"Phew… He's gone…" Rock Lee sighed in relief, watching as his "father" headed off for his morning C-rank mission—nothing special, just a standard task given to an average Chunin like Son Lee.
The Lee clan was never known for its strength. Their leader was merely an unremarkable Tokubetsu Jonin, specializing in reconnaissance. As a result, their territory wasn't particularly large either.
It only took Rock a few minutes of light jogging—and a couple of friendly waves to the villagers along the way—to cover the entirety of the Lee clan's small domain, land granted to them by the Hokage long ago. But he didn't complain or dwell on the matter.
Honestly, he couldn't care less about such "trivialities." He had no grand ambitions of becoming a noble clan leader or helping his newly inherited family expand. They were connected by blood—nothing more. Instead of wasting time strengthening others, he'd rather focus on his own training.
"In about a year and a half, Orochimaru will attack Konoha alongside the Sand Village. Then things will really start heating up—Akatsuki, rogue ninja, and, of course, Obito, who'll plunge these lands into another full-scale war. Oh, and let's not forget Kaguya! Fantastic. Just great..." Lee thought grimly. "So why waste time worrying about clans when I should be getting stronger?"
"Alright! Time to deal with the Bronze Chest!"
Clapping his hands together, Lee stepped back into his small two-room apartment, where he lived with Son Lee. Though, to be fair, the man was rarely home. No one was going to interrupt him now, so Rock relaxed, sat cross-legged on the floor, and finally turned his attention to the system he had acquired upon arriving in this world.
"Status!" he commanded internally, and a digital interface instantly materialized before his eyes:
[Name: Rock Lee]
[Shinobi Rank: Academy Student]
[Health: 100%]
[Stamina: 30%]
[Chakra: 100%]
[Taijutsu Rank: C]
[Ninjutsu Rank: —]
[Genjutsu Rank: —]
[Inventory]
[Hellish Exercise List: 3]
"Stamina is recovering bit by bit, just like my health. But Ninjutsu and Genjutsu… nothing but blank dashes. Probably because this body just isn't capable of using them. Kinda sucks, but oh well. Taijutsu, though… Rank C. Most likely because the original Rock Lee spent countless hours on physical training. Inventory is self-explanatory, but… Hellish Exercise List: 3? Looks like another round of torture is waiting for me… Brrr!" Lee shuddered, still haunted by the memory of those grueling push-ups.
Still, he shook off the dread, focused on his inventory, and retrieved the so-called Bronze Chest, which was actually…
A card with an illustration of a worn-out bronze chest.
"Weird…" Lee mused, running his fingers along the sharp edges of the rectangular card. Closing his round eyes, he exhaled and snapped the card in half. It dissolved into a flurry of bronze sparks, revealing an assortment of rewards:
[Bronze Chest Rewards]
[20,000 Ryo]
[10 Military Pills]
[Healing Ointment]
[Rokushiki Style: Rankyaku]
The material items were sent directly to his inventory, while the Rankyaku technique imprinted itself in his mind, presenting him with a detailed step-by-step training regimen for mastering the move—straight out of the manga and anime "One Piece." A solid haul.
"As an academy student, money isn't useless to me. 20,000 Ryo is equal to about four completed D-rank missions. With that, I can afford good food and maybe even some training weights… if I really want to go full-on masochist mode…" Lee chuckled to himself.
The rest of the rewards were even more valuable. Military Pills could temporarily enhance a shinobi's abilities. Healing Ointment accelerated recovery and natural regeneration. And Rankyaku…
Now that was a real prize!
But Lee had another issue to deal with—his Shinobi Academy classes, which were starting in about fifteen minutes. Yep, that very same place where kids were trained in the arts of espionage, sabotage, and assassination…
Then again, could he really judge the brutal policies of the Hidden Villages? The academy was just a military training ground, after all, producing the next generation of soldiers. And knowing what was coming, Lee would be glad if more talented students graduated. Sure, he could count on Naruto and Sasuke, but relying on them alone? That would be both boring and foolish.
"I won't become a true Taijutsu master if I just sit on the sidelines," he concluded, changing into his academy uniform and preparing to head out.
As always, the weather in Konoha was perfect. The bright sun shone in a clear blue sky, while a refreshing breeze made the tree branches dance. Walking past shops and buildings, greeted by the smiles of villagers, Lee couldn't help but absorb the warm, peaceful atmosphere. And then there was the Hokage Monument—impossible to ignore.
A breathtaking mountain, carved with the faces of Konoha's past leaders. From the First Hokage to the Fourth, who had died sealing the Nine-Tails inside his own son, Naruto. A history spanning at least fifty years—maybe even a full century. Lee wasn't entirely sure; his knowledge of the timeline was fuzzy at best.
Regardless, the Shinobi Academy—the place he was hurrying to—was nestled at the foot of that very mountain.
"Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd personally confirm the theory of reincarnation. And yet, here I am, in a world I once knew only through anime…" Lee still couldn't get over the absurdity of his situation.
"Hey! Why are you late?" A voice suddenly called out.
Surprisingly, waiting for him at the academy entrance was none other than his classmate, Tenten. Or rather, she hadn't been waiting—she had simply run into him by chance.
Tenten—a cute girl with big dreams of becoming a legendary Kunoichi like Tsunade Senju. Chestnut-brown hair tied into two buns, sharp brown eyes framed by short bangs. She wore a pink jacket and dark green pants. Her fair skin contrasted with her serious, slightly scolding gaze, directed straight at the confused Lee. He had no idea why she was suddenly paying him any attention.
"Huh? O-oh, hey, Tenten!" Slightly flustered but not losing his composure, Lee greeted her with confidence, flashing the "typical" goofy smile he had borrowed from the memories of his predecessor.
"Are you kidding me, Lee? I never gave you permission to call me by my name," she huffed, shaking her head in disapproval before abruptly turning her back on him. With a final dismissive remark, she stepped into the academy, leaving Lee standing there, blinking in confusion.
"Wow… My reputation is really something, huh? The only beauty in our class treats me like a complete joke. And considering that when I pass the Genin exam, there's a 99% chance she'll be on my team… yeah, this could be a problem. Then again, at least Tenten never called the original Rock Lee a loser or a failure like the others did…"
With those thoughts in mind, Lee headed to his classroom, recalling that today's lesson would include practical sparring matches.