"When I think the outcome is obvious, I will take action to stop the match to reduce casualties," Hayate Gekko said.
"Now, your fate will be determined by the electronic bulletin board." He pointed at the large screen behind him. "It will display two randomly selected opponents for each round."
"Let's begin! The contestants for the first round are…"
Everyone held their breath, staring at the screen nervously. However, Rock Lee, Gaara, and Hyuga Neji remained calm. For them, any opponent would do.
Soon, the names appeared:
**Rock Lee vs. Red Bronze Armor**
"Humph! I'm up first? That's unexpected," Rock Lee muttered to himself.
"Finally, I get to fight first!" said Red Bronze Armor, a tall man with a black mask and cold, confident eyes.
"Lee, be careful," Tenten said with concern.
"Tenten, don't you know Lee's strength by now?" Hyuga Neji said with a smile. "That guy won't last ten moves against Lee."
"Thanks for your support," Rock Lee replied with a smile. He stepped forward, standing before Moonlight Hayate, eyes locked on Red Bronze Armor.
Ever since entering the second round of the Chūnin exams, Rock Lee's fighting spirit had been reignited. He was eager to face a strong opponent.
"Kid, you're unlucky to face me," Red Bronze Armor said coldly.
"I could say the same to you," Rock Lee replied.
Their words sparked tension before the fight even began.
"Do either of you have any objections?" Moonlight Hayate asked.
"No!" both answered firmly.
The room fell silent. Everyone's eyes were on Rock Lee and Red Bronze Armor.
"Lee, you can do it!" Tenten thought to herself, her big eyes filled with hope.
"That guy is doomed," Uchiha Sasuke thought, knowing Rock Lee's strength. He looked at Red Bronze Armor with pity.
"Let's see what you've got, Rock Lee," both Gaara and Hyuga Neji thought, eager to witness his full power.
"The first round begins now," Hayate said, coughing slightly. "Everyone except the two fighters, please move to the second floor."
"Let's start!" Red Bronze Armor shouted, forming hand seals.
"That's it?" Rock Lee thought, noticing a faint glow appear around Red Bronze Armor's right hand. It carried considerable power.
"Swish! Swish! Swish!"
Red Bronze Armor threw six shurikens at Rock Lee, but Lee calmly pulled out a kunai, deflecting all of them with precision.
Lee could have dodged, but he chose not to reveal his true strength yet. With so many Jōnin and even the Third Hokage watching, he didn't want to expose his secret techniques.
"Not bad, kid," Red Bronze Armor said, grinning. He suddenly dashed toward Lee, launching more shurikens and kunai to block all escape routes.
"He's confident in his close combat skills," Lee thought. Deciding to match his opponent's strategy, he stood his ground, deflecting all the projectiles with his kunai.
By the time Lee finished, Red Bronze Armor was already in front of him. Towering over Lee, his muscular frame looked intimidating.
"Take this!" Red Bronze Armor roared, throwing a powerful punch at Lee's head.
Lee didn't dodge. Instead, he raised his right hand and met the punch head-on.
**Snap!**
The clash echoed loudly. To everyone's shock, Red Bronze Armor was forced to stagger back, while Lee stood firm, unmoved.
"This kid is impressive," Third Hokage said with a nod. "He blocked a punch infused with medical ninjutsu purely with physical strength."
"Hokage-sama, he's one of Guy's students," Mitarashi Anko added.
"Haha! That explains it," Third Hokage said with a smile. "Only Guy could train someone to this level of Taijutsu mastery."
"How did you stop my punch?" Red Bronze Armor muttered, staring at Lee in disbelief.
"Isn't it obvious?" Lee replied, smirking. "The truth is right in front of you."