Seeing Rorin approach, Rock Lee and Tenten stopped their sparring. Rorin walked up to them.
"Tenten, sorry to trouble you again. Could you make me another weighted vest and weighted leg wraps?" Rorin rubbed his nose.
"Huh? You're increasing the weight again already?" Tenten asked in surprise. Not long ago, she had just made him a full set weighing 2000 kg. It had only been a few days.
Rorin nodded.
Tenten tapped her chin with her finger.
"Then how much this time?"
"4000 kg," Rorin said calmly after a brief thought.
"Ah!"
Tenten and Rock Lee's eyes widened in shock. Tenten had been thinking of raising it to around 3000, but Rorin had doubled it outright.
She stopped overthinking and held out her hand.
"Then give me your current weights. We'll just add more onto them."
"Well…" Rorin hesitated, then suddenly had an idea. "How about making a new set instead? Make it more compact, maybe use a different material. The old ones feel a bit uncomfortable against my body."
"I see. But that'll cost more," Tenten said, looking at him.
Rorin smiled and waved his hand.
"No problem. Don't worry about the money."
He really wasn't short on funds. The system had already given him plenty he hadn't even used up, and he also owned a business in the Land of Mountain Streams. Money had never been a concern for him.
Tenten brightened—no one ever complains about earning more. Since Rorin was willing to pay, she was more than happy. She was about to pull him inside to take measurements and choose materials.
At that moment, Rock Lee, who had been quietly standing by, stepped forward.
"Um, Tenten, Rorin, I've got something to do. I'll head out first."
Rorin nodded lightly. Just as Rock Lee was about to leave, Tenten called out,
"Wait, Lee, you forgot this."
She quickly ran into the house and came back out with a paper bag. Inside were three rice balls. She handed it to him with a smile.
"Good luck, Lee. You'll definitely succeed."
Rock Lee took the bag, his fighting spirit ignited.
"I will earn Chen-sensei's recognition!" With that, he left confidently.
Chen-sensei? Hearing the name, Rorin pictured an old man wearing sunglasses—the one hailed as the strongest taijutsu ninja in the Hidden Leaf Village.
Curious, he asked Tenten and confirmed that Lee was indeed going to see Chen.
"Rorin? Rorin-kun?" Tenten waved her hand in front of him when she noticed him zoning out.
"Oh, sorry. I got lost in thought. So Lee's going to ask Chen-sensei about the Leaf Dragon God?"
Tenten shook her head.
"Chen-sensei said Lee isn't suited to be a ninja. Lee is going to prove that he can become an excellent one."
"I see." Rorin stroked his chin for a moment, then said apologetically, "Sorry, Tenten. Let's talk about the weights tomorrow. I want to go check on Lee."
As he turned to leave, Tenten grabbed his clothes.
"Wait! Lee said he wants to earn Chen-sensei's acknowledgment with his own strength."
Rorin smiled. "I'm not just anyone. We're practically fellow disciples. Besides, I'm really interested in the Leaf Dragon God. I want to see it for myself."
Hearing this, Tenten stopped insisting and let him go with a smile.
...
It didn't take long for Rorin to catch up with Rock Lee. He patted his shoulder and teased,
"Lee, that's not very fair—something this interesting and you didn't invite me?"
"Huh?" Rock Lee looked confused.
"The Leaf Dragon God. Chen-sensei," Rorin reminded him.
"Oh!" Lee suddenly understood, then asked, puzzled, "Rorin-kun, are you going to see Chen-sensei too?"
Rorin nodded with a smile. "Since we both train in taijutsu, I'm very interested in the Leaf Dragon God."
Lee lowered his head. "Is that so… Yeah, if it's you, Rorin-kun, you might really be able to break the Leaf Dragon God. But me…"
After a moment, he said apologetically,
"Sorry, Rorin. I know you want to help me, but I want to rely on my own strength. I want to earn Chen-sensei's acknowledgment myself."
Rorin paused, then put his hands behind his head and turned slightly away.
"Lee, you're overthinking it. I just want to see the Leaf Dragon God. Your problem is yours to solve—I won't interfere."
They said no more and walked together for quite a while until they arrived at a gravestone Chen had built for himself. Lee placed the rice balls in front of it, then knelt and waited. Rorin leaned against a tree trunk nearby, closing his eyes as he waited quietly.
Time passed until the sun set. Soft footsteps approached. Rorin opened his eyes and saw Chen slowly walking over.
"Why are you so persistent?" Chen said helplessly, then glanced at Rorin. "And who are you?"
"Chen-sensei, hello. Nice to meet you. My name is Kaguya Rorin. I'm Lee's fellow disciple," Rorin said politely, bowing.
"Fellow disciple? And what do you want with an old man like me?" Chen asked with a smile.
"I've heard you're the strongest taijutsu ninja in the Hidden Leaf Village. I came to pay my respects—and also to seek some guidance in taijutsu," Rorin said sincerely.
"Oh? Am I really that famous?" Chen said, looking up with a sigh.
At that moment, Rock Lee stood up from his kneeling position and requested to witness the Leaf Dragon God again. He declared that if he could break it, he hoped Chen would acknowledge his qualification to be a ninja.
Feeling Lee's burning passion, Chen thought of his former student and agreed.
Seeing the agreement reached, Rorin tactfully stepped aside, leaving the space to them.
Rock Lee took his stance, ready to face the Leaf Dragon God. Chen also grew serious, his body beginning to spin.
Leaf Dragon God!
As Chen spun at high speed, a wind dragon formed around him and charged at Rock Lee.
Facing the incoming wind dragon, Lee's eyes widened. He tried to strike it, but the dragon bit down on him, shredding him with fierce winds before sending him crashing down unconscious.
Chen looked at him with concern.
At that moment, Rorin slowly walked forward and said firmly,
"Now it's my turn!"