Without hesitation, Lee made the first strike—a jab directed at Neji's midsection. Neji calmly blocked it, redirecting the momentum to spin and counter with a swift kick. Lee nimbly dodged, pressing forward with a rapid combo of punches and kicks. Neji remained composed, effortlessly deflecting each attack, still aware that this match was far from simple.
"Your attacks are a tad reckless, and you will have to do better than that!" Neji responded, dodging and blocking as Lee unleashed a plethora of strikes.
He played it cool, but knew this wasn't as straightforward as he made it look.
The crowd hollered with excitement as Lee, breathing heavily but refusing to relent, began another onslaught. "Hi-ya!" he yelled, each strike punctuated by shouts of effort. "Wha-cha!"
However, Neji's Byakugan guided his movements, and as Lee began to repeat his combination, he seized the opportunity and struck Lee in the chest, pushing him back a little.
"The same tricks don't work on me twice, Lee. You of all taijutsu users should know that!"
Lee's brow furrowed, momentarily caught off guard, but he quickly gathered himself. "Then I'll change it up!" He knew he had to elevate his strategy; keeping his leg weights on would only slow him down. So he took a deep breath, removed the weights, and with a crash, they hit the arena floor, sending dust and debris flying like a shockwave.
Those who had seen it before, during the first round, were still in awe that he wore such heavy and dangerous materials.
As the smoke settled, Lee darted forward, charging at Neji with greater speed. The ferocity of their match intensifying.
"Look at them go!" a surprised spectator yelled.
Neji braced himself, maintaining focus despite the commotion surrounding him.
The two stepped into an even faster clash, and with each bang of their punches it left the audience captivated. Their relentless exchanges for thirteen-year-old shinobis were above average.
Lee then unleashed the Leaf Hurricane as he spun, aiming a powerful kick at Neji, but Neji's reaction hadn't at all deterred. "Rotation!" Pushing off his back foot, he twirled into a rotation, using the expelling chakra from his body to deflect Lee's attack like it was nothing. "I have no blind spots, Lee…"
Determined, Lee pressed on, incorporating his frustrations into his movements. "I won't give up!" he shouted as he charged once again. This time, his movements became more precise.
Neji wasn't offering any openings, and with hard-won experience, he flipped over Lee's back, catching his shoulder mid-spin and landing a kick right to Lee's rear—a move that sent Lee tumbling forward.
When Lee recovered, he sprang back to action. He saw the opportunity to attack from behind, so he moved swiftly and aimed a punch at Neji's back.
"Careful!" William yelled from outside of the arena. "It's a trap!"
Neji's awareness was unmatched, and without turning around, he laid a hand back and blocked Lee's incoming strike. Lee knew this was trouble, so he leapt away to gain some distance.
Sweat dripped from his face as he said to himself, "If I hadn't been warned, the match would have ended right there."
Margaret, realizing the near mistake, hit William lightly on the arm and yelled, "What were you thinking?! You could have gotten Lee disqualified!"
William shrugged defensively, caught between his excitement to watch the fight and concern for his friend, saying, "I just wanted to help!"
In truth, it was Arthur who was amused by William's warning. How did he recognize what Neji was going to do next? Little had Arthur known that technique Neji had performed was from the Ultimate Ninja 3 video game, something William had foreknowledge of.
The fight continued with both ninjas on edge, and Neji took a stance that the spectators were all too familiar with by now. That was the formation he had used in his first match against Shira.
Lee recognized the stance as the "Last Resort: Eight Gates Assault." It hinted that if Neji landed a strike now, he could potentially block Lee's activation of the Eight Inner Gates, effectively sealing Lee's trump card.
"Come at me with everything you have!" Lee spoke, his heart pounding.
Neji lunged forward, and Lee's reflexes kicked in, but Neji was relentless, pushing him back. He taunted, "You can't escape!"
At that moment, Lee ducked low, his intention clear—as he was about to execute the "Dancing Leaf Shadow" technique. But Neji spotted it and threaded back, evading the strike much to Lee's frustration.
"This isn't looking good for Bushy Brow!" Naruto whispered to himself. He, of all the rest of the spectators, was eager to see Lee win.
Seeing his opening vanish, Lee made a split-second decision. "Now is my chance!" he yelled. He charged forward, facing down Neji. As he prepared to activate the Eight Gates, he called out, "I follow and abide by my own ninja way! Fifth gate of vision open!"
With a burst of energy, Lee launched himself forward, glowing with a yellow aura that radiated intensity in every direction. His chakra burst sent tremors through the air as he catapulted toward Neji, who stood prepared, undeterred.
But the speed of the fifth gate was miscalculated.
In a flurry of motion, Lee managed to bring Neji into the air with one forceful kick. Then he bolted skyward and struck from every angle, his speed hawk-eyed as he attacked at the center. "True Hidden Lotus!" he bellowed as his voice echoed through the arena.
"Argh!" Neji said, gritting his teeth in this onslaught. He attempted a defensive maneuver, but the sheer speed of Lee's advance eclipsed his expectations.
The arena shook as Lee's relentless barrage bore down on Neji, whose composure was challenged like never before.
Then, as the attacks came to an end, Neji fell to the ground. Lee slid to the floor, resting his fingers on the arena's surface, head bowed. Silence fell across the audience.
Lee, utilizing the power of the Eight Gates, had pushed the boundaries of what seemed impossible to some; the technique he had used even caught the attention of Lars, who had been resting earlier till Lee used the True Hidden Lotus technique.
Arthur himself had never seen that technique nor knew it was possible to perform since it was only showcased in that aforementioned video game. But now that he's seen it, he can surely make use of it one day.
Neji lay still for a moment, processing what had just happened, but then a smile crept across his face. He lifted his head, nodding ever so slightly, and declared with a genuine tone, "You finally beat me, Lee…"
The announcer, breaking the tension, stepped forward to say, "And with that, the winner of this incredible match is Rock Lee!"
A roar erupted from the audience, louder than the cheers for Naruto, many chanting Lee's name. The fight's intensity had really impressed them.
Lee, still catching his breath, hobbled on unsteady legs to help his opponent up. "You pushed me to my limits, Neji! I went all out just for you, my greatest rival!" He then extended a hand lively, filled with jubilant energy.
Neji accepted with a smile as he confidently responded, "Next time, I'll go all out, too."
Lee let out a hearty laugh, clapping Neji on the back, and said, "But I gave it my best! Surely, you are kidding?"
Neji smirked, replying, "Who knows? But if you're training harder for the next time we fight, then I might as well stay prepared."
The moment felt monumental, encapsulating everything they had strived for throughout their journeys as teammates and friends. Together, they exchanged glances of admiration and kinship.
Loud cheers continued in the arena. As much as this tournament was an exhibition of skill, it was also fights like these that helped forged bonds or make them stronger.
As Neji and Lee exchanged laughter amidst the cheers, the stage was being prepped for yet another round of battles. The two finally made their way back to the stands, where Margaret caught sight of them first. The excitement as well as a mischievous grin were evident on her face.
"Lee! I'm glad you won, and Neji, you fought great out there, but, Lee... There's something I should tell you."
"What is it, Marge?"
"Umm… Guy-sensei didn't say anything to me about you using the Eight Gates."
At that moment, Lee's heart sank. He clasped his hands to his cheeks, eyes turning glassy as he comically wailed, "I have forsaken Guy-sensei's teachings!" For an added show of drama, he fell to his knees in a faux spasm of despair. "Guy-sensei, please forgive me!"
Neji couldn't help but chuckle with a smirk at the spectacle, shaking his head gently. He placed a hand on Lee's shoulder, trying to offer some reassurance.
"It's alright, Lee. I'm not hurt at all, and the match was fair. Guy-sensei would understand that we pushed each other to our limits."
Jada added, "That's right, Lee. He'd be proud of both of you!"
Lee's cries quieted, but his eyebrows remained knotted with worry. "Do you really think so?" he asked, looking up at Neji. The taijutsu user was desperately seeking affirmation, something Naruto found a tad weird.
"I know so," Neji replied with a nod. "If anything, he would see this as a positive thing."
Jada stepped in closer, placing a hand on Lee's opposite shoulders. "And let's remember, the Eight Inner Gates are used to protect others too, Lee. You did a fantastic job today! Neji isn't hurt in any serious way that couldn't otherwise be healed. You and him fought honourably."
Margaret added with a playful smile, "Yeah! Besides, you showed outstanding perseverance out there! Guy-sensei would only praise how hard you pushed yourself."
Slowly, Lee's expression turned from sorrow to cautious optimism. He wiped his eyes dramatically before giving them a broad, goofy grin that stretched wide across his face.
"You all really think so?!"
"Yes!" came everyone's resounding agreement, punctuated by their shared laughter.
Just then, Naruto added, "That was really epic! If you can use the Eight Gates, you've got to teach me how to do that!"
This drew even more laughter from the group, and Lee felt invigorated by Naruto's enthusiasm.
"You wish to learn the Eight Gates?" he asked as he bounced back on his feet.
"You're already so strong, Naruto!" William pointed out, struggling to contain her mirth. "If you learn the Eight Gates, that's just overkill!"
Arthur, paying close attention to their conversation, would surely be on high alert if the main character learned the Eight Gates.
Just the very thought of Naruto, the embodiment of this world, becoming even more formidable? Something like that was not what Arthur desired. With Naruto's talents, mixing that with the Eight Gates into his already impressive arsenal might push him into uncharted territory too early.
"And besides," Neji interjected with a wry smirk, "you already have the Nine-Tails."
Naruto touched his belly, remembering something important. Arthur's eyes furrowed because it seemed as though the boy was in touch with that creature.
"Maybe I'll wait until after the tournament then," Naruto said with a smile.
Arthur could tell by the look on the players' faces of what each of them were thinking: 'Perhaps the main character learning the Eight Inner Gates wouldn't be such a bad thing.' Anyone could do it, and in Naruto's hands, it would make him ready for just about anything.
Simply thinking how Naruto Uzumaki, mixing his malleable chakra from the second strongest Tailed Beast, with the physical transformative powers of the Eight Inner Gates into a surreal combination would be breathtaking.
In hindsight, however, it would make the boy too strong!
That was why Arthur had to be one—no ten—steps ahead of everyone. Such fans of this world relished the idea of Naruto being as strong, poised, and level-headed as possible. If Arthur let them have their way, then his end, his very life wouldn't fall in the hands of a player but an NPC.