A Single Man
Instant murmurs arose, with many spectators exchanging puzzled glances. These were names and faces most hadn't known. However, the moment they saw the familiar Leaf Village insignia attached to their uniforms, interest sparked anew.
The audience recognized that despite their anonymity, these fighters were from the same village as Naruto and Margaret, who had previously enthralled them.
In the midst of the buzz, the Raikage made his return. As he walked back into the viewing area, still fuming over his ninjas' lackluster performances, he found that someone had already placed a fresh chair for him. He plopped down into it with displeasure and a scowl on his expression.
Whatever hopes he had of a proud showing for the Cloud Village hung precariously on the shoulders of his only two remaining fighters: C and Darui. Every other match had felt like a slap in the face.
His eyes drifted back to the arena, and he felt frustrated at the prospect that the fighters were again from the Leaf Village. Then an idea sparked in his mind. So he turned to Mei and suggested, "How about another bet, Mizukage?"
Mei's interest piqued. She leaned forward and queried, "What's the wager this time?"
"The shinobi with the bandage across his face," he said, pointing decisively at Kotetsu. "I believe he's going to win."
Mei studied the two shinobi with a sharp eye. Only vaguely recalling them, she attempted to make sense of his choice. "You think so? He seems a bit... average, don't you think?"
"Sure, but it's about potential!"
That's when Mei recognized something the Raikage regretted. The other fighter, Raidō, had a scar on his face. That surely had to have meant something. A scar like that could only have been acquired in a serious battle.
"Maybe so," she replied, rolling her eyes. "But I wish that Kotetsu didn't have that bandage on. He could be really handsome under there." This was typical of Mei's character. Having been single for quite some time, she liked to engage with handsome men.
The Raikage raised an eyebrow, but before he could retort, Mei's expression shifted to one of contemplation. Eager to hear her answer, he asked, "So are you saying you're placing your bet on Raidō?"
"Yes," she affirmed. "If I'm right, you have to double the promised resources to the Mist Village."
"And if I win?" the Raikage countered, leaning in slightly, intensely curious.
"If you win," Mei replied playfully, "you won't have to give them the tools at all. Deal?"
It was a win-win situation for Mei, and A knew it. If he didn't accept, then she'd decline. But if he did accept and win, he could try to gamble again.
"Deal!" he smirked, extending his hand as they clasped in agreement.
The feudal lords nearby couldn't make sense of these two Kages. They thought that heads from villages had enmity with one another, especially after the Mist Village's rumoured "Blood Mist" era. Thankfully, their talk was nothing more than friendly competition, not a political one.
The announcer's voice boomed in the arena as Raidō and Kotetsu faced one another in the center, exchanging friendly glances. Their camaraderie was evident; these two shinobi weren't foes but teammates, part of a respected squad back in the Leaf Village.
"Finally, I've been meaning to fight you," Raidō said with a friendly grin.
Kotetsu laughed, "Glad you think I'm worthy of the challenge. Let's give them a good show, shall we?"
Little did the spectators know, Raidō was actually Kotetsu's senior—an aspect of their relationship unknown to the audience. They had trained together, shared techniques, and connected through comradeship.
As the announcer signaled the start of the match, the two quickly engaged with one another. Their taijutsu techniques started cautiously but soon intensified into fast exchanges as they felt the arena's intense cheers.
Their movements were noteworthy but lacked the extraordinary flair exhibited by fighters like Rock Lee or Shira. Nonetheless, the crowd appreciated the grit they displayed.
Back at the Raikage's corner, he grumbled, "Some shinobi they are."
"Give them some credit; it's not like every match can produce a legendary fighter," Mei countered with amusement curling at her lips.
As the match between them began, Naruto leaned forward, trying his best to catch every move.
"Hey, who are these two guys again?" he asked, glancing around at his companions with a cocked head. This was atypical of his behaviour. If the main character didn't interact with someone he knew, it would often leave him with confusion marred on his face.
William chuckled heartily at Naruto's question and said, "Seriously, cuz? You don't know? Kotetsu is one of the village guards; he patrols the gate and keeps an eye out for any trouble. And Raidō? He's the Hokage's elite bodyguard. Both of them are actually really skilled!"
In truth, both were average-level fighters.
Naruto's eyes widened in mock shock. "What? They're guards? I mean…" With a grin spreading across his face, Naruto announced to the entire group, "I knew that! Of course, I did!" He pointed at Raidō and Kotetsu, puffing out his chest. "Just wasn't going to say it without first being asked, right?"
A couple of his friends barely managed to suppress their laughter, while Iruka wore a bemused expression. Neji shook his head and teased, "Take it easy, Naruto. I think everyone knows you were clueless until now."
"What's the big deal?" Naruto protested, dismissing the comment while trying to recover his dignity. "It's not like I've got their profiles memorized like Will and Jada always do!".
"Maybe you should start taking notes, Naruto," Margaret joked, trying to recover face.
"You want to know who you're sparring with someday, don't you?" Jada added.
Both were correct in a sense. Neither wanted to relay information that they knew everything about his world.
As the match continued, Naruto's attention remained glued to the combatants, who were now trading blows harder than before. The taijutsu they demonstrated wasn't world-shattering, but it did show how strong the Leaf was.
"Go, Kotetsu!" Naruto cheered, inexplicably invested in the fight unfolding before him. "Show him what the village guard can do!" Then he suddenly called out, "C'mon, Raidō! You're the Hokage's elite! Don't let him outshine you!"
Almost everyone smirked or laughed at the boy's enthusiasm.
"Naruto!" Iruka tried stopping. "Keep your voice down; you're gonna draw attention to—"
"Alright! Give 'em another one!"
As the punches landed and their feet shuffled, amidst the cheers and commotion, Naruto's voice rang clear and comical. He stood up at one impressive moment, causing nearby spectators to turn to him in surprise, announcing with gusto, "I knew there was something special about them! They are the best-chosen guards of the village! Respect!"
His fervent proclamations continued to draw chuckles from those around him. They echoed his cheers. Even the occasional shinobi, initially focused on the fight, couldn't help but join in the lighthearted mood.
Back in the ring, as Raidō and Kotetsu continued to exchange blows, a glance between them revealed their shared amusement. They weren't just fighting for victory; they were representatives of their village, and they understood that value.
Naruto, still animated, yelled, "Let's go! We're rooting for our guys!" With that line, he became the unofficial cheerleader of the arena.
Much of his group members felt a tad embarrassed. Only William had enough shameless to join in and yelled, "Leaf Village all the way!"
As the two fighters exchanged blows, the crowd soon began to pick favourites.
Raidō threw a punch, which Kotetsu evaded with a swift sidestep, retaliating with a light jab of his own. They went back and forth, neither yielding.
Sweat glistened on their brows from having exhaustively traded punches and dodges, yet even still, neither was willing to back down. For a moment, it appeared that they shared a mutual understanding—a celebration of their village's strengths.
Time seemed to drag as the match progressed, both fighters nearing their limits. A referee, positioned attentively, knew he'd eventually need to call the match.
Finally, he raised his hand and blew a whistle, signaling the time limit had been reached. The two combatants paused, panting heavily, and turned their attention to the referee, eager yet nervous to know who would be declared the victor.
The crowd held their breath as they watched the referee study both fighters, who stood at the center, equally exhausted but proud.
"After careful evaluation," the referee announced, "I declare the winner: Raidō Namiashi!"
The audience celebrated his victory. However, the Raikage's face twisted with fury upon hearing the announcement. His frustration boiled over as he once again hurled his chair against the wall with a loud crash.
"Another bathroom break!" he shouted, storming off as yet another defeat for the Cloud Village weighed him down.
Mei giggled at the spectacle and shook her head, musing, "Poor man."
As Raidō and Kotetsu exchanged appreciation nods, they clasped hands in a show of solidarity. Despite the competitive nature of the tournament, their coworker relationship prevailed, and both displayed mutual respect for each other's strength.
"Let's go back to our group," Kotetsu suggested, already drifting off towards their teammates. "You know what happens next, don't you?"
"Yeah," Raidō agreed with a genuine smile. "Let's hope we see someone from our group win this whole thing!"
Their short chat ended amicably, with the two comrades navigating away towards where Anko and Ebisu were. She looked at them and said, "That was a great match, you two. Raidō, if you look at the bracket, it should be you and I fighting in the next round."
"Meh, have fun with that," he shot back jokingly. "I'll probably forfeit anyway; I only showed up to see the hype surrounding the tournament."
Ebisu blinked at him, shocked. "Wait… you're serious? You're going to forfeit?"
Raidō nodded with earnestness and said, "Yeah, it just feels like the right thing to do. Besides, Kotetsu and I planned this from the start!"
"Wow. That's a bummer," Anko murmured, though she couldn't hide her admiration for his decision. "I won't stop you; I appreciate you two escorting us here."
As their exchange ended, Raidō and Kotetsu passed by Naruto's group. Raidō glanced over, spotting some familiar faces, and said, "Hey, you guys! Hope one of you makes it as a finalist!"
Naruto flashed a big grin and replied, "You know it! Just wait and see! No way I'm gonna lose; I'm gonna be the Hokage some day!"
"Go get 'em, Naruto!" Kotetsu called, throwing a thumbs-up. "You too, Iruka, Will, Marge, Neji, and Lee!"
As the two Leaf shinobi stepped out of the arena, the atmosphere outside felt different, more tranquil compared to the energy they had just left behind. They made their way towards the area designated for collecting their materials and tools.
"I wonder what the true purpose of this tournament was," Kotetsu pondered aloud, casting a sideways glance at his teammate. "It seemed different than what I had expected."
Raidō nodded thoughtfully and replied, "Yeah, you're right. There's got to be some deeper reason for holding this. I mean, look at the attention it's gained. Two Kages are here to spectate. That doesn't happen for just any event."
Kotetsu frowned slightly and wondered, "You think it's about fostering unity among the villages?"
Raidō shrugged, saying, "Could be. Or maybe they're trying to set the stage for something bigger. But what could that be? With how powerful the Kages are, whoever orchestrated this must be on another level."
Both shinobi fell into a contemplative silence for a moment. They didn't want to think too hard on the matter. Little did they know that behind the grandeur of the tournament, the orchestration of events lay not in the hands of villages, an organization, or even a group of unfamed feudal lords, but in the hands of a single man—Arthur Bennett.
Unaware of the true architect behind the spectacle, Raidō and Kotetsu continued their conversation, completely oblivious to what was just outside their comprehension.