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The medical team rushed to examine Lee. His condition was dire, but thankfully, his life wasn't in danger. Though his bones had been broken, they weren't shattered beyond repair. With proper rest and rehabilitation, he would recover fully and continue his career as a shinobi. This news brought a collective sigh of relief from those watching.
However, what they didn't yet realize was that the effects of the Six Directions Six Collisions technique hadn't completely dissipated from Lee's body.
Neji stared at Lee lying on the stretcher, his brow furrowed deeply. Lee… Were you planning to use something like that against me?
Ino glanced toward Karin, who had returned to Mujin's side. She vaguely remembered something—when Karin rolled up her sleeves earlier, similar runes had appeared on her skin…
Perhaps it was time to enroll in singing lessons—or maybe even acrobatics. Ino nodded to herself, resolving to take action.
Sasuke's brows knitted together, his frustration palpable. No matter how much pride he carried, he couldn't deny that he wouldn't stand a chance against Lee in that state. Yet, when he carefully replayed the fight in his mind, one glaring truth emerged: not once during the entire battle did Lee manage to land a single blow on Mujin!
If he couldn't surpass his peers, how could he ever hope to confront Itachi for revenge?
Sasuke gripped the curse mark on his neck tightly. This power...
Gaara's expression darkened slightly, though he regarded Mujin merely as a formidable opponent. Unlike Sasuke or himself, Mujin's eyes held no trace of pain or hatred.
Lee hadn't lost consciousness entirely. As he was carried past Mujin on the stretcher, he struggled to ask, "Does hard work truly have no chance of surpassing genius?"
"Hard work?" Mujin replied coldly. "Do you really think your presence here is solely due to effort? Everyone works hard—so why are you the one standing out? Ask the so-called genius Neji whether he could complete even half of your daily training regimen. When you leave others behind on the training field, haven't you also become the genius being chased by them?"
With those words, Lee was left even more confused. After sending him off, the earth-style specialists sighed heavily and stepped forward once again to clean up the arena. They labored tirelessly, finally restoring the battleground after significant effort.
Never in their wildest dreams had these combat shinobi imagined themselves moonlighting as construction workers!
Yet, even as the next match was displayed on the screen, the genin still hadn't recovered from the shock of the previous battle.
The first match alone had multiplied the pressure they felt. Thankfully, Hinata's relatively weak performance in the second bout restored some confidence among them. But now, this question lingered in their minds: Is this really something a genin can achieve? And even if we become chunin, can we truly defeat opponents like that?
What a joke!
Seeing everyone lost in thought, Moonlight Hayate cleared his throat loudly. "Ahem! Please call the participants for the next match to the arena!"
Snapping back to reality, the crowd quickly turned their attention to the screen. Displayed there were the names:
Gaara vs. Sakon!
Sakon entered the arena with a grave expression, while Gaara raised a single hand in a blade-like seal. In an instant, he used the Body Flicker Technique to appear in the center of the battlefield.
"The fourth preliminary match—begin!"
No sooner had Hayate's words faded than Gaara spread his arms wide. Immediately, the entire tower began to tremble!
The ground transformed into a sea of sand, surging forward and swallowing Sakon whole!
It took only a second—one fleeting moment!
When the chaos subsided, all that remained before their eyes was an endless expanse of yellow sand.
The outcome required no explanation. Gaara simply returned to the second floor, crossing his arms with an air of superiority, as if proclaiming himself the strongest.
The resigned earth-style specialists reluctantly took to the stage once again, laughing bitterly as they cleaned up the sand. Some joked about grabbing drinks after work.
By the time the medical team excavated Sakon from the sand, his body had already withered into a desiccated husk...
Are we really expected to fight monsters like this?
The remaining genin awaiting their matches couldn't help but think the same thing.
As a result, the subsequent battles were fought with noticeably less enthusiasm. When Tsurugi Misumi and Akado Yoroi were paired together, they even argued over who should surrender first. Ultimately, Akado knocked Tsurugi flat on the ground, gasping for breath as he claimed the right to concede.
This left Moonlight Hayate utterly baffled. For a moment, he couldn't decide whether to declare victory for the prone Tsurugi or the shouting Akado, who kept yelling, "I give up!"
Ironically, compared to the earlier matches, theirs was the most intense clash yet.
The remaining contestants continued to take the stage. Naruto and Sasuke each triumphed over their respective opponents. Finally, when the last preliminary match concluded, the roster of eleven finalists was finalized.
At this point, the Third Hokage began explaining the details of the third phase of the exam.
There was only one crucial detail to note: the third phase would take place in exactly one month.
Once he finished speaking, the Third instructed everyone to draw lots for the matchups. After all the draws were completed, the tournament bracket was organized.
Unsurprisingly, the first match pitted Naruto Uzumaki against Neji Hyuga.
The second match was between Gaara and Uchiha Sasuke.
Since Gaara had already appeared, there was no need to watch any further.
Mujin turned his gaze toward Gaara. When he stepped onto the battlefield, it would mark the beginning of Konoha's collapse. This time, he couldn't allow Gaara to lose in such a baffling manner without accomplishing anything.
With that, the preliminary matches officially came to an end.
Each team was led away by their respective instructors. However, at this moment, the Third Hokage called out to Mujin and Karin.
The Third Hokage wore a kindly expression, smiling warmly as he said, "So, you two are Mujin and Karin? Congratulations on advancing to the third round of the exams. Your performance was excellent—I've been watching closely. I'm sure your village must be proud of you."
Mujin gave a faint smile, his tone slightly distant as he replied, "You flatter us, Lord Hokage. Is there something you need from us?"
"Ah, yes," the Third responded. "If you are indeed members of the Uzumaki clan, then you must have heard of the deep ties between Konoha and the Uzumaki. How about it? Would you two be interested in having a casual chat with this old man?"
A subtle smile formed at the corners of Mujin's lips as he stroked his chin thoughtfully. Internally, he was delighted. As expected, once they revealed their identities publicly, the Third Hokage—given the historical bond between Konoha and the Uzumaki—couldn't simply ignore them.
Feigning hesitation, Mujin replied, "We're quite exhausted today… Perhaps we could visit you tomorrow instead?"
"Ah, true enough. Rest well today, then. I look forward to your visit tomorrow," the Third said with a cheerful wave as he bid them farewell. Yet, inwardly, he sighed deeply. The reappearance of the Uzumaki clan… It couldn't have come at a worse time.
As Mujin and Karin watched the Third Hokage depart, faint smiles played on their lips. "Tomorrow, we'll finally get to visit the Hokage Tower."
"Yes, this time we'll be able to see everything clearly."
"There's just one last thing to take care of."
Under the escort of the staff, Mujin and Karin left the Forest of Death. Following Rock Lee's chakra signature, they arrived at Konoha Hospital, where Might Guy and Kakashi were also present.
"What's going on!? Why has Lee's condition suddenly worsened!?" Guy's face was filled with anxiety as he looked at Rock Lee, who lay in bed groaning in pain. The medical ninja beside him were sweating profusely.
"There's… there's some kind of force corroding his body! This feeling… it's like a seal!"
"A seal!?" Kakashi exclaimed, his mind immediately jumping to a realization. "Could it be…?"
"Yes, it's exactly what you're thinking. The remnants of the Six Harmonies and Six Clashes seal still linger within him," Mujin declared as he and Karin pushed open the door and entered the room.
Guy immediately confronted them, his voice sharp with accusation. "Why!? You already won! Why did you do this!?"
"Calm down," Mujin said coolly. "The Six Harmonies and Six Clashes isn't a seal that can be easily undone. We've come here to completely remove it from him. However…" A sly smile spread across his face. "I've just had a better idea. If you want to save him, then trade me the technique he used earlier. What was it called again? The Eight Gates, right?"
"So this is your true purpose, isn't it!?" Kakashi's sharp intuition struck once more.
Hearing this, Guy's eyes narrowed dangerously.
Mujin sneered. "You two are working together, so think whatever you want about me. But let's get one thing straight—the battle between me and Lee should have ended midway. It was Hayate Gekkō who stubbornly refused to announce the result, and it was you who said, 'I allow it,' encouraging Lee to stand up again. You forcibly prolonged the fight, and now things have turned out like this—not because of me."
Mujin's words left Kakashi speechless. If Lee hadn't forced himself to break through the Five Seals, he wouldn't be in this state. And the one who encouraged Lee to push himself to the limit was none other than Guy himself.
Looking at Lee lying on the bed, Guy felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. He didn't regret allowing Lee to unleash his fiery passion but rather regretted failing to protect him in time.
"The Eight Gates is an extremely dangerous technique—for both the enemy and the user. I cannot give it all to you."
"Guy! Don't be rash!" Kakashi quickly interjected. "Lord Hokage is a master of all ninjutsu—a true jutsu doctor! This seal is nothing he can't handle!"
"It truly is nothing to him," Mujin chuckled. "Even someone like you, Kakashi, could easily undo it if you knew the proper method. However, the Twelve Great Heavenly Demons Seal isn't so simple. Each position has twelve variations, and each variation interacts with others in complex ways—either clashing or harmonizing. Attempting to undo it incorrectly will only drain the subject's life force. Given Lee's current physical condition, how many more attempts do you think he can endure?"
At this, Guy no longer hesitated. "Kakashi, stop trying to dissuade me. I've made my decision. It's my fault for not protecting Lee."
He slowly pulled a scroll from his vest and extended it toward Mujin. "This is the training scroll I gave to Lee—it allows him to train up to the fifth gate. If you can't accept this…"
Guy's fists clenched tightly.
Mujin smiled as he accepted the scroll. "Then our deal is complete."