Third Great Beast Arc

Running across episodes 195 and 196 of the original Naruto anime, this brief arc sits between the Peddlers Escort Mission, the Matchmaking Proxy Mission, and the Lady Daimyō Search Mission on one side and the Konoha Plans Recapture Mission on the other. It revisits Rock Lee's uncertain recovery while introducing a grudge held against Might Guy.

During a routine examination, Naruto learns that Lee's healing from his Chūnin Exam injuries remains in doubt. He and Tenten later watch Lee spar against a gifted youngster called Yagura, who not only pushes Lee back in close combat but nearly cracks his ankle with an advanced move. When Naruto and Tenten voice their worry, Neji urges them to trust in Lee's relentless drive, insisting that dedication can carry him past any prodigy.

Guy afterward heads out on a mission with Yagura, only for the boy to prove an impostor. Tsunade rushes Neji, Tenten, and Naruto to help, keeping the news from Lee to spare his injured ankle. They find Guy already seized by a band of brothers who command wooden training dummies through a unique puppet method, bent on avenging their father's death. Lee arrives despite his condition, and with the group wearing down, he and Guy smash the dummy fortress and break the technique.

With the fight won, Guy recounts the true story of his old clash with the brothers' father, revealing that the man held respect rather than scorn for him. The revelation empties their thirst for vengeance, exposing the grudge as hollow.