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The second match was between Gaara and Uchiha Sasuke.
Since Gaara had already appeared, there was no need to watch any further.
Mujin turned his gaze toward Gaara. When he stepped onto the battlefield, it would mark the beginning of Konoha's collapse. This time, he couldn't allow Gaara to lose in such a baffling manner without accomplishing anything.
With that, the preliminary matches officially came to an end.
Each team was led away by their respective instructors. However, at this moment, the Third Hokage called out to Mujin and Karin.
The Third Hokage wore a kindly expression, smiling warmly as he said, "So, you two are Mujin and Karin? Congratulations on advancing to the third round of the exams. Your performance was excellent—I've been watching closely. I'm sure your village must be proud of you."
Mujin gave a faint smile, his tone slightly distant as he replied, "You flatter us, Lord Hokage. Is there something you need from us?"
"Ah, yes," the Third responded. "If you are indeed members of the Uzumaki clan, then you must have heard of the deep ties between Konoha and the Uzumaki. How about it? Would you two be interested in having a casual chat with this old man?"
A subtle smile formed at the corners of Mujin's lips as he stroked his chin thoughtfully. Internally, he was delighted. As expected, once they revealed their identities publicly, the Third Hokage—given the historical bond between Konoha and the Uzumaki—couldn't simply ignore them.
Feigning hesitation, Mujin replied, "We're quite exhausted today… Perhaps we could visit you tomorrow instead?"
"Ah, true enough. Rest well today, then. I look forward to your visit tomorrow," the Third said with a cheerful wave as he bid them farewell. Yet, inwardly, he sighed deeply. The reappearance of the Uzumaki clan… It couldn't have come at a worse time.
As Mujin and Karin watched the Third Hokage depart, faint smiles played on their lips. "Tomorrow, we'll finally get to visit the Hokage Tower."
"Yes, this time we'll be able to see everything clearly."
"There's just one last thing to take care of."
Under the escort of the staff, Mujin and Karin left the Forest of Death. Following Rock Lee's chakra signature, they arrived at Konoha Hospital, where Might Guy and Kakashi were also present.
"What's going on!? Why has Lee's condition suddenly worsened!?" Guy's face was filled with anxiety as he looked at Rock Lee, who lay in bed groaning in pain. The medical ninja beside him were sweating profusely.
"There's… there's some kind of force corroding his body! This feeling… it's like a seal!"
"A seal!?" Kakashi exclaimed, his mind immediately jumping to a realization. "Could it be…?"
"Yes, it's exactly what you're thinking. The remnants of the Six Harmonies and Six Clashes seal still linger within him," Mujin declared as he and Karin pushed open the door and entered the room.
Guy immediately confronted them, his voice sharp with accusation. "Why!? You already won! Why did you do this!?"
"Calm down," Mujin said coolly. "The Six Harmonies and Six Clashes isn't a seal that can be easily undone. We've come here to completely remove it from him. However…" A sly smile spread across his face. "I've just had a better idea. If you want to save him, then trade me the technique he used earlier. What was it called again? The Eight Gates, right?"
"So this is your true purpose, isn't it!?" Kakashi's sharp intuition struck once more.
Hearing this, Guy's eyes narrowed dangerously.
Mujin sneered. "You two are working together, so think whatever you want about me. But let's get one thing straight—the battle between me and Lee should have ended midway. It was Hayate Gekkō who stubbornly refused to announce the result, and it was you who said, 'I allow it,' encouraging Lee to stand up again. You forcibly prolonged the fight, and now things have turned out like this—not because of me."
Mujin's words left Kakashi speechless. If Lee hadn't forced himself to break through the Five Seals, he wouldn't be in this state. And the one who encouraged Lee to push himself to the limit was none other than Guy himself.
Looking at Lee lying on the bed, Guy felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. He didn't regret allowing Lee to unleash his fiery passion but rather regretted failing to protect him in time.
"The Eight Gates is an extremely dangerous technique—for both the enemy and the user. I cannot give it all to you."
"Guy! Don't be rash!" Kakashi quickly interjected. "Lord Hokage is a master of all ninjutsu—a true jutsu doctor! This seal is nothing he can't handle!"
"It truly is nothing to him," Mujin chuckled. "Even someone like you, Kakashi, could easily undo it if you knew the proper method. However, the Twelve Great Heavenly Demons Seal isn't so simple. Each position has twelve variations, and each variation interacts with others in complex ways—either clashing or harmonizing. Attempting to undo it incorrectly will only drain the subject's life force. Given Lee's current physical condition, how many more attempts do you think he can endure?"
At this, Guy no longer hesitated. "Kakashi, stop trying to dissuade me. I've made my decision. It's my fault for not protecting Lee."
He slowly pulled a scroll from his vest and extended it toward Mujin. "This is the training scroll I gave to Lee—it allows him to train up to the fifth gate. If you can't accept this…"
Guy's fists clenched tightly.
Mujin smiled as he accepted the scroll. "Then our deal is complete."