—"I feel tired, but I won't give up. I can't give up. I can't, I can't, I can't, I won't. I must endure!"—muttered a boy with a strange haircut, dressed in a green jumpsuit.
He lay on the ground of the arena, struggling to rise. After a tremendous effort, he managed to stand. The light fell upon him, and the sight was striking: his body covered in wounds and bruises, his clothes in tatters, most of his upper body exposed except for the lower half of the green jumpsuit. Around his waist was a red belt with a metal plate engraved with the symbol of a leaf.
Beside the arena, the crowd cheered the boy's tenacity.
—"Bushy Brows, don't give up! Beat him and pass this exam!" shouted a blond boy with blue eyes, wearing an orange hoodie and a forehead protector with the leaf symbol.
—"You can do it!" exclaimed a group of children, also wearing leaf headbands.
The boy in the arena stared at his opponent with determination. His opponent returned the gaze with a murderous look.
—"It has to work. No, it must work. I trained for this—it will work!" the boy thought, spreading his legs as a green aura surrounded him. —"Fourth Gate… OPEN!"
—"Lee, no!" cried a man dressed exactly like the boy, but without wounds or torn clothes.
The warning came too late. A massive wave of sand engulfed the tenacious boy. He couldn't escape; his weakened body tensed and endured the attack.
The man who had shouted "Lee" vanished from his seat and appeared in the arena. He plunged his hand into the sand and pulled the boy out—his hands and one leg covered in blood.
The boy awoke in a white room. Looking around, he realized where he was. His sad expression slowly shifted into determination.
He tried to get out of bed but collapsed to the floor. His pain was obvious, yet he ignored it stubbornly, attempting push-ups—only to fail miserably.
From the strain, exhausted and aching, the boy fainted.
Minutes later, the door opened. A nurse entered, shocked, and rushed to his side. She pressed a red button and shouted for help.
A month passed, and the boy finally left the hospital. But his determined expression was gone, replaced by a weary look.
The man in the green jumpsuit placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke: —"Don't worry, Lee! Your master will fix this. Two months are nothing! We'll resume training and restore your condition, so your flames of youth will shine once more!" he shouted encouragingly.
Lee looked at him, then lowered his head. The words comforted him, but also made him feel miserable, reminding him of what the doctor had said.
Fifteen minutes earlier…
—"Young Lee, your condition is critical."
Lee stared in fear, but his hopeful eyes pushed him to ask: —"I understand, Doctor… how long will it take to heal this time? When will I be able to be a ninja again?"
The doctor looked at him for a few seconds, then answered painfully: —"You will never be a ninja."
Those words struck Lee like a hammer, and everything blurred.
Back in the present, Lee looked at his master and forced a wide, fake smile. The man in the green jumpsuit saw his expression, stopped consoling him, frowned, and looked ahead.
Lee also looked forward, hearing the crowd talk about the Uchiha boy who was supposed to be in the arena but had not yet arrived.
Lee watched as the referee counted down the final moments before disqualifying the Uchiha. Suddenly, the stadium was surrounded by a whirlwind of leaves—and the boy appeared.
He wore a black jumpsuit with a high collar, a weapons pouch, and bandages on his arms and legs in black and white. His face was handsome, pale, and clean—so different from Lee, whose skin was darker, his features plain and rough.
Lee studied him carefully, recognizing the changes from months ago. The two had competed before. That match ended with Lee victorious—against the Uchiha and his magical eyes.
Lee smiled as he remembered the fruit of his effort, and hope grew within him like a flame in a dry forest.
On the other side of the arena appeared the boy who had once left Lee hospitalized. He wore red and brown clothing, had short red hair, and most striking of all—a giant gourd strapped to his back.
Our bandaged youth clenched his fist in frustration and helplessness. He tried to calm himself, burying those feelings deep inside, but moments later all the emotions he had tried to repress burst forth.
Lee watched as the boys began their match. The Uchiha dodged the red-haired boy's sand attacks and countered with a few kunai blades.
The red-haired boy continued his assault and spoke in a macabre tone: —"Mother demands your blood, Sasuke Uchiha…"
Sasuke evaded the attacks and smiled confidently. He vanished from everyone's sight and reappeared beside the psychopath, delivering a powerful kick—blocked by a column of sand. He repeated this maneuver, circling his opponent.
Young Lee lost control. As he watched, he saw himself from months ago.
Months earlier, outside the Chunin Exam building…
Near the exam hall, Lee stood with his teammates, wearing his radiant green jumpsuit and flashing a wide, good-natured smile.
His companions wore less extravagant outfits. The girl of the group wore a white-and-red combat yukata, scrolls tied at her waist. The other boy wore gray shorts and a plain white shirt.
The three walked toward the building, and Rock Lee shouted about his "youth," irritating his teammates.
—"My youth burns brightly! Still, for the sake of our team, we must restrain ourselves so as not to reveal too much of our abilities. I know it's hard, but we'll have time later for a more youthful attitude!"
His teammates tried to quiet him, but it was useless.
They entered the building and saw a large crowd at the exam entrance. Nearby, the white-eyed boy Neji Hyuga explained that the hallway and door were surrounded by a mild genjutsu, altering the numbers on the door to make it seem like the exam location. The three looked at each other and decided to head toward the correct floor.
As they approached, they encountered other youths from their own village. They passed by—except for Lee, who tried to flirt with a girl from the other group.
Lee blew her a kiss, which the pink-haired girl dodged with disgust. The boy in orange scolded Lee for doing that, but Lee ignored him. Meanwhile, Neji Hyuga spoke to the "duck-haired" boy, who ignored him and instead countered with a question:
—"Isn't it rude to ask someone's name before giving your own?"
This angered Hyuga, who decided to head for the stairs. He grabbed Lee by the neck and dragged him along.
The duck-haired boy's team stopped at the door, declaring they were facing a genjutsu.
—"This pathetic illusion won't fool an Uchiha. Step aside."
One of the guards blocking the door lunged at the Uchiha with a kick, and the Uchiha responded in kind.
Elsewhere…
Lee's group was heading upstairs, but he froze when he heard the arrogant boy's surname. A surge of emotion ran through him, and in a flash of speed he appeared between the impulsive youths.
—"That's enough…" he said, pushing the two apart.
The Uchiha was surprised, as was everyone in the room. The blond and the pink-haired girl were astonished.
Lee looked at the stunned Uchiha and knew this was his chance.
—"Sasuke Uchiha, the last of his clan and the shinobi prodigy," Lee declared excitedly. Sasuke tried to ignore him, but Lee didn't care—he challenged him to a duel.
Neji approached, reproaching Lee along with his female teammate for not following the plan. Lee apologized and swore it wouldn't take long.
The two groups moved to a larger space in the building and began their duel.
—"Today is my chance to see how much I've improved," Lee thought, thrilled.
—"This will be a good warm-up," Sasuke said confidently.
He rushed at the eccentric youth, who waited with one hand forward and the other behind his hip. Sasuke threw a punch at Lee's face, but at the last second he was sent flying by a kick. Sasuke recovered and activated his magical eyes. His black eyes turned red, a black tomoe pattern forming around his pupils.
Now it was Lee's turn. With the same stance, he launched himself at Sasuke. He unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks, his arms bending at sharp angles, his legs striking with force.
Sasuke's eyes allowed him to see every move, yet he still took all the hits—until a powerful kick to his chin sent him soaring through the air. He couldn't understand how this humiliation was possible. His body ached terribly, but he endured the pain. As he tried to spin back into action, he felt a presence.
—"Your magic eyes are useless if you can't dodge my attacks," Rock Lee said from behind him. He wrapped his opponent's body with the bandages from his hands, preparing his technique.
Just as the move was about to be completed, it was interrupted by a strike from Lee's master. Though the fight didn't officially end, everyone present—including Lee—knew who the winner was.
Back to the present…
Lee watched as Sasuke now used the same movements and had the same speed as him. Doubt and frustration overwhelmed him.
—"How can this be possible? What took me a year, he mastered in a month. Is this the world's message—that without great talent or chakra control, I'm unworthy of being a ninja?"
Lee's master saw his frustration and asked Sasuke's rival and teacher: —"What did you do, Kakashi?"
The man replied lazily: —"You know, Guy… a little of this, a little of that. I focused on his speed. But those skills are thanks to your student. I only guided him along the path of your taijutsu."
—"I see, I see," Guy answered.
This struck Lee even harder. But his attention was diverted by a blond boy.
—"Bushy Brows, are you alright?"
Lee looked at him and replied: —"Of course, Naruto…" He felt his emotions rising, so he changed the subject. —"By the way, congratulations on defeating Neji."
Naruto smiled and bid Lee farewell, leaving him with a storm of emotions.
—"So this is my path… just a stepping stone for geniuses and those blessed by birth to grow stronger," Lee thought. Anxiety and despair consumed him, yet he still clung to hope, pleading for his dream. —"I want to be a ninja—that's my dream, my reason to live. God, couldn't you help me just this once? I don't know… at least give me something, a blessing? Why are you doing this to me? Haven't I suffered enough? What more do you want from me? What more…"
As his heart broke, exhaustion overtook him and he collapsed. The fall reopened his wounds, jolting him awake.
He tried to rise and saw chaos everywhere. For an unexpected reason, the visiting villages were attacking his home. He didn't fully understand why, but he hurried to his feet to protect the unconscious people lying on the ground. He clenched a kunai between his teeth and stood guard over them.
By luck, most of the enemies were busy fighting the ninjas of his village. But suddenly, a powerful explosion sent the young ninja flying.
He struck his head, and everything went black. In his unconsciousness, he dreamed a strange vision: a serpent battling an old monkey. They fought to the death, and the serpent prepared a strike from behind.
Lee awoke from the dream to see the Third Hokage, leader of his village, fighting a pale figure. His gaze shifted, and in slow motion he saw a white serpent draw a sword, ready to strike the old man.
Thousands of thoughts flooded his mind, but one memory pushed him to act. A mysterious force surged within him, restoring his strength. At the same time, the doctor's words echoed in his head, and with determination he thought:
—"I'll prove you wrong. Fifth Gate… OPEN!"
He rushed forward and stopped the sword. His green aura flickered, tinged with crimson. But then the power he had felt drained away.
Still, his determination and tenacity did not falter. Even with no hope left, he smiled, determined to show everyone he could be a strong ninja.
The serpent's strength behind the blade was overwhelming, forcing him back. The weapon pressed against his chest, slowly piercing his skin.
The pain was immense, but his desire to prove his worth was greater. His eyes, filled with pure resolve, did not waver as the sword impaled him. With all his will, he resisted the pressure, burning his life as fuel for power. His aura flared—green mixed with scarlet red.
—"Fifth Gate… OPEN!" he shouted, blood pouring from his mouth. The serpent could not push him back, and fear struck its heart.
The Hokage seized the opportunity. He grabbed the pale, serpent-like man and unleashed a forbidden technique. Behind him appeared a grim reaper, crucifying his soul. The reaper seized the serpent youth and began to drag him away.
—"This is the end, my foolish student, Orochimaru. As you can see, the ninjas of my village have the will to protect their comrades. And I, their Hokage, have the strength to seal you," said the Hokage, glancing at the sacrifice of his young ninja as he completed the technique. —"The seal is complete—Shikifūjin!"
—"No, old monkey, NO!" Orochimaru screamed in terror as his body fell lifeless.
The Hokage grew pale, realizing his own life was being dragged to the same fate as his foolish pupil. He turned his gaze to the boy, who still stood in place, green energy overflowing, and understood the terrible truth.
—"Oh, child…" whispered the old Hokage, struggling to endure. The barrier imprisoning them vanished, and Lee's master and Kakashi appeared at his side.
The Hokage looked at them and declared: —"This boy allowed us to defeat the enemy. His rank is now elite jōnin, and from this day he will be remembered as the second hero of Konoha." He coughed blood.
Might Guy heard this and was overwhelmed with emotion. He looked at his student and repeated the Hokage's words. Kakashi watched, uncomfortable, trying to explain the situation to his rival—but he said nothing, only observing his energetic friend crying as he repeated the same sentence again and again.
The Hokage lay down beside the boy and closed his eyes, surrendering to death. The boy's body slowly ceased to emit its powerful energy, like a flame fading away. Even as his power vanished, he did not move an inch. His face bore a wide smile—and lifeless eyes.
Lee had died, fighting.
The scene of Konoha's youngest hero ended in sorrow and destruction. Darkness fell, the boy's silhouette nearly imperceptible. In the black void, a powerful voice echoed:
—"This has only just begun. Death is only the beginning…"
End.