Participants

After William returned to his apartment, he spotted Naruto lounging on the couch, dressed in his typical orange jumpsuit. He called out to him. "Hey, cuzo! I've got some exciting news!"

Naruto turned, blinking in surprise as he pushed himself up off the couch. "What is it, Will? Did you finally convince Jada to date you?"

William rolled his eyes, laughing at the innocent jab as he answered, "No, nothing like that! There's a tournament happening in the Land of Waves, and it's open to Chūnin and below! Taijutsu only!"

"No way!" Naruto said, bouncing. "When's this happening?"

"Wait, ya never even heard the best part! The cash prize for the winner is a million ryō!"

"Oh yeah!" Naruto screamed.

William grinned, knowing how much that would appeal to the main character, and continued, "You have to register, though, and only thirty fighters will be selected."

"I'm signing up!" Naruto declared, fists clenched in determination. "I want to fight the strongest ninjas out there!"

These two together had an infectious energy. Whenever they set their minds on something, it was likely bound to happen.

As they read more of the tournament's details, William felt a sense of elation. He was surrounded by friends, camaraderie, and a belief in something bigger than individual goals. Regardless of what happened, he felt that he was ready to seize the moment.

Soon, everyone began gathering in the girls' apartment, and one by one, his friends arrived. It had been awhile since their last meeting—since the time Arthur was reported dead.

Jada's smile seemed to lift the mood instantly as she said, "I'm sure everyone's all caught up, right?"

Margaret re-adjusted her hair as if uninterested, asking, "Are we really doing this?"

"There's a million ryō prize," William exclaimed, barely containing his excitement. "And I think we can all compete."

"But are we really just going to compete in a taijutsu-only tournament?" Alex wondered. "Isn't that a tad boring?"

"It sounds like fun," Alice defended, sitting next to Jasper. "I mean, I've never heard of any tournaments happening after the Chūnin Exams."

"Don't you think it's kinda weird it's called that?" Margaret addressed.

"Called what? Clash of Ninja?" Jada wondered.

"Yeah, that name's from the video franchise, isn't it?"

"Let's not forget we're playing a game, too," Alex reminded everyone. That answer snapped everyone back into focus. Most of them had forgotten that they were in the virtual world of Naruto. "We've already confirmed game techniques work here, so I'm sure Elysium implemented something like this."

"Well," William shot, "I'm serious about this! It's a chance we should all take before Shippuden."

Because it was William suggesting this, Jasper, who had been quiet till now, didn't want to listen. So he said, "I don't care who enters; I've got better things to do."

"I'm curious to know how many fighters will even be there," Margaret pondered, ignoring Jasper's proclamation. "It said only thirty would be selected to actually compete. Are we guaranteed a spot?"

"That's a good question," Alice admitted, also ignoring Jasper's negativity. "I bet there will be a long line. We have to sign up quickly before it's too late. There's bound to be some fierce competition."

William fidgeted, the prospect of his friends ramping up the stakes of their excitement making him even more animated. So he suggested, "We should get others like Lee and Kakashi to sign up."

"There's an issue with that," Alex said.

"What do ya mean?" William asked.

"Says here that shinobi with bounties on their heads aren't allowed entry."

Before the mood could turn sour, William quickly announced that it wasn't going to affect his decision. And while certain characters wouldn't be allowed to participate, that didn't mean that all of them were excluded.

The excitement continued throughout the room. Although some of them began to consider the logistics of registering, there was an underlying thrill about the impending brawls and the chance for glory.

Alex leaned forward, tapping his chin thoughtfully.

"You know, there's a reason behind this tournament being held in a different country, particularly the Land of Waves. It's not just about taijutsu. They're really trying to promote peace and unity among the countries. You can already tell by their stringent submission rules, especially keeping criminals away from the competition."

"What do you mean?" Jada interjected, curious.

"Well," he explained, "the Land of Waves was in a tough spot during part three of the series. They had their troubles with the previous regime, and now they're in a position where they want to demonstrate to everyone that the past doesn't define them. By hosting this tournament, they're essentially shaking hands with neighbouring villages and saying, 'Look, we're better than we used to be. We're all ninjas here; let's fight fairly and foster some friendly competition!'"

"That makes sense," Alice nodded. "They ensure that the competitors are clean so they can focus on fostering camaraderie rather than allowing old rivalries to resurface."

"Exactly." Alex replied. "And to enforce this, they're conducting background checks on all thirty participants who will be selected. They want to be sure that each ninja is worthy to represent the ideals of peace."

"That also means they're probably going to be strict on who they let through," Margaret noted, slightly perplexed. "But I'm sure we're all in the clear, right?"

"I'd say so," he replied, glancing around the room. "None of us are wanted criminals. Well, at least not that I know of."

Jasper let out a small chuckle, attempting to lighten the moment, which remained only a little serious.

William nodded and said, "I don't know about you guys, but I'm looking at this differently. There aren't a lot of taijutsu leagues in existence where a bunch of ninjas are completely innocent. I think it's a safe bet to say we might not run into that much competition."

He was more than right. There were hardly any tournaments or events in the Narutoverse that centralized martial arts.

"Yeah, think about it," he continued. "A whole lot of ninjas who mainly focus on ninjutsu and genjutsu—I don't believe they'll put the same effort into winning a taijutsu-only tournament."

"It would be better that I sit this one out," Alex added. "Who's to say there's going to be elite fighters compared to those here in the village? I mean, with this background check making it so tough, and all."

"But you could potentially have a better selection of opponents in a typical brawl," Margaret pressed.

"If you guys aren't signing up, then mark me down!" William emphasized, raising his fist high.

"Of course you would," Jasper smirked, shaking his head. "I've seen you in action. You're probably one of the few ninjas who won't take 'no' for an answer."

"Okay, so if you all are sitting out, who's left to join?" Alice asked, deferring the mood back to their registrations. "I mean, if we need numbers, can we gather a team?"

"I think you should still try for it!" Margaret encouraged, casting glances at the remaining group. "You need a competent teammate."

"I've got a couple ideas," William replied, shifting in his seat. "What about inviting Guy-sensei, Lee, and Neji?"

"Neji?" Margaret chuckled, loving the irony. "He's a genius-level fighter, but I guess with the background checks, he doesn't count as a criminal.

"That would be a fantastic shot," Jada agreed. "But Guy-sensei's been out of the village for a while now... He's likely not gonna make it in time before registration ends."

"What about Sasuke then?" William urged.

"Don't mention Sasuke," Alex piped up. "He's too dangerous to invite. Getting into such close quarters—that could be problematic."

"Okay…" William considered. "Then what about Sakura-chan?"

"Ill!" Margaret commented. "Don't call her that!"

"Sakura's going to be busy with other things," Jada confirmed, rifling through her thoughts. "So I think we should look elsewhere."

Despite the uncertainties regarding who could tag along, the idea of inviting Lee and Neji remained plausible. Both are excellent taijutsu users. And even without the Byakugan, Neji was still an elite-level fighter.

"I'm sure Lee would be up for anything that involves fighting," Jada mused. "His enthusiasm is pretty contagious."

At this, Alice winked playfully and asked, "What about Neji? You think we can convince him?"

William shrugged before answering, "We could at least ask! Having them around would probably help sharpen our game—that way, if we're backing each other up during the tournament, we'd have strong allies."

"I like it!" Jada exclaimed. "Considering the massive cash prize, I think the extra support would ensure the competition gets a lot more enjoyable."

Jasper, always prone to throwing in wit, interjected, "And just think—if they become aware of their competition, maybe they'll put aside any rivalry and see this as a sporting event? Isn't that what the Land of Waves is trying to promote?"

Alice chuckled upon noticing him chime in and said, "Look at you! I thought you were going to contribute."

As the group erupted into laughter, Jasper leaned back, shaking his head, amused by the volatility of mixed emotions and the lingering banter.

"He's not wrong," Alex added. "Everything boils down to their theme of peace. Whoever orchestrated this event knows what they're doing."

"Alright," William committed, "we'll check with Lee and Neji. But first, let's settle on how we should prepare, knowing that most of us aren't going to join."

Jada quieted down thoughtfully and said, "I'll join as a spectator since I don't think not being able to use my Sharingan would leave me feeling confident enough."

There was a slight tinge of disappointment in her tone, causing many in the room to be surprised. Alex examined her thoroughly, feeling as if there was another reason why she hadn't wanted to participate.

"Count me in for the fun, too!" Alice exclaimed. "A change of scenery sounds appealing. Plus, I think it'll be exciting to watch you guys fight!"

William glanced between them, and a thought occurred to him. So he said, "If Jada and Alice are on one side cheering us on, it could bring some extra motivation!"

Jasper chuckled, "Now you need cheerleaders to get your competitive spirit going?"

William almost blushed upon noticing that only the girls were likely going to travel with him. Alice playfully rolled her eyes. "Do you have to tease him every time he says something?"

With a levity that seemed more playful than discouraging, Jasper replied, "Oh, come on, if they want a sound track of cheers, I'll happily volunteer."

Seeing him indirectly apologize, she gave him a hug.

"Get a room, you, too," Margaret teased.

"We can use yours," Alice beamed. This prompted another wave of laughter.

Margaret tried to roll her eyes but couldn't resist the camaraderie.

Amidst chatter and laughter, anticipation continued to build up for the tournament that promised not just victory but the strengthening of bonds.

Suddenly feeling the thrill growing amongst friends, they each began planning to reach out to characters like Lee, Neji, and Iruka. Those three would undoubtedly register. Yet the chances of everyone being selected were slim.

The ninja world was filled with a varying degree of different fighters. The most prominent ones were either dead or currently resided in the Leaf Village. And with the no-criminals policy in place, the players could easily exclude many characters who weren't present.

Regardless of what village they were from, so long as they had a bounty on their head, they wouldn't be allowed entry. Even as spectators so as to prevent impending any conflict.

Such a list would likely consist of high-ranking officials to the average Jōnin, like Asuma—both of whom would not be able to attend. And if that is the case, Jinchūriki from other villages might not be present.

The thing that no one was aware of, however, was who was even responsible for the selection process. If whoever the host was happened to see a particular name that favoured him, surely he would accept that participant.

"Then it's decided," William finished. "Margaret and I will all enter, and I hope we get selected. If we don't, we can always go watch."