Chapter 60: Gaara's Change, Kakashi's Murderous Intent  

As Rock Lee screamed, everyone present noticed something unusual—Rock Lee's Eight Gates technique seemed to have been deactivated!

This was obviously the result of his failure to fully open the Eight Gates.

In fact, during his previous intense battle with Sasuke, Rock Lee had sustained serious internal injuries.

Despite several days of rest, his injuries had not fully healed. In his current condition, the fact that he managed to activate the Eight Gates and hold out for this long was already an impressive feat. However, forcing the fifth gate open had put tremendous strain on his body, causing the technique to deactivate on its own.

With the disappearance of the Eight Gates, Rock Lee's body quickly plummeted from the air. At the critical moment, a ball of sand condensed in mid-air. Gaara acted swiftly, using his sand to catch both himself and Rock Lee, slowly lowering them to the ground.

Facing this unexpected act of kindness, Rock Lee, with a puzzled expression, asked, "Ahem... why did you save me?"

Gaara remained silent, slowly turning his head to lock eyes with Moonlight Gale. Realizing it was his turn, Moonlight Gale stepped between them and asked, "Rock Lee, do you wish to continue fighting?"

"Of course! How could I lose in a place like this?" Rock Lee struggled, trying to get up. However, before he could stand, he fell back down. He tried again, but still couldn't stand up.

"Damn it! Why? Why can't I stand up?" Rock Lee shouted, pounding the ground with his fists as tears began to flow from his eyes.

In the stands, seeing Rock Lee in such a state, Guy felt a deep sense of pain. "Lee..."

Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of Rock Lee. Everyone looked closer and saw it was Sasuke.

"Rock Lee, just admit defeat. Your body is no longer capable of supporting you in this fight," Sasuke said to Lee.

"No, how could I..." Rock Lee began, but Sasuke interrupted, "Listen to me, Lee. If you continue pushing yourself like this, you'll only worsen your injuries. Giving up now doesn't mean failure—it means protecting yourself.

We all know how hard you've worked and how strong you are, but sometimes, making the wise choice is more important than stubborn persistence. Besides, this competition isn't the end. There will be more opportunities for you in the future. So, trust in yourself, admit this loss, and come back even stronger."

Sasuke's words left Rock Lee in silence, his eyes reflecting a mix of inner conflict and reluctance. However, he eventually nodded, indicating his willingness to admit defeat.

The audience erupted in applause, showing their respect for Rock Lee. They understood and respected his decision, recognizing the fighting spirit he displayed.

Rock Lee looked at Sasuke with gratitude. Although he was still somewhat unwilling, he knew Sasuke was right. This match was just a setback in his journey, but true victory lay in continually surpassing himself.

With Rock Lee admitting defeat, Moonlight Gale announced Gaara's victory.

At this moment, Guy came down from the stands and approached Rock Lee. "Lee, you've proven that you're a true ninja!"

"Really? Guy-sensei?" As soon as Lee spoke, he fainted. Guy carried him on his back and then looked at Sasuke. "Thank you, Sasuke. I know Lee would never give up willingly, so I appreciate your words. If you ever want to learn more about taijutsu, feel free to ask me."

With that, Guy left with Rock Lee.

And so, the final preliminary match began.

"Tenten vs. Akimichi Choji!"

Although Choji's Human Boulder technique was powerful, it was useless if it couldn't hit its target. In the end, Tenten found the right opportunity and defeated him in one swift move.

Moonlight Gale then stood up and said, "So, this concludes the preliminaries of the Chunin Exams. Congratulations to those who have advanced to the third round. Next, the Third Hokage will announce the rules for the upcoming round."

Sarutobi Hiruzen stepped forward and said, "The formal competition will be shown to the audience. As representatives of your respective nations, I hope you all display your full strength without regrets. The official competition will start in a month."

"A month? Isn't the competition now?" Naruto asked, confused.

"This month is for all participants to prepare, and also to give time to invite the daimyo from various countries to come and watch. Next, it's time to draw lots. After the draw, everyone is dismissed."

After this, Sarutobi Hiruzen held the lottery box, and everyone drew their matchups in order.

The first match: Naruto vs. Neji. 

The second match: Shino vs. Temari. 

The third match: Sasuke vs. Gaara. 

The fourth match: Shikamaru vs. Kankuro. 

The fifth match: Hinata vs. Ino.

"Alright, in the next month, everyone should work on improving themselves. Let's present an exciting match to the people of all nations!" After Sarutobi Hiruzen finished speaking, everyone dispersed.

**At Kakashi's House.**

Kakashi was sitting on his bed, his expression complicated, his brows furrowed, and his eyes held a hint of murderous intent. He kept thinking about the information he had recently discovered, and his suspicions grew deeper.

Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of Kakashi's window, moving like a ghost, silent and swift.

"Hey, Kakashi, how are you? Did you find anything?" a voice asked with a relaxed tone, as if chatting with a friend.

Startled, Kakashi instinctively grabbed a kunai from his bedside and pointed it toward the silhouette outside the window. When he recognized the face of the intruder, he slowly lowered the kunai, though suspicion lingered in his eyes.

"How did you get into Konoha Village? This isn't a place you can just casually enter," Kakashi said, frowning at the man who called himself Madara Uchiha.

"Hmph, entering this place is easy for me. Now, let's talk about what you've discovered. Don't tell me you haven't found anything after all this time," the figure sneered, looking at Kakashi with disdain.

"Of course, I investigated my father's mission and found... nothing! There's no record of it at all!" Kakashi gritted his teeth, his voice filled with murderous intent, and the entire room became tense with his anger.

The intruder, undisturbed by Kakashi's hostility, asked, "And what do you plan to do?"

"I want... I want to avenge my father!" Kakashi said coldly, lowering his head.

"Really?" The familiar voice made Kakashi look up in disbelief.

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