Sasuke stood ready, his Sharingan activated, as Rock Lee grinned confidently from across the training ground. "I challenge you, Uchiha Sasuke!" Lee announced, his stance poised and prepared.
Sasuke smirked, adjusting his posture. "Alright, I'll take you on."
Naruto and Sakura watched from the sidelines, and Hyuk stood nearby, arms crossed, with a mild expression of curiosity. His eyes briefly wandered to the green-suited boy doing stretches earlier—now Rock Lee, someone who apparently didn't use any chakra techniques but relied on pure taijutsu. Hyuk was intrigued but skeptical.
Lee wasted no time. In an instant, he dashed toward Sasuke with blinding speed. Sasuke's Sharingan spun rapidly, barely catching up with Lee's movements. Lee's fist shot toward Sasuke's face, and he narrowly dodged it by a hair's breadth. The sheer velocity of Lee's punch sent a gust of wind whipping past Sasuke's cheek.
Sasuke retaliated, launching a series of rapid punches and kicks, but Lee was faster—much faster. He effortlessly evaded each strike and countered with a quick leg sweep. Sasuke leaped into the air, avoiding the sweep, but Lee was already there, delivering a powerful kick that knocked Sasuke to the ground.
"T-That speed…" Naruto muttered in disbelief. Even he could see how fast Lee was, and he wasn't even using any ninjutsu!
Sasuke stood up, wiping dirt from his face, his Sharingan still active but struggling to keep up with Lee's unpredictable movements. "He's not using any jutsu, and he's still this fast?"
Lee didn't let up, charging again. This time, Sasuke activated his Sharingan fully, trying to read Lee's movements more precisely. He barely managed to dodge Lee's next attack, but the strain on his body was already showing. His reflexes were sharp thanks to his training with Hyuk, but Lee's pure taijutsu overwhelmed him.
Naruto, watching with wide eyes, was speechless. Even Sakura was tense, not knowing what to say. Hyuk stood back, observing with a critical eye. While Sasuke was holding his own, it was clear to Hyuk that Lee's superior speed and taijutsu prowess were overwhelming his teammate. This Rock Lee wasn't someone to underestimate.
Suddenly, Lee appeared behind Sasuke, ready to deliver the finishing blow. He aimed a powerful kick at Sasuke's back. But before the kick could land, a massive turtle appeared out of nowhere, blocking the strike.
"Kai!" A deep voice rang out, and both Sasuke and Lee froze in place. Everyone turned to see a giant turtle standing between them.
"What the…?" Naruto exclaimed, eyes widening at the sight of the talking turtle.
"I told you, Lee, you're not allowed to use that move outside of official matches," the turtle said sternly, glaring at the boy in green.
Lee stood back, looking guilty. "I-I'm sorry, Master!"
Before anyone could react further, a loud voice boomed across the training ground. "YOSH!! LEE!!!"
In a flash of green, a figure descended from the sky, landing with a dramatic pose right next to the turtle. It was none other than Might Guy, Rock Lee's eccentric sensei.
Guy's teeth sparkled as he gave Lee a thumbs-up. "My youthful student! You must remember the rules! You can't unleash your full power unless it's in the Chuunin Exams!"
Lee immediately stood at attention. "Yes, Guy-sensei! I'm sorry, I got carried away."
Naruto, still processing what was happening, pointed at Guy in disbelief. "What's with this guy?! He's just like Lee!"
Guy turned to Naruto, his eyes gleaming. "Ah, you must be Uzumaki Naruto, and you're also part of Team 7! How wonderful to meet such promising youths!" He struck another dramatic pose before turning to Sasuke. "And you, Uchiha Sasuke! A prodigy, much like my beloved student Lee. But remember, in pure taijutsu, Lee's abilities surpass even those with the Sharingan."
Sasuke, still catching his breath from the intense fight, scowled slightly. "That's what you think…"
Guy didn't miss a beat, turning his attention to Hyuk, whose cold and composed demeanor caught his eye. "And you—ah, the infamous Hyuk Haruno. I've heard about your prowess as well. It seems your team is full of youthful energy!" He grinned before turning to Lee.
"Lee, we must save our energy for the Chuunin Exams! You'll have plenty of time to test your strength then."
Lee bowed respectfully. "Yes, Guy-sensei!"
As the tension in the air eased, Sasuke stood up fully, wiping the sweat from his brow. While he didn't say it, he knew that Rock Lee had bested him in pure speed and taijutsu.
Neji, who had been observing the fight with interest, smirked.
Tenten, meanwhile, was trying to remain focused, but her eyes wandered back to Hyuk. His cold, quiet confidence and striking emerald eye made him stand out from the others, and she couldn't help but admire him—though she quickly pulled herself back into focus.
As the dust settled, Team 7 and Team 3 went their separate ways, with Sasuke left thinking about how much stronger he needed to become. Naruto, meanwhile, was fired up. "I'm not going to lose to you, bushy brows!"
Hyuk stayed silent, glancing briefly at Rock Lee as the team walked away. While Lee had shown great skill, Hyuk remained unimpressed by his lack of ninjutsu. Still, something about the fight intrigued him. Maybe in the future, he'd learn something from this strange, taijutsu-focused fighter.