"Fake... is it fake?"
"How can someone so young possess such a powerful chakra concentration..."
Mojin stared blankly at the water stain on the ground, her expression one of disbelief.
"This guy is a ninja from the Ghost Lantern clan, and they are sworn enemies of our Stone Village."
"If that fellow named Kuchiyama Yagura is as strong as Ghost Lantern Manyu, then our opponents this time will only be Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze."
Daishi suppressed the instinctive trembling of his body, gritting his teeth as he looked at Kushina, who was glaring at the three of them.
"That red-haired woman is vulnerable to genjutsu. Huoguang, among us three, you have the strongest genjutsu abilities."
"Although that Ghost Lantern Manyu said her strength is considerable, your taijutsu is equally outstanding. Therefore, that woman, Kushina Uzumaki, will be your responsibility to handle!"
"That fellow named Minato Namikaze specializes in ninja tool throwing, and your swordsmanship and Body Flicker Technique are perfectly suited to counter this type of ninja. Coupled with your mastery of the Shadow Clone Jutsu, you are sure to emerge victorious."
"As for me..."
Daishi's gaze lingered on Nawaki for a moment, but he ultimately shook his head and turned his attention back to Minato Namikaze and Kushina.
"That fellow Nawaki might have truly awakened Wood Style. I am no match for him."
"I will not challenge for now. While supporting you, I will also observe the battle between those two from the Mist Village."
"In short, do not disappoint Lord Tsuchikage's expectations. This battle must be won brilliantly!"
"Do you understand?"
Daishi's strategically arranged and motivating speech immediately reignited the morale of Huoguang and Mojin. They nodded in agreement.
"Understood!"
...
"Everyone!"
With the aid of a minor sound amplification jutsu, Sarutobi Hiruzen's aged yet resonant voice boomed from the high platform.
Having served as Hokage for many years, Sarutobi Hiruzen exuded considerable presence.
Furthermore, with the recent rise of Orochimaru, no one in the arena dared to disregard Sarutobi Hiruzen. Consequently, everyone looked up and listened attentively.
Sarutobi Hiruzen walked to the front of the platform and surveyed the crowd with a satisfied nod.
"Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to come to Konoha and participate in this unprecedented grand event of the ninja world."
"I am Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage of Konoha Village."
"On behalf of Konoha, I welcome all of you."
The Konoha ninjas gathered below played their part perfectly, rising from their seats and bursting into applause.
The other spectators also showed courtesy, joining in the enthusiastic response, spurred by the Konoha ninjas.
Applause thundered through the arena, accompanied by endless cheers and shouts.
Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled and observed for a long while, basking in the moment. Then, he slowly raised his hands and made a gentle gesture downwards.
"Thank you for your warm reception. I am truly humbled."
"Then, without further ado, I declare the First Chunin Joint Selection Examination of the Ninja World officially open!"
"Next, please welcome the referee for this competition, the leader of our friendly neighbor, the Village of Amegakure, the one known as the 'Half-God of the Ninja World,' Lord Hanzo of the Salamander!"
As Sarutobi Hiruzen concluded his address, the arena erupted in even more fervent applause and cheers than before.
In the eyes of most ordinary people and freelance ninjas in the ninja world, the title "Half-God of the Ninja World" carried far more weight than the Kage of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
Even though he had lost to the Legendary Sannin on the battlefield for reasons unknown, it did not diminish the esteemed position of the "Half-God" in people's hearts.
"Boom!"
A large cloud of smoke billowed from the center of the arena. With a deep, resonant shout, Hanzo of the Salamander made his appearance, accompanied by his summoned beast, Ibuse the salamander.
"Silence!"
His commanding voice echoed through the venue, instantly quieting the cacophony. The entire arena fell into a hush so profound that a pin drop would be audible.
Hanzo of the Salamander nodded with satisfaction. Then, with a solemn expression, he pulled out a scroll from his robes and began to read in a deep voice.
"Now, I will announce the rules for this joint Chunin selection. All participating contestants, please pay close attention."
"First, to enhance the excitement and flow of this examination, and to more comprehensively showcase the practical combat abilities of the new generation of ninjas from each village to the ninja world."
"It has been jointly decided by the leaders of each ninja village and the Daimyo of the Five Great Nations to abolish the written and survival exercises. The three examinations have been consolidated into a single practical combat competition."
"Second, the format for this practical combat examination will be a tournament-style battle."
"A total of five arenas will be established. The host village, Konoha Hidden Village, will provide the defending ninjas for the first round of the competition."
"Third, this practical combat examination will be an unrestricted assessment."
"All abilities that can provide assistance to a ninja in actual combat are not subject to any limitations."
"This includes, but is not limited to, ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu, ninja tools, explosive tags, summoned beasts, and so forth."
"Fourth, the purpose of this examination is to select excellent ninjas suitable for the role of Chunin. During the course of the match, once a participant concedes, the opposing party immediately wins and shall not be permitted to continue their attack for any reason whatsoever."
"Anyone who violates this rule..."
"Will face death!"
Hanzo of the Salamander's chilling words fell, causing the genin who had yet to experience the harshness of the ninja world to tremble uncontrollably.
Those who had harbored intentions of using accidental mishaps as excuses to eliminate certain individuals promptly shelved their sly schemes.
The rules laid down by the Half-God of the Ninja World were not something that novices who had just embarked on the ninja path could defy.
Hanzo of the Salamander's stern gaze swept across the faces of the contestants about to participate. Seeing their reactions, he nodded with satisfaction and continued to read the final regulation.
"Fifth, the criteria for selecting Chunin in this examination are not solely based on the contestants' victories or defeats."
"In this assessment, a selection team jointly formed by the Five Great Nations will determine who will successfully be promoted to Chunin."
"All contestants' outstanding performances during the matches will be meticulously recorded. Subsequently, based on the contestants' comprehensive abilities, those suitable for promotion to Chunin will be decided."
"That is all!"
Hanzo of the Salamander offered a brief nod to the dignitaries on the high platform, then stated gravely:
"Next..."
"Please, Earth Style ninjas and barrier users, enter the arena to construct the battle stages for this event."
A group of ninjas clad in Konoha ANBU attire responded and appeared. They bowed to Hanzo of the Salamander and quickly divided into two distinct teams, forming a grid-like formation.
One team was responsible for using Earth Style ninjutsu to raise five arenas entirely constructed from earth in the designated area. The other team would employ a large-scale joint barrier ninjutsu to separate the competition grounds from the spectator seating.
Upon completing their tasks, these ANBU ninjas silently dispersed to the periphery of the arena.
On one hand, they would serve as emergency responders during the matches, preventing any undesirable incidents. On the other hand, they would be responsible for repairing the arenas and reinforcing the barrier.
With the construction and segmentation of the arena complete, Hanzo of the Salamander spoke again:
"Please, the five defending champions of the first round, step onto the stage and prepare to accept challenges from other contestants."
"First Arena, Konoha Hidden Village, Genin Nawaki."
"Second Arena, Konoha Hidden Village, Genin Kushina Uzumaki."
"Third Arena, Konoha Hidden Village, Genin Minato Namikaze."
"Fourth Arena..."
As Hanzo of the Salamander read the contents of the scroll, he paused for a moment, his eyes carrying a profound gaze as he looked at the names of the last two participants.
"Hidden Mist Village, Genin Manyu Ghost Lantern."
"Fifth Arena, Hidden Mist Village, Genin Yagura Kuchiyama."