was necessary.
Was this one of those times?
A moment later, he had his decision.
The flames of youth were meant to be burned! If he were to be timid now, if he couldn't even muster the will to defeat the opponent before him, then how could he ever hope to catch up to the figure he chased in his heart?
How could he ever have the confidence to defeat him!
At the same time, Sasuke was also contemplating his next move. 'My ki is running low. If this keeps up, I'll definitely lose. There's only one path left.'
It didn't take him long to make a decision. In his next attack, he would push his body past its limits and unleash most of his remaining ki in a single, explosive burst.
By doing so, he could make the power of that one attack to its absolute maximum and settle the match in a single blow!