Entry

Arthur stood at the edge of the vast arena, observing the hustle and bustle of the tournament preparations. His figure was indistinguishable—a shadow overlooking everyone.

His Tamashii was also activated so that he could gauge the chakra levels of those entering the grounds—ninja, feudal lords, and aides alike. He meticulously assessed the chakra levels, noted who had decided to show up and who had opted to stay away.

His eyes narrowed as he noted several prominent figures who would not be making an appearance. Baki, an elder of the Sand Village, was presently occupied, busy restoring the reputation of his village following the recent death of their Kazekage several months ago.

These were the political ramifications that many figureheads had to attend to as opposed to traveling afar for entertainment. Even if ninjas from their respective villages were selected, this wasn't a representation of their home but a mere sporting event for challengers.

Then there were characters like Kankuro who had initially considered participating. However, upon discovering that this tournament was taijutsu-only, he hurriedly retracted any motives to compete.

Kankuro was a puppeteer, after all, and relying on taijutsu was not in his skill set. This applied to many ninjas who didn't want to register for that very reason.

Arthur continued his scan, observing several other formidable names absent from the lineup: Chōjūrō, Chiriku, Asuma, Kakashi, Ao, Killer Bee, and Yugito. While none of them had even registered, that did not mean they couldn't come watch the event.

Arthur speculated that they likely didn't show because of their background. Killer Bee and Yugito were notorious Jinchūriki across the Lightning Country. Kakashi was also the son of the White Fang of the Hidden Leaf and is the Copy Ninja who most feared.

Other characters, like Chōjūrō in specific, were part of organizations that didn't have a favourable reputation in the public eye. The same principles applied for Asuma and Chiriku, who the latter, despite being a monk, did have a questionable background.

Each of them had different commitments that prevented them from participating in this battle of pure physical prowess.

As Arthur continued to ponder the implications of those missing fighters, he couldn't ignore the presence of foreign dignitaries that had begun to trickle in. Feudal lords from the Land of Frost and the Land of Tea were among the notable figures mingling in the arena, eager to catch a glimpse of the combatants who had dared to participate.

Many sought to meet with Arthur personally, an encounter he firmly planned to avoid. After all, revealing himself at this stage was not strategically sound—not when so many prominent figures had decided to spectate.

As the minutes passed and the countdown to the opening rounds approached, the crowd grew thicker.

Arthur shifted his focus back to the entrance, awaiting the arrival of specific participants who he personally allowed entry. Whether they had bounties or didn't qualify after their background check, he wouldn't have taken no for an answer.

Far from the bustling arena, William, Margaret, Lee, Neji, Naruto, Iruka, and Jada traveled together to the Land of Waves. Alice, who had originally wanted to come, changed her mind at the last second after feeling that Jasper was pushing too hard for her to leave.

The journey was filled with banter, excitement bubbling amongst the group as they shared their hopes for the tournament ahead.

Upon arriving at the stadium, they marveled at the grand structure. The team approached the check-in area, where a set of workers awaited them.

"Welcome, welcome!" one of the workers announced brightly. They proceeded to explain the rules of the event in an orderly manner. "This is a taijutsu-only tournament, so team battles and outside help are not permitted. We have sensors equipped throughout the arena to ensure that there will be no cheating—with one of those being the subtle use of chakra to amplify your physical prowess."

A murmur of understanding spread through the group, but Lee was not done. He was bubbling over with questions.

"But what about the Eight Inner Gates?" he asked. "Am I allowed to use them?"

A worker, slightly taken aback by the question, began rifling through the rulebook. Margaret was skeptical, believing that different lands wouldn't be aware of what that technique even was.

"Lee," she said, "it's a taijutsu skill, but I don't think they know what—"

"Ah, yes," the worker confirmed. "It appears you can activate the Eight Gates. However, you are not allowed to open anything beyond the sixth gate."

Margaret was shocked, while Lee's face lit up with excitement as he said, "That's fantastic! I usually limit myself to the fifth gate anyway!"

He then twitched with enthusiasm, twisting and flexing his muscles at the thought of pushing his limits. Neji couldn't help but smile at how contagious it was.

Over the past few months, these two had been getting along great. That was considering that Neji had disregarded Lee as a rival due to lacking in genjutsu and ninjutsu. Their friendship did grow as the series continued, but that was because only after Naruto defeated Neji in the Chūnin Exams.

This time, it was the players who swayed Neji's heart after revealing the truth about his father.

Margaret raised an eyebrow and whispered to Jada, "They know about the Eight Gates? Isn't that a little suspicious?"

"It's only natural," Jada explained, unperturbed by her question.

Margaret felt a sense of unease but pushed it aside, reasoning that they would follow the established rules—convenient or not.

The workers turned to address the group again and said, "Please keep in mind that no weapons of any kind may be used during the tournament. We will be confiscating any weapons you may have before entry."

While the team exchanged looks of reluctance, they couldn't argue. If they wanted to participate after spending the time to travel all the way here, they would have to comply.

The workers made it clear they were serious about enforcing the tournament's regulations, so one by one, they relinquished their weapon pouches, tucking away their kunai, shuriken, and even the more specialized weapons that each brought.

As for healing items, the workers informed them that food pills and chakra pills were also prohibited during the match. With a collective sigh of resignation, they turned their attention back to the check-in process.

As Jada wasn't participating, she was given a spectator pass while William's group each received their group pass as fighters. Satisfied with the proceedings, they entered the arena, but were met with sheer awe at the vastness of it all.

The interior was far larger than they had imagined, and they could hear the collective roar of the crowd already filling the stands. All of the spectators were anticipating a worthwhile show.

The workers guided them to a designated area on the edge of the main platform where they would be seated. "This is your elected spot—Group 10." Multiple areas encircled the arena, each enclosed by small walls about three feet in height. Within their area were also ample seats for them to settle if they didn't want to wait in the stands.

"You're free to wander about, but please refrain from quarreling with any other groups," one of the attendants reminded them before stepping away.

Taking in their surroundings, Jada turned her head and quickly gasped. "Hey! Look over there!" She pointed to a familiar figure in an adjacent group and was shocked to see Chen preparing for competition.

Chen, as many of the players knew of him, was a once-revered hero of the Leaf Village. His past was haunted by the loss of his student, while his dedication to taijutsu and his student's potential were defining aspects of his character.

Despite his legendary status, he was a man of few words, often expressing himself through his actions. His gruff exterior masked a deep-seated sorrow and regret over his inability to save his student. Only Rock Lee was able to re-ignite his beliefs, which is an event that wouldn't occur for another three years.

Chen's taijutsu skills were exceptional, even in his old age. His Leaf Dragon technique, a powerful spinning kick that harnessed the wind, was no laughing matter.

He was a tanned man of average height with a weathered face. His greying hair was styled in dreadlocks, and he had a missing tooth and a neatly trimmed beard. He wore a yellow jumpsuit with black stripes, open-toed sandals, and red square-framed sunglasses.

"More from the Leaf?" he called out, a wry smile on his face.

"I cannot believe my eyes!" Lee announced. "That is the legendary Chen."

"What's the big idea?" Naruto commented. "Who's the old geezer anyway?"

Seeing that they recognized him, Chen attempted to play it off casually, claiming he was only a regular fighter that happened to look like the Chen they knew. Before he could further elaborate, an attendant strolled by, handing him a cup and saying, "Here's your drink, Mr. Chen."

The ironic exposure made the scene comical, igniting laughter among William's group, while Lee admired Chen's reputation for his excellent taijutsu.

"Wow!" Iruka exclaimed in amazement. "I didn't think he was alive."

"Don't go burying me yet," Chen responded.

Margaret was more inquisitive, noting Chen's comment curiously. "Did you catch that? He said 'more from the Leaf.'"

"I think you're reading too much into it, Marge," Neji said, trying to remain rational. "It's probably just a coincidence because of our headbands."

"Look at the group next to Chen, though!" Margaret insisted, realizing that it included several recognizable ninja from the Leaf village: Ebisu, Raidō Namiashi, Kotetsu Hagane, and even Anko Mitarashi chatting away.

While everyone practically knew who Anko was, Raidō, Kotetsu, and Ebisu are three skilled and dedicated Leaf shinobi. They each bring unique qualities to their roles, contributing to the overall strength and protection of the village.

Raidō, a Special Jōnin, is renowned for his assassination skills. His calm demeanour and methodical approach to missions make him a valuable asset to any team.

Kotetsu, a Chūnin, is known for his carefree personality and his strong bond with his partner, Izumo Kamizuki. Despite his laid-back attitude, he always puts the needs of the village first.

Ebisu, another Special Jōnin, is a complex mentor. He has a reputation for being strict and demanding, but he also cares for his students like Konohamaru.

"Cuz they're all here chilling?" Margaret concluded, glancing back to the group.

None of them seemed disheartened that they were surrounded by familiar faces. Had they known that other ninjas from their villages were selected or going to watch, they would have gladly traveled with them.

And even though they were from their village, they still had to focus on their own matches.

Unable to resist, Naruto and William suggested to the group, "We should go see who else is here!"

"Wait, I don't think that would—"

"Yeah, come on, cuz," Naruto said, cutting Iruka off. Ignoring the small wall dividing their area, they hopped over to greet the other fighters.

With eager faces, they scanned the surroundings and noted the varied array of competitors. Teams from different villages were gathered—all there to prove their strength.

They spotted Han and Kurotsuchi, the latter being known to become the Kage of the Stone Village about a decade from now. William was quite interested to know how a guy like Han managed to get selected despite having a known bounty and being the Jinchūriki of the Five-Tails, Kokuō.

"Whoa! Look over there!" William spoke, gesturing wildly with excitement. "It's Darui and Omoi! They're here too!"

"Hey, Will, how do you know everyone here?" Naruto asked. He was oblivious to who any of these fighters were during their explorations.

"Um…" William stammered. "I read about them, of course."

"Well," Naruto said, buying the excuse, "these guys all seem really strong! I can't wait to prove myself!"

"Just so you know, Kurotsuchi is next in line to become the Kage of her village," William informed Naruto, sensing his excitement rising.

"Ugh, yeah! I totally knew that!"