On the stage, Sarutobi Shinnosuke and Hyuga Kai stood opposite each other. The two knew each other privately, but as this was an arena match, there was naturally no opportunity for them to converse. So many important figures were watching, so they couldn't afford to embarrass themselves.
Shinnosuke drew his katana, taking an offensive stance, while Kai activated his Byakugan. The blood vessels around his eyes protruded, making him look somewhat intimidating. In this state, he could clearly see Shinnosuke's chakra flow and his weaknesses.
"Gentle Fist!"
Kai threw a punch. It seemed soft, yet it contained immense power. If Shinnosuke were hit by this punch, victory would be almost impossible for him. However, the Hyuga Clan's taijutsu had a drawback: the movements before execution were very obvious. Coupled with the fact that the various clans within the village knew each other extremely well, Shinnosuke guessed Kai's technique just from his opening stance. He immediately rolled to the side, dodging the attack, then injected chakra into his blade and slashed fiercely! A swift wind blade flew towards Kai.
Kai, with his Byakugan activated, remained unhurried. Such an attack was no different from slow motion under the Byakugan, and he easily dodged it. He then unleashed a powerful palm strike towards Shinnosuke, the force of his palm flying out like an arrow. Seeing this, Shinnosuke threw out another wind blade, shattering the palm wind.
The villagers watching cheered loudly for their favorite contestants, which boosted the confidence of the two on stage.
"Hokage-sama, the strength of Konoha's younger generation is truly impressive. To possess such power at this age, they will surely reach elite jōnin levels in the future." Ōnoki said with a laugh.
Though he had heard such compliments many times, Ōnoki was speaking the truth. Sarutobi Shinnosuke and Hyuga Kai's strength was indeed quite good within Konoha, as they were both scions of prominent clans. The Hyuga Clan, having abolished the so-called Main and Branch Families, had made rapid advancements over the past decade. Many geniuses had emerged, and the clan's strength had once again returned to that of a noble clan, capable of contending with the Senju and Uchiha.
"Tsuchikage-sama is too kind. These youngsters still have much to learn and need more experience."
After that, the Kage exchanged no further words, quietly watching the match on stage.
On the stage, although the two were evenly matched, Shinnosuke still managed to catch Kai off guard with his self-created ninjutsu, successfully winning the match. For the Kage, these children's matches were rather childish. The moment a contestant on stage moved, the Kage could guess their intentions, and often, before half the match was over, the Kage already knew who would win. It was rare for someone like Shinnosuke to win through unexpected means, as not everyone had self-created ninjutsu.
After five or six matches in a row, the Kage easily predicted the outcomes. None of the contestants truly stood out. During this time, only the samurai combat techniques displayed by Mifune's disciple piqued Torifu's interest. The other children were just average geniuses, nothing extraordinary.
Inside the arena, the secretary once again took the stage, announcing the upcoming tenth battle. "Esteemed villagers, next is the tenth battle, and among these two contestants, there's a heavyweight contender!" The secretary's words instantly ignited the villagers' anticipation. They all speculated wildly about who it could be.
"Please take your positions!"
From beside the arena, the powerfully built Akimichi Chōza walked out. At only fourteen years old, he already had the physique of an adult man. His build was exceptionally burly. The spectators from Konoha's Three Clans in the arena began to cheer enthusiastically!
"Ah! It's Chōza!"
"Chōza is the young clan head of the Akimichi Clan! He must be the heavyweight Anka mentioned!"
"It must be him, no doubt! Chōza's strength is the greatest among the younger generation of our Three Clans!"
Red-haired Akimichi Chōza confidently waved his arm, greeting his supporting clan members. He seemed to feel he had already won this match; his strength was considered top-tier among all young ninja in Konoha. After all, low-level ninjutsu couldn't restrict a "human tank" like him.
The Akimichi Clan Head, seeing this, burst into laughter: "Ah! That's my son! Hahaha, look at my son! So strong! I feel like he'll be able to transform into a butterfly very soon!"
The Yamanaka Clan Head and Nara Clan Head beside him also wore smiles. Konoha's Three Clans were united, a single entity. If Chōza could win easily, they would naturally be very happy. But despite his happiness, the Nara Clan Head was still somewhat puzzled: "Could the heavyweight Anka spoke of really be Chōza? But Chōza isn't particularly famous in the village."
The Akimichi Clan Head seemed unconcerned: "Anka is Chōza's Senior. Perhaps it's to give Chōza more confidence."
This explanation didn't quite hold water for the Nara Clan Head. Seeing his old friend so happy, he didn't want to elaborate. As far as he knew, this arena competition was actually Hokage testing his apprentices. The so-called heavyweight contender—surely Chōza wouldn't be so unlucky as to encounter one?
In the stands, the Kage heard Anka mention "heavyweight" and couldn't help but sit up straighter.
"This youngster is from the Akimichi Clan? He's certainly stout, but I wouldn't call him a heavyweight just yet," Ōnoki said with some interest.
"Perhaps it's the Kazekage's or Hokage's apprentice. Whoever it is, this match is sure to be exciting. The Akimichi Clan is resilient, so they shouldn't lose quickly."
Hearing Ōnoki's remark, the others all chuckled. The Kazekage also quipped, "I hope it's not my unlucky apprentice. A puppeteer would find it very difficult to win against an opponent like this."
Torifu, beside him, nodded. He had seen some interesting contestants this morning. But his apprentice still hadn't appeared yet; he wondered if they would be the one to face Chōza.
Soon, under the watchful eyes of the entire audience and the Kage, a slender figure slowly emerged from the stands. She wore a black robe with golden lotuses and a paper flower in her blue-purple hair. This was Konan.
When Konan appeared in the arena, the entire crowd fell silent. Chōza, who had been full of confidence just moments before, now looked utterly astonished: "Wh-what?! Why am I so unlucky!"
The next second, the arena erupted in a fierce roar!
"It's Konan-sama! The Hokage-sama's apprentice! Konan-sama!"