Chapter 75 75: Rock Lee.

At that moment, Kaito suddenly sensed someone approaching outside the door. He frowned slightly, then quickly helped the two girls sit upright. "Someone's coming," he said in a low voice. The two girls instantly realized the situation and obediently sat at the table. "It's so late already... who could it be?" Ino muttered in frustration. They had finally gotten some time alone with Kaito, and now it was interrupted—of course, she wasn't happy. "Byakugan!" Hinata activated her dojutsu immediately. When she saw who it was, her expression tensed. "It's Kurenai-sensei!" "Yuhi Kurenai? What's she doing here?" Ino asked with a confused look. "Why overthink it? She's already at the door—just ask her," Kaito replied. As they spoke, Kurenai gently pushed the door open and stepped inside, feeling oddly nervous for reasons she couldn't explain. Ever since that night when Kaito intervened to stop the Root for the sake of Hinata and Ino, Kurenai hadn't been able to forget him. His composure under pressure, the quiet strength in his smile, and the commanding presence he had while standing atop Katsuyu—those moments left a lasting impression on her. She felt a deep admiration for him. Though he was much younger, there was a maturity in Kaito that drew her attention. Kurenai reminded herself that whatever she felt, it was something to acknowledge with quiet respect, nothing more. Earlier that day, after hearing from the Hokage's office that Kaito had returned, she'd asked Kakashi for the application form under the pretense that Hinata and Ino might be at his place. She also spoke to Asuma to get Ino's Chunin Exam form—though it was an excuse. Now, taking a deep breath to compose herself, she raised her hand and knocked gently. "Come in, Kurenai-sensei," Kaito's gentle voice called from inside. "So he's really back," Kurenai murmured to herself and opened the door. "There you are!" she said, putting on a casual smile as her eyes briefly met Kaito's. "Kurenai-sensei? Why are you here?" Hinata asked curiously. Kurenai replied with a soft smile, "Kakashi, Asuma, and I have recommended our teams to the Hokage for the upcoming Chunin Exams." "I heard from Lord Hokage that Kaito had returned, so instead of making you come all the way to us, I brought the application forms to you directly." She walked over and placed three forms neatly on Kaito's desk. "Once you're done filling these out, give Hinata's to me. As for Kaito and Ino, you'll hand yours to your respective sensei." It was clear she had rehearsed those lines. "Kurenai-sensei! So we're really going to take the Chunin Exam?" Ino's eyes lit up as she spoke, clearly excited. "Just fill out the forms," Kurenai said with a smile. The three of them filled in their information, and after taking Hinata's form, Kurenai turned to leave. Before she exited, her gaze lingered on Kaito for a moment— Over the next few days, after Kaito and Ino handed in their forms, the trio stayed close together, rarely parting. Hinata and Ino were afraid that Kaito would vanish again without warning, while Kaito, burdened by guilt, wanted to stay by their side. As for the Chunin Exam itself—given who they were—it was practically child's play. Time flew by, and soon, the day of the Chunin Exam arrived. That morning, Kaito picked up Hinata early, then met up with Ino and the others as they headed leisurely toward the Chunin Exam building. He had already told Naruto, Shikamaru, and Kiba's teams to meet directly at the examination hall. "Kaito! Why are you so late?!" Naruto complained the moment they walked in. Shikamaru chimed in, "You've got some nerve, Kaito. You practically snatched Ino and Hinata away the moment you came back. I'm starting to wonder if they're still part of our team!" Kaito smiled and patted Shikamaru and Kiba on the shoulder. "Relax. They're still on your team." Their conversation was soon interrupted by a loud commotion from farther inside the building. It turned out to be a Genjutsu set up near the stairs—part of a prank or test. Lee was already in the middle of a dramatic entrance. Just then, Sasuke stepped in to break the illusion and reveal the truth. Kaito and the others watched as Sasuke confidently showed off. Once he was done, they began heading for the second-floor exam hall. That's when Rock Lee appeared in front of Sasuke—first confessing his feelings to Sakura, then issuing a challenge to Sasuke. Even with the Sharingan, Sasuke was defeated soundly. His aura as the "genius" of the year was thoroughly crushed. After the spectacle, Kaito and the others continued toward the second floor. Whoosh! Suddenly, Rock Lee appeared in front of Kaito with a blur of movement. With his trademark thick eyebrows raised high, he exclaimed, "Gentle and handsome, always surrounded by beautiful girls... there's no mistaking it! You must be the top student of this graduating class—Ayanami Kaito!" Kaito: "..." The first two parts were accurate, but the third line... really? "Yes," Kaito replied with a nod. He had always liked Lee in the original story—his honesty, his passion, his dedication to taijutsu, and his unyielding spirit. So naturally, Kaito had no ill feelings toward him. "I want to fight you!" Lee said, clenching his fist, eyes burning with determination. "I want to prove that even taijutsu alone can make you a great ninja!" "You're not my opponent," Kaito replied calmly. He had no intention of hurting Lee. "Please!" Lee clasped his hands together and bowed deeply, sincere in his request. "...Fine." With that one word, the entire hall turned its attention toward them—just as they had when Sasuke had stepped up earlier. After giving Ino and the others a few quick words, Kaito and Lee walked to the center of the hall and faced each other. Not far off, Tenten and Neji watched from the crowd. "Do you think Lee has a chance against Kaito?" Tenten whispered. Neji shook his head. "Not even close." "Really? Lee just crushed Sasuke, the runner-up this year!" she whispered in surprise. "There might only be a one-rank difference between them, but the strength gap is massive. Lee will lose. Badly," Neji said firmly. He'd heard some of the rumors about Kaito—whispers of power far beyond genin, maybe even beyond jonin. Rock Lee was simply no match. --- I upload 20 chapters every week on Patreon — and we're already 70 chapters ahead of the public release! ???? Want early access? Join us on Patreon: Patreon.com/Zphyr_ Don't miss out!