Boom—
Rock Lee's green jumpsuit slammed into the ground with a dull thud.
His entire body was charred black, like a piece of wood struck by lightning. He lay motionless on the ground, completely unconscious.
The medical ninja hurried onto the arena and clumsily carried him away.
In the stands, the passion and fervor on Might Guy's face instantly froze.
He stared blankly at his beloved student, beaten unconscious, then looked at the blond kid still yawning in midair.
The youth he had been so proud of, the hard work he had believed in without question.
Before the other side's unreasonable "art," it was as fragile as a joke.
With Rock Lee's collapse.
This preliminary match, full of drama, absurdity, and overwhelming disparity, finally came to an end.
On the arena.
Chief examiner Gekko Hayate drifted to the center, dragging along his sickly body that looked ready to croak at any moment.
He held a thin sheet of paper in his hand, yet at that moment, it seemed to weigh a thousand pounds.
"Cough... cough cough..."
Hayate coughed violently twice, covering his mouth with a handkerchief. When he lowered it, the cloth was stained a glaring red.
He looked at the faces below, numb, despairing, or furious, and swallowed with difficulty.
"The preliminary matches... cough cough... have all concluded."
Hayate's voice was hoarse and weak, yet it clearly carried through the entire Central Tower.
"Now, I will announce... the list of contestants advancing to the finals."
Everyone's hearts rose to their throats.
Especially the Leaf Village ninja. One by one, they craned their necks, their eyes still holding onto the last pitiful shred of hope.
Maybe... maybe there would still be a miracle?
The massive electronic screen on the wall lit up again.
This time, no portraits scrolled across it.