The following day after Azuma found out that his parents went to Sunagakure, he decided to go back to Konoha instead of waiting. He joined a transportation convoy that was going to Konoha from the capital. When he reached Konoha, he decided to go to the training field in hope that he could meet Naruto, Hinata, Ino or Sakura there.

Once he reached the training field that he usually train with Naruto and everyone else, he felt something familiar. It was not the familiarity of meeting Naruto, Hinata, Ino or Sakura, but it is a familiarity of watching a scene many times before. That sense of familiarity now felt real compared to remembering it in memories.

“If I fail to do 10000 push-ups, I will do 10000 sit-ups!”

“1…2…3…4…5…..”

It is just too familiar to Azuma hearing it, it brought back memories he got watching it back in the Anime. The subsequent actions solidify that familiarity and now made it real; he is watching Rock Lee training.

Azuma did know that during this time period Rock Lee would be training rigorously in one of Konoha designated training areas. Knowing that well Azuma had selectively picked areas to train where Rock Lee would not be around. Azuma hoped that doing this would limit the probability that he will interfere with Rock Lee current growth and development. At this period in time Rock Lee just got his goals and convictions in order, he used it to propel it into action, trying to achieve his dream.

In Azuma view, Rock Lee faces a different problem than Naruto in anime. Although both are considered underdogs it had a different set of reasons they are underdogs.

One is an underdog because of his extremely lack in potential to be a ninja, Rock Lee. Due to that reason, his peers berate him. His peers and teachers pointing the fact that his zero potential of any ninjutsu or genjutsu skill that he is not going to be a ninja, a lifelong dream of his. It was something that he could not accept.

Another is an underdog because of social status, not being recognized by the society, even being hated and despised upon, Naruto. Being vilified by the society for something that he did not personally do. Being trash talked on, bullied, and sidelined by others. No one recognize Naruto as a person, but a beast, a monster, a killer.

Both are underdogs by their own category, same but yet different in the same time.

It was a period of darkness for of both but it changed when Rock Lee meet Might Guy while Naruto meet Iruka.

Although in this new reality, Naruto did not face any of these problems, it is completely different for Rock Lee.

Azuma knows about Rock Lee very well. From the anime, he knows that Rock Lee is already walking in a path that he personally wanted. Rock Lee knows his limits and he picked a path that suits himself. Azuma recognized that and that is why he did not want to interfere with it currently. It was a great dream for someone from his background, an almost impossible endeavor looking at the current norm.

Rock Lee is one of the character that Azuma truly could understand. He was a character that made what should be a term hardworking really is. He picked a proper field, taijutsu, and place all his time and effort on to it. By any measuring scale, he practically upgraded what hardworking really is to a completely different level. A level that could be considered to a level of mental health issue by certain experts. Nevertheless, to be able to get great result based on it is to be fair is a unique innate gift that not anyone can truly grasp. It truly takes time and effort.

Of all the known ninja characters in Naruto, Rock Lee was the only ninja that was in Azuma view is what being a common human is. In practically every scale of measurement based in the ninja world, he is practically a normal civilian without any perks.

He do not have a gifted genetic linage like Sasuke, Hinata, Neji, Naruto or even Azuma.

He is not born into any prominent ninja clans or family like Ino, Choji, or Shikamaru.

He also do not have a huge free expandable chakra reservoir. A free large fusion reactor that they can use like certain selected individuals, a Jinchuuriki like Naruto or Killer Bee.

Finally, to put a nail in the coffin Rock Lee could not mold ninjutsu or genjutsu for some reason.

That was truly the worse possible situation for someone that want to be a ninja in Naruto world as he is even at a stage worse than Sakura ever is.

This time in Azuma view, Rock Lee is truly the only major underdog, where Sakura could come in second this time round. However there is no mistake that Rock Lee is the current major underdog, it was something that was in Azuma mind now.

…

Now looking at Rock Lee it sent Azuma back to his memory lane. Back to the time Azuma was sitting on his chair watching Naruto anime on his display screen.

Azuma knows that Rock Lee was able to use the eight gates technique. Although it is, a technique that buff physical ability, the eight gates itself is part of chakra meridians path within a person. Opening the gates means opening the originally small stream of chakra to be a large river flow of chakra. That itself prove that Rock Lee had chakra in him. It was further confirmed through his discussion with Yuki that all living beings in this world had chakra within them.

Then there is also evidence that showed Rock Lee is good in chakra control, particularly if it is been observed in Azuma eyes in the anime. He was able to fight on water as if it was on land, which prove that he had a good level of chakra control.

Then there is the mental ability, which Azuma also thinks it is not possible due to hand seals. Azuma knows that as long if an individual could demonstrate the hand seals properly along with proper chakra injected in then the ninjutsu will be molded.

However, for some reason he was not able to mold chakra to create a ninjutsu or genjutsu technique. The only possible reason that Azuma thought was Rock Lee could be having mental health problems. It was hard to ignore that Rock Lee hard work, his insane workouts could be the outcome of a mental health problem by itself. However, Azuma hope to have an alternative answer to it.

Now with his discussions with Yuki, Azuma could get some other possible answers that was reasonable as well.

During the chakra topic discussion that Azuma had with Yuki, Yuki summarized that the living beings here is born with chakra and the dependence on them is definite. Without chakra the person will die. Azuma also agreed with her on that.

However, Yuki went further when she describe the differences between beast and wild animals that she observed during her time here. Form that discussion Azuma could see that her descriptions and explanations could be also adopted to the humans in this world as well.

The evolution theory is something Azuma believed in, it was nature doing what it is supposed to do. Azuma believed that any intervention by someone and or something other than nature is an external influence, in Azuma world that external influence is mainly from humans. However, in this world the only external influence that Azuma could think off is the Otsutsuki clan, particularly Hagoromo Otsutsuki better known as the Sage of Six Path by the ninjas in this world.  

From his understanding now there is other two explanations that made Rock Lee could not mold chakra like normal.

Rock Lee could have probable defect within him which prevented him to mold chakra like others. That could be a genetic defect when he is born which lead to this outcome.

There is also another explanation. It goes down to touching the theory of evolution, where the native humans of this world is continuing their evolution path and they just have not unlock the use of chakra. In time without any intervention, they will be just like the beast in this world unlocking the use of chakra by themselves.

However if Azuma took on this reasoning then it is because Rock Lee is a human native that is still undergoing their evolution path. The ones that does right now had a high probability that they got it due to external evolution interferences, the Sage of Six Path. So Rock Lee just did not receive the Sage of Six Path inheritance. 

Azuma current view is that Rock Lee could be someone not born with the Sage of Six Path inheritance, or he could be born with a defect that prevented him not able to mold chakra like normal. Azuma currently believe in either of the reasoning and it is hard to proof currently as Azuma do not have enough data to go on. Both are hypothesis that Azuma had inclined to believe right now.

…

No matter what it is, what is certain is that with all the odds against him, Rock Lee beat the odds! His growth was extremely impactful for Azuma when he watched him in the Anime. It was an awe-inspiring feat. From someone that is doomed to fail to be a ninja to a great ninja taijutsu specialist recognized by everyone in this ninja world!

Rock Lee feat was the one of the events that inspired Azuma. It made Azuma think that he could actually change the direction he was in. It was the event that motivated him. It gave him the will to go forward using what he know to actually do something for a change, to beat the odds and be the victor in the end.
In the series, no one influenced him more than Rock Lee. The anime itself helped him greatly in getting ideas and insights about what other universes could achieve, however, for personal growth Rock Lee actually influenced Azuma personal development.

“…2,321…2322…232-3…23-2-4…23-…” Azuma saw Rock Lee collapse not completing his 2325^th push-ups.

“huff…huff…” Following Rock Lee failure, it took him a few minutes before he went back to his training.

“If I fail to do 10000 sit-ups, I will run 1000 rounds around Konoha!”

….

Those statements accompanied with those actions, the effort that he is actually doing, it was something that hit Azuma. There was a flame burning within and it was not something that Azuma wanted to subdue. It is all coming back to him, he remembered the time he watched Rock Lee training in the anime. It was one of a kind it motivated Azuma yet again.

Azuma knew what he had to do now. If previously he is only acting based on his whim, now he will truly plan things out. He will now be doing planned actions instead on his whim.

Azuma knew that change is here and he do not know how the change will affect the future. He also judged that the changes of the world will not correlate well with Rock Lee current growth rate. He felt that at this rate Rock Lee would be far behind his peers particularly against Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, and Ino.

“Sigh… what to do…”

Azuma was now in dilemma, it was difficult for Azuma to interrupt Rock Lee and his current training. His zeal was what made him the person that Azuma admire. Furthermore, he did not want to effect his path, it was a noble path in Azuma view. A path that got Azuma to pursue his dream. To change it is blasphemy for Azuma, he did not know what to do. Azuma wanted to help Rock Lee to be better than he is in the other reality. However, Azuma cannot figure out how to actually do that at the current moment. He need to find a way to help Rock Lee without diverging Rock Lee path. An improvement without changing or diverging what Rock Lee will be.

…..

It was quite a hectic period for Azuma since he came back from the summer holidays. Azuma had to manage the time for himself and his clones, he had to balance his research, personal training, and his attendance in the ninja academy. He also need to help Naruto and the others in their training. Besides that, Azuma is still figuring out a way to help Rock Lee so his peers will not outpace him.

There is nothing Azuma could think off that Rock Lee is not already doing. While looking at all the alternatives that will not interfere with Rock Lee path, Azuma thought of further improving his physique. It was something that humans in his world did to improve the personal combat capability of an individual.

Body conditioning through normal means could only do that much for humans. To further improve the human physique, humans in his world went with body augmentation or genetic modification methods. It was something that Azuma did not want to attempt as Azuma see it as something that will corrupt Rock Lee path.

However, Azuma also know that physique improvements is a way forward, it was true then and it was true now.

It was not until just recently that Azuma got an idea, the idea was very feasible and it was only now that he could find a third method to improve human physique. Furthermore, if that idea came to fruition the method he developed will work well and complements Rock Lee fighting style. It would also not change Rock Lee specialization instead it will allow him to be better. The problem is that he needed time to develop a proper method to have it in practice. Once done he could actually introduce it to Rock Lee.

AzWings

A chapter just for one of my fav character in Naruto, Rock Lee. The future Rock Lee capability will be classified for now. I will reveal it later in the story.

Have a nice week ahead.