Konoha then decided to hold a preliminary round to reduce the count.
Then everyone gathered in the competition hall.
Aoi was standing beside Karin in the spectator area, looking in the direction of the hall below, where everyone would compete.
The first match started, as did the plotline.
Sasuke and Yoroi,
Sasuke won using a lion barrage after being abused by Yoroi.
Next match, Shino won from team 8.
Aoi was surprised in the next matches; all matches changed: Sakura fought Temari, while Tintin fought Ino, and Karin fought Hinata, which surprised the Sarutobi and everyone looking at her red hair. Hinata won in the end, though.
Naruto fought Kiba and won after watching all the matches; even Gaara went against different opponents instead of Rock Li.
It was Neji, but Neji couldn't penetrate his defense using his gentle fist; he admitted defeat.
"Tsurigi vs. Dino,"
Aoi glanced at his clone name against a guy from the Kabuto team and said speechlessly, 'Why am I stuck here? It seems the extra addition of a team brought trouble. Next will definitely be me against Rock Lee.'
His clone appeared in front of the opponent. After a while, everyone was speechless, looking at the tsurigi lying on the ground with a pig face. Hayate Gekko, the third match proctor, had to stop the match.
"Rock Lee vs. Akio,"
Aoi walked and appeared in the middle of the hall, under the intriguing expression of Sarutobi and others, because they were the first team to finish the second exam, even before a Jinchūriki.
Looking at Rock Lee, Aoi's expression becomes thoughtful: 'Well, it seems I have to compete intelligently without revealing my strength.'
"Start,"
A Rock Lee figure flickered, appeared beside him, and kicked Aoi's neck.
Aoi dove and dodged, then Rock Lee turned and kicked his chest at a faster speed.
Thud!!!
Aoi raised his arm and slid back with two muddy lines appearing below his feet; even his hands were squirmed like mud, then repaired, surprising everyone.
'Bloodline limit in earth category.' Sarutobi thought in surprise, and then his expression became thoughtful.
Rock Lee's brow furrowed; he just felt all his attack force was wasted, as if scattered around without damage.
Aoi glanced at his confused expression and said, 'If a force is evenly distributed throughout a wide surface, its damage reduces exponentially. Although a normal ninja can't do it, my mud blood limit is different. It can perfectly distribute the damage through the whole body to reduce its effect; even I can transfer the excessive damage to the ground below.'
Aoi stepped on the ground, instantly letting his figure slide, and he appeared in front of Rock Lee, punching toward his face.
Rock Lee dodged, turned in the air, and kicked. Aoi's mouth curled, he raised his arm, stopped the kick, and then punched the rock in Lee's stomach using the other hand. This time he stood in the same place while Rock Lee flew back and slid to the ground. He sat up, grabbing his stomach and painfully coughing.
"How did you do that? Why didn't you move? Why my attacks have no effect on you?" Rock Lee stood up and asked, looking at him, enduring the pain passing toward his brain.
"I didn't move because I transferred your kick damage to my fist and punched you away with your damage in addition to mine." Aoi explained calmly,
'Genius.' Everyone standing in the spectator area was surprised, looking at Aoi. Hearing his explanation, they were truly surprised.
Might Guy's expression became solemn, and he said, "It's not just damage transfer; he completely withstood all that power and perfectly channeled it. I don't know whether it is because of his bloodline limit or experience, but this kid is the perfect nemesis of a physical ninja like us."
"Oh," Kakashi was surprised, hearing the guy's assumption; other examiners from Konoha around were shocked; even Sarutobi's pupil shrank and became thoughtful looking at Aoi.
"Lee, you can remove them." Might Guy then spoke, showing an okay gesture with a bright smile.
Aoi was speechless. Looking at Rock Lee removing his weight, the whole floor and building shook. Everyone became silent, looking at the guy strangely.
Instantly, Rock Lee disappeared and appeared beside Aoi. He punched his face, then disappeared, appeared behind him, kicked his neck, and spoke, "If I hit you constantly with a lot of attacks, you won't be able to channel the damage."
Aoi flew back speechlessly, then the next moment he stepped on the air and dodged aside the first attack. Amidst the shocking expressions of everyone, he raised his hand and aimed at Rock Lee's cheek.
"Why did you assume that? I can only channel the damage for counterattack purposes; I can use it for other purposes, like using it to increase my movement," Aoi said. A punch fell on Rock Lee's cheek, sending him flying away.
Boom!!!
The whole wall beside the hall shook, with cracks spreading and Rock Lee embedded inside, unconscious.
Aoi landed on the ground; the whole ground below his feet cracked, and his cracks spread through the whole hall.
After transferring all the damage he received from rock Lee attacks just now, Aoi then glanced at the dazed Gekko, who even forgot his illness.
"Winner Akio," Gekko hurriedly announced,
The mighty guy appeared beside Rock Lee. Looking at the mud layer spreading on the wall behind Rock Lee, he is just unconscious without any serious damage,
He turned and glanced at Aoi, who nodded with a smile and a thumbs-up. "Young man, you played well, like a sunshine youth."
Aoi nodded in return, then walked toward his team, but he didn't know some planning against him had already been triggered. No one will accept a genius from another village, especially someone like Sarutobi.
A gleam of light flashed through the Third Hokage's eyes, looking at Aoi back.
Soon, it was announced that the third final exam would be held a month later. After drawing lot's, the first competition was Sasuke and Gaara.