Shinna vs. Rock Lee

Shinmoku dispelled his Lightning Release: Spider Web.

As the lightning chakra was withdrawn, Tenten's body went limp, collapsing backward as if her bones had been removed, and she hit the ground with a soft thud.

"The winner is Uchiha Shinmoku!"

As soon as Hayate Gekko finished speaking, Shinmoku extended his hand.

Tenten's cheeks were flushed red, partly from the ninjutsu Shinmoku had just described, and partly from the harsh words she had boasted earlier.

"How embarrassing."

As she spoke, she gripped Shinmoku's palm and used his strength to pull herself up.

"I will defeat you next time~"

Shinmoku spread his hands and sauntered toward the waiting area.

"Is it over?"

Kakashi appeared out of thin air and asked.

"It is." Guy's expression was grave.

"How was it?"

"My beloved student lost."

"I see... Actually, I'm more interested in Shinmoku's situation."

"!" Guy looked indignant as he replied, "He only used the most basic ninjutsu. Aside from his Water Release, Lightning Release, and solid fundamentals, there's no other intel!"

"Three elemental affinities plus the Sharingan? If I didn't know better, I'd think some veteran jonin had shown up."

"I'm sorry, Guy-sensei." Tenten walked over, looking ashamed. "I wasted your time with my special training."

"Not at all, this is what I should do as your teacher. Let's watch the next match."

The monitor froze on two names.

"Gaara vs. Dosu!"

Dosu was the hunchbacked, bandage-wrapped leader of the Sound Ninja. He looked intimidating, but he was taken out in five seconds, unable to even showcase his abilities.

In the next match, Sakura vs. Ino, the girls pulled each other's hair—quite a sight—ending in a mutual defeat where both were eliminated.

Shikamaru vs. Kin, the girl from the Sound Ninja; Shikamaru won.

Temari vs. Choji Akimichi. Choji used his Human Bullet Tank, but under the force of Temari's fan, he turned into a spinning top and ended up dizzying himself.

Naruto vs. Inuzuka Kiba; Naruto won.

Neji vs. Hinata; Hinata was severely injured.

Shino Aburame vs. Misumi Tsurugi. Misumi was the last member of Kabuto's team, with the ability to soften his joints, allowing him to use constricting techniques like a python... but Shino Aburame played with bugs, making Misumi a sitting duck.

Kankuro vs. Zaku; Kankuro won.

Out of twenty-two people, ten matches had been completed, leaving only...

"Uchiha Kanna vs. Rock Lee!"

"Ahhhhh!" Rock Lee clenched his fists. "It's finally my turn!"

"Will both contestants please take their positions."

Rock Lee leaped into the arena, but the moment he looked up, Kanna was already standing across from him.

"When did she..."

"Begin."

Hearing this, Lee immediately shifted his gaze, avoiding Kanna's eyes.

Tenten, watching from the stands, smiled and thought: 'Lee trained with me; he's very strong. He might just have a chance to win.'

Kanna threw a shuriken, aiming straight for Lee's heart.

I can see it!

Lee dodged quickly to the right, the corners of his mouth curling up. Just as he was about to smile, a faint whistling sound cut through the air.

He quickly leaned back, but his cheek was still grazed.

A third shuriken followed immediately, forcing him to bend backward into a bridge position to evade the strike.

At the same time, Kanna formed hand seals: Water Release: Heaven's Weeping.

Using the three shuriken, she had tested Rock Lee's field of vision; he hadn't managed to ignore her gaze, merely shifting his eyes in a crude, simple manner.

High-speed water currents condensed into senbon, firing at Rock Lee like rifle bullets, one after another.

Lee attempted to close the distance to use taijutsu, but his speed wasn't enough. While trying to dodge the water senbon, bloody gashes began to appear all over his body.

After another exchange, Lee tumbled backward in a sorry state, leaping onto the fingertip of a statue that was forming the 'Rat' hand seal.

"Lee—" Guy shouted, "Take them off!"

"But, Guy-sensei," Lee said, saluting, "you said I could only take them off when I need to protect someone very important."

"It's fine, I approve."

"Yes!"

Lee unfastened the weights on his legs, stood up, and extended his arms.

"BOOM--"

Seeing it in person was even more exaggerated than expected.

"Guy, isn't this going too far?" Kakashi silently lifted his headband.

"I'm coming!"

Lee shouted, and in the next instant, only a blur remained on the field.

So fast.

Kanna activated her Sharingan in a split second, but a fist was already right before her eyes.

She dodged to the side, but a hook punch followed. She raised her arm to block, and with a bang, Kanna stumbled back several steps. Her arm went numb, and a red mark appeared on her fair forearm.

"Leaf Whirlwind!"

An upward whirlwind followed by a downward one.

Kanna dodged by the narrowest of margins. Lee took the opportunity to plant his hand on the ground and launched an upward kick—the setup for the Shadow Leaf Dance.

"Water Release: Water Clone Technique."

The water clone burst, splashing water all over the ground.

"So fast!"

The spectators couldn't help but exclaim. Lee's movements were fast, but Kanna's speed in forming hand seals was just as quick.

The Third Hokage narrowed his eyes. "Those are the Second Generation's hand seals."

"Lord Second Hokage's?" Anko asked in surprise. "How could he have passed that technique down to an Uchiha?"

"He had an Uchiha under his command back then named Kagami; it likely passed down from him."

On the field, Kanna drew a kunai.

She had already adapted to Rock Lee's speed; now, she needed to test his field of vision during close-quarters combat.

Coating her hands in chakra to increase her strength, Kanna engaged him.

The two traded blows, treating the onlookers to a feast of taijutsu.

"YOUTH!!!!"

After blocking another hook punch from Lee with her left arm, Kanna's gaze sharpened. She gripped her kunai in a reverse hold and slashed toward his throat.

As Lee was forced to retreat, Kanna hooked her index finger through the ring at the end of the kunai and flicked it forward.

The cold glint of the blade grazed his chin just as he was about to pull away.

Following that, Kanna threw the kunai and stepped back.

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique."

She exhaled chakra, and the water coalesced into the shape of a dragon, which opened its maw and charged straight at Lee.

"The Third Gate..."

"Water Release: Water Prison Technique!"

Just as Lee was about to open the Eight Inner Gates, and just as the water dragon was about to make contact, Kanna appeared and unleashed the Water Prison Technique.

The water dragon and the accumulated water on the ground merged into a sphere, trapping Lee inside.

Glug, glug, glug--

"Demonic Illusion: Ignis Fatuus."

Inside the water prison, Lee's mind was dragged into an illusionary world.

Between the dual torment of mind and body, it wasn't long before Lee lost consciousness.

"The match is over. Uchiha Kanna is the winner."

Hearing Hayate Gekko's verdict, Kanna dispelled her ninjutsu.

With a thud, Rock Lee collapsed onto the floor.

"Lee--"

Lee was carried out on a stretcher for treatment, and Guy followed after him.

With that, the third round of the Chunin Exams preliminaries came to an end.

The successful candidates returned to the center of the arena one after another. Kanna looked toward Shinmoku, lost in thought for a moment.

"What's wrong?" Shinmoku asked.

"How was it?" Kanna countered.

"Not bad."

"Is it really 'not bad'?"

"Do you really want to hear it?"