Naruto: The new beginning

20+ Advance chapters on:

[email protected]/Iamxeno

Drop a like, if you enjoy the chapter.

---

"I won't lose to this guy!"

When Sasuke laid eyes on the green jumpsuit, bowl-cut ninja, he was reminded of the three lesser-known Uchiha.

Though he was furious, he had to admit that these odd-looking shinobi were quite formidable. 

If Naruto were here, he'd probably sum it up by saying, "That green jumpsuit freaks are terrifying."

Sasuke would never underestimate this thick-browed opponent.

Rock Lee stood tall and said earnestly, "Sasuke Uchiha, my seniors, Gen, Daiki, and Jiro, are also from the Uchiha clan. I hope you won't tarnish their names."

"You bastard, it's because of them that I've been humiliated!" Sasuke snarled, clenching his teeth. He swore on the Uchiha name that he would win this battle.

Sasuke knew his brother was watching. As he entered the arena, he scanned the crowd, confident he could spot Itachi in his ANBU gear. No mask or cloak could conceal him from Sasuke's sharp eyes.

Genma raised his hand and announced, "The first match of the Chunin Exams: Sasuke Uchiha vs. Rock Lee, begin!"

"Leaf Whirlwind!" Lee started with his signature move. It was a test of strength—if you couldn't handle it, you were done for. If you could, then you deserved his respect.

"He's fast," Sasuke muttered to himself, impressed but not overwhelmed. He had seen this move before and had copied it using his Sharingan. 

Naruto loved to use it in their sparring matches, but Sasuke found it didn't suit his fighting style, so he hadn't practised it much.

Recalling his fights with Naruto, Sasuke opted to dodge and hurled three shurikens at Lee.

Lee dodged the shuriken with ease and charged forward, hands on the ground as he launched an upward kick toward Sasuke's chin. 

Sasuke blocked with both arms, stepped back, and countered with a sweeping kick.

Lee leapt into the air, flipped, and aimed a sharp kick at Sasuke, who sidestepped the blow, leaving Lee's foot to create a small crater in the ground.

The two traded a flurry of blows—twenty, thirty moves passed. Just as Sasuke was about to smirk, Lee suddenly stopped and glanced up at Gai Sensei, who stood watching from the high platform.

Gai flashed his trademark grin and gave Lee a thumbs-up. "I approve, Lee. You can take them off!"

"Yes, Guy-sensei!" Lee squatted down and removed the weights from his legs, gently placing them on the ground.

Sasuke, in a rare show of honour, didn't seize the opportunity for a sneak attack. His pride wouldn't allow it. He thought to himself, 'Weights? Even with those, he was that fast? I can't underestimate him now.'

Lee rose with one hand behind his back, the other outstretched. "Sasuke-kun, prepare yourself to witness my real speed!"

In an instant, Lee vanished from sight.

"Nani?!" Sasuke immediately activated his Sharingan and barely managed to tilt his head in time to avoid Lee's punch. The force of the wind from Lee's fist ruffled his hair.

Sasuke's eyes widened, his mind racing. 

'I won't let him mess up my reputation in front of brother'

Lee appeared at Sasuke's side, delivering a powerful sidekick. Sasuke blocked it with his forearms, skidding backwards from the impact. He winced slightly but then smirked, "I can see you now."

Dodging a few more of Lee's attacks, Sasuke's confidence grew. "You're fast, but not fast enough. With these eyes, I can see all your movements!"

Up in the stands, Naruto slapped his forehead. "That idiot. Is he seriously getting cocky right now? He should hit him with some ninjutsu before Lee gets serious!"

Lee paused, realizing the situation. "So, it's the same Sharingan as Gen, Daiki, and Jiro? This won't be easy then... Guess I'll have to use it. Eight Gates: The Gate of Opening... open! The Gate of Healing... open!"

At the same time, Sasuke seemed to remember he knew ninjutsu, forming hand seals rapidly.

"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

Sasuke unleashed a dozen small fireballs, strategically aimed to give Lee no room to dodge. 'Just one hit... and then I'll have him!'

But to Sasuke's shock, Lee's speed increased, allowing him to weave through the fireballs effortlessly and charge straight at Sasuke again.

A fist loomed large in Sasuke's vision, the Sharingan's dynamic sight slowing it down just enough.

"Move!" Sasuke's body crackled with lightning, and in a split second, he activated the Chidori-enhanced reflexes, narrowly dodging the blow.

Now both fighters were in full flow, trading punches and kicks at blinding speeds. Sasuke could keep up with Lee's pace but knew he couldn't match his raw power. 'I can't win this with taijutsu alone. And at his speed, most ninjutsu won't hit him. Even Chidori might not be enough.'

Suddenly, Sasuke had an idea. 'What about genjutsu?' He locked eyes with Lee, attempting to trap him in an illusion.

Lee's body wavered, his eyes drooping as he fought against the urge to fall asleep. Yet, his body moved on instinct, still attacking.

Sasuke was stunned. 'What is this? Is he still fighting in his sleep?'

Finally, Sasuke found an opening and delivered a solid kick to Lee's abdomen, sending him flying back. Lee recovered quickly, standing up with a hand on his stomach.

"Ah, genjutsu. I let my guard down," Lee muttered, recalling Gai Sensei's advice to avoid looking into a Sharingan user's eyes.

Sasuke was filled with regret. 'Why didn't I learn more powerful genjutsu from Itachi?'

Since illusions weren't effective, Sasuke thought back to Naruto's advice about overwhelming opponents with ninjutsu. Without hesitation, he formed seals and unleashed his largest Fire Style attack yet.

"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"

A massive wave of flames erupted from Sasuke's mouth, spreading across the arena like an inferno.

The crowd gasped in awe. Even those who couldn't follow the earlier taijutsu exchange could appreciate the grandeur of Sasuke's jutsu. But would Lee survive such an attack?

Then, a voice rang out from within the flames:

"Eight Gates: The Gate of Life... open! The Gate of Pain... open!"

Lee's chakra exploded, pushing the flames aside. He stood, enveloped in energy, his eyes filled with determination.

"The lotus of Konoha blooms here!"

----

Read upto 20+ chapters ahead on P@treon.

https://[email protected]/Iamxeno

Thank you for reading