A, as the host, stood up and shouted loudly, "The elimination rounds are over! All Genin who passed, gather at the designated location!"
Noticing the voice travel far, Shinji couldn't help but survey his surroundings, guessing it was due to the venue's special design. The voice echoed throughout the entire arena.
After A finished speaking, he turned and sat back down, while Samui walked forward, rubbing her shoulders.
"Once all Genin have reached the designated location, you will have three hours of rest."
"During this time, Kumogakure will provide all necessary supplies to help you fully recover and prepare for the final rounds."
Samui finished speaking but did not leave.
A then spoke, "Hokage, don't you think it's too boring to just wait for three hours?"
Here it comes.
Shinji, Kakashi, and the others braced themselves, ready to see what Kumogakure intended to do.
"Oh? I wonder what insight Raikage has?" Hiruzen took out his pipe, lit it, and slowly asked.
A said in a very nonchalant tone, "Why don't we have our respective Kage Guard teams step forward? After all, the distinguished guests below can't just sit there, can they?"
Shinji couldn't help but twitch his lips. If you, Raikage, cared about these distinguished guests, you wouldn't have made such arrangements.
No wonder they said the written exam was going to be canceled, so this is what they were waiting for.
Hiruzen glanced at the Raikage but said nothing.
"I agree, Kitsuchi, you'll go first later." Ōnoki nodded in agreement.
Then, he turned to Hiruzen and said, "Even I, who am practically in the grave, have agreed. As the Hokage of Konoha, the First Ninja village, there's no reason for you not to participate, is there?"
These words clearly implied that if Hiruzen didn't agree, Konoha would be criticized for it.
Especially the words 'First Ninja village,' Shinji could feel that Ōnoki was saying them through gritted teeth.
"Heh heh, Kazekage, what's your opinion?" Hiruzen ignored Ōnoki and turned to Rasa.
Rasa, feeling Ōnoki's and A's gazes on him, couldn't help but inwardly grumble.
What do I think? I'll watch from my seat.
If he dared to refuse, Sunagakure would undoubtedly face various restrictions from these two great nations upon his return. But Rasa also hesitated to refuse Hiruzen. Purchasing and trading after that would be out of the question.
"I will follow the Hokage's arrangements. I am fine with anything." Having no choice, Rasa could only humbly kick the ball back to Hiruzen.
Rasa ignored the sneer on Ōnoki's lips. He didn't care about such a small loss of face.
"Alright then..."
Hiruzen wasn't surprised. If Rasa had dared to refuse directly, he would have found it strange.
"How about Tsuchikage starts us off?" Although he agreed, Hiruzen turned and let Ōnoki's side go first.
"No problem." Ōnoki said without hesitation.
A then looked at Samui, who was still standing in front. Samui nodded and pulled out a signal flare.
Bang!
The crowd in the arena looked up, wondering why a signal flare was suddenly released.
Rumble—
Shinji, who was halfway up the mountain, felt a tremor beneath his feet.
Below the audience stands, several large stone slabs, big enough to cover the entire base of the mountain, slowly rotated out from within the mountain.
"That's quite an undertaking." Shinji exclaimed.
Such an engineering feat couldn't be solved with just a little military expenditure.
As the stone slabs moved into position, the screens in the audience stands also changed. The location displayed on them was precisely the stone slabs at the base of the mountain.
"During the waiting period, the Kage Guard teams of each Kage will demonstrate their prowess for everyone!" Samui's voice echoed throughout the entire arena.
The arena fell silent for a moment, then erupted in a huge cheer.
The distinguished guests below the mountainside praised the spectacle, as it was a rare sight.
The Kage Guard teams were responsible for the Kage's safety, so their strength was naturally not to be underestimated. The problem was, while everyone knew they were strong, they hadn't really seen them in action.
"Kitsuchi, go down." Ōnoki said indifferently.
"Yes."
Kitsuchi nodded and immediately appeared beside Samui, defying gravity as he descended towards the base of the mountain. This display astonished everyone in the arena.
Earth Release: Light-Weight Rock Technique, is it?
Shinji watched Kitsuchi's figure disappear, thinking about this Ninjutsu. It was a Ninjutsu developed by the Second Tsuchikage, and the Third Tsuchikage further enhanced it into Earth Release: Super Light-Weight Rock Technique.
It could alter the gravity of objects, and even the user themselves, allowing for high-speed movement and flight, though its drawback was a reduction in the user's physical strength. It truly was a genius invention, one must admit.
"Since we're entering, shall we choose our opponents first?" Ōnoki turned to the other Kage beside him and asked.
Although it was a question, the implication was affirmative. Ōnoki wanted to designate the combatants.
A and Hiruzen had no objections, but Rasa's eyes narrowed slightly.
If there were no surprises, Ōnoki would probably choose someone from Sunagakure as an opponent.
"Kazekage it is. You choose one to go down."
Indeed, Ōnoki, seeing no one object, spoke.
The two Jonin of the Kage Guard team standing behind Rasa exchanged glances. Kitsuchi was no ordinary foe. During the Third Great Ninja War, there were legends of him defeating enemies by manipulating the earth.
Rasa withdrew his gaze. Since they sought him out, he couldn't ignore it.
"Baki, you go."
Baki, whose left face was covered by a white cloth, heard Rasa's instruction and immediately said, "Yes, Kazekage-sama!"
He then slowly walked to the high platform and leaped out. Using Wind Release and the audience stands as leverage, he landed steadily. This display earned widespread praise from those watching through the screens.
Across from him, Kitsuchi was adjusting the bandages on his wrists. Seeing that it was Baki, he showed no surprise.
Halfway up the mountain, Shinji watched the two opposing figures on the screen with interest.
Kitsuchi, as the Third Tsuchikage's son, possessed extremely wide-ranging Earth Release and superb power suppression.
Baki, as the Jonin instructor who would later guide Gaara, specialized in Wind Release and had a clear tactical mind.
Although Wind Release countered Earth Release, it wasn't always absolute.
Kitsuchi's Earth Release was far greater in scale and quality than typical Earth Release, which was enough to offset some of the disadvantage.
Moreover, Kitsuchi wasn't limited to just Earth Release. He could use Earth Release to transform his hands into hardened rock fists.
In the original story, he punched and sent the Tailed Beast-transformed Kinkaku flying.
Baki would likely lose. It was just a matter of how Kitsuchi would make him lose.
Shinji made his judgment mentally, based not only on information but also on their respective stats.
The difference in strength was too great and the outcome was basically set in stone, unless Baki could land a fatal blow on Kitsuchi.