On the field.
Two figures flickered all over the place, leaving trails of flying sand and dust in their wake.
Thud, thud, thud!
Thud, thud, thud.
Thud, thud, thud...
The drum-like beat of flesh hitting flesh echoed continuously.
Might Guy relentlessly attacked Goku, one moment with a flying elbow, the next a horizontal kick, then another technique.
Faced with this barrage, Goku met each move with a counter, effortlessly blocking them all. Not only that, but in the spirit of returning the favour, he would launch his own counterattacks after defending, giving Guy a taste of his power!
BOOM!!
With a loud crash, Goku caught a powerful, heavy kick from Might Guy with both hands. The fierce and swift attack kicked up a gust of wind that sent his hair flying.
After catching the attack, without waiting for Guy to retract his leg, he gripped his ankle, his strong hands clamping down like iron tongs. He then twisted his waist—
Whoosh and violently flung him away!
However, Might Guy showed no panic as he was thrown.
He tucked his knees to his chest and flipped several times in the air, then landed precisely on the trunk of a tree at the edge of the field and pushed off with both legs!
Swoosh!!
Like an arrow released from a bow, he shot towards Goku once again. On the sidelines, the onlookers were dazzled, their eyes seeing nothing but a blur of afterimages.
"Goku-sensei and Lee's teacher are both so amazing!" Sakura exclaimed, her face full of awe as she watched their fierce exchange.
"One day, I'll be as strong as them! And then I'll become even stronger!" Naruto clenched his fists, his eyes filled with determination.
Sasuke remained silent, his mind racing. 'So this is the strength of Lee's teacher... I really am not strong enough!' He clenched his fists as he watched Guy's swift and ferocious attacks.
In his conversations with Rock Lee over the past few days, he had learned that the reason for Lee's sudden surge in power during their fight was the use of a forbidden technique called the Eight Inner Gates.
This forbidden technique could dramatically increase a user's strength. According to Lee, his teacher had taught it to him, meaning Might Guy could also use it.
But right now, Guy clearly hadn't used the technique yet, and his strength was already far greater than his own when he powered up. This made him feel deeply that he was still too weak.
What he didn't know was that as a ninja who specialised in taijutsu, Might Guy's skill was among the best in the entire shinobi world. Comparing himself to Guy was setting an impossibly high bar.
'Guy, you can't win against Goku with this level of power. When are you going to use that?' Kakashi thought.
Although he had never fought Goku himself, he knew that his power was not limited to what he was currently showing.
If Might Guy wanted to win, he had to get serious and use that forbidden technique!
Just as this thought crossed his mind, the intense sound of clashes on the field suddenly stopped.
After another failed attack, Might Guy leapt back a distance, raised his fist, and yelled, "Ooooh! This is youth!"
"To be able to trade blows with a master like you, Goku, I can feel my youth burning even brighter!"
"But with my current strength, I probably can't defeat you. In that case, I'll have to use that!"
With that, he clenched his fists, his muscles bulging as his skin began to turn red.
"The Eight Inner Gates! Gate of Opening, Gate of Healing, Gate of Life, OPEN!!"
BOOM!!
A massive burst of green energy erupted from his body. Its power was so immense that it kicked up a fierce wind, sending the gravel on the ground scattering in all directions.
"Waaah! What is this pressure?" Naruto, on the sidelines, raised his arm to block the flying debris, astonished by the powerful presence emanating from Might Guy.
"Oh? I'm starting to feel more fired up myself!"
Whether it was because he was impressed by the power Guy was displaying after opening the Eight Gates, or because he was infected by the raw fighting spirit in his words, Goku could feel his own excitement growing.
"Ooooh! Let my youth burn even more fiercely!"
With a mighty roar, Guy's figure shot forward, appearing before Goku in a flash and delivering a blow far more devastating than anything before!
BOOM!!!
This time, Goku still chose to defend first, but the immense power of the blow forced him back several steps.
"Leaf Strong Whirlwind!!"
After landing the hit, Guy didn't hesitate. In the next instant, he unleashed an even more powerful attack, far surpassing the Leaf Great Whirlwind!
BOOM!!!
Although Goku raised his arm to block, his body was sent flying by the impact.
Seeing his attack succeed, Guy pressed his advantage, instantly closing the distance and launching an even more terrifying kick!
"Severe: Leaf Adamantine Strength Whirlwind!!"
This attack was not only amplified by the power of the Eight Gates, but also infused with chakra, making its power even more terrifying than the previous Leaf Strong Whirlwind!
BOOM!!!
Goku was sent flying by the brutal kick, crashing through several large trees. For a moment, the air was filled with flying leaves and branches, accompanied by the groaning of snapping wood.
"Goku-sensei!!" Naruto and Sakura cried out in alarm, completely shocked that Might Guy could unleash such immense power and send Goku flying.
Sasuke, however, remained silent. With his Sharingan, he had already seen what happened after Goku was knocked back.
Right in front of the last tree that had been snapped in half, Goku stood up, stretched his neck, and a few cracking sounds could be heard.
"That last hit had some pretty good power behind it."
He dusted himself off and strode out from the wreckage. Everyone could now see that he was completely unharmed!
Seeing this, Might Guy was stunned for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter. "As expected of my opponent, Might Guy's rival! To take a hit like that and not have a single scratch!"
"Hey, Guy, let's continue!" Goku said, standing his ground and cracking his knuckles, a look of eagerness on his face.
"Alright! Let our youth burn to the fullest!" Seeing Goku's impatience, Guy fully acknowledged him as a worthy opponent, feeling as if he had found a kindred spirit.
He pushed off with his right foot!
BOOM!!
As his body shot forward like an arrow, a crater several meters wide appeared where he had just been standing, with countless cracks spreading out from it.
"Leaf Strong Whirlwind!!"
Upon reaching Goku, he used the same technique he had used before.
But this time, his attack was like a stone sinking into the ocean; it created no ripples at all and was solidly caught by Goku.
After catching the blow, Goku also shot out a kick, a roundhouse with the force of a thunderclap that whipped towards the back of Guy's head.
Swoosh—!
Hearing the sound of slicing air behind his head, Guy's internal alarms blared, and he instinctively ducked. In the next instant, a leg that felt like an iron whip swept right over his head!
Thud, thud, thud!
Smack, smack, smack!
For the next minute, the two of them exchanged hundreds of ferocious blows.
They alternated between offence and defence, advancing and retreating, locked in an inseparable struggle.
When Goku threw a heavy punch, Guy would skillfully parry and deflect it. When Guy spun for a hammer fist, Goku would raise his arm and solidly block it.
For a moment, the battle was a breathtaking stalemate, leaving everyone on the edge of their seats, unable to tell who would be the ultimate victor!