23 23 V.S Rock Lee

When Shigeo walked deeper in the training grounds, he eventually saw a clearing where he saw both Lee and Tenten were sparring as Gai was overseeing them.

Gai, seeing his very first pupil smiled and called him.

"Hahaha! Shigeo, even if you already got assigned to a team, it's good you still burn with the flames of youth and join us!" Gai said.

"Of course, after all. It's always so lively here" Shigeo said as he went next to Gai to watch Tenten try to win a match against Lee.

Lee had changed since they had first met. Lee before had a long braided ponytail in his back with a chines style top. Now however, he now had a bowl cut as well as copying Gai's style of clothing, the green spandex.

"So, how is Lee's progress with the 8 gates? Do the others know?" Shigeo asked

"Hmm, he's doing well as he can already open up to the fifth gate as for your other question... No, Neji and Tenten don't know yet." Gai said as he watched Lee.

"Why?" Shigeo asked

"Because it's not supposed to be used carelessly Shigeo. It's a last resort which means it's a trump card and that means secrecy Shigeo" Gai said as he taught his pupil a lesson. "If others know of your trump card, then that's not youthful at all!" He said

{a/n: idk y Gai in the og did not tell the other 2(tenten & Neji) about the 8 gates. In the chunin exam arc neji looked genuinely surprised about lee knowing the 8 gates, don't roast me for this I just wrote stuff out my ass}

"Anyway... are you sure you don't want to learn it? It can be a lifesaving tool" Gai said as he changed the subject. "Have I ever told you that my eternal rival can also use the 8 gates, but even now he can only use the first gate." Gai said

"Your point is?" Shigeo said raising his eyebrow

"My point is Shigeo, that it's worth a try... after all you are my first apprentice, and how can I be your master if I don't pass something onto you, and not to mention you are a genius of taijutsu but also a genius of hard work. A youthful and hardworking genius! You can definitely open more than the first gate if you were to learn it!!!!!" Gai said with passion as he put his hands on Shigeo's shoulder.

"Hmmm... you know, I might just take your offer and learn it..." Shigeo said as he knew of the buffs that the eight gates give were massive. It would definitely give him a huge boost in physical prowess. The reason he hadn't tried to learn it was because he was pre-occupied already trying to master all his other techniques that were in his arsenal.

"Great! I'll be ready any time, your physique is already in the most youthful condition of learning it!!" Gai said as he knew full well on how strong Shigeo's body was, it was compact of pure muscle meant for the combination of power and speed.

"Mm, I'll go and spar with Lee and test his abilities." Shigeo said as he nodded and went towards the two older genin. The spar between Tenten and Lee had just finished and it of course ended with the mini Gai's victory.

"OH! Shigi, how most youthful of you to join us!!" Lee said as he gave Shigeo a thumbs up after he helped Tenten up.

"Yo, as youthful as ever I see" Shigeo said as he shrugged.

"And as hip and cool as ever Shigi!!" Lee said causing Shigeo to smile. "You know it"

"What brings you here Shigeo?" Tenten said as she asked Shigeo. During the past year since they met they have gotten pretty close so both Lee and Tenten no longer use honorifics when talking to him and the same could be said for Shigeo.

"Ah well you know, I along with my new team mates passed the final test to become a genin and my sensei had released us early. I was bored so I came over to see if I can spar with Lee" Shigeo said

"OH!!! I WOULD ABSOLUELY LOVE TO!!!" Lee said as he ignited with excitement. " It's finally time again Shigi, I will show you the limit of my hard work!" Lee said

"Er... alright, I'll head over to Gai-sensei and rest" Tenten said as she looked at the both of them who seemed to have forgotten about her.

"Battle junkies..." She muttered as she rolled her eyes.

...

"Hehehehe!" Shigeo laughed as he punched out.

"Hahahahaha" laughed Lee as he too sent an attack of his own.

When both their attacks met Lee was pushed back a few steps before they resumed their fight. Lee was not bothered by the fact that he got pushed back and only sped up to appear in front of Shigeo and tried to send him a kick to his chin to send him flying but Shigeo avoided via backflip.

"Looks like you missed Lee" Shigeo said.

"Don't worry Shigi, I'll get you next time" Lee said as he once again went to his stance.

"Is that so? Then come!" Shigeo said as he also got into his stance as Lee dashed towards him.

They both clashed again with flurries of punches and kicks before Shigeo quickly got behind Lee and tried to but him on a head lock though Lee quickly put his arms into a blocking position and hid his head behind them preventing Shigeo to catch his neck.

Though the next second Lee was on the ground as Shigeo knocked his feet and punched him to the ground as he pinned his arm around his back.

"Looks like I win again Lee" Shigeo said as he freed the older genin.

"Looks like I have to train harder then!" lee said before he was interrupted by Shigeo.

"Hey Lee, why don't we spar without your weights on?" He suggested catching the bowl cutted genin's attention.

"What?! Without my weights?" Lee said shocked.

"Yes, I want to fight you at your peak strength without the gates" Shigeo said as Lee looked to be in thought.

"...Alright! but first let's ask Gai-sensei" Lee said as he sprinted towards Gai.

"GAI-SENSEI!" He said as he appeared in front of Gai.

"They really look like father and son" Shigeo muttered as he looked at both spandex clad duo side by side.

"May I spar with Shigi without my weights on?" Lee asked as Gai looked at Lee then Shigeo who nodded

"Hmm" Gai thought before he nodded "Of course! But first!" He said before he looked towards Shigeo and yelled.

"OI Shigeo! Will you also take your weights out?!" Gai asked.

"If Lee does so, then it would be rude to keep mine on as well!" Shigeo yelled back.

"MN!" Gai nodded "Very well then! I will oversee this youthful match!" Gai said as Lee turned excited.

"YOSH! I haven't sparred with anyone else except Gai-sensei qnd Neji with my weights off!" Lee said as he hurried and stopped a few meters in front of Shigeo before he reached down to get his weights off his legs.

*BOOM!*

The sound of the weights hitting the ground made as noticeable cracks appeared on the ground where the weights landed.

Shigeo smiled as he too removed his weights though only the ones on his hands and not the ones at his legs. Moving aside his arm warmers he unstrapped the weights he too dropped them on the ground.

*BOOOM!!*

Though the noise it made was much louder as well as more cracks appeared indicating that it was much heavier than what the bushy browed genin wore.

"Good, now ready...set...Start!" Gai said starting the spar. '...Shigeo didn't take off his leg weights huh...' Gai thought.

As soon as Gai said stat, both Shigeo and Lee disappeared and reappeared on the middle of the battle ground as they connected blows.

*Bang!*

The sound of their blows connecting made a notably loud noise as the ground beneath them also made noticeable cracks.

"YES, THIS IS...THIS IS...YOOOOUUUUUTTHH!!!!" Gai yelled as he had tiers coming down his face.

"Gross, Gai-sensei..." Tenten said but her eyes were fixated at the duo in front of her. 'Those two... are amazing' She thought as she remembered that it was just pure physical strength and were not using any jutsu.

"HA!" Lee said as he sent out a punch which Shigeo blocked but was pushed back two steps. The next second Lee appeared behind him as he sent a kick to his stomach but Shigeo smiled as he spun and sent his own kick to Lee's head which he blocked but was sent flying in the process.

But Lee quickly stabilized himself with a few flips before he once again dashed to Shigeo with a huge smile on his face. "SHIGI!!" He yelled as he sent a punch to the younger male.

"LEE!!" Shigeo similarly yelled as he too had a grin on his face.

This was just a battle of pure taijutsu and physical strength. No techniques like the rokushiki or Haki involved in fact he had to suppress his Observation Haki since it was a passive ability and similarly Lee also did not use any of his forbidden techniques like the lotus nor the 8 gates.

Shigeo quickly appeared in front of Lee and tried to punch his chest but Lee only redirected if with his fore arm and sent a leaf whirlwind towards Shigeo.

"Gah!" Shigeo said as he was sent a few meters back. He blocked it using both arms as a guard but he was still sent back to which he had to stabalize himself.

{a/n: use Metal vs Lee as reference -_-}

Seeing an opportunity Lee sent a kick as Shigeo blocked it before swiftly sending out a spinning backfist to which Lee got a direct blow of.

"GAH!" Lee cried out as he felt his vision blur.

"It appears...that this is my limit!" Lee said as he dropped to his knee's and clutched his head.

"Here" Shigeo said.

Looking up, Lee saw with his blurry vision that Shigeo's silhouette was offering his hand. He smiled as he thanked him. "Thanks" He said as he got hoisted up.

"Good Fight!" Shigeo said as Lee nodded.

"GOOD FIGHT INDEED! THE WINNER OF THIS MOST YOUTHFUL SPAR IS SHIGEO!!!" Gai said.

"It was most beautiful GAH!!!!" Gai said as he cried "And that camaraderie as well, it brings tears to my eyes!!!" Gai said

"And Lee!" Gai said gaining the boy's attention.

"You have gotten stronger, even if you did ultimately lose, remember Life is about improving. Remember your mistakes have the power to turn you into something better than you were before!" He said as the young genin nodded.

"mmn Gai-sensei!" Lee nodded as he had tears coming out his face.

"Lee!" Gai said as he opened his arms.

"GAI-SENSEI I!..." Lee said as he tried to talk

"LEE, I GET IT... YOU DON"T NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT!" Gai said as he looked towards Lee, he also had tears coming out of his face.

"GAH!!! SENSEI!!" Lee cried as he hugged Gai.

"There there LEE!" Gai said as he hugged the boy back. Shigeo could have sworn that he saw a sunset with tides hitting against the rocks in the backround.

'Is this...genjutsu?!' Shigeo thought as he looked at his fellow student and Sensei.

"YOSH! Lee, let's run laps around the village until our legs die out!!!" Gai said

"YES GAI-SENSEI!" Lee said as both of them darted away.

"..." Both Shigeo and Tenten could only look at each other before they shook their heads and sighed.

---

I will indeed give him the 8 gates -_-