**Chapter 39: Rock Lee’s Mentality Crumbles!**

Sasuke’s push-up pace accelerated, becoming smoother and more efficient. With his stamina continually refreshed by the system points, he reveled in a smug satisfaction unique to him.

This was a joy no one else could experience!

Training was supposed to be grueling—Rock Lee’s achievements were forged through relentless effort and unwavering willpower, honed over countless days of sweat and toil.

The path to mastery was never easy.

Beads of sweat dripped steadily from Sasuke’s body, splashing onto the ground with rhythmic precision.

Time passed...

“*Ding ding!*”

A familiar sound echoed in Sasuke’s mind. His *Stamina* and *Strength* attributes had each increased by 1 point, now reaching 165 and 5, respectively.

As exhaustion loomed...

Sasuke calmly added 1 system point to his *Stamina*, raising it to 166.

*Buzz!*

A warm surge coursed through his body, washing away fatigue and filling him with renewed energy.

“Hahahaha!”

Sasuke laughed triumphantly, glancing at Rock Lee with a teasing smirk.

“Rock Lee, you’re almost done, right? I can keep going—300 more rounds, easy!”

+1

The grin on Sasuke’s face widened. Each point spent was quickly replenished, creating a seemingly infinite reserve of stamina.

Rock Lee, catching sight of Sasuke out of the corner of his eye, felt a flicker of doubt creep into his mind.

What *was* this?

It was unnatural.

No wonder Sasuke had dared to confront Neji so boldly.

Rock Lee’s throat burned, his breath labored. For him, these push-ups weren’t merely training; they were a desperate battle of will. Yet he was nearing the 1,000 mark.

Or was he?

He hadn’t kept count.

Not that it mattered.

Stopping wasn’t an option. Rock Lee’s sole focus was defeating Sasuke in this grueling war of attrition.

The contest dragged on, each minute feeling like an eternity.

“*Ding ding!*”

“*Ding ding!*”

The prompts echoed again in Sasuke’s mind—a signal to add more points.

*Stamina +1*
*Strength +1*

“*Hahahahahaha!*”

Sasuke’s laughter rang out again, louder and more confident than before. Words were no longer necessary; his laughter alone conveyed his dominance.

+3

*Current system points: 14.*

“...”

Rock Lee was at a loss for words. His mental composure began to crack under the strain.

His stamina was running on fumes, each push-up now driven purely by willpower.

But Sasuke...

Sasuke was still laughing!

It defied logic.

Veins bulged on Rock Lee’s forehead as his physical strength approached its limit. Only his determination to surpass Sasuke kept him from collapsing face-first into the growing puddle beneath him.

“No!”

Rock Lee roared inwardly, his resolve flaring.

*I cannot lose!*
*I am the genius of hard work!*

His trembling body steadied as his eyes filled with steely determination.

“The first gate—the Gate of Opening... open!”

In an instant, the mental shackles weighing him down were released. His thoughts became sharp, his control over every muscle precise.

But it wasn’t enough.

Not nearly enough to surpass Sasuke.

Rock Lee shut his eyes briefly, gathering his strength.

“The second gate—the Gate of Healing... open!”

His eyes snapped open, now shining with clarity and focus. Fatigue evaporated, his strength surging anew.

He had won.

Turning his gaze toward Sasuke, Rock Lee’s eyes gleamed with quiet triumph. He was ready to crush his opponent.

But...

Their eyes met.

“How many gates have you opened?”

Sasuke’s voice was calm, his breathing steady as he continued his push-ups. For added effect, he casually spent another system point on *Stamina*, fully restoring himself.

+10

“...”

Rock Lee felt a cold chill run through him. Goosebumps prickled his scalp.

Was Sasuke even human?

The Uchiha prodigy’s piercing gaze seemed to see right through him, as if every secret had been laid bare.

“Let me check for myself.”

Without waiting for an answer, Sasuke’s dark eyes shifted. His pupils transformed, two tomoe forming within each.

*Two-Tomoe Sharingan.*

+5

In that instant, Rock Lee’s chakra pathways came into view. Though the Sharingan’s observational ability wasn’t as refined as the Byakugan, it was enough.

Sasuke saw it clearly: two gates fully opened, chakra surging through Lee’s body, erasing fatigue.

“Only two gates?”

Deactivating his Sharingan, Sasuke shook his head dismissively. The brief usage had drained some of his chakra, leaving him slightly fatigued.

“That’s not enough.”

He turned away from Rock Lee, unbothered, and focused on managing his system points.

+5

The numbers rose in his mind as his system points climbed to 33.

Perfect.

Satisfied, Sasuke analyzed the results of his test. The Sharingan had served not only as an intimidation tactic but as a tool to measure his chakra consumption.

*If Stamina can replenish chakra...*

It would be an all-encompassing attribute. If not, he suspected *Spirit* was the key, given its link to chakra, ninjutsu, and genjutsu.

Meanwhile, Rock Lee seethed in silence.

Did Sasuke truly expect him to open the Gate of Death—reserved for his greatest rival, Neji—over a push-up contest?

He couldn’t compete.

*These geniuses are all monsters.*

For the first time, Rock Lee felt despair creeping in. The pillar of his self-worth—his unrivaled work ethic—was being crushed by Sasuke’s otherworldly prowess.

(End of Chapter)