Hayate blabbered a bunch and asked if anyone wanted to voluntarily withdraw.
Having already fought to this point, who would withdraw?
Everyone who passed the second exam thought so.
As a result, Yakushi Kabuto chose to voluntarily withdraw under the puzzled gazes of the crowd.
"I've already reached my limit in these two exams. Even if I continue, I have no chance of winning."
Facing the puzzled gazes of the crowd, especially Naruto's pressing questions, this was how Yakushi Kabuto answered.
However, his action drew the suspicion of the Third Hokage.
He had seen Yakushi Kabuto many times at the Chunin Exams, but he always gave up halfway through, which was truly somewhat suspicious.
He asked Anko to pull up Yakushi Kabuto's file to inquire about the situation.
On the other side, after confirming no one else was withdrawing, Hayate chose to start the exam.
A wall panel on the upper left opened, revealing the electronic board inside. The names of the examinees flashed randomly on it, finally settling on two names.
Jokichi VS Rock Lee.
Isn't this thing rigged?
Jokichi sighed inwardly.
In the anime, the matchups in these preliminaries were almost all targeted and purposeful.
He thought he would face Gaara or some random, inconsequential minor character.
He didn't expect to run into Rock Lee.
Among these examinees, he was the one person he didn't want to encounter.
This person's perseverance and level of effort made him feel admiration, and he didn't want to personally eliminate him.
"The others, go upstairs to watch the matches!" Hayate said.
"Do your best, Jokichi!"
"Jokichi, do your best."
"Do your best!"
Blessings came from Naruto, Sakura, and Ino respectively.
And Yamato nodded to him, then went to the second floor with the others to watch the match.
"Sorry about this, Yamato."
Might Guy came to his side and said, "Although I've heard your student is the number one of this year's batch, encountering my disciple, I can only say it's his misfortune. However, youth must have both sweetness and bitterness."
Yamato shook his head slightly. "No, encountering Jokichi is your disciple's misfortune. In this exam, no, I should say in the entire ninja world, there cannot possibly be a Genin more powerful than Jokichi."
"Is he really that strong!?" Guy was a bit skeptical.
Facing Guy's skepticism, the corners of Yamato's mouth turned slightly bitter. "Honestly speaking, purely in terms of combat power, I reckon even I wouldn't be a match for him."
"That's an exaggeration!"
"Just keep watching and you'll see."
"Alright, I'd really like to see just what kind of child you praise to the heavens."
...
Down below.
Jokichi and Lee stood facing each other five meters apart.
Jokichi revealed a faint smile and greeted, "Long time no see, Lee."
Back then, in order to test the system's forging rules.
He went to challenge Lee, but ended up being rejected by the one who wasn't even a student at the Ninja Academy yet.
In the end, he got a bit of residual blood from the wooden dummy he trained on and forged the Hot-Blooded Headband.
It was exactly that test that gave him a general understanding of the system's forging rules.
"No, it hasn't been a long time." Lee shook his head, looking at him with resolute eyes. "I see you quite often."
"Hmm?"
"Training Ground Nine. I can see you training there every day after school. Your level of effort is no less than mine."
"So that's how it is."
Jokichi understood.
Back then, during his time at the Ninja Academy, he went to Training Ground Nine to practice almost every day after school.
However, my level of effort wasn't just no less than yours, it was far, far higher.
The training at Training Ground Nine after school was just the most basic daily exercise.
However, Jokichi didn't say these things out loud.
In front of someone equally hardworking, this wasn't something worth bragging about.
At the same time, he also understood why Lee hadn't come to challenge him like he challenged Sasuke in the anime.
He probably thought of me as the same type as him!
"Jokichi, let's fight without holding anything back. Don't leave any regrets in life." Fighting spirit brimmed in Lee's eyes.
"Alright," Jokichi replied casually.
Seeing this, Hayate raised his right hand. "Then, the match officially begins."
After saying that, he hurriedly retreated to the side.
And Lee instantly vanished from the spot.
It wasn't the Body Flicker Jutsu, but high speed relying on explosive physical strength.
The distance of five or six meters was covered in an instant.
Lee appeared in front of Jokichi. He squatted down, supported himself on the ground with both hands, and kicked upward at Jokichi's chin.
High-speed movement plus a blind spot attack; this set of taijutsu moves was extremely profound.
The first time encountering this kind of opponent and this kind of attack, almost no one could block it.
However—
"The difference in strength is too great."
Jokichi chanted silently in his mind. Before Lee could kick his chin, Jokichi acted later but arrived first, kicking him in the body and sending him flying heavily backward.
"What? Facing such high speed, he can actually counterattack with even higher reaction and speed?"
The people watching on the second floor were stunned.
Especially the Sunagakure squad.
Back then, Jokichi suppressed Gaara with high speed.
When Lee displayed similar high-speed taijutsu, they were also very surprised.
Yet, Jokichi effortlessly cracked it.
If they were like this, there was no need to mention the other examinees.
Except for Neji and Tenten, the others had never even seen someone as fast as Lee.
But even a speed so fast it couldn't be seen was still easily cracked by someone. The surprise in their hearts was so intense it couldn't be added to.
Especially Neji and Tenten.
It was precisely because they knew how fast Lee's speed was that they knew the weight of Jokichi easily cracking Lee's move.
Looking at him, their gazes couldn't help but become solemn.
"Lee, take off your weights and fight with all your strength," Jokichi said calmly, looking at Lee who had stood back up.
"You said earlier not to leave any regrets in life; I return those same words to you."
Lee wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and smiled, "No, I..."
"Lee, take them off!"
An energetic shout from the second floor interrupted Lee's words.
Everyone looked toward the sound and saw Might Guy giving a thumbs-up to Lee, flashing a set of shining white teeth along the way.
"He is an opponent worthy of you going all out. I grant you special permission to take off your weights this time."
Lee froze at first, then was overjoyed. "Thank you, Guy-sensei."
Lee made a few jumps, arriving at the top of the hand seal statue against the wall.
Next, under the puzzled gazes of the crowd, he untied two weights from his legs.
"What is he doing? What's the use of taking off weights at a time like this?"
The doubtful thought had just flashed through everyone's minds when Lee dropped the weights from high up. They smashed into the ground with a deafening crash, the rising dust even obscuring half the arena.
This...
The spectating examinees were all dumbfounded.
Even the spectating Jonin sweated speechlessly.
Guy, you've taken this too far.
"Let the match resume!"
Lee said confidently. Then, he vanished from the top of the statue.
In an instant, a fierce airwave swept through the arena.
Lee appeared behind Jokichi, flying in with a kick aimed at the back of his head.
"Leaf Whirlwind."