"The Two-Tails opens with Fury Swipes!"
"The Five-Tails uses Protect, then follows up with a Takedown—critical hit, it's super effective!"
"The Five-Tails uses Taunt and lands it! The confused Two-Tails counterattacks with Flamethrower!"
"The Five-Tails' energy gauge is full! It unleashes a devastating Hyper Beam—it wants to end this match!"
"On the brink of defeat, the Two-Tails triggers Reversal, doubling its attack power, and fires off a Shadow Ball!"
"Wow, wow, wow! What a tense, edge-of-your-seat battle! Both Pokémon have given it their all. Now, let's see who the ultimate victor is…"
"It's the Five-Tails! At the last moment, it activated its Endure passive! It's the last one standing! Congratulations to Hashirama for winning round one!"
The crowd stared blankly at Gin, who was standing there with a megaphone, narrating the fight as if it were some kind of sports event.
They didn't understand a word—but they were impressed nonetheless.
This guy was working harder than a stage actor playing two roles at once.
Tweet!
A sharp whistle cut through the noise, pulling the audience out of their daze.
"Trainer, no personal attacks! This referee will give you a warning—no repeats!"
As the caring Uchiha he was, Referee Gin stood with his hands forming a big X in front of his chest, warning Madara for his earlier insult.
"I…" Madara twitched at the corner of his eye, his tone turning frosty.
"There are so many white-haired people here. How do you know I was talking about the Tailed Beast?"
"Tobirama, I'm talking to you!"
Tobirama, who had been quietly savoring Madara's embarrassment, jumped to his feet in rage, drawing a hidden long blade from who-knows-where and charging toward the ring.
"Calm down! Calm down! We're all from Konoha here!" Sarutobi Sasuke and others rushed in to stop Tobirama before the situation escalated.
"Oh? Someone took it personally? Struck a nerve?" Madara added fuel to the fire.
Tweet!
"Spectators, please don't disrupt the match. If you have a grudge, apply for your own match," Gin warned Tobirama, keeping order in his "sacred" tournament.
"Hmph! You just wait!" Tobirama thought of his brother's Hokage title being on the line and reluctantly sheathed his blade, backing away.
"ROAR!!"
The red-furred Four-Tails entered the arena, beating its chest and breathing fire, bellowing at the battered Five-Tails.
"I'll prove tails mean nothing—iron fists are the only truth!"
Round two began.
Sure enough, the Four-Tails didn't disappoint Madara. Son Gokū steamrolled the already-weakened Kokuō without even using his signature Flower-Fruit Mountain attack—just two fists like boulders smashing into Kokuō's iron head.
Gin, as referee, hopped onto the twitching Five-Tails' head, pried open an eyelid, and announced, "Round two, Four-Tails wins!"
"See, Hashirama? Another tail doesn't mean much," Madara smirked, arms crossed.
Hashirama, still calm, sent his Wood Golem to toss the unconscious Kokuō back into a wooden cage. Then he turned to the Nine-Tails for an explanation.
"This space is too small. Kokuō's proud speed was completely restricted, giving the Four-Tails the opening it needed."
Better to blame the terrain than admit tails weren't the measure of power.
"Fine, I'll take your word for it. Who's next?"
"I'll go. My abilities counter the Four-Tails well," the Six-Tails volunteered, wriggling its antennae forward.
"Round three, Hashirama sends out the Six-Tails!" Gin boomed into his megaphone, working the crowd into excitement.
Meanwhile, Yamanaka Minako had been standing too long. Her legs ached, her skin was dull, her hair brittle—stress and travel had taken their toll.
"Come sit for a bit," came a sweet voice. Senju Itama patted an empty stool beside her with a smile.
"…Alright." Minako lowered her guard and sat.
But the moment her hips touched the stool, a wave of warmth surged up through her body, flooding her meridians and restoring her energy. In moments, her skin softened, her fatigue vanished, her hair regained its shine.
"What… is this?"
"It's the stool's effect," Itama explained with a grin.
Minako stared at the unassuming wooden stool in awe, touched it, and felt a calming warmth. Without hesitation, she pulled out 1,000 ryō and handed it over.
"Ahaha, you've got a good eye~" Itama pocketed the cash and slid the stool over.
Uchiha Osamu, watching, asked Uchiha Mitsu for his opinion. "I'm just sitting here watching," Mitsu replied coolly—no trinket could compare to his bond with Gin.
Back in the arena, the battle had heated up.
"Give up, Son Gokū. We're both Tailed Beasts—I don't want to hurt you," said the Six-Tails, acidic slime dripping from its body.
But Son Gokū's proud red fur had been burned away in patches—he now looked like a mangy baboon.
"Damn slug! Take this!" The Four-Tails slammed the ground, magma pillars erupting toward the Six-Tails.
"Precipice Blades! The Four-Tails is using the legendary ground-type technique!" Gin's voice rang out.
Caught off guard, the Six-Tails took a direct hit where it hurt most, molten rock pouring into its body, making it shudder violently and spray acidic fluid against the golden barrier.
"Fine, if that's how you want it, I won't hold back!" The Six-Tails gathered a Tailed Beast Bomb in its mouth.
"Hmph! Who's afraid?" Son Gokū, nearly spent, formed his own.
"Place your bets, folks!" Gin shouted, quickly setting up a wager. Chips flew in—some on the Six-Tails, some on the Four-Tails, and Gin slyly bet on a draw.
BOOM! Smoke filled the arena. When it cleared, both beasts collapsed simultaneously.
"It's a tie!" Gin declared, grinning as he collected the pot—once again the only winner.
"Madara, looks like it's even now," Hashirama said darkly. His advantage in tails had proved useless.
Madara hauled the Four-Tails next to the Two-Tails. "Enough talk—next match."
"We'll take a short break and… run an ad!" Gin announced.
[Kidney weakness? Sore back and knees after overwork? Feeling drained?]
[Restore yourself with Kidney Treasure Pills—good for you, good for her!]
[Secret formula, rare herbs, floral extracts—Pig-Deer-Butterfly's own remedy! Order now!]
"…You three?" Sasuke stared at his friends.
"Cough… we saw how good he was with raffles, so we hired him for ads," Akimichi Chōji said sheepishly.
"Next time, include me—Sarutobi has specialties too," Sasuke muttered.
"Ad over—match continues!" Gin announced.
"Nanao, you're up. I'm last," the Nine-Tails ordered, tossing Chōmei into the ring.
"Three-Tails, you go," Madara commanded Isobu.
"Go, Turtle!" Itama cheered, waving merch. The others blinked—where had she gotten it? She pointed to a stall in the stands—run by Gin, of course.
As the match began, Chōmei's scales coated the arena floor with powder, slowing Isobu. The turtle withdrew into its shell—seemingly giving up—until the shell began to spin rapidly, blasting away the powder.
"It's using Rapid Spin!" Gin cried. The Three-Tails then fired high-pressure water jets from its limbs, spinning itself into the air toward Chōmei.
"Hah? Big guy, I miss you~"
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/euridome]
[Thank You For Your Support!]